Hebrews 6 - "Did We Choose God, Or Did God Choose Us?"

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6 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death,[a] and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites,[b] the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so.

The author of Hebrews continues to teach on what spiritual maturity looks like. One factor is going beyond the elementary teachings of the faith. This infers that there are deeper and perhaps more complex teachings. It seems as though the believers were taking basic teachings like Baptism and turning them into elaborate rites of cleansing etc... The basic teachings about the resurrection, the laying on of hands, and repentance.

“It is profoundly significant to observe how little distinctively Christian there is in this statement. Repentance, faith, resurrection, and judgment were certainly Jewish, and on this account the reference seems to be the Jewish foundation, and they are urged to avoid these elementary things which they are to leave for something higher and richer.” (Griffith Thomas)

Because Christianity did grow out of Judaism, it was a more subtle temptation for a Jewish Christian to slip back into Judaism than it was for a formerly pagan Christian to go back to his pagan ways. “Part of the problem facing the Hebrews was the superficial similarity between the elementary tenets of Christianity and those of Judaism, which made it possible for Christian Jews to think they could hold on to both.” (Guthrie)

4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen[c] away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. 

The writer now brings up a controversial subject which I wrote about in the blog on chapter 3 of Hebrews. It seems that some of these aberrant teachings had caused some to fall away. While I tend to lean toward "once saved always saved" if someone was truly saved in the first place, this leads one to believe that these people had fallen away from the faith by adopting false doctrines. 

It could also be a reference to falling back to sinful practices, which would relate to the comment, "They are crucifying the Son of God all over again." This could mean that they were taking the grace of God in vain. We call this cheap grace. We cheapen God's grace when we sin just expecting to be forgiven with no intention of turning from our sin. 

Regarding if this passage supports "Arminianism" or "Calvinism" here is what Charles Spurgeon says, 

“We come to this passage ourselves with the intention to read it with the simplicity of a child, and whatever we find therein to state it; and if it may not seem to agree with something we have hitherto held, we are prepared to cast away every doctrine of our own, rather than one passage of Scripture.” (Spurgeon)

Arminianism leans on free will. I.e. We accept Jesus by our decision, but we can also reject Jesus by our decision. One leads to salvation and the other to damnation. The problem with this view for me is that it sure puts a lot of emphasis on the individual and not on God. Is not the call of God on my life more than just my decision? Did I choose God, or did God choose me first?

Calvinism goes in the other direction. It is often called "predestination". This is the idea that God chose us and predestined us to be a believer. We had very little to do with it. Either one is chosen or not. It also focuses on the fact if God called you to the faith, He will keep you in faith until to the end. We often call this the "perseveraance of the saints". 

Ironically Lutheranism is right in the middle. We believe God chooses us and gives us the of faith, so we cannot take credit for it. But if someone rejects Jesus it is by their will and they will not be saved. God wants all people to be saved but some reject it. This is often called "single predestination". God calls someone to heaven but doesn't predestine them to hell. 

7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

The author of Hebrews uses the metaphor from farming. Rain falls on all the land but some of it produces a useful crop and some it produces thorns and thistles. One is useful and the other one worthless. 

The metaphor seems to point out that all people are given grace. I.e. The rain falls on the just and unjust. But some people do nothing with it, and others produce fruit that blesses others and gives glory to God. This could be taken to mean these are all Christians and some are fruitful and some are not. The ominous end of the verse is that the unproductive land is in danger of being of being cursed

For the earth which drinks in the rain… and bears herbs useful… receives blessing from God: When the earth receives rain and bears useful plants, it fulfills its purpose and justifies the blessing of rain sent upon it. The writer to the Hebrews applies the point: “You’ve been blessed. But where is the fruit?” God looks for what grows in us after He blesses us, especially looking for what grows in terms of maturity.

But if it bears thorns and briars, it is rejected: If ground is blessed by rain but refuses to bear fruit, no one blames the farmer for burning it. The idea shows that growth and bearing fruit are important to keep from falling away. When we really bear fruit, we abide in Jesus (John 15:5) and are in no danger of falling away. - Guzik

9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. 10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

The writer then moves to a tone of encouragment affirming that they are in Christ and do know of their personal salvation. The author is convinced of it. More importantly God sees their good works. Their good works did not contribute their salvation, but God sees them and will not forget them. I.e. Reward them at the end of our lives! 

Do you realize that God sees your good works? They please him! You will be rewarded for them in heaven. 

We know church in Jerusalem was very poor, so the writer says, "You have helped his people and continue to help them."  

He encourages them not to become lazy but to persevere in their good works. You will see this admonition in the New Testament not be complacent or lazy but to work hard for the Lord. Christians should be the hardest working people in the world. With the gift we have been given in Christ, we should be always at work blessing others, and when we have the opportunity to share our faith with them. By working hard alongside others, they see our good work ethic. They will be way more likely to give us a listen. 

Faith and patience are both important. Faith is to trusting in Jesus alone and patience to work hard and not be discourated. Faith is the gift God has given us and patience is what we do with what he has given us. 

The Certainty of God’s Promise

13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”[d] 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

Because he is talking to Jewish Christians, he uses the example of Abraham. The basic blessing God gave to Abraham was that he would make his name great and give him many descendants. When Abraham turned 100, and his wife 90, it was quite the test of this promise since they had no children. It was 15 years earlier that God made the promise to him. 15 years is a long time. 

He uses the example to encourage the Hebrews that if they were going through hard times and persevered doing things that God had commanded them to do, like Abraham they would be rewarded with the promise. In this case for all of us as believers, it is the promise of salvation. The promise of living forever when we die. Even though we die, yet shall we live. 

16 People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

Oaths were common in Jesus' time. Because written agreements were not used often, oaths were an important part of the Jewish community. As we think about the promises God has made, like any promise, the confidence we have is in those who made them to us. Just as God was faithful to keep His promises to Abraham, God will be faithful to us. 

The promise we cling to is Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection. The holiest place for the Jewish people was the holy of holies, which was in the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. Only the high priest could go in there once a year, on the Day of Atonement, He entered in to offer sacrifices for the forgiveness of the people's sins. Jesus entered into the temple on our behalf, and the sacrifice he made for us, was the "once and for all sacrifice" for our sins. The priest offered the unblemished lamb, and Jesus was the, "Lamb of God, who took away the sins of the world." 

In the order of Melchizedek, Jesus was both a priest mediating a new covenant between us and God. He is also a King as represented by the resurrection. And we know Jesus was the King of kings will come back to judge the living and the dead. 

What do you put your hope in or on? People in this life let us down. They break promises or change their mind. But God can be trusted and all of His promises are "yes" in Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:10)

For what situation do you need to trust in God's promises? How can trusting in them change the way you approach this person or problem?