The Inherited Promise – Hebrews 6

Joy: You’re listening to the Lifting Her Voice podcast, Episode #210.  Today we’ll read Hebrews chapter 6 together:  The author warns against falling away and tells of the inherited promise.

Welcome to the Lifting Her Voice podcast.  I’m your host, Joy Miller, and I invite you to grab your Bible and join me as we simply read God’s word together.  Some things require discipline and sometimes that’s just not easy to muster by yourself, no matter how badly you want to do it or how much you know you should.  It’s just easier to do it with a friend.  So refill your coffee or tea, get comfortable in your favorite chair and follow along as I read aloud.  I’m so glad you’re here!

Welcome

I forgot my 2020 memory passages.  I have it saved in a folder with my daily reading plans to remind me to say it periodically so that it really digs into my heart.  Well, apparently, I’ve been diving right into my morning reading for too many days (or weeks) without reciting Psalm 25:4&5.  

That’s kind of embarrassing but a good reminder.  If His Word and the lessons it teaches are gonna stick, we have to be in them regularly, preferably every day.  In Deuteronomy 8:3, Moses says this to the Israelites:  He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then he gave you manna to eat, which you and your ancestors had not known, so that you might learn that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

Jesus quoted Moses in Matthew 4:4, when He was tempted by Satan. Jesus said it this way:  He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

We eat every day.  And most of us are pretty adamant about making time for that.  Let’s have the same conviction when it comes to reading and memorizing His Word.

By the way, Psalm 25:4&5 in the ESV says:  

Make me to know Your ways, Oh Lord,

Teach me Your paths.

Lead me in Your truth and teach me.

For You are the God of my salvation,

For You I wait all the day long.

Bet I’ll never forget that again!  Are you working on memorizing a particular passage?  Let me know what it is at Lifting Her Voice.com, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Hebrews Chapter 6

Warning against Falling Away

Therefore, let us leave the elementary teaching about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, faith in God, teaching about ritual washings, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And we will do this if God permits.

For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, who shared in the Holy Spirit, who tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age, and who have fallen away. This is because, to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding him up to contempt. For the ground that drinks the rain that often falls on it and that produces vegetation useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God. But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and about to be cursed, and at the end will be burned.

Even though we are speaking this way, dearly loved friends, in your case we are confident of things that are better and that pertain to salvation. For God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you demonstrated for his name by serving the saints — and by continuing to serve them. Now we desire each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the full assurance of your hope until the end, so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.

Inheriting the Promise

For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater to swear by, he swore by himself: I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply you. And so, after waiting patiently, Abraham obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and for them a confirming oath ends every dispute.

Because God wanted to show his unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner, because he has become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Closing Thoughts

It sounded familiar there at the end, huh?  Now you know who Melchizedek is and it makes this so much more understandable!  I love reading Scripture when I know a little of the background.  It’s like the whole meaning just comes alive.  

The author kinda picks up where he left off in chapter 5, explaining why it’s important that we move on from elementary teaching.  But he quickly morphs into a discussion of falling away.  

Let me be clear.  There is something that this is and there is something that this passage undoubtedly is not.

If a person has full revelation of who Christ is – full knowledge – and rejects Him anyway, he or she has no other option for eternal life.  That’s apostacy – abandonment, renunciation.  A person stands as an enemy of Christ.

However, this is not referring to one losing one’s salvation.  Beautiful precious promises are our assurances.  Passages such as John 10:27-29:

My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

Security of the Believer

And Romans 8:35, 38-39:

Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Then there’s my personal favorite, Philippians 1:6:

I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 

And finally, 1 Peter 1:4-5 

…and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

These all speak clearly about the security of the believer.  We cannot lose our salvation.  We must understand that our being saved has nothing to do with us being good enough and has everything to do with Christ and who He is.  He truly is our High Priest forever.  Let’s pray.

Prayer

Father, here we are again, full of praise and gratitude.  Your promises are so priceless, so treasured, and even more so on those days when it feels like we can’t do anything right. Surely You can’t love us when we misbehave sometimes?  But Your word says just the opposite.  Your promises shine through like beacons of hope, a knot at the end of our collective ropes.  Thank You that You will never leave us nor forsake us.  It means so much.  Amen.

Thank you for joining me here today.  I pray God will grow in you what has been planted and watered here.  In this time of unprecedented struggle worldwide, we can look to God for guidance and comfort.  Be sensitive to those in your circle of influence who need a word of encouragement and invite them to join us.  If you like this show, it would be great if you give it a five-star review.  Don’t forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  See you right here tomorrow.  Be well!

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible(r), Copyright (c) 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible(r) and CSB(r) are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.