Chapter six verses seven through twenty: The writing in these verses is pure Paulesque–“hard to understand,” as Peter said about that which was spoken and written by the Apostle Paul (2 Pet. 3:16). Peter  added that for this reason many church leaders twisted his words to mean what they wanted them to mean. Nothing has changed. As Solomon said, “There is nothing new under the sun.” False prophets continue to convince Scripture-ignorant parishioners that God did not get it right. See the Introduction to this website for some examples of the church’s “doctrines of devils.”

In this passage Paul makes it clear that the Holy Spirit bearing God’s “rain”–His Word–falls upon the whole earth, showering the whole of mankind with His Truth and the power to know, believe and obey it. The Lord’s rain falls on two classes of people. One group consists of those who believe it, produce good fruit, are accepted by Him. These saints will be taken into the Kingdom of God. The other group consists of those who do not believe and obey it, produce bad fruit, are rejected by Him. These false saints will be cast into the Lake of Fire. Note that there is no overlapping–no gray area. A “great gulf” separates the two groups, a space that cannot be bridged. One either believes, obeys and lives, or doubts, rebels and dies. Illustrations of this fact are found in the two women grinding at the mill, the two men working in the field and the sheep and goats standing before Jesus on Judgment Day.

In verse 10 Paul notes that God is well aware that the Hebrew Christians had worked hard for Him by loving, helping and serving His people who were in need. Then note in verses 11 and 12 Paul’s warning that those virtues did not guarantee salvation for the church people who possessed them. Notice that he said to those hard-working, loving supporters of God’s people, “we (the apostles) DESIRE that every one of you CONTINUE on the right spiritual path UNTO THE END in order to assure that you will INHERIT THE PROMISES”–eternal life with Him and the other saints in the Kingdom of God.

In verses 13-15 Paul uses Abraham as the example of one who continued steadfastly to believe and obey the Lord for many years before he received the promise of a son (Isaac) through Sarah. Notice in verse 18 that Paul refers to “the HOPE set before US”–himself included. That hope is for salvation that is promised to those who “… endure to the end” with their righteousness intact. Only these, Jesus said, “… shall be saved” (Mat. 10:22). See Hope and Salvation. In verses 13 and 14 Paul assures the Hebrews (and His saints today) that God has sworn by Himself that if we will be faithful and obedient as was Abraham, we will, as did he, receive what God has promised. In verse 17 the Lord, through Paul, calls those to whom salvation is promised “heirs” of the promise. An heir does not yet possess what has been promised. At the proper time the righteous heir will become a righteous “inheritor” who will later sit with righteous Jesus on His throne in the kingdom (Rev. 3:21).

In verses 19 and 20 we are told that Jesus–the saint’s Forerunner–has passed beyond the veil and has entered the Holy of Holies where His obedient saints can enter at will and commune with the Almighty along with their Benefactor–“the MAN, Jesus Christ” (1 Tim. 2:5). See Jesus Christ: God, Man or God-man. L.J.