As we learned in the previous posting, the first three verses of Hebrews six features the Apostle Paul informing the Israelite converts that, if they had any intention of receiving eternal life they had to get their spiritual lives in order–THEY HAD TO GROW UP UNTO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST BY MAKING HIM THEIR LORD AND NOT MERELY THEIR SAVIOR.  ACCEPTING HIM AS OUR SAVIOR ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING RELATIVE TO ETERNAL LIFE.  HE IS EITHER THE LORD OF OUR LIVES OR HE IS NOT INVOLVED IN OUR LIVES.  OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE CONSISTS OF CHOOSING BETWEEN TWO GODS.  WE LOVE ONE AND HATE THE OTHER.  THERE IS NO GRAY AREA.  THERE ARE NO PART-TIME CHRISTIANS, NO SINNERS SAVED BY GRACE.  Jesus speaks to these errors in Revelation 3:14-22 where He tells the end-time (Laodicean Catholic/Protestant Church) of today that they are sprinting toward the Lake of Fire.  Why?  Because they have rebelled against God by rejecting His Word, specifically His “fine print” which makes up 99% of His Holy Bible, which He calls the Law.

Verses eight and nine bear this out.  Here Paul lays out the believer’s only two options.  We either obey God and receive His blessings, or we obey Satan and receive His (God’s) curses.  In verses 11 and 12 Paul notes that we must obey God with the HOPE of salvation until the end.  In verse eight he warns the Hebrew converts that rejection and death awaits them if they do not obey God (make Him their Lord).  This Truth destroys the instant salvation ruse.  Look at verse nine relative to this bit of church-rejected “fine print.”  Notice that Paul, speaking to his “beloved” (fellow converts), states that “we (apostles) BELIEVE (not know) that you will inherit salvation.  Notice that he mentions the “things that accompany (concern) salvation.”  Those THINGS refer to obedience to God’s Ten Commandment Law (1 Jn. 3:4).  Those “things” are part of what I call God’s “fine print.”

In verses nine and ten Paul congratulates the Hebrew for the “works” and “labor of love” they had exhibited in the past and encourages them to continue to do in the future while maintaining their HOPE UNTIL THE END.  As long as we live we have “THE HOPE OF SALVATION” (Titus 1:2).  Note that in this life we HOPE for salvation by walking in holiness “until the end.”  Jesus confirms this Truth in Matthew 10:22, noting that only those who maintain that walk “until the end SHALL (THEN) BE SAVED.”  Concerning the HOPE of salvation in this life, “we are saved by faith.”  Faith is the (spiritual) substance of things “HOPED FOR, the (spiritual) evidence of things NOT (YET) SEEN (OBTAINED)–Heb. 11:1.  In Romans 8:24 and 25 Paul removes all doubt relative to when salvation is received: “for we are saved by hope.  But hope that is seen (already received) is not hope, FOR WHAT A MAN HAS, WHY DOES HE HOPE FOR IT?  BUT WE HOPE FOR WHAT WE DO NOT HAVE AND WITH PATIENCE (AND OBEDIENCE) WE WAIT FOR IT.”  Neither Abel, not Noah, nor Abraham, nor the prophets, nor David, nor the apostles nor anyone who has lived since their deaths has received salvation or been born again.  Read Hope and Salvation and Born Again.  Key words Hope and Born respectively.

The word “Hebrew” means “one who has crossed over.”  The word is Biblically applied to Abraham because he “crossed over” from worshiping heathen gods to worshiping the true God.  In a practical sense, all who are truly converted are spiritual Hebrews, having “crossed over” from worshiping and serving Satan to worshiping and serving (obeying) the Biblical God.  Paul had some hard-hitting words for those Hebrews and for all who call themselves Christians today.  Let us study some of those words now.

In verses three through eight the apostle reminds the Israelites that they had been given access to the Holy Scriptures (the oracles of God–Rom. 3:1,2) throughout their lives, that they had been enlightened, had received the Holy Spirit and had been told about powers of the world to come following Christ’s return.  In verse six he applies the sword of the Spirit full force by warning them that, because they know what they know, if they should fall away from God it would be impossible for them to return to God because, by rejecting Him and His Word they would have CRUCIFIED JESUS CHRIST AGAIN AND PUT HIM TO AN OPEN SHAME.  Luke 10:16 and Deuteronomy 7:9-11 warns us that to reject any part of His Word proves that we HATE BOTH THE FATHER AND THE SON.  This and other Truths explain why church people hate the Lord’s “fine print.”

In Hebrews 6:11 and 12 Paul brings the obedience-hope-salvation message home, saying: “And we (apostles) DESIRE that every one of you show the same DILIGENCE to the full assurance of the HOPE (FOR SALVATION) UNTIL THE END (OF LIFE) … AND THAT YOU FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF THOSE WHO, THROUGH FAITH AND PATIENCE, WILL RECEIVE THE PROMISES OF GOD.”  God’s premiere promise for having obeyed Him is eternal life.  We must “lay hold on the HOPE SET BEFORE US” and do works commensurate with that hope in order to receive the salvation God has promised the spiritual children of Abraham (vs 18) who, like him, obey God.

In verse 15 Paul relates for all time the incredible faith of Abraham which he proved by obeying God without variation.  Paul says about his faith: “And after he had patiently endured (for many years), he obtained the promise.”  Those in the true Church of God are partakers of that promise.  As followers in the spiritual footsteps of “father Abraham,” they will one day join Him in paradise.  Come quickly Lord Jesus.  L.J.

Memory verse: Matthew 12:46-50–Jesus asked: “Who are My brethren?  They who do the will of My father Who is in heaven.”  Only His spiritual brethren will join Him in His Father’s earthly kingdom.