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Whew!! I want to commend you for hanging in there with me on our study of the book of Hebrews. This is not light reading, my friend. It is theology at its finest and, at time, most difficult. Last week as we studied the issue of apostasy and eternal security, I hope you were prompted to examine what you believe. While today’s post is not as theologically intense, it is, nonetheless, important. Let’s get to it.
HeBrews: A Better Blend
Let’s turn to Hebrews 6: 7 and 8. These two verses almost seem out of place in the context of this chapter until you really study them.
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 is using an analogy of the land to compare those people who hear the gospel and accept it with those who hear it, yet reject it. Those who hear and accept the gospel produce fruit ‘in keeping with repentance’, while those who hear and reject the gospel produce fruit in keeping with their sinfulness. The rejection of the gospel and the saving work of Jesus by any person will result in eternal disaster. The focus of these two verses is on the fruit produced as a result of choices made.
Let’s finish this day of study by examining verses 9-12. I know this is difficult material and you may feel like you are in a seminary class, but if it were not important, God would not have included it in Holy Writ, so persevere, my friend.
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.
The author of Hebrews winds up this section of his message, or homily, by offering an encouraging word to his audience. He does this by reminding them that the Lord has not forgotten the good works they have done in the name of the Lord in the past. He also encourages them to not grow sluggish or lazy in doing these good works.
Expositor’s Bible Commentary (p. 965) has this to say about these verses. “…the Christian profession of the readers had been more than formal, and they had shown in changed lives what that profession meant. This, the writer is saying, would not go unnoticed with God.”
The writer bases his conviction of their salvation on the fact that they had produced fruit in keeping with repentance in the past and he desires that they not grow weary, but continue to follow the Lord wholeheartedly in the future.
My guess is that there is not a single one of us who has not grown weary of running the Christian race at some point in our past. I know I have. Life is busy and often difficult. Perhaps you are at that place right now where it seems like you take one step forward in your Christian walk only to be knocked back two steps by the devil. Everything seems to go wrong all at the same time. You are discouraged and just cannot understand why God is allowing the things to happen in your life that you are experiencing. You thought God promised you one thing, yet something completely different has transpired. You feel like you have more to give than God is allowing you offer at this time….more talent, more ability. I understand and so does God. Perhaps you are at that place where you are weary. I hope today’s post encourages you to not throw in the towel. God sees your work and He knows your heart.
MEDITATION MOMENT: Here is an opportunity for us to encourage one another. Share about a time when you were weary in the Christian life and walk. How did God minister to you during that time? How were you encouraged to keep on keeping on?
