Lesson 8: Going on to Perfection (Heb -6:8)
Observation
Outline
Admonition against Spiritual
Infancy (-14)
Exhortation to Go on to Maturity
(6:1-3)
Consequence of Falling Away (6:4-8)
Key Words/Phrases
First principles, milk, solid food,
unskilled in the word of righteousness, babe, full age, senses exercised,
discern both good and evil, perfection, impossible, fall away, crucify again
for themselves the Son of God, put Him to open shame, bears herbs, bears thorns
and briers.
Segment Analysis
1a. Dull of hearing (11); needing to be taught
again the first principles of the oracles of God (12); needing milk and not
solid food (12); unskilled in the word of righteousness (13).
1b. Taking solid food; senses exercised by reason
of use; able to discern both good and evil (14).
2a. Slow
to understand (cf. Mt -15).
2b. The
ABC’s of God’s word; the very basics of God’s will.
2c. Milk
refers to elementary teachings, whereas solid food refers to teachings that
only the spiritually perceptive can understand and profit from.
2d. The word of God, which shows us what is right before God
(cf. “discern good and evil” in 14).
3a. The spiritual infant is unskilled in God’s word. In other
words, he is not only slow to learn but also hardly practices God’s word. He needs
to be taught the basics again and again. On the contrary, the spiritually
mature train themselves through constant use of God’s word. Through much
experience, they are able to discern what is good and evil. They can stand firm
on sound doctrines and reject all false teachings (cf. Eph -14). They can also abstain from sin and live a life
pleasing to God.
3b. God’s
word can sharpen our spiritual perception if we constantly put it into practice
(13). Without constant use, we will be inexperienced with God’s word and slow
in our spiritual senses.
4. Repentance
from dead works, faith toward God, doctrine of baptisms, laying
on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgement
were teachings that were taught to new converts. While they are important,
believers who have been in Christ for a long time should already be well versed
in them and able to teach others about them instead of needing to be taught
again concerning them.
5. Some
questions to ponder are: “Do you still question, doubt, or struggle with the
fundamental beliefs of the Christian faith?” “Are you complacent about merely
having understood and accepted the basic beliefs?” “Do you have an eager desire
to learn as much about God’s word as you possibly can and to constantly
practice it in your life?”
6. While
we need to be diligent in making progress towards perfection, we also must
depend on God to accomplish this goal. We cannot do it alone. Our determination
can be effective only if it is built on God’s help.
7a. The impossibility of being renewed again to repentance.
7b. These are people who have come to understand the gospel of
salvation and have experienced the Holy Spirit and the grace of God.
8a. A person who falls away is one who “bears thorns and
briers.” In other words, his heart has been hardened by sin’s
deceitfulness and become an evil heart of unbelief (-13).
Like the land that receives rain but bears thorns and briers, God’s word has no
effect on his life. Instead of bearing the fruit of the spirit, he is
unproductive and leads a worthless, and even sinful
life.
8b. Historically, those who crucify the Son of God and put Him
to an open shame were the unbelievers who rejected Jesus Christ and His saving
grace. Therefore, if anyone who has been enlightened by God’s word and spirit
and has tasted God’s grace forsakes Jesus Christ, he
is as guilty as those who nailed Him to the cross. Worse still, he would be
twice as guilty because he is doing it the second time (the first time being
before tasting the grace of God).
8c. Destruction (cf. Mt. -42).
