Introduction I d thought it be good this morning to look at a passage found in the book to the Hebrews to address an aspect of discipleship that speaks generally (persevering in the faith in His Word), but yet also specifically about the believer s faith (or unfaith. A word we seldom use, Apostasy). The writer to the Hebrews urged his first readers to persevere in their faith, standing firm in Christ s finished work on the cross, rather than returning back to Judaism (Message of Hebrews). The message of the book of Hebrews is to urge the believers to hold on to their faith because of the surpassing greatness of Jesus Christ when compared to all other revelations (the Mosaic Law, the prophets, rituals in the Old Covenant), and their eternal reward (full inheritance, full rest, and full salvation) as believers will be fully realized at the judgment seat of Christ. The book of Hebrews teaches at least three things about what it means to continue to trust God and live a life of faith: Hebrews defines faith (a volitional surrender to the obedience of God, in spite of appearances that seem in contradiction, Heb. 11). Hebrews illustrates faith it describes the need for suffering, and waiting. Obedience to God require us to squarely face sufferings in life whether we deserve it or otherwise. Obedience in sufferings test our faith. Hebrews vindicates faith it proves the timeless value of faith as seen in the people of faith as described by the author in Hebrews 11. Their acts of faith led them to stand out among the rest their faith triumphed over sufferings and injustices. They believed who God was to them, and their faith were vindicated by God they received their reward. The book of Hebrews not only teach us what faith is all about, but the book also addresses the opposite of faith apostasy a turning away from God a denial of who God is, and the abandoning of his or her initial faith in Christ Jesus. The writer to the Hebrews describes apostasy. Apostasy as the opposite of faith is described by the author to the Hebrews in vivid terms Disobedience, e.g., the ten spies among the 12 who spied the Promised Land due to their disobedience they were denied entry into the Promised Land. Only Joshua and Caleb made it to the Promised Land. The Exodus generation all died in the desert without entering the Promised Land because of disobedience. An apostate, however, can be a believer or an unbeliever. Hebrews also illustrates apostasy in action it is not just a turning away from the initially embraced faith, but it also suffers, perhaps not now, but in the future for what the apostate loses as a result of the abandonment of his or her faith. Hebrews also has a very stern word against apostasy the ultimate tragedy of an apostate someone who abandons the faith. An apostate may gain worldly success in this present age, but they may lose more than what they gained in the final analysis. An apostate may do all he or she can to avoid sufferings as a believer, and gain all they hope to gain in this present age, however, in the future, the apostate will suffer failure, sorrow and loss. 1
It is against this backdrop, that the writer to the Hebrews exhorts his readers with five warning passages. These five warning passages are as relevant to their first readers, as they are to us in the 21 st century. There are five warning passages. The writer appeals to the reader to persevere in faith by using in two distinct ways, one negative, and one positive. Each of these five passages warns the reader of the danger of apostasy (leaving the faith) from a different angle. These passages are as follows: Hebrews The Danger of The Disaster The Defense vs. 1. 2:1-4 Drifting from Truth Departure Keep standing firm 2 3:1-4:16 Unbelief Hardening Keep believing 3. 5:11-6:20 Immaturity Regression Keep on growing 4. 10:19-39 Wilful sinning Discipline Keep on submitting 5. 12:1-29 Unresponsiveness Loss Keep on obeying In August, we looked at Hebrews 2:1-4. The first warning passage found in the book to the Hebrews. We talked about the danger of drifting from God s Word or neglecting God s Word, and its accompanying disaster the discipline of God; and the defense against drifting from the Word of God. I d suggested at least two implications for the believer today. These two implications have something for us to think about what discipleship might be like for you as far as God s Word is concerned. 2:1-4 is a parenthesis (), a digression from Hebrews 1 to apply what the author had just discussed about Christ being more superior to the angels. The second warning, Hebrews 3:1-4:13 was given to the readers of the book of Hebrews as a reminder of the Exodus generation and the concept of rest. By citing Moses and Christ s faithfulness in the house of God, the writer exhorted the readers to remain faithful to the worship of God as believers in Christ (Heb. 3:1-6) The first generation of Exodus Israelites failed to be faithful and as a result experienced both temporal discipline (barred from entering into Promised Land) and eschatological loss (rest). Psalm 95, a royal enthronement psalm (Worship of God) was used with its past and future hope, was quoted by the writer as the basis or reason to explain Israel s past failure as God s people. Immediate Context: Hebrews 3:1-6 Throughout the book of Hebrews, the author extols the superiority of Christ above angels, prophets, and in chapter 3, the author compares and extols Christ above Moses in the first six verses. The author declares that Christ is worthy of greater honour than Moses. 3 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. 2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God s house. 3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5 Moses was faithful as a servant in all God s house, [a] bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as the Son over God s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory. 2
The writer to the Hebrews quotes Psalm 95 addressing the people of God in his day: Psalm 95:7-11 as quoted by the writer to the Hebrews looks back to the Exodus Generation s unbelief from Meribah and Massah (Exodus 17) right up to Kadesh-Barnea (Numbers 14) their recalcitrant unbelief in the God who had freed from slavery in Egypt. For forty long years in the desert peninsula, the people tested and rebelled against God and against Moses, His chosen servant-leader to lead them into the Promised Land. Even though they rebelled and tested God, He continued to provide for their needs: Pillar of cloud by day, and pillar of fire by night (Exo. 13-14) to protect them from the scorching heat of the Sinai desert, and the searing cold in the night skies of the vast desert expanse. God provided them mana from heaven to feed them daily, quail to satisfy their hunger for meat, and water to quench their human thirst. He provided them with clothes to wear and sandals that did not wear out in their forty years of sojourning. God took them out of slavery from Egypt with the hope of the Promised Land, Israel, and yet time ad and time again, they rebelled against God. They refused to enter the Promised Land (Num 13-14), after the ten spies from the twelve tribes, except Joshua and Caleb, gave a bad report of their expedition in the Land flowing with milk and honey. The people of Israel were hardened in their hearts toward God they rebelled, they tested God, and they disbelieved what God had promised them. They were unconvinced even though God had shown them miracles of salvation in Egypt and in the deserts. In Numbers 14:23, in view of the negative reports provided by the ten spies, and the people s groanings, murmurings and rebellions, God, in His anger swore that they would not enter the Promised Land (the land rest), saved two and their families, with the second generation of Israelites, when all the first generation would be dead by the time they entered the Land of Promise. Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did. 10 That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways. 11 So I declared on oath in my anger, They shall never enter my rest. [b] 3
The writer to the Hebrews reminded his readers of the fate of the Israelites in the Old Testament days when they failed to believe in God s faithfulness toward them in Kadesh- Barnea (Sinai Peninsula). His purpose was to forewarn them to realize the serious implications and consequences of unbelief in God, and to motivate them to faithfully persevere in the teachings of the apostles. 12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. 15 As has just been said: Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion. [c] Verses 16-19 a series of rhetorical questions asked by the writer to the Hebrews. Pronouns such as who, whom, they, those these pronouns are used to identify the first generation of Israelites wandering in the Sinai Peninsula. 16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief. Verses 12, 19 speak of the unbelieving disposition of the Israelites who perished in the Sinai desert. hardened by sin s deceitfulness Reading these verses give us the idea that the words, sinned and disobedient are used synonymously the former word refers to an wilful action sinning ; and the latter, root of their sinning disobedience. So disobedience can be understood in at least 3 aspects a refusal to hear God s Voice, or an obstinate refusal to act in response to that Voice; an obstinate refusal to act upon what s been heard disobey; it reveals the condition of the heart wilful, stubborn, and recalcitrant. Because of the condition of the hearts of these Israelites, unbelief is a sin that defies God in the face, and it is synonymous to disobedience that provokes God s anger and judgment upon them death of all the first generation of Israelites, save two. 4
Hebrews chapter 4 begins with an application to the present (21 st century) readers: Four times the text says about the promise of rest remains (4:1, 6, 9, 11). The concept of rest in Hebrews 3:1-4:13 includes (a) historical perspective relating to the Exodus generation and Joshua (Ps. 95; Josh. 21:44); an eschatological perspective related to the Exodus generation (Ps. 95); (c) the sabbath rest related to the readers with its eschatological perspective (Gen. 2:2-3; Heb. 4:9). Hebrews 4:1-9 (The promise of Rest for those who remain faithful till the end). 4 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. [d] 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, So I declared on oath in my anger, They shall never enter my rest. [e] And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: On the seventh day God rested from all his works. [f] 5 And again in the passage above he says, They shall never enter my rest. 6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7 God again set a certain day, calling it Today. This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. [g] 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God s rest also rests from their works, [h] just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. Concept of Rest: Rest, used seven times (vv. 1, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11). It could refer to the Promised Land rest enjoyment of all God had promised to the nation. The second generation of Israelites entered the Promised Land because they chose to trust God and obeyed Him (see Num. 14:22-23; Josh. 1:13, 15; 21:44). For the Christian, rest refers to all the enjoyment God has promised to us not just getting to heaven. But the believer will also receive rewards of following a life of faithfulness to God while on earth. Rest does not mean the Promised Land for the Old Testament Israelites, or heaven for the modern-day believer today, but rather rest equals to obtaining all the inheritance that God wants to give believers in heaven. We enter into our rest when we ceased all work or life on earth in this life (Constable, 2015 edition, p. 44) 5
Blessings are reward that God will give to faithful believers who follow Him through to the end of their earthly life, e.g., imperishable wreath (1 Cor. 9:25); crown (Phil. 4:1; 1 Thess. 2:19); the crown of life (Jas. 1:12); crown of glory (1 Pet. 5:4); crown of life (Rev. 2:10; 3:11). The rest the author to the Hebrews is talking about does not refer to the peaceful life here and now. The rest and inheritance mentioned in this text refer to a time in the future the next stage of life for the believer, heaven, if he/she follows the Lord faithfully while living on earth as a believer. The apostate generation of Israelites failed to enter the Promised Land when they hardened their hearts and disbelieved God. Does this mean that for modern believers today who become apostates will not enter heaven? The New Testament teaches that all who believe in Jesus Christ will go to heaven, because their simple faith in Christ is what saves them (Eph. 2:8-9). God will complete the work of salvation that He begun in us. As Israel was not able to enter Canaan rest (the Promised Land) because of unbelief (3:19), so believers in the church should continue in obedience (4:11) to enter their rest in the Millennial Kingdom. Failure to do so will result in loss of reward (1 Cor. 3:11-15). 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God s rest also rests from their works, [h] just as God did from his. The Sabbath-rest in verse 9 refers to the inheritance that every believer in every generation enters into or inherits like God faithfully finishes his or her work on earth. This work or walk is one of continuing trust and obey on a day to day basis as opposed to apostatizing leaving the faith. For all who faithfully live day by day, trusting and obeying, God will reward the believer his or her inheritance from Jesus Christ at His judgment seat (1 Cor. 4:1-5; 2 Cor. 5:9-10). 4 This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God. 6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. 6
While still living on earth, every believer is to make every effort to enter that rest it is not just getting to heaven (God has promised every believer will enter heaven, Rom. 8:30), it is not the rest we currently enjoy as believers, for He has forgiven us all our sin, we need not make any effort to earn it it is by grace we are saved. Hebrews 4:12-13 (Consider the power of God s Word for the believer) 12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. After we die, or experience the Rapture, God will do a spiritual post-mortem on us at the judgment seat of Christ (Rom. 14:10-12) 10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister [a]? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God s judgment seat. 11 It is written: As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God. [b] 12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. 13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. God will examine our inmost parts thoughts and attitudes (it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.). God will use His Word living and active; double-edged it judges and discerns right from wrong, good from evil, spiritual from carnal it literally leaves no stone unturned in the language of the law and the magistrate. God will use His Word to judge every believer on the day of judgment with His Word to determine rewards for the works done (good and bad) on earth. 1 Cor. 3:11-15 10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved even though only as one escaping through the flames. On judgment day, every believer will be examined by the Lord. No believer will be spared. This should cause us today to consider what the author to the Hebrews is addressing about unbelief to his audience in his time. Will we remain faithful till He comes again? Will we be found prepared for the day of judgment for Him to judge our intensions and attitudes? 7
Conclusion Do we take our salvation seriously? Is Christmas just about heaven for us? Do we take our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ or do we carelessly live each day without due reflection given to our hearts motivations, intentions, and attitudes in our walk with God, and in our ways with people we meet each day in our life? Do we take sin(s) seriously enough to ask if we are willing to submit and surrender ourselves to God s Word and God s Spirit to transform us into the likeness of Christ each day? Where is the place of God s Word in your life? What image come across your mind when you consider Hebrews 4:13 in the light of the way you are living your days on earth and the day when you will be judged? 12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. A quote from The New York Times International Edition s newspaper, 28 Nov 2018 The truth never wavers. The truth requires commitment. The truth is worth it. References: Oberholtzer, Thomas, K. (1988). The Kingdom Rest in Hebrews 3:1-4:13. In Bibliothecra Sacra, April- June, Dallas Theological Seminary). Dr. Constable s Notes on Hebrews. 1998 edition. Unpublished course notes. Dallas Theological Seminary. May Lim (1997). Hebrews. Unpublished student s notes. Bible Exposition department. Dallas Theological Seminary. 8