Hebrews 10.31
Meat
June 1st 2014
Welcome
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Okay. APPLI-FREAKIN-CATION!
The great summary of all that has been said is here!
Jesus Christ . . .!!!!
He is better than Angels!
He is better than prophets!
He is better than man-priests!
His blood is better than all the animals in the world.
His priesthood is better than any priesthood!
He is better than hanging veils!
He is better than tabernacles and temples!
And we, reader of the epistle of Hebrews, have agreed to this! We have known this! We have been illuminated by this and we have realized and accepted it all BY faith!
So, “Hebrew convert to Christ,” (to whom this epistle was written) So “reader of this epistle in this modern age . . . “you ready?
The author then says, as a result of all of this (verse 23)
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Verse 23
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
The point of it all. I mean if the converts then (and you and I now) had no problem holding fast to the professions of our faith without wavering,” this epistle would never have had to be written.
But this is not the case with us human believers, is it?
We have “our faith” and our “professions” of faith, don’t we?
We say we love Jesus. We say and profess that He has saved us. We say we believe and trust in Him and His faithfulness as promised, but the writer is getting down to the reality of it all right here and now – it gets tough sometimes to hold fast to all we say we believe.
And because it gets so bloody tough – especially in the face of trials and tests and difficulties believers run the risk of drawing back into those “things” of our former lives – things not founded on faith but things founded on immediacy, on material certainty, on things as tangible as real material priests, and veils, and blood they could see and smell and touch.
Sometimes we run across people who make it seem like walking by faith is a fairly easy walk – forgive me if I have been one of them.
For me, the reasoning is clear – but don’t ever mistake that because I see the ease of why faith is the only answer that choosing faith is easy for me – this is not always the case.
Neither was it always the case for our Lord.
We recall back in chapter five where the writer said, relative to the King:
Hebrews 5:8 “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.”
In the garden of Gethsemane we read that under the weight of what was upon Him Jesus wondered if there was not any other way than the cross, saying, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me,”
Of course being Jesus he added:
“nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”
Maybe at this point some of the Jewish converts were under the impression that there was “another way?” Like all of us do when we too, weakened by the ways and means of the world turn to other ways than faith in Him.
But there is NO other way than faith, and the writer has worked hard to establish this.
In fact, the message of holding to faith is so important that here in verse 23 where he encourages and exhorts believers to:
“hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)”
He continues on this very premise all the way through chapter 11 which is completely dedicated to men and women who chose faith over everything else.
Contextually it is more than evident that those to whom he wrote were suffering persecution.
In Hebrews chapter 12:1-29 we can see that they were in great danger of apostasy.
Looking at these warnings (one of which we are going to get to in a minute) against apostasy we are forced to ask ourselves –
Can true, illuminated believers apostasai from the faith?
Modern Christian nomenclature says absolutely not – it’s a lie.
But what describes true apostasy has also been lost today too (another subject we’ll approach in a minute).
In any case we know that it was persecution (which probably came from the Jews) whose aim was to get them to return to the elements of their former faith – just like those from our former lives would love to get us to return to our former lives of faithlessness.
In view of all this the writer urges them to hold fast the profession of their faith, without being shaken by their trials, or by the arguments and appeals of their enemies.
It is interesting to note what the writer is petitioning them to cling to – faith – but faith in what?
In the end, Christ, but more specifically to the promises Christ has made to them. For this reason the writer says:
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
In other words trust in the promises Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, has made on behalf of His flock.
And one of the most pressing promises they were relying on was that even though they were going through some heinous tribulations and trials, He was coming back to save them – to take His church amidst the coming destruction they could already see happening all around them.
In other words God, who had promised eternal life to them, was also faithful to all that he had said – this pleases God – in fact, it is impossible for human beings to please him in ANY (that’s right) any other way.
“If it ain’t by faith, it holds no weight with God.”
AS a means to then bolster or booster them in their faith he suggests some actions that will help them continue on, saying: (verse 24)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
First, look around you and consider those who are also under a burden of the persecuted life.
In this verse there are some key words the author uses:
“Let us consider one another”
“To provoke toward” (or unto)
“Love and to good works”
Let us so regard the welfare of others as to endeavor to excite them to persevere in the Christian life.
From this we discover that a great deal of encouragement can occur when we take the time to “look around at others first.”
Here the beauty of this principle – First, we are not focusing on our own needs and wants but on others – truly the Christian call of selflessness.
In so doing, we lose our lives in the cause of trying to help others save theirs.
Meanwhile, those around us are doing the same thing, and in turn are serving you in your struggles.
In this way we take the focus off ourselves but others (who have done the same) are engaged in helping us out of our mire.
It is truly the most remarkable method of self and community preservation on earth.
In this approach the writer makes sure to tell them not to focus on the negative aspects of other believers situation but to “provoke each other unto love.”
Today we use the word provoke to mean to offend, or irritate, or incense but its original meaning is better understood as to “arouse, or excite, or to call into action.
An environment of love will truly rise above any other.
In stating this I believe that God (through the author) is getting them to establish a far “better” environment among themselves than ever existed around them when they were under the law (or their former) legislation.
(IOW)
“Gather together and through real love and good works toward one another an environment of agape love will appear,” (which was a very different environment from where they came from) but totally effective in keeping peace and unity among the flock.
He adds more for the betterment of their situation, saying in verse 25:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Now, I would bet that most teachers of the word will, in this day and age, try to suggest that the writer is appealing to his audience to attend church.
To assemble together in the church of believers.
It makes great sense (all things considered) and there is absolutely nothing wrong with such assemblage – especially in that day and age when persecutions were so high.
But I would suggest that the writer is telling them to not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together for the purposes of public worship.
I have a couple reasons to believe this is the meaning.
First, I am not sure hiding was the call of the day – I may be wrong. But I think the writer is telling them to openly (publically) be seen as believers worshipping God.
This would certainly bolster the stance of other believers who would look upon them and encourage or exhort them to such faith.
Secondly, the writer here adds, “Not forsaking assembly AS SOME OTHERS HAVE.”
It may have become the practice of some believers to have taken their faith underground or out of public view and the writer here MAY (may) be encouraging them to not take this course because being out in the open would, again, help other Jews to see their courage and join the heavenly rank.
But the best support for my stance comes in and through the Greek.
The Greek word (the noun) is used nowhere else in the New Testament, except in 2 Thessalonians 2:1 which says:
2nd Thessalonians 2:1-2 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our “gathering together” unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
Here Paul is talking about the rapture of the church and not the assemblage of the church for services.
The verb (which is used in Matthew 23:3,
24:31; Mark 1:33; 13:27; and Luke 12:1; 13:34) and in all of these places it is rendered “gathered together,” as in “assembling,” (like at a beach party) and the word is nowhere used in the New Testament in the sense of an assembly of the church.
In other words I believe the writer is telling them not to forsake meeting together for the worship of God.
I know, that sounds like our understanding of church (which, I suppose it is since where two or three are gathered together He is there) but I think this distinction is important.
The reasons some have neglected to so meet might have been over the danger of doing it before orthodox Jews, they had no interest in it, or maybe they felt themselves superior to the public gatherings.
The writer adds: (Don’t forsake meeting up and assembling as some have done) . . .
. . . but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Now, we can read this line:
. . . but exhorting one another: and so much the more . . . in a couple of ways.
First of all, mutual exhortation appears to have been part of the early church. The writer tells them to not forsake gathering or assembling together and in the assemblage tells them to exhort one another.
In my opinion, this suggests that when they are openly gathering all are called to lift up the heavy hands and to encourage and exhort.
If you want to read this as gathering together as the church in a church setting, I would point out that we don’t see the writer suggesting they listen to one man preach the word only but that they all take part in the exhortation experience.
In either situation this can be frightening to control freaks but in reality I am certain that within the BODY of believers the “pastor’s” place is simply to administrate but teach and exhort along with everybody else.
Here at CAMPUS we touch on this with our Q and A and in the Milk Gatherings take it further with sermonettes given by individual believers, but in the future I think steps should be taken to bring more of this mutual exhortation out from among the flock.
In what context the does writer tells them to do this? In the face of what?
(listen closely folks)
“And so much the more as ye see the day approaching.”
Obviously they were looking with great anticipation of a day (which was a specific determined time) that was approaching.
Paul infers to this “day” in
Romans 13:11 saying:
“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.”
Again, Paul says in Philippians 4:5
“Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.”
In Revelation 3:11 Jesus says:
“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”
(It’s interesting that He uses the same terminology as the writer of Hebrews does in verse 23 when He says “hold fast.”)
By the way the Greek word for come quickly is Takooo – and it means “very very soon.” It is used only in the Book of Revelation relative to Christ’s return (His coming quickly) and it makes sense since that it would be used with it being that last book given to the church.
Now, some (in fact most) modern scholars believe that when the writer of Hebrews reminds them to cling to faith and:
“so much the more as ye see the day approaching.”
That the day spoken of is the destruction of Jerusalem but not the second coming of Christ.
But Jesus uses the term “day,” in Matthew 24 in relation to His return and NOT to the destruction of Jerusalem alone.
From this I would strongly suggest that the day they were seeing approaching was the end of the age, the end of the world, the destruction of Jerusalem, the Second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ (fulfilling His promises to them) and the rapture of the apostolic church.
I mean, even Jesus had promised them that “this generation would not pass until all the things He described in Matthew 24 occurred.
There is no way around this promise of the Lord. And remember, the writer here began our study today (at verse 23 with?????)
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Now, we have to seriously ask ourselves some questions with all that the writer has said here and with all that he is about to say in verses 26-31.
Don’t shrug this off – they are extremely serious if seen in a particular manner (which I believe is the correct manner) and so to understand what the writer is saying is vital to the Christian walk.
First, why does the writer (and Paul and Peter and James and John) all spend so much time warning believers and members of the earliest church to maintain faith, to avoid apostasy, and to “abide in the vine” (so to speak).
The second question to consider is relative to this particular setting – an apostolically driven epistle to Jewish converts warning them to NOT draw back from the grace and illumination given them.
Now, I have been told and taught that the words of warning here to these believers are specific to them BECAUSE they were of the house of Israel and they ran the risk of being killed at the destruction of Jerusalem if they drew back from the faith.
This is the context many people present when trying to explain away the warnings to stay in the faith.
In other words, the writer here (and all the other New Testament writings) were aimed at trying to keep believers (at that time) strong in the faith because if they did weaken (detach from the vine so to speak) they ran the risk of losing their lives at the destruction of Jerusalem – but not salvation. Because once saved always saved – no matter what the text says here.
That is one view.
A second view says that these warnings have application only to the early church due to the fact that they had literal physical apostolic influence and therefore were under greater condemnation – that drawing back from the faith would mean both physical destruction AND eternal punishment – but this is not the case for us who are not as privileged nor subject to the demands of that particular time (which was the end of that age).
Another view is that the apostles meant what they wrote and the words applied to the believers then as they apply to us now – stay in the faith, don’t draw back into apostasy – the consequences bear eternal significance.
Understand we are talking about whether believers continue in faith . . . or not. In Christianity where salvation is by Grace through Faith, Faith or the lack thereof is all that there is in the realms of apostasy.
Trusting in Him as the author and finisher of our salvation.
In the case of these Jewish converts they were considering drawing back into elements of the law, to the rites of ceremonial living, essentially back to Judaism.
The author makes is very, very clear this will end very badly relative to their eternal security with God (we’re going to read these verses in a minute).
The question we have to ask ourselves – here, nearly 2000 year later, if they same rules apply to us?
Now, the common response is that those who are his will not draw back, that He never let’s them go, etc., etc.
This is absolutely true of those who abide in Him by faith. But the writer here is petitioning his readers to move forward into faith on the promises of God, and his readers are clearly recipients of God’s grace in times past – making them believers of regenerated hearts.
I do not know how to justify all the warnings scripture gives to believers in Christ about apostasy in any other way than to believe apostasy (losing faith) is possible.
Simply reading the word IN context says nothing to the contrary and I am certain we have done a great injustice over time in teaching anything different.
Why?
I can think of a few reasons:
It clearly establishes the purpose and reason we gather together as like-minded believers – in increase and sustain faith and to learn to love. And since Romans 10 tells us that faith comes by hearing the word we are further informed on the import of pastors teaching and preaching it.
To suggest once saved always saved allows for believers to focus on and relive their initial conversion while failing to increase in faith which will serve to ward off growing tendencies to abandon it – especially when times get tough.
Additionally, scripture clearly intimates that sin has an ability to undermine faith – this is the reason – LISTEN – this is one of the main reasons we encourage believers to avoid living lives of sin.
With the price of sin having been wiped away by Christ, the effects of it apparently have not while we remain in the flesh, and one of those effects – especially if allowed to accumulate – is a deconstruction of faith.
Jesus teaches this in His parable of the sower, where the Word is cast on four types of ground and received with joy on three of them, but all sorts of fleshly affairs enter in and destroy the faith of 3/4ths of the recipients.
Acknowledging this in the church gives reason as to how and why sin is best avoided – because it destroys faith NOT because we are still able to sin and disappoint God thereby.
If it is impossible to please Him but by faith then I would think the only thing that displeases Him in this day and age is faithlessness – and sins of the flesh are a number one enemy to the possession of it (again, if allowed to take root).
Additionally, if regenerated believers have the ability to walk from faith (and therefore lose their salvation) the absolute worse thing that could possibly be taught is that such a thing is impossible!
This is why I put such seriousness on the topic today.
In my opinion we have all together missed the mark on correct teachings on this subject and have contributed to a false sense of security many, many people have relative to escaping hell and/or the second death.
Again – this is NOT a matter of failures in the flesh. It’s a matter of possessing genuine faith in the Lord Jesus Christ – a definition I am going to avoid right now.
Instead, let’s listen to what the writer says next – verses 26-31.
Remember, in verse 23-25 he said:
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
And then he adds (listen carefully)
26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
So back to verse 26 and after we’ll wrap it up until next week :
26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
I want to break this down into segments to facilitate clarity. First,
“For if”
The phrase itself (or the use of the word IF) allows for the possibility.
We recall similar expressions from the author in chapter six where “If” is also used when he said:
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
We know that Peter also appealed to IF when he said:
2nd Peter 2:20-21 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
The Lord Himself, in the all-familiar teaching of John 15 said:
John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch,(meaning he was once part of the vine and grew therefrom) and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
“For if . . .”
“WE SIN WILLFULLY”
Isn’t all sin willful? Is the author saying that any failure to live perfectly in the spirit removes our salvation?
Not at all.
Again, we have to ask, “In what manner can a believer sin and better yet, “sin willfully?”
The only sin a believer can commit is the sin of failure to believe (and all that it entails – which is another subject).
But nevertheless, the writer is saying:
“For if we willfully chose to not believe, for if we walk from faith.”
This has to be the case when we consider Paul, an apostle of the Lord, who bemoaned his sinful flesh, right?
This is the only way we could possibly read this passage if we honestly examine our own lives since becoming believers for the honest believer has to admit to willful sin since rebirth, right?
Don’t let it catch you wrongly – the writer is saying, “If we willfully walk from faith” and adds
“after that we have received the knowledge of the truth,”
AFTER We have become believers, in this there is no doubt in the meaning)
“there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,”
We could read this in a couple of ways, admittedly.
The writer could be saying:
There is no sacrifice of sins remaining since the only effective one (that of Jesus Christ) has been rejected OR there is no hope left for the individual because they have rejected the only source for remission of sins available.
Either way, I think we can safely say that the writer is saying, the options are gone once and for all because the only sacrificial offering of eternal significance is lost.
Now in all fairness, we COULD read this as a hypothetical warning the writer is making to the readers, as if he is saying:
“Let me tell you, if a person were to lose faith after they have received the knowledge of the truth there is nothing left on earth that could cover their sins (no option for sacrifice remains)” but I do not think this is the meaning for the following reasons:
First, the natural and obvious interpretation which 99% of readers would take from this passage is what the obvious says.
Second, it fits with the tenor of the epistle itself which has been to keep those whom the apostle addressed from returning again to the Jewish religion.
Third, lines like “after that we have received the knowledge of the truth,” refers to them individually and to genuine conversion.
Fourth, if Christ, all the way up to the Garden of Gethsemane had the trial and temptation to walk from the cross, but of His own free will chose to submit to the Father’s will instead of His own, a fact we honor Him for throughout all eternity, I cannot help but believe that believers have the same option – to follow their own will instead of God’s even though they too have become Sons or Daughters through rebirth.
Fifth, I am personally convinced that since the Holy Spirit’s job is in operation here now (and then) among believers to turn from its influence of drawing and keeping all abiding in the vine, that once it is refused the crime is complete and there is no return.
Again, we are not talking about the ups and down of faith in trials – we are talking about walking from faith once and for all – something I believe might be a rarity, but not an impossibility.
We’ll continue on this discussion next week.
Q and A
