Covenant Reformed Church, Bangalore: September 2011

Introduction

Having mentioned the marks of immaturity in 5:11-14, the author of Hebrews goes on to mention the need of spiritual maturity. The author is not willing to leave his readers in their spiritual immaturity, explained in 5:11-14, but to see them progress in their spiritual walk with the Lord. He knows that the only way to bring them out of their spiritually infantile state is to insist that they begin a serious consideration of a more mature diet rather than still wanting to drink milk as babes. Hence, chapter 6 contains an urgent appeal for the readers to progress toward their divinely appointed goals (vv1-3), a warning against apostasy (vv 4-8), an encouragement to be diligent in their effort to progress in Christian life, and a reminder of God’s integrity in keeping His promises for His people (vv 13-20).

The Need of Spiritual Progress (vv 1-3)

The readers are in need of a concerted move toward maturity prompted by faith in God. Therefore the author calls them in verse 1 to “go on unto perfection.” The verb (pherometha) here is not active as the translation coveys, but passive, implying the meaning, “let us be moved along.” It means that Christian maturity will not be attained by personal effort as much as by personal surrender to God, who alone can accomplish the needed perfection in the life of a converted sinner (v 3). We should allow the Spirit of God to work in our lives to be carried toward spiritual maturity. In such compliance, there can be no resistance, but there must be a constant determination to be moved forward by the Spirit of God.

The goal of our spiritual life is “perfection” (teleioteta). Earlier the author has mentioned that our Great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, achieved perfection through the completion of His divinely appointed tasks (5:9). Likewise, we too strive toward the “end” (telous; 6:11) God has purposed for us.

In general, two actions had to be taken before progress could occur: (1) The person must leave the principles of the doctrine of Christ (v 1a); and (2) the believer must not lay again the foundation of his Christian life (v 2b). The idea of “leaving” is the passing from one phase of contemplation to another, which earlier mentioned as “the first principles of the oracles of God” (5:12). The call not to lay the foundation again perhaps refers to the basic practices of their Christian faith which have its connection with the Old Testament practices, because it was a transition period from the old Judaism to Christianity.

The foundation then listed in six specific areas, mentioned in three pairs. Each of these items is important, but one must not think that Christianity is merely adoption of a creed. The foundation must be crowned with a superstructure of righteous living:

(1) “Repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God”: This involves the believer’s conversion. It involves believer’s response to the gospel. In the gospel the sinner learns that all his efforts to please God are merely dead works, and his only hope for salvation is a complete reversal of attitude, coming to God in repentance and accepting Him in faith as the only Savior of the world. When genuine faith occurs, trust is turned from self-confidence to the redemptive nature of God.

(2) “The doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands”: The second pair involve ordinances or ceremonies. The plural “baptisms” embraces the various types of baptisms with their functions and meanings. The Jewish legalistic system incorporated diverse baptisms or washings. Within Judaism, there were ceremonial purifications by water and the practice of proselyte baptism (John 3:25). John the Baptist proclaimed the baptism of repentance. Then the baptism of Jesus’ disciples, and Christian baptism. The “laying on of hands” was common both in the Old and New Testaments. For the Old Testament, the high priest on the Day of Atonement placed both his hands on the goat, before sending it into the wilderness, signifying the sin of the people being place on the animal (Lev 16:21). In the New, Christ placed His hands upon children when He blessed them (Matt 19:13). The Apostles laid their hands on seven men, signifying their approval and appointment for the seven to the diaconate (Acts 6:6; also 1 Tim 4:14; 5:22). The Samaritan converts received the Spirit when Peter and John placed their hands on them (Acts 8:17). The action thus symbolized recognition, identification, and approval.

(3) “Resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment”: The last pair are doctrines involving eschatological truth, yet are among the first teachings that a Christian believer learns.

Warning Against Apostasy (vv 4-8)

Having stated the need of spiritual progress, the author warns his readers against possible danger of apostasy. Apostasy is willfully turning one’s back on Jesus Christ, and returning to the old life. The author’s call is this: “Let us be moved along . . . for it is impossible for those . . . if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance.”

Now who are the people being addressed here? There are at least 4 main views:

(1) Saved persons who are subsequently lost their salvation: This view interprets the description as of people who are truly regenerated, but then lost their salvation through deliberate apostasy. The problem with this view is that if that is the case, then our salvation can be lost, which is contrary to the teaching of the Apostle in this letter (in fact the last portion of this chapter 6 explains the certainty of our salvation in Christ Jesus, 6:13-20; also 8:12), as well as the to teaching in the rest of the New Testament (John 10:27-29; Rom 5:10; 8:29-39; Phil 1:6; 1 Pet 1:4-5).

(2) Saved person who backslide: There are some who recognize that this passage refers to regenerated persons, and acknowledge also that the Scriptural teaching on the believer’s security of salvation prevents the possibility of a true believer ever being lost. Thus they explain the “falling away” as a falling into sin to the extent that they are in danger of divine chastening. However, the author’s clear indication of the impossibility of renewing such people again unto repentance makes this view untenable.

(3) A hypothetical case to illustrate the folly of apostasy: Some believe that the situation explained here would never happen but it is just a supposed case to warn Christians of the danger of apostasy. But the problem is the warning is too serious to consider just as a hypothetical warning. In fact what the author addresses here is a practical truth that has verified itself repeatedly in the experience of the church.

(4) Professed believers who have never really been saved: This view says that the people concerned here are professing Christians , who have never been saved, but have exposed to Christian truth, and may have shown some apparent evidences of conversion. Since they are not genuine in their faith and commitment to follow Christ, they apostatize and so forever unable to be brought to repentance and true saving faith.

As we study the passage, few things we need to take note: (1) The Apostle is not talking about the same group of people whom he has been addressing. There is an observable change from the first person pronoun (“we” and “us”; 6:1, 3) to the third person (“they” and “them”; 6:4, 6). Moreover, the author later admitted that the readers had not yet succumbed to the perilous, irreversible situation (6:9).
(2) The seriousness of the warning and sin committed has been emphasized as the author says, in no uncertain terms, that it is impossible to bring those who fall away back again to repentance.
(3) Whatever these verses might teach, such is not true of those believers whom the author addresses to (6:9).
(4) We need to compare this passage with another warning passage, in a similar tempo and tenor, mentioned later in the epistle, 10:19-39 (especially note vv 25, 26, 29, 38, 39).
(5) This leads us into considering the possibility of a mixed audience being addressed. This means some of the audience were perhaps having professing faith but never really converted to Christian faith.
(6) The description in verses 7-8 where the result of persistent disobedience is highlighted.
(7) The author is concerned with addressing his readers’ spiritual immaturity and calling them for maturity in their spiritual life and progress in their spiritual walk with Christ.

John Calvin, in his commentary on Hebrews, explains this passage to mean that those who are addressed here are reprobates. A reprobate is the one who shows some signs of spirituality, but in truth, never experienced real regeneration of the heart, and as a result, he falls away. He explains, those who are truly called by the Lord would not fall away in such a fashion, but withstand by the persevering power of God. He says,
How can it be that he who has once made such a progress should afterwards fall away? For God, it may be said, calls none effectually but the elect, and Paul testifies that they are really his sons who are led by his Spirit, (Rom viii. 14), and he teaches us, that it is a sure pledge of adoption when Christ makes us partakers of his Spirit. The elect are also beyond the danger of finally falling away; for the Father who gave them to be preserved by Christ his Son is greater than all, and Christ promises to watch over them all so that none may perish. To all this I answer, That God indeed favours none but the elect alone with the Spirit of regeneration, and that by this they are distinguished from the reprobate; for they are renewed after his image and receive the earnest of the Spirit in hope of the future inheritance, and by the same Spirit the Gospel is sealed in their hearts. But I cannot admit that all this is any reason why he should not grant the reprobate also some taste of his grace, why he should not irradiate their minds with some sparks of his light, why he should not give them some perception of his goodness, and in some sort engrave his word on their hearts. Otherwise where would be the temporary faith mentioned by Mark iv. 17? There is therefore some knowledge even in the reprobate, which afterwards vanishes away, either because it did not strike roots sufficiently deep, or because it withers, being choked up. (pp 137-138).

What relevance then this has for Christians? Calvin explains,
If any one asks why the Apostle makes mention here of such apostasy while he is addressing believers, who were far off from a perfidy so heinous; to this I answer, that the danger was pointed out by him in time, that they might be on their guard. And this ought to be observed; for when we turn aside from the right way, we not only excuse to others our vices, but we also impose on ourselves. Satan stealthily creeps on us, and by degrees allures us by clandestine arts, so that when we go astray we know not that we are going astray. Thus gradually we slide, until at length we rush heading into ruin. We may observe this daily in many. Therefore the Apostle does not without reason forewarn all the disciples of Christ to beware in time; for a continued torpor commonly ends in lethargy, which is followed by alienation of mind. (pp 136-137)

Then what about the four experiences mentioned about these people in versus 4-5? FF Bruce has taken these to mean a person going through baptism, the holy communion, and other spiritual experiences as mentioned in 10:29.
Bruce says in his commentary of Hebrews,
The people whom he has in mind had not only been baptized and received the Eucharist, but had experienced the laying on of hands. Early apostolic history has a record of one outstanding character who believed when he heard the gospel, was baptized, attached himself to the evangelist whose preaching had convinced him, and presumably received the Spirit when apostolic hands were laid upon him—yet Simon Magus was pronounced by Peter to be still “in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity” (Acts 8:9ff., 18ff.), and showed himself in the following decades to be the most determined opponent of apostolic Christianity. (pp 146-147).

There are in the church in the past and present many experience such things. Judas Iscariot, one of the 12 chosen disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, was such a clear case.

Verses 7-8 further explain the people mentioned in verses 4-6. Such people are compared to land which, in spite of all the care given in its cultivation, refuses to produce a good crop. The vineyard received all the attention that any vineyard could have received. But when the time of fruit-bearing came, it produced nothing but wild grapes. F F Bruce explains about the nature of the land and the person mentioned there, “It was clearly reprobate land, which would never respond to cultivation; it must simply be allowed thenceforth to lie untended and become derelict. So our author compares those who persevere in faith to fertile land which produces fruit, while those in whose lives the fruits of righteousness do not appear are compared to land which will never produce anything but thorns and thistles, to be kept down by burning, “for our God is a consuming fire” (12:29). (pp 149-150). This was the situation Jesus explained in His parable of the sower (Matt 13:1-9, 18-23). A field proves its worth by bearing fruit. A true believer, likewise, is the one who bears fruit for God’s glory.

Need of Diligent Effort (vv 9-12)

The concluding remarks of this portion are with a positive note as the author is confident of their perseverance in the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord. And because it is thus, our salvation is secured. God cannot and will not break His promises.

They have demonstrated their faith by their works (vv 9-10). In fact this is the mark of a true Christian.

The author then in verses 11-12 expressed a threefold desire for his readers:
(1) He wanted them to reach maturity (v 11).
(2) He did not want his readers to become permanently “slothful”, that means to be “dull” (5:11). He desired them to be spiritually alert, teachable, and sensitive to divine direction.
(3) He wanted his readers to follow the example of godly men who exhibited “faith and patience” as they imitate their example.

Conclusion

While it is true that it is God who “carries us along” to maturity (6:1, 3), it is also true that we must do our part. We must not be lazy but apply ourselves to the spiritual resources God has given us.