Post by arete on Oct 13, 2014 19:25:34 GMT
Introduction:
“You are young only once, but you can stay immature indefinitely” is a saying I found, without anyone claiming to be the culprit. But I think we can all relate. Of course, all of our stories are about someone else who is immature. Immaturity is understandable in the young; it is unacceptable as we grow. Or at least it should be. In the Christian sense, immaturity is an even greater problem. It is a sin and is allowed to flourish far too often. The writer of Hebrews will be tackling immaturity in faith head on as we turn to Hebrews 5:11ff
Context:
The author of the letter to the Hebrews began his writing with a strong theme of the supremacy of Christ. Christ is the unique Son of God and is superior: to the angels, to Moses and to the Mosaic covenant. Christ is the founder of salvation. Christ is the source of God’s rest. In the text this morning, the author is coming to a crescendo as he establishes the truth that Christ is the true and great high priest. He is the one who offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins and the perfect mediator between God and man. Now, the author wants to delve into mature teaching about the priesthood of Christ, but before that he must address spiritual immaturity and false converts within the midst of his audience…
Body – Hebrews 5:11-6:12 – ESV
Warning Against Apostasy
11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
6:1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits. 4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. 7 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.
9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Absence of Maturity vv. 11-14
About this… about what? This refers to the teaching of superiority of the High Priesthood of Jesus Christ – this is a brief insertion before launching into the teaching about Melchizedek order. The author will be dealing with teachings for the mature. For a moment here, he speaks to the immature in his audience. A portion of the audience, at the least, are likely unsaved.
The author is speaking to a spiritually dull audience (v. 11). Ouch! The language the author picks is very pointed. It emphasizes that the laziness of those he is speaking to has served to dull them to the realities of their faith. There is a sense here that the intended target are those who have some knowledge of the Scriptures, but have missed the Good News of the promised Messiah
The audience should spiritually mature, but they’re not (v. 12). They should be developing their own teachers. But rather than growing in maturity, they are spiritual infants. They need to hear again the most basic tenets of their faith. The Hebrews should have been ripe to be the most mature Christians since they had an understanding of all God had said and done until he sent his superior Son.
Their immaturity means they are unskilled in the word of righteousness (v. 13). The long association of the Jewish people with the oracles of God – the Scriptures – means that they should have been diligent and mature to know God’s promises. Instead, even the most learned among them trusted his own understanding and remained immature in the knowledge of God’s plan for salvation.
The solid, spiritual nutrition of the Word leads to discernment (v. 14). The language is again very pointed. The author insists that had these folks trained themselves in the word of God, they would have supernaturally matured the way a child naturally matures. They would have had discernment to know good from evil – to know the light that had entered the world in Christ.
Illustration:
Early during his reign, Solomon was given the chance to ask for a blessing from God. Solomon prayed a prayer that included this, “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” (1 Kings 3:9)
Application:
How can we mature in our faith? We don’t want to be stuck in dullness and infant understanding. For some that means that while they know about God and are familiar with the Bible, they have never come to terms with their own sinfulness and need for salvation. For others who are saved in Christ, this means that we dare not neglect our faith and our training in righteousness. We neglect to go before God to ask for wisdom, understanding and spiritual growth. If we are not maturing in our faith, there is something wrong that must be repented of and dealt with. A son of God matures.
Apostasy – what is it? vv. 6:1-8
Therefore… The author has said that there are those in his audience that are dull and spiritually immature. Still, he needs to move beyond some basics so that he can return to the High Priesthood of Christ in chapter 7.
The author is not content to leave his audience to wallow in their immaturity (v. 1). He wants to move them from the wrong foundation to a life built on faith. He begins here to contrast the ways the Hebrews traditionally worshiped. They had a repentance of works which was dead. Their faith was directed in a sense to God, but not through the Son of God. We know this is not salvific faith, because in verse 9, the author speaks of “better things that belong to salvation.”
The author gives several examples of basics of their faith (v. 2). The washings here are the ritual baths and cleansings – not believer’s baptism. The Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead, but not through Jesus Christ. They also believed in eternal judgment, but included in that was that Jews were guaranteed heaven simply because they were born Jewish.
The move from knowing about God to knowing God is by the grace of God (v. 3). This move from existing as a Hebrew to saving faith in the Hebrew Messiah is the result of the work of God.
The author pauses to give a solemn warning (vv. 4-6). Not every Jew will move from the saveless faith to the saving faith. Today, in every church there are those who identify as Christian, but never have a personal and saving faith.
1. They are enlightened – the light is Christ who has come into the world. Biblically, enlightenment is not synonymous with salvation.
2. They have tasted the heavenly gift – they have experienced the saving faith of others and even benefited from the general grace of God. But tasted is not a synonym for possession.
3. They have shared in the Holy Spirit. The Hebrews have the Scriptures inspired by the HS. They have had the prophets. They have seen the HS active in the believers all around them. But this is not the same as being indwelt by him.
4. They have tasted the goodness of the word of God – many revere the Bible without ever submitting to the truth of the Bible.
5. They have fallen away – the gist of this is someone who has heard the Gospel and ultimately rejected it in favor of disbelief or simply the type of belief they want, but not the true belief that God requires in truth and righteousness. They may even have felt sorry for their sin, but have never truly dealt with the sin or accepted sin’s only cure. Instead, they agree by their lifestyle that Jesus deserved to die and they hold him up to their contempt and the contempt of others who see their hypocrisy or their disregard for the Savior and in that sense, crucify him all over again. Those who have heard the Gospel and reject the Savior have no salvation. Many set their hearts so against Christ that salvation never comes.
The warning is emphasized with an illustration (vv. 7-8). The illustration here is referencing a psalm and the parable of the sower and the soils. It reinforces the reality that vv. 6-8 are not speaking of believers who fall away. Instead, this is the soil that receives the word of God, but it does not take root. The cares of the world rise up like thorns to choke it away. Such soil is worthless and fated for the fire.
Illustration:
As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” (Matthew 13:22-23)
Application:
What is apostasy? What does it mean here? Well that word “apostasy” is not found here. In any case, the word means to stand apart from. There are people who will always stand apart from Jesus Christ. The major heresies of Christianity always involve inflicting harm to the person and teachings of Christ. For us right now, this is a warning that there are always professors amongst us. That is how the Puritans referred to people who claimed to be Christians, but never lived a life that bore any spiritual fruit. Professors are Christians in name only. Today, they are often called cultural Christians. We need to be careful to draw a clear line in the church between true Christian living and those who claim Christ, but live la worldly life without true repentance and without saving faith. A word of warning: we do not know who will reject Christ until the end. When dealing with a lost person, while there is life there is hope of redemption.
Assurance of Faith vv. 9-12
Though a warning is necessary, the author is sure of his audience’s salvation (v.9). At least, he knows that in this group there are born again believers. Among them, there are those who live their faith and there has been fruit that indicates saving faith. The use of the term “beloved” is specific to believers.
The author has seen, as God has surely seen, the proof of the audience’s faith (v. 10). God notices when we live according to his will & nature – that’s what is encompassed in his name. God notices when we serve one another rather than in being self-serving. Even if others never notice – your Father does
The author desires to show his earnestness and offer assurance to his audience (v. 11). Those who have been saved by God are empowered by the Holy Spirit to persevere in the faith until the very end. If you know Christ as savior, you will sin and falter, but the hope we have in Christ means that he will save us to himself forever. That is our encouragement and assurance in the midst of our fallen-ness.
The author concludes with his hope that the Hebrews are not sluggish in their faith (v. 12a). Earlier, he was clear that some of them were dull. Here he reminds them they have every reason to actively pursue maturity in Christ.
Rather than sluggish, he hopes that they imitate the faith and inherit God’s promises (v. 12b). God has provided in his word and even in our lives, those who follow him in righteousness. The author encourages us to follow these examples in belief and in patience. Why patience? We can grow discouraged in our sin. We will not be perfected until heaven. Patience and grace are necessary. The promises – are that Christ saves, the Holy Spirit indwells, and that eternal life with the Father is our end
Illustration:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:22–24.
Application:
What has been the point? The point is that both a warning and encouragement are needed in the maturing of our faith. We should actively pursue spiritual growth especially by the study of the Scriptures, the word of righteousness. We should be aware that there are those who call themselves believers, but are not. We should be encouraged to pursue maturity and share the good news even with false Christians (as well as the entire world) because God himself sees and is pleased when we live according to his nature and his word.
So What Now?
Let us refuse to be spiritually lazy and dull. Study the Word. Spend time in it. Meditate on it. Need to know how, come Sunday evenings as we focus on knowing the Word and applying it to our lives.
Let us intentionally live so that people don’t need to guess if we are Christians. The worst thing I think to hear would be for an unbeliever to say that Christians act and live just like them. When we mess up, may we display grace and mercy and model repentance and reconciliation.
Let us earnestly pursue the assurance of our faith; God’s promises. Hope is a dumb thing all by itself. It needs an object. Our hope is in God. We need to know him to hope in him. We know him by knowing what he has said. Then we practice it before him, toward each other, and on full display to the world.
Let us mature as believers. May God himself grant us the opportunities to grow and may the Holy Spirit himself mature us through every necessary means at his disposal so that we have discernment and can distinguish good from evil.
Benediction
"Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance. Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; for it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’ If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish." (1 Peter 1:14-19 NRSV)
“You are young only once, but you can stay immature indefinitely” is a saying I found, without anyone claiming to be the culprit. But I think we can all relate. Of course, all of our stories are about someone else who is immature. Immaturity is understandable in the young; it is unacceptable as we grow. Or at least it should be. In the Christian sense, immaturity is an even greater problem. It is a sin and is allowed to flourish far too often. The writer of Hebrews will be tackling immaturity in faith head on as we turn to Hebrews 5:11ff
Context:
The author of the letter to the Hebrews began his writing with a strong theme of the supremacy of Christ. Christ is the unique Son of God and is superior: to the angels, to Moses and to the Mosaic covenant. Christ is the founder of salvation. Christ is the source of God’s rest. In the text this morning, the author is coming to a crescendo as he establishes the truth that Christ is the true and great high priest. He is the one who offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins and the perfect mediator between God and man. Now, the author wants to delve into mature teaching about the priesthood of Christ, but before that he must address spiritual immaturity and false converts within the midst of his audience…
Body – Hebrews 5:11-6:12 – ESV
Warning Against Apostasy
11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
6:1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits. 4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. 7 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.
9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Absence of Maturity vv. 11-14
About this… about what? This refers to the teaching of superiority of the High Priesthood of Jesus Christ – this is a brief insertion before launching into the teaching about Melchizedek order. The author will be dealing with teachings for the mature. For a moment here, he speaks to the immature in his audience. A portion of the audience, at the least, are likely unsaved.
The author is speaking to a spiritually dull audience (v. 11). Ouch! The language the author picks is very pointed. It emphasizes that the laziness of those he is speaking to has served to dull them to the realities of their faith. There is a sense here that the intended target are those who have some knowledge of the Scriptures, but have missed the Good News of the promised Messiah
The audience should spiritually mature, but they’re not (v. 12). They should be developing their own teachers. But rather than growing in maturity, they are spiritual infants. They need to hear again the most basic tenets of their faith. The Hebrews should have been ripe to be the most mature Christians since they had an understanding of all God had said and done until he sent his superior Son.
Their immaturity means they are unskilled in the word of righteousness (v. 13). The long association of the Jewish people with the oracles of God – the Scriptures – means that they should have been diligent and mature to know God’s promises. Instead, even the most learned among them trusted his own understanding and remained immature in the knowledge of God’s plan for salvation.
The solid, spiritual nutrition of the Word leads to discernment (v. 14). The language is again very pointed. The author insists that had these folks trained themselves in the word of God, they would have supernaturally matured the way a child naturally matures. They would have had discernment to know good from evil – to know the light that had entered the world in Christ.
Illustration:
Early during his reign, Solomon was given the chance to ask for a blessing from God. Solomon prayed a prayer that included this, “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” (1 Kings 3:9)
Application:
How can we mature in our faith? We don’t want to be stuck in dullness and infant understanding. For some that means that while they know about God and are familiar with the Bible, they have never come to terms with their own sinfulness and need for salvation. For others who are saved in Christ, this means that we dare not neglect our faith and our training in righteousness. We neglect to go before God to ask for wisdom, understanding and spiritual growth. If we are not maturing in our faith, there is something wrong that must be repented of and dealt with. A son of God matures.
Apostasy – what is it? vv. 6:1-8
Therefore… The author has said that there are those in his audience that are dull and spiritually immature. Still, he needs to move beyond some basics so that he can return to the High Priesthood of Christ in chapter 7.
The author is not content to leave his audience to wallow in their immaturity (v. 1). He wants to move them from the wrong foundation to a life built on faith. He begins here to contrast the ways the Hebrews traditionally worshiped. They had a repentance of works which was dead. Their faith was directed in a sense to God, but not through the Son of God. We know this is not salvific faith, because in verse 9, the author speaks of “better things that belong to salvation.”
The author gives several examples of basics of their faith (v. 2). The washings here are the ritual baths and cleansings – not believer’s baptism. The Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead, but not through Jesus Christ. They also believed in eternal judgment, but included in that was that Jews were guaranteed heaven simply because they were born Jewish.
The move from knowing about God to knowing God is by the grace of God (v. 3). This move from existing as a Hebrew to saving faith in the Hebrew Messiah is the result of the work of God.
The author pauses to give a solemn warning (vv. 4-6). Not every Jew will move from the saveless faith to the saving faith. Today, in every church there are those who identify as Christian, but never have a personal and saving faith.
1. They are enlightened – the light is Christ who has come into the world. Biblically, enlightenment is not synonymous with salvation.
2. They have tasted the heavenly gift – they have experienced the saving faith of others and even benefited from the general grace of God. But tasted is not a synonym for possession.
3. They have shared in the Holy Spirit. The Hebrews have the Scriptures inspired by the HS. They have had the prophets. They have seen the HS active in the believers all around them. But this is not the same as being indwelt by him.
4. They have tasted the goodness of the word of God – many revere the Bible without ever submitting to the truth of the Bible.
5. They have fallen away – the gist of this is someone who has heard the Gospel and ultimately rejected it in favor of disbelief or simply the type of belief they want, but not the true belief that God requires in truth and righteousness. They may even have felt sorry for their sin, but have never truly dealt with the sin or accepted sin’s only cure. Instead, they agree by their lifestyle that Jesus deserved to die and they hold him up to their contempt and the contempt of others who see their hypocrisy or their disregard for the Savior and in that sense, crucify him all over again. Those who have heard the Gospel and reject the Savior have no salvation. Many set their hearts so against Christ that salvation never comes.
The warning is emphasized with an illustration (vv. 7-8). The illustration here is referencing a psalm and the parable of the sower and the soils. It reinforces the reality that vv. 6-8 are not speaking of believers who fall away. Instead, this is the soil that receives the word of God, but it does not take root. The cares of the world rise up like thorns to choke it away. Such soil is worthless and fated for the fire.
Illustration:
As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” (Matthew 13:22-23)
Application:
What is apostasy? What does it mean here? Well that word “apostasy” is not found here. In any case, the word means to stand apart from. There are people who will always stand apart from Jesus Christ. The major heresies of Christianity always involve inflicting harm to the person and teachings of Christ. For us right now, this is a warning that there are always professors amongst us. That is how the Puritans referred to people who claimed to be Christians, but never lived a life that bore any spiritual fruit. Professors are Christians in name only. Today, they are often called cultural Christians. We need to be careful to draw a clear line in the church between true Christian living and those who claim Christ, but live la worldly life without true repentance and without saving faith. A word of warning: we do not know who will reject Christ until the end. When dealing with a lost person, while there is life there is hope of redemption.
Assurance of Faith vv. 9-12
Though a warning is necessary, the author is sure of his audience’s salvation (v.9). At least, he knows that in this group there are born again believers. Among them, there are those who live their faith and there has been fruit that indicates saving faith. The use of the term “beloved” is specific to believers.
The author has seen, as God has surely seen, the proof of the audience’s faith (v. 10). God notices when we live according to his will & nature – that’s what is encompassed in his name. God notices when we serve one another rather than in being self-serving. Even if others never notice – your Father does
The author desires to show his earnestness and offer assurance to his audience (v. 11). Those who have been saved by God are empowered by the Holy Spirit to persevere in the faith until the very end. If you know Christ as savior, you will sin and falter, but the hope we have in Christ means that he will save us to himself forever. That is our encouragement and assurance in the midst of our fallen-ness.
The author concludes with his hope that the Hebrews are not sluggish in their faith (v. 12a). Earlier, he was clear that some of them were dull. Here he reminds them they have every reason to actively pursue maturity in Christ.
Rather than sluggish, he hopes that they imitate the faith and inherit God’s promises (v. 12b). God has provided in his word and even in our lives, those who follow him in righteousness. The author encourages us to follow these examples in belief and in patience. Why patience? We can grow discouraged in our sin. We will not be perfected until heaven. Patience and grace are necessary. The promises – are that Christ saves, the Holy Spirit indwells, and that eternal life with the Father is our end
Illustration:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:22–24.
Application:
What has been the point? The point is that both a warning and encouragement are needed in the maturing of our faith. We should actively pursue spiritual growth especially by the study of the Scriptures, the word of righteousness. We should be aware that there are those who call themselves believers, but are not. We should be encouraged to pursue maturity and share the good news even with false Christians (as well as the entire world) because God himself sees and is pleased when we live according to his nature and his word.
So What Now?
Let us refuse to be spiritually lazy and dull. Study the Word. Spend time in it. Meditate on it. Need to know how, come Sunday evenings as we focus on knowing the Word and applying it to our lives.
Let us intentionally live so that people don’t need to guess if we are Christians. The worst thing I think to hear would be for an unbeliever to say that Christians act and live just like them. When we mess up, may we display grace and mercy and model repentance and reconciliation.
Let us earnestly pursue the assurance of our faith; God’s promises. Hope is a dumb thing all by itself. It needs an object. Our hope is in God. We need to know him to hope in him. We know him by knowing what he has said. Then we practice it before him, toward each other, and on full display to the world.
Let us mature as believers. May God himself grant us the opportunities to grow and may the Holy Spirit himself mature us through every necessary means at his disposal so that we have discernment and can distinguish good from evil.
Benediction
"Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance. Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; for it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’ If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish." (1 Peter 1:14-19 NRSV)