HeBrews: A Better Blend – Hebrews 6

It’s Monday and that means it is time for our Bible study in the book of Hebrews. HeBrews: A Better Blend.

To be honest, I’ve dreaded and fretted over how to write this portion of the Bible study because Hebrews 5:12 – 6: 12 is one of the most difficult passages in the Bible to understand. Biblical scholars fall on each end of the spectrum in their thoughts and opinions on this passage of Scripture.  Truth be told, I tried to figure out a way we could study Hebrews without having to consider chapter six, but it is impossible and I would not do that anyway. Hebrews is thirteen chapters and chapter six kinda falls right in the middle of them all. So, I’ve decided to tackle it head on and simply offer to you not only what scholars say, but what I believe God wants us to learn as we study the passage. So, lace up your hiking boots and let’s journey into Hebrews 6.

HeBrews: A Better Blend

Have you ever written a letter, email or text and thought you were perfectly clear about the information you desired to convey, only to have the recipient end up confused and not understanding all you said? I have and it can be so frustrating. As a speaker and a writer I try very hard to make everything I convey clear and understandable. After I published the first Bible study in the Legacy series, From the Trash Pile to the Treasure Chest: Creating a Godly Legacy, I had the opportunity to walk through the study with a group from my church. One particular matching exercise in the study proved to be a bit more involved and taxing for the group than I had anticipated. In fact, for some, it was downright confusing. At that point, it did not matter that it made perfect sense to me. My students and readers were having trouble with it. Stink!! I had put hours of work into making the study user friendly, yet one part of it was not. How frustrating!

I think if the writer of Hebrews lived among us today, he or she might feel much the same way. He knew what he was trying to convey to his readers, but those of us who live two thousand years this side of the cross and the culture of that day are walking around confused about the sixth chapter. As I prayed about how to tackle this passage, the Lord encouraged me to adopt the apostle Paul’s view and say to you, “I would not have you be ignorant, brothers and sisters.” So, what we will do is bring in some experts to help us with the material. This chapter of Hebrews offers us an opportunity to visit with some esteemed biblical scholars and hear their thoughts about this highly debated portion of Scripture. Although I do not fall into the category of ‘esteemed biblical scholar’, I will offer to you what my heart tells me about this chapter as we go through it.

I ask you to prayerfully consider all the opinions offered, then race straight to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to show you what all of this means. He is the only accurate interpreter of Scripture and He will guide you into all truth. Honestly, when it comes to difficult passages like this, I try to remember that my salvation does NOT hinge on whether I totally understand this passage. I encourage you to remember that. God did not intend that we have perfect understanding of everything in His Word.

Let’s end today by reading the focal passage in Hebrews 5: 12 – Hebrews 6:12.

12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. 

1 Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. 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 if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. 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. 9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case–things that accompany 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, in order to make your hope sure. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.