Tag: religion

The Full Assurance of Hope Unto the End

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Hebrews 6:9-12 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which you have showed toward his name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That you be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 

‘We are persuaded better things of you.’ We are persuaded that you will not apostatize and not neglect your salvation to reap the judgment of God (2:2-3), as some of your brethren have done (6:4-8).

‘For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love.’ God’s promises are His debts to man. His righteousness and justice require Him to keep them, so you will be rewarded.

‘Ministered to the saints.’ This refers to contributions to the poor saints in Judea, as in 2Corinthians 8-9.

‘We desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end.’ Paul comes back to his often repeated subject to the Hebrews here – that of warning them they must continue in full assurance of the hope of eternal life even to the end, and that by so doing they will finally inherit the blessings of the promises (6:11-12; cp. 2:3; 3:6, 12-14; 4:1-2, 6, 11; 6:1-8). Slothfulness will deprive them of both hope and faith.

‘Followers’ [Greek: mimetes] imitators. He gives Abraham as an outstanding example of faith (6:12-15), then gives a whole list of faith-worthies of the Old Testament whom we can imitate in faith (Hebrews 11:1 – 12:3).

Put Him to an Open Shame

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Hebrews 6:6-8 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinks in the rain that comes oft upon it, and brings forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receives blessing from God: But that which bears thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. 

‘If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance.’ Fourfold apostasy and the end of apostates: [1] If they shall fall away (6:6). “Fall away” is from the Greek: parapipto, to fall aside; apostatize; fall away. It means to throw overboard all faith in the experiences of the gospel and to deny them. People are here warned that such is possible. How could they fall away from the experiences of Hebrews 6:4-5 if they never had them? The language is past tense and factual so it cannot be denied that the ones referred to did at one time have experiences. [2] To renew them again to repentance is impossible. The reason given is that they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to open shame. This is the final act of apostasy. They publicly judge Him as an imposter and worthy of death. That is, they do not believe in Him or His atonement any longer. Since such faith is the only thing that could renew them again to repentance, it then becomes impossible. How could they be renewed again to repentance if they had not experienced repentance before? The word “again” means once more; another time; anew; and this requires repentance once before. [3] As that which bears thorns and briers, they are rejected (6:8). The Greek: adokimos means reprobate (Rom. 1:28; 2Cor. 13:5-7; 2Tim. 3:8; Tit. 1:16); rejected (6:8); and castaway (1Cor. 9:27). It means to become Christless and literally rejected. [4] The end of apostates (6:8). Just like that which bears thorns and briers is burned, so apostates are to be punished in eternal hell (Isa. 66:22-24; Matt. 25:46; Mark 9:43-49; Rev. 14:9-11; 20:10-15).

It Is Impossible

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Hebrews 6:4-5 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come 

‘For it is impossible …’ Two outstanding facts: Christians can backslide, tearing down the foundation of repentance that is already laid. Should they ever again be admitted into Christ, they will have to build again the foundation of repentance and do their first works again (6:1-2; 2:1-4; Rev. 2:5). Christians can fully apostatize from Christ, completely rejecting Him and His atoning work, so that it is impossible to renew them again to repentance (6:4-9; 10:26-29; 2Pet. 2:20-22).

‘Those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost.’ The fivefold former state of apostates: [1] Were once enlightened, but not now enlightened (6:4). Thayer’s Greek Lexicon says this refers to “those who have been made Christians.” Paul uses the same term for saved individuals elsewhere (Eph. 1:18; Heb. 10:32; cp. Ps. 19:7-8; Luke 11:34-36). Only saints are called “children of light” (Eph. 5:8; Col. 1:12; 1Thess. 5:5), and only saved people are spoken of as being in the light (Matt. 5:14-15; Luke 16:8; John 3:20-21; 8:12; 12:36; Rom. 13:12; Eph. 5:14; Col. 1:12; 1Jn. 1:7; 2:9-10). Only people who have not been saved as spoken of as being darkened from gospel light (2Cor. 4:4; Eph. 4:18; 5:8; Col. 1:13; 1Thess. 5:5; 1Pet. 2:9; 1Jn. 1:6; 2:8-11). [2] Have tasted of the heavenly gift (6:4). The Greek: geuomai means to have experience of. Translated as “to eat” (Acts 10:10; 20:11; 23:14) and “to taste” (6:4, 5; 2:9; Matt. 16:28; 27:34; Mark 9:1; Luke 9:27; 14:24; John 2:9; 8:52; Col. 2:21; 1Pet. 2:3). How could one taste of death, taste the Lord, taste the heavenly gift, and other things of these passages without experiencing them? [3] Were made partakers of the Holy Spirit (6:4). The Greek: metochos means partner and fellow with (3:1). No sinner is a partaker of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9-16). It is almost blasphemy to accuse the Holy Spirit of being a partner, sharer, and associate with the ungodly. Jesus said that sinners cannot receive the Holy Spirit (John 14:17). Jude confirmed the same truth (Jude 1:19). [4] Have tasted the good Word of God (6:5). To taste the Word of God is to be saved, as proved in Matthew 13:20-23; Luke 8:13-15; John 15:3; Acts 2:41; 4:4; 8:14; 11:1; 17:11; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 5:26; James 1:18-25 and 1Peter 1:18-23. No man receives the Word and remains unsaved. [5] Have tasted the powers of the world to come (6:5). To taste these powers means to experience eternal life. Every time such a statement is found it refers to eternal life (Matt. 10:30; Luke 18:30; 20:35).

Go On Unto Perfection Part 11

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Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. 

‘Of repentance’ Six first principles of Christianity (continues): [3] Baptisms – there are seven baptisms in Scripture (continues): To summarize, there are three baptisms for believers in Christ, they are the Christian water baptism, the baptism into Christ and His body and the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Note the following facts concerning the three baptisms: The three agents who administer the three baptisms are: the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, and the minister. The three elements are Christ, the Holy Spirit, and water. The candidates in all three baptisms are the believers of the gospel.

The Holy Spirit is the agent that baptizes the believer “into Christ” and “into one body,” (1Cor. 12:13). This is called being baptized “into Christ,” not into water or into the Holy Spirit, and refers to the saving of the soul by the Spirit and the Word of God and of making one a member of Christ and His Body (Rom. 6:4; Gal. 3:27; Col. 2:12). This is the “one baptism” of Ephesians 4:5 for it is the only one of the three baptisms for believers that saves the soul and brings us into the one body of Christ that Paul is speaking of in Ephesians 4. This baptism “into Christ” by the Spirit is the only one essential to the salvation of the soul. A person must obtain this baptism before he is a fit candidate for the other two baptisms, the baptism into the Spirit and the baptism into water. This baptism is solely a work of God by the Spirit and by the water of the Word of God, and not of man. It is the same as the new birth of John 3:5.

Christ is the agent that baptizes the believer into the Holy Spirit who is the element (Matt. 3:11; John 1:31-34). Ministers are the agents who baptize believers into water (Matt. 28:19). This kind of baptism is solely a work of man, and not of God.

The purpose of the baptism into Christ and the body of Christ is to save the soul. It is the only baptism essential to salvation. The purpose of baptism into water is to witness the reality of salvation and is essential only to obedience and testimony after one is truly saved. The sole purpose of the Spirit baptism is to endue men fully with power to do the works of Christ, and even greater works than He did (John 14:12; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-8).

To be continued…

Go On Unto Perfection Part 8

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Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. 

‘Of repentance’ Six first principles of Christianity (continues): [3] Baptisms – there are seven baptisms in Scripture (continues): (6) Baptism into Christ and His body (Rom. 6:3-7; 1Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27; Eph. 4:5; Col. 2:12). These Scriptures have been taken to refer to water baptism but not one of them mentions water as the element the believer is baptized into. If they referred to water baptism it would read “buried with him by baptism into water” but they plainly say “baptism into Christ,” “baptized into one body,” and “baptized into Christ.” In Colossians 2:12, Paul says men are saved by being “buried with him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with Him through faith of the operation of God” and not through water administered by man. Whatever baptism this passage refers to, it is one by “the operation of God” and not through the operation of man. It, therefore, could not possibly refer to water baptism by man.

If these Scriptures speak of being “baptized into Christ” and “into one body” the body of Christ, then the element the believer is baptized into is not water but Christ and His body. If we take these passages to refer to water baptism we make Christ and His body mere water. Is Christ water? Is His body water? If not, then Christ and His body are the elements believers are baptized into and not water. We must not insert a meaning into any Scripture that is not there, to teach something contrary to what is plainly written. Water baptism does not bring one into Christ or His body. Man has nothing to do with this operation. It is solely an operation of God by the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, water baptism is not by God, Christ, or the Holy Spirit, but solely by man.

To be continued…

Go On Unto Perfection Part 7

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Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. 

‘Of repentance’ Six first principles of Christianity (continues): [3] Baptisms – there are seven baptisms in Scripture (continues): (5) Christian baptism in water (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38-41; 8:12-16, 36-38; 9:18; 10:47-48; 16:15, 33; 18:8; 19:5; 22:16; 1Cor. 1:13-17; 1Pet. 3:21). These 15 passages are all the Scriptures teaching water baptism. The element used is water and the administrator is man. Candidates are supposed to be already saved and disciples of Christ (Matt. 28:19). Water baptism testifies outwardly of an inward work and is merely a “figure” (1Pet. 3:21) and a “witness” of the change previously made in the life of a candidate through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1Jn. 5:6-10).

Water baptism does not remit sins. This is a work of God and a gift through faith (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 15:8-9). It is faith in the blood of Christ that remits sins, not water administered by man (Rom. 3:24-25; Eph. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:18-23; 1Jn. 1:7; Rev. 1:5).

Men have been and will yet be saved before and without water baptism. All Old Testament saints before John the Baptist were saved before and without water baptism. Many were saved from sin during the ministry of Christ before and without water baptism (Matt. 9:1-8; Luke 7:36-50; 18:9-14; 19:1-9; 23:43; John 4:49-53).

The “water” of the new birth of John 3:5 does not refer to literal water, but to spiritual water of the Word, as proven in John 16:3; 17:17; Ephesians 5:26; 1Peter 1:18-23; Romans 1:16 and James 1:18. These passages state that the new birth is by the Spirit and the Word of God. Water is used in a spiritual sense in John 4:14; 7:37-39, etc. Since it is used in a spiritual sense and since Jesus was speaking to Nicodemus of a spiritual birth and of “heavenly things” it is very clear that the water of John 3:5 could not refer to literal water.

To be continued…

Go On Unto Perfection Part 6

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Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. 

‘Of repentance’ Six first principles of Christianity (continues): [3] Baptisms – there are seven baptisms in Scripture (continues): (3) Baptism in suffering (Luke 12:50; 24:26; Act 3:18; 1Pet. 3:18) – this refers to Christ’s sufferings for mankind on the cross so we can live our lives without sin, not in it! Many separate passages reveal the sufferings of the Messiah (Isa. 50:4-7; 52:14; Dan. 9:26; Zech. 13:6-7). All the types [they were examples of future things] of sacrifices and offerings from Abel, picture these sufferings; so beginning with Moses and all the prophets He made it clear why these events had to take place before the coming of glory and the kingdom (Luke 24:25-27). (4) Baptism in the cloud and the sea (1Cor. 10:2). This refers to the crossing of the Red Sea when Israel was hidden from Pharaoh in the sea on both sides and the cloud in front and back and all over them to protect them from the Egyptians. They were completely covered by the clouds and went through the sea. This was a true baptism in the cloud and in the sea. Cloud and water are the elements used in this baptism.

To be continued…

Go On Unto Perfection Part 5

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. 

‘Of repentance’ Six first principles of Christianity (continues): [3] Baptisms – there are seven baptisms in Scripture: (1) John’s baptism in water (Matt. 3:1-17; Mark 1:1-45; Luke 3:1-38; 7:29-30; John 1:31-33; 3:23-26; 10:40; Acts 1:5; 11:16; 19:3). This was an immersion in water in the name of God only because John did not know the Son [Jesus Christ] until a certain sign happened (John1:33), so he could not have baptized except in the name of God (John 5:43). Those who were baptized by John (and his disciples) in this manner, was rebaptized in water, so they could conform to Christian water baptism “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matt. 28:19). (2) Christ’s baptism in water (John 3:22; 4:1-2). Christ was baptized to testify of His death, His burial and His resurrection. If it was never to remit sins for He had no sins to remit (1Pet. 2:21-23). He experienced it as a figure of His death, burial, and resurrection (John 1:31; 1Jn. 5:6-12). For this same reason, believers are baptized in water (1Pet. 3:21), so they can testify of dying to their old nature and ways and following in Christ’s footsteps (1Pet. 2:21-23).

To be continued…

Go On Unto Perfection Part 4

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Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. 

‘Of repentance’ Six first principles of Christianity (continues): [2] Faith in God through Christ (6:1; 11:1,7; Rom. 3:24-25; 5:1-11; 1Cor. 1:18-24; 15:1-8).

The program that will pay is that of having personal faith in God, faith in Jesus Christ, faith in the Holy Spirit, faith in the Word of God, faith in the atonement, and total consecration personally to believe God regardless of anything that might happen to hinder prayer. The right program is not talking about faith or the need for it, but the actual exercise of it. Simple faith in the Word regardless of feelings and circumstances is never possible to the man who lives only in the realm of his senses, for he believes only what he can see, feel, hear, or understand to be possible. This was the kind of faith Thomas had when he declared that he would not believe until he had seen. It was the kind that Martha had when she could see nothing but the natural fact that Lazarus had been dead for four days. This is the kind of faith taught and encouraged by modern religious leaders, but it is not the kind required by the New Testament.

Neither mental faith nor mere assent to truth and dependence upon feelings is enough. The individual must come to life and action before he will realize the benefits of active, living faith that refuses to know defeat and failure. A man must learn to fight the fight of faith and lay hold of God and His Word. He must learn that he is surrounded by an unbelieving world and an atmosphere of doubts, that demons and fallen angels and men have lived for centuries in unbelief and wickedness creating currents of doubt and mistrust that are very subtle, and that effects of the Fall have left in the lives of fallen men deep wounds of doubt and wavering that must be healed – hence the commandment for ‘no friendship with the world’ (1Jn. 2:15-17; 2Jn. 1:9-11; 1Cor. 5:9-13; 6:10 – 7:1). He must learn that he has to wrestle with powers of darkness and currents of mistrust and unbelief which make it a struggle to exercise active living faith for things that are not seen. He must not only learn how to do this, but he must do it to get results (Eph. 6:10-18).

To be continued…

Go On Unto Perfection Part 3

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Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. 

‘Of repentance’ Six first principles of Christianity (continues): [2] Faith in God through Christ (6:1; 11:1,7; Rom. 3:24-25; 5:1-11; 1Cor. 1:18-24; 15:1-8).

The average person who seeks to exercise faith depends upon what he can see, hear, or feel. Testimonies concerning faith are usually expressed in connection with feelings and emotions, or the various senses. Sense-faith is based upon physical evidence or the emotions and feelings of the soul. All who take this road as the basis of faith will sooner or later be deceived. Faith should be based upon the Word of God regardless of any sense-knowledge, or feeling-evidences. People are constantly looking to feelings as to whether prayer has been heard or not. If they happen to feel good, or if something happens that encourages them, they think that it is easy to believe, but if reverses come and feelings take wings, these same people are in the depths of despair. They are quick to accuse God of being unfaithful and untrue to His Word. If they do not go this far, they are quick to imagine that it was not God’s will to grant the answer. They become satisfied to go without what God has plainly promised.

People should not believe they are healed because the pain is gone, or that they are saved because they feel they are forgiven. They should not think that their prayers are answered because things are working out that way. Instead, they should always maintain faith because of what the Word of God says. The Word of God should have first place in their lives instead of the senses (feelings). All basing of faith upon what we have done, how well we live, or what experiences we have had will lead to failure in answered prayer. God does not answer on these grounds. He answers solely upon the grounds of grace and faith in Him and in His Word.

True faith is not trusting in the goodness and the faith of another man. It must be personal faith in God and His Word. People continually go about seeking someone who has faith and who can get answers to prayer for them. If we do not properly learn and develop a personal faith that refuses to be denied, we shall eventually revert to failure and unbelief, and we shall have to be satisfied with the modern theory that answered prayer is not for everyone.

To be continued…