Chapter 6
We are MADE to hope.
“So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.”
Hebrews 6:18-19
Reread Hebrews 5:11-14
Read Hebrews 6
Saving Belief
Three women gathered for a fun night of fellowship. Barbara and Jill rode together to Diane’s house. In the process, they discussed the marriage of a young man they knew. Neither could remember the man’s last name. Later that evening, Diane and Jill were discussing a potential job opportunity when suddenly Barbara shouted, “Graham!” Diane and Jill were understandably confused. “It’s the name of the man we were talking about earlier,” said Barbara, who was obviously still thinking on the previous topic of conversation.
Sometimes, it seems as if the author of Hebrews is caught up in a discussion that has already been concluded. Part of that may be due to the chapter divisions. Remember, when this book was originally written, there were no numbered chapters or subheadings. It was one long letter/sermon. As such, the author often reiterates a previous point before moving ahead to the next one.
For example, we enter the sixth chapter of Hebrews on the same note that we ended chapter 5—maturity. The author reminded his readers that faith results in growth, and then pointed out the danger of rejecting Christ. He wanted the original Jewish Christians to understand that if their faith was real, there was no turning back. He once again addressed this issue because it is fundamentally the most important thing to readers then and now.
Salvation does not begin with our belief. It starts with the calling of God upon our hearts. This is the tasting to which Hebrews refers (Ps 119:103). God gives us a taste of Himself when the Holy Spirit issues the call to salvation (conviction). The Holy Spirit calls. A person believes in God, confesses her sins and asks for forgiveness. God answers with saving grace. If a person refuses to obey by believing/trusting in Him, she is rejecting/turning away from Christ. A continuous, intentional and consistent rejection of the Holy Spirit’s call is apostasy. It is the unbelief that leads to a permanent rejection of (or falling away from) Christ. If a person rejects Christ, there is no guarantee that the Holy Spirit will call again.
Eternal security for believers is factual, but security comes after salvation. We have to be saved before we are secure.
Barbara’s interjection was funny but not really important in the grand scheme of the girls’ night out. The author of Hebrews understands that the message of salvation is absolutely essential to anything else he has to say. It’s as if he is shouting, “Salvation!” into the middle of his own conversation. “It’s all about salvation.”
Farmers and Fruit
When I was a little girl, I loved to read and watch Little House on the Prairie. I was convinced that I wanted to be a farmer when I grew up. My mother, who wisely knew her daughter better than I knew myself, was certain that I was wrong. As I matured and realized the reality of farm life, I knew that dream was built on inaccurate data.
There is great joy found in watching something grow, but rarely does growth take place without work. The ground has to be tilled. Seeds have to be planted. Plants have to be watered. They need light, but too much heat can kill them. Branches have to be pruned. Weeds have to be pulled. Growing is hard work.
The author of Hebrews ends his discussion on salvation and growth by delving into an analogy of farm life. It’s one that is popular in the New Testament. True salvation leads to growth, and growth leads to good fruit. But none of that takes place without some effort. I think it’s particularly interesting to look at the specific work that the author says comes with salvation—caring for other believers (verses 10 and 11).
One of the primary “crops” of our faith is our concern for others. In fact, the Bible says that we show our love for God and to God by loving and caring for others. As we grow in our relationships with Christ, we will love God more, and as we love God more, we will love others more. As we love God and others more, we will grow more. It’s a continuous cycle that confirms God’s work in our hearts.
John 13:35 says, “ Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
James 2:14-20 says, “What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.”
God’s word is very clear. Those who are secure in Christ should want to move on towards a deeper relationship and more meaningful service in God’s kingdom. Our faith is not based on works, but just like any healthy plant, it should grow and produce fruit. If you don’t love other people, you need to take a long hard look at your heart. A peach tree doesn’t produce lemons. A Christian shouldn’t produce thorns and thistles. Our salvation is evident by the fruit we produce.
Better Things
When you are a child, there are some things that are just better than others. Summer break is better than school. Spending the night with a friend is better than doing chores. Pizza is better than chili—at least it was for this little girl!
The author of Hebrews realized that he’d been hammering away pretty hard at his audience. Maybe he felt like they needed a little break, a little encouragement. He reaffirmed his confidence in them and said, “you are meant for better things.” What kinds of things is he talking about? Certainly not summer vacations and pizza. No, the author is talking about things that come with salvation.
Imagine you were considering a new job. One of the first things you would want to know about is the compensation package. You would compare what you currently earn with the salary being offered. You would look at your current benefits and examine the ones you would receive if you accept the new job. In this way, you could determine which position offered the best deal.
For every person on earth, there are only two choices—salvation and damnation. There is no in between. One day, at the end of time, everyone will face the Lord’s judgment. Anyone whose name is not found in the Book of Life will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15). Those who have chosen to love, serve, and submit to Christ will be saved (Revelation 3:5). It’s pretty easy to understand that the damnation package doesn’t have much to offer, but what are the better things that come with salvation?
Forgiveness (Luke 1:77)
Eternal life (1 Peter 1:3-5)
Comfort (2 Corinthians 1:6)
God’s help (2 Corinthians 6:12)
A righteous character (Philippians 1:11)
Wisdom (2 Timothy 3:15)
The Kingdom of God (Revelation 12:10)
These are just a few of the benefits that we receive because of our salvation through Jesus Christ. In addition to these benefits, we know that there are many more waiting for us in eternity.
1 Corinthians 2:9 says, “That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.’”
There is no comparison. There is nothing better. Satan and this world have nothing to offer us that could be better than what God has given us through His Son, Jesus.
Hope
I remember one particular Christmas Eve as a child. That night, my sisters and I were all crowded into one room. We were so excited we couldn’t get to sleep. Despite my parents continued warnings that Santa would not come unless we fell asleep, we were wide awake late into the night. I was old enough to tell time, and there was no clock in my bedroom. Morning, it seemed, was never going to arrive. Finally, I crawled down the hall and into my parents’ room to look at the clock. I never made it. Despite my stealth, my dad woke up. He was less than happy and sent me back to bed.
There is nothing quite like a child’s excitement on Christmas Eve as she anticipates what awaits her under the Christmas tree. She wishes for the latest doll or a new book or talking stuffed bear. She hopes that all of her dreams will come true.
But is that really what hope is? What’s the difference between a hope and a wish? Is hoping nothing more than having an optimistic attitude?
While we often use the terms hope and wish interchangeably, psychologists define hope as being a mental process that includes intentionally setting and working towards goals. Wishing, on the other hand, doesn’t require work.
Think about it. What do we do when we make a wish? We blow out the birthday candles. We cross our fingers. We throw a penny in a well or pull apart a wishbone. None of those things require effort.
A Christian’s hope is not some pie in the sky, kids on Christmas morning, type of wishful thinking. It is a confident expectation that is based on the truth of God’s Word. Yet, according to psychologists and the Bible, hope involves effort.
Hebrews 6:11 says, “Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true.”
Hebrews 3:6 says, “But Christ, as the Son is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.”
Mathew 12:21 says of Jesus, “And his name will be the hope of all the world.”
1 Timothy 4:10 says, “This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.”
What we hope for is salvation through Christ. Our works are evidence of our faith. Our hope, like our growth, is closely connected to how we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ. Why? Because hope is active. Our love for others is a way that we prove to the world that our hope in Jesus is real and that all of His promises will come true.
Promises and Oaths
“I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.” Most of us have probably never recited that oath but have heard it on television and in movies multiple times. In today’s chapter, the author takes great pains to address God’s promise and oath.
A promise is a declaration of what will be done. The original Greek word for promise is epaggelía. It is a legal term that implies something that is officially sanctioned. When it is used in the New Testament it almost always points back to something in the Old Testament. An oath is a confirmation of the truth behind what is being said. The original word used for oath is herkos and means a fence, a limit, or a restraint. Consider this.
The Bible is full of God’s promises to individuals (like Abraham), to families (such as the descendants of David) and to nations (like Israel). It is also full of promises for all believers, but there is one primary promise, THE promise, that God has made to all of mankind.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
This promise for a Savior was first established after the fall of man (Genesis 3:14-15), was confirmed through Old Testament prophets and prophecies and fulfilled through the birth, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ. We are saved because of the sacrifice of Jesus, but obviously, we won’t experience the fullness of our salvation until we stand before God in judgment. Until that time, we are resting our salvation on the hope that God will keep His promise. This hope is a confident hope because God tells us that He has contracted Himself to this pledge and fenced Himself in with it. There is no going back, changing His mind, or doing things over. He will not undo what has been done or decide to do things differently. Because of His great love for us, He has bound Himself to this guarantee.
In the temple during Jesus’s time, the curtain separated the holy place from the most holy, where the high priest met with God. When Jesus died, the Bible tells us that the curtain was torn in two from to top bottom. The curtain blocked regular people from meeting with God. Because of Jesus, we now have full access to God. There is no longer a barrier.
All of this ancient imagery is hard for us to comprehend, but I want you to imagine with me. Think about our Holy God standing behind a curtain that cannot be breached. If we venture behind that veil, we will be crushed by the weight of His glory and our own sinfulness. We are hopeless in and of ourselves, but our Savior, Jesus, God’s own Son, enters first. He intervenes on our behalf and draws back the curtain. He opened the way for us to enter. It’s hope that pushes us forward.
Because our hope is in the trustworthiness of Christ who went before us and the faithfulness of a God who stands by His Word, we can approach God with confidence that we will not be destroyed. This hope propels us to live in a way that honors God and blesses others. It helps us not become dull and indifferent, but to have a greater faith and endurance. This hope is why we can live in a troubled world and still rejoice. It’s why we can experience hardship and heartache and not wither away. It is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. Come what may, we have a God who loves us, who cares for us, who accepts us and will provide for us. Because Jesus is our high priest, we are MADE to hope.