THE SCHOOL OF CHRIST Part 2 (Hebrews 6:4-12 November 9, 2003)

THE SCHOOL OF CHRIST Part 2 (Hebrews 6:4-12 November 9, 2003) A couple of years after I became a Christian, I had a night that was both one of the saddest and most informative nights of my life. I was asked if I could give an old friend from college a ride home. I said absolutely. I hadn t seen him for years. He was one of the most outspoken Christians at my college. He shared the gospel with everyone. He ran prayer meetings. He discipled men. Before I became a Christian I thought he was too zealous for his own good. After I became a Christian he was one of the men I had tried to emulate. As he got into my car, I was surprised that he got in the back seat not the front. He was quiet no word of greeting. I knew something was up. I asked him how his walk with the Lord was going. He burst into tears. He just wept. I pulled over to the side of the road and we talked. He had been so on fire for God. And now he sat there telling me that he didn t even believe in God he had walked away got involved in immorality and sin of every type. And he was incredibly miserable. I asked him how this happened. He told me that one day he realised he was just going through the motions. Going to church and witnessing and doing the right things because that was what he was supposed to do. There was no real foundation, no burning love for Christ at the base of his life. He then told me that he went to a Pentecostal church where he spoke in tongues. He had done it for years, but he told me that deep down he knew it was him, it wasn t a heavenly language. And that set him to doubting what was real what wasn t. If something that he had been led to believe was so important wasn t real then was anything else real? He said that he realised that his Christianity was based on him. He was witnessing, sharing, discipling because that was what Christians did not out of a love of Christ. In fact, he barely knew Christ. So he walked away turned to the world and now seeing me he realised how miserable he was. I would like to tell you that he turned back to Christ but as far as I know he hasn t. 1

That night shook me up. Here was a man who grew up in a Christian home. He had been to church since the day he was born. He was so zealous, so committed and now he was as far from Christ as a Tibetan monk. He had been given every advantage, every blessing but he had squandered it because he had not understood that the key is a relationship with Christ. I learned that night just how precious a foundation of loving Christ is. How easy it is for the fires of first love to grow cold. How easy it is to just go through the motions. This is a truth that the authors of Scripture return to again and again. It is a deep and abiding love for God that must form the foundation of our lives as children of God. This problem comes in many forms. Tradition. Routine. Complacency. This was the problem the author of Hebrews faced. The Jewish nation had centuries of ingrained tradition and teaching that told them they were the people of God by birth, by having the Law, by being the covenant people of God. They were God s by right. But they misunderstood the whole Old Testament. What God has always sought is faith which leads to obedience and love. And the goal of all was Christ. This is the essence of the book of Hebrews. Hebrews was written as an apologetic, an exhortation, a theological unpacking of the Old Testament to show the Jews that the one place salvation could be found is in a person Jesus Christ not in the Law or traditions or the covenant or in national identity. For centuries the rabbis and Scribes and Pharisees had taught that righteousness was found in being Jewish, in keeping the Law, in practicing the ceremonies, in perpetuating the ceremonies. As if this in and of itself was enough. For centuries the blood of bulls and goats had stained the Temple in Jerusalem promising the forgiveness of sins. For centuries the expectation of the coming of Messiah was wrapped up in a political kingdom not in suffering and sacrifice. And now the Gospel comes and says in Jesus Christ the shadows have passed. It is Christ and Christ alone that matters. Their struggle was to grasp that the Law and ceremonies were not an end in and of themselves, but pointed to Christ. While many Jews did turn to Jesus as the Messiah as the One the Law and indeed all the revelation given to Israel pointed toward others wavered and felt the pull back to the tradition of finding salvation in the Law itself. 2

And perhaps the clearest exposition of the struggle going on is Hebrews 5:11-6:12. We began this section last time. We saw that the ceremonies, the covenants, the laws, the traditions these were milk that was meant to point to the solid food of Christ. Elementary teachings that were meant to be discarded when what they pointed to arrived. Tonight, we begin at Hebrews 6:4-6. These are perhaps the most controversial verses in this section: For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. But I believe the controversy surrounding these verses is due to fact that they are removed from the context of the book of Hebrews. Let me remind you of the debate surrounding these verses. On one side of the debate, we find those who say this passage is obviously talking about Christians those who are truly saved who then lose their salvation. Words like enlightened, partakers of the Holy Spirit, tasting the powers of the age to come these terms show they were Christians. But then they fell away they put the Son of God to open shame. They argue that this passage teaches that a genuine Christian can lose his salvation. However, most of those who teach that you can lose your salvation, also teach that you can repent and be restored. They talk about backsliders and recommitments and rebaptism. But, they seem to conveniently ignore that if this is talking about Christians who lose their salvation then you get one shot at salvation. Look at verse 6 for those who have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance. Once someone has fallen away they cannot be restored. So they usually come up with fancy definitions of falling away that are foreign to the passage. On the other side of the debate are those who say you cannot lose your salvation. You can sin and move away from God for a short time but God will always keep those who are His near Him. So how do they deal with these verses? They either say that these verses are hypothetical. If it were possible to lose your salvation then you couldn t be restored. 3

Or more commonly, they say these verses refer to those who merely taste Christianity. The unbeliever who comes to church, keeps hearing the gospel, keeps seeing the power of God at work in the lives of believers but refuses to repent and trust Christ. And finally, if they keep turning away, they will harden their heart to the point that they can never turn to Christ. While this view is certainly preferable it too has problems. Words like enlightened, partakers of the Holy Spirit, tasting the powers of the age to come they do seem to speak of something more than association with Christians and hearing the gospel. And does any heart get so hardened that it is impossible for God to then break down the barriers and save that person? That word impossible is a very final word. Let me simply say that in my understanding, both of these views profoundly misunderstand this passage and the book of Hebrews as a whole. My understanding of this section is that it is not addressed to Christians who are wavering in their salvation or to non-christians who have come into contact with the gospel but to Jews who have refused to come to Christ. They have everything pointing to Christ, but they still cling to the signposts pointing to Christ rather than turning to Christ Himself. This is not a passage that deals with assurance of our salvation or losing our salvation but rather it deals with the purpose for the Old Testament and God s dealings with the Jews in this time. Verses 4 and 5 use a number of terms that describe the privilege the Jews had of being the chosen people. Of having the Old Covenant, the Law, the Scriptures. In the Septuagint the Greek version of the Old Testament Psalm 34:6-8 speaks of the privileges associated with being one of the Lord s people and describes them as being enlightened and tasting the Lord. These verses read like this: Draw near to God and be enlightened. Taste and see that the Lord is good. The Jews were once enlightened by receiving the Law and the Scriptures and the covenant. They tasted of the heavenly gift by being made the people of God and experiencing all the blessings that God showered on them. They were partakers of the Holy Spirit. We often think of the work of the Holy Spirit as really being in the New Testament after the death and resurrection of Christ. But just look through the Old Testament. 4

It is the Holy Spirit who empowered the kings and prophets. Without the Holy Spirit the kings were nothing and Israel was nothing. Throughout Isaiah we read of the world of the Holy Spirit in the lives of God s people. Israel was special not because they were mightier or better than any other nation but because God chose them and allowed them to partake of His Spirit to experience the power and wonders of belonging to God. And Israel tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the age to come. Again and again the promises of God are referred to as blessing to Israel. For example Joshua 21:45: Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass. They experienced the blessings of the promises of God. And they tasted the powers of the age to come. The miracles of God pointed to His great power to save them. The point is that all of this every privilege, every blessing, every advantage Israel had experienced it all pointed to Christ. But this meant that at the coming of Christ everything changed. Back in my teenage years I had a few crushes on various famous singers, but I had a close friend had a mega-crush on Linda Rondstat. His room was a shrine to Linda. He had posters all over the ceiling so she was what he saw when we went to sleep and when he woke up. He had every record she had made and knew every song. And he always dreamed that one day the goddess Linda would tour Australia and he would get to see her in the flesh. Now imagine if he opened the Courier Mail arts and entertainment section and read the headline Linda Rondstat to tour in Brisbane at Festival Hall July 4-8, 1977. What would you think, if over his bed he removed Linda s picture and pasted that article. Linda was coming! What if he praised that article. Worshipped that article. But never actually went to see Linda. That article was meant to point him to Linda, not be an end in itself. That is what is going on here. The Jews were clinging ferociously to everything that was meant to lead them to Christ and they were clinging so tightly to the signposts the elementary principles, the milk that they couldn t see Christ when He came. 5

But this is not just a simple case of missing the mark this has the most serious implications imaginable. Verse 6. If despite these privileges they: Have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. If they fall away go astray apostatise from all the benefits entrusted to them. If they reject what every blessing pointed to. If they reject Christ then there is no other way of salvation. The blood of bulls and goats won t do it. Being born a Jew won t do it. If they don t turn to Christ, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance there is no way of repentance now apart from Christ. If they reject Christ then they crucify Him again. They crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. They ignore all that He has done in coming to this world, living and dying to be the Son of God and Great High Priest for His people. Do you know what this verse teaches? It teaches exclusivism. I have read so much about pluralism in its various forms that many roads or at least several roads lead to heaven. If there was another road that led to heaven it would have to be Judaism. Judaism was truth given to men by the true God. But, Judaism was meant to point to Christ. This verse says that no rabbi, no Jew no matter how devout and holy can be saved apart from Christ. And if no Jew is saved then no Hindu or Moslem or Mormon or anyone else who rejects the truth of salvation by faith in Christ the Son of God can be saved. But there is a message here for us as well. The place where our lives are to be grounded is in Christ. In a personal relationship with Christ. Loving Christ. If we look anywhere else our doctrine, our traditions, anything we are lost. It all depends on Christ. Then the author of Hebrews rams his point home. Verses 7 and 8: 6

For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned. Any Jew reading these verses would know what they referred to. They refer to Isaiah 5:1-7. They refer to Isaiah s description of Israel. Listen to Isaiah 5:1-7, and remember that verse 7 says this is Israel God s people: Let me sing now for my well-beloved A song of my beloved concerning His vineyard. My well-beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill. He dug it all around, removed its stones, And planted it with the choicest vine. And He built a tower in the middle of it And also hewed out a wine vat in it; God gave Israel everything. He brought her to the Promised Land. He defeated her enemies. He gave her the Law, priests, the temple every blessing imaginable. Verse2: Then He expected it to produce good grapes, Not unreasonable. But it produced only worthless ones. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, Judge between Me and My vineyard. What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones? So now let Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard: I will remove its hedge and it will be consumed; I will break down its wall and it will become trampled ground. I will lay it waste; It will not be pruned or hoed, But briars and thorns will come up. I will also charge the clouds to rain no rain on it. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel And the men of Judah His delightful plant. Thus He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; For righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress. God gave Israel every blessing imaginable and she was fruitless. And God removed His hand of protection and sent her to exile. But God was not done with Israel. He brought her back to the land. She was there because the Messiah would come through Israel. 7

So Israel that had received so many blessings rain from God that fell on the land received one final great blessing Christ. But instead of bringing forth fruit receiving the Messiah she brought forth thorns and thistles she crucified Christ and continued to reject Him. Now she is worthless, close to being cursed, and destined to be burned far from the presence of God. Wow! The point is that if they do not turn to Christ, every blessing Israel received become burning coals heaped upon her head. To have everything that points to Christ and then to fail to turn to Christ when He came means that the wrath of God will fall on that wicked people. They were enlightened. They tasted of the heavenly gift. They were partakers of the Holy Spirit. They tasted the good word of the age to come and the powers of the age to come. They had great light and still loved the darkness. Woe to them. Brothers and sisters, I can barely imagine anyone with greater light and privileges than us. We have a wonderful church, great facility, solid teaching, good heritage so what fruit are we producing? Are we being drawn nearer, nearer, nearer to our blessed Lord? Or are we like my friend from college, in danger of being washed away in the storms of life? Verses 9-10: But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. This book is written to a community of Jews. Some have trusted Christ they love Him and follow Him. Others have heard the gospel, grappled with the gospel, been attracted to the gospel but have not been able to take that last step to trust Christ as the realisation of every promise. And this book is addressed primarily to these Jews caught in the no man s land of transitioning from the time before Christ to the time of the church. They don t have an option of clinging to the traditions of the past. They have to turn to Christ or they are lost. 8

It seems that the author of Hebrews knew this group personally and he loved them deeply. This whole book oozes with care and concern for the flock. He is convinced that when they examine Christ, examine the Scriptures, heed the warnings, then they won t stay clinging to the traditions they will turn to Christ and receive the blessings that belong to salvation. He is convinced that this group is zealous for God and will not finally reject the Son of God. And part of his confidence is based on their zeal and good works done in the name of God and their assistance rendered to the saints those Jews who had turned to Christ. We don t know exactly who this community was but they had suffered terrible persecution. Just turn over to chapter 10 verses 32-36. These verses describe what happened to those Jesus who were enlightened who turned to Christ: But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one. Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. We know that for a Jew to turn to Christ meant persecution. From fellow Jews and from Romans. This description fits better with Roman persecution. It was Romans who were empowered to imprison and seize property and we know this happened on numerous occasions. It seems that the Jews who turned to Christ suffered greatly and this is one more reason for other Jews to think twice before joining them. But in our passage back in chapter 6 it seems that this group did minister to the saints. They put themselves at risk. This showed their zeal and devotion and the author was confident that it would lead them to Christ. Verses 11-12: And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 9

Perhaps the Lloyd-paraphrase might help: Beloved, show the same diligence in seeking Christ that you did in helping the saints and doing good works. In this you will realise the full assurance of hope you will find salvation and hope in Christ that will sustain you to the end. I desire that you not be sluggish don t delay in seeking the things of Christ. But be imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises your fellow Jews have walked in the footsteps of Abraham and Moses and David in placing their faith in the One to come Christ. Be imitators of them and live. It is Christ. It is all Christ. The key to everything. The foundation of everything. Move away from Christ and there is nothing else. Charles Conn tells a story of the time he lived in Atlanta. He noticed that in the Yellow Pages, in the listing of restaurants, there was a restaurant called the Church of God Grill. He though this was a peculiar name. It aroused his curiosity and he dialled the number. He tells how a man answered with a cheery, Hello! Church of God Grill! He got to talking and asked how the restaurant came to have such an unusual name. The man said this: Well, we had a little mission down here, and to make ends meet we started selling chicken dinners after church on Sunday. It helped pay the bills. Well, people liked the chicken, and we did such a good business, that eventually we cut back on the church service. After a while we just closed down the church altogether to focus on serving the chicken dinners. We kept the name we started with, and that s Church of God Grill. When I first heard that story it struck me as being particularly tragic. They started a church a mission to tell people about Jesus. To proclaim the gospel. And something started as an afterthought grew and grew till it overshadowed the reason it started. It happens. For the Jews the ceremonies and Laws overshadowed the Christ they pointed to. But it can happen to us. It can happen in churches. We have all heard of the churches that started out proclaiming Christ but now it is card nights, socials and fetes with no gospel. 10

It happens to individuals. They never get a real dose of Christ. Just taste the edges. And then the trials of life enter and soon all they are doing is going through the motions without any real foundation. If we are to avoid this then our lives must be built on the solid rock of Christ. Our day must involve a real relationship with Him reading, praying, basking in His glory. Its all about Christ. As Edward More put it: My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame But wholly lean on Jesus name. On Christ the solid rock I stand All other ground is sinking sand All other ground is sinking sand. 11