THEREFORE DON T FALL AWAY CHAPTER 6 FACILITATOR S NOTE Fllwing frm the authr s rebuke f the audience at the end f the previus chapter, this chapter discusses the fundatin f the faith and encurages us t mve frward t maturity. This chapter cntains ne f the mre disturbing passages (Vv. 4-6) in Scripture, which talks abut thse wh mve s far frm Gd that He will nt restre them. Regardless f hw the discussin ges, make certain that the class is reassured that stumbling r struggling with dubt is nt what the authr is talking abut when he speaks f thse wh cannt be restred. IMPORTANT: As always, we encurage yu t begin preparing fr each lessn by cmmitting the class and the teaching t Gd in prayer. After this, we encurage yu t dig int nt nly the specific chapter in Hebrews fr this week (Chapter 6), but als the bk f Hebrews as a whle and the Scriptures at large. As yu mve thrugh yur readings, jt dwn any thughts that cme t yu and particular passages that stand ut and speak t yu. We assure yu that these will cme int play as yu facilitate this discussin. It is ONLY AFTER DOING THESE THINGS that yu shuld apprach this lessn plan and perhaps use it as a guide. Yur grup is different than all the rest and s yur lessns shuld be adapted accrdingly. PRAYER Begin yur time with a prayer asking Gd fr help tward spiritual maturity. Pray that we becme a peple wh feast n slid fd rather than becme satisfied with spiritual milk.
FOCUS Elementary principles vs. Spiritual Maturity WARNING: D nt crucify Jesus all ver again! Jesus is the basis f ur hpe that serves as an anchr fr ur suls. Recgnize that JESUS IS GREATER THAN THEREORE, Dn t Fall Away. LESSON Discussin Starters (OPTIONAL) D yu feel that the church (in general, nt just FXCC) struggles with spiritual immaturity? If s, why? Hw can we change this? Lk at the wrds f the sng belw (r sing it) and ask, Hw des this sng make yu feel? Can He still feel the nails Every time I fail? Can He hear the crwds cry, Crucify again? Am I causing Him pain? When I knw I ve gt t change? Cause I just can t bear the thught f hurting Him. What is the purpse f an anchr? Hw is Jesus the Anchr f ur Suls? FROM GOD S WORD 6:1-3 Key Pints Despite rebuking the audience at the end f Chapter 5 fr immaturity, the authr pts t mve n and discuss mre challenging matters. But first he lays ut the fundatin in six aspects r principles that are gruped as pairs. Each f these principles can be fund in the OT, but that des nt mean that the Christian and Jewish perspectives n them are identical. 1. Repentance frm dead wrks (r acts that lead t death) and faith in Gd. a. These tw acts are the prcess f cnversin. b. Repentance is turning away frm sin. The act f repenting ges back t the Old Testament f curse but was reiterated in their time by Jhn the Baptist (Matt. 3:2, Mark 1:4, Luke 3:8), Jesus (Mark 1:15), and the disciples and apstles (O Brien, 213). c. Fllwing repentance (turn away frm sin) ne cmpletes the circle by turning t Gd: nt merely
6:4-8 acknwledging His existence but actively trusting Him and seeking t please him. 2. Baptism and laying n f hands. a. The wrd used fr baptism here (r cleansing rites in sme translatins) is baptismi, a plural frm which may refer either t the Christian baptism r the histrical cleansing rites f Jewish practice, r bth. b. In the NT the laying n f hands is assciated with healing, intercessry prayer, cmmissining fr a task (such as missin wrk r leadership), and the nset f the Hly Spirit. The last functin (the cming f the Spirit) is prbably what the authr is referencing since he ties it t baptism. 3. Resurrectin f the dead and eternal judgment. a. Despite the resurrectin f Christ being the center f the Christian faith, the idea had been presented in the OT (Isa. 26:19; Dan. 12:2) and was taught by the Pharisees. b. The bk f Hebrews teaches that all will be judged but Christians have hpe in Christ. i. The statement that maturatin will happen if Gd permits is nt vague piety but rather an emphasis n all believers dependence n Gd fr spiritual grwth. Fr Discussin What are dead wrks r acts that lead t death? Is repentance alne enugh? Thrughut this bk we will see the authr g t great lengths t distinguish between passive belief and active faith. Is passive belief still a prblem in the wrld? What des it lk like in cmparisn t active faith? Key Pints Verses 4, 5, and 6 cnstitute what is arguably the mst disturbing passage in all f Hebrews and is certainly ne f the mst disturbing in all f the New Testament. Nt surprisingly, this passage is ne f the mst cntrversial in the Bible. Many sincere believers have been trubled by it. As always, interpretatin requires respecting the cntext and nt reading int it what is nt there. The authr speaks f thse wh have fallen away.
6:9-12 Is this necessarily the same thing as simply stumbling in ur walk, which happens t all believers? Cnsider the cnsequences that result frm falling away: Crucifying Jesus again and hlding him up t cntempt. Des this happen every time a believer stumbles? The nature and severity f the cnsequences suggests that the sin under discussin here is apstasy, which is deliberately rejecting and publicly denuncing yur frmer faith. The authr cncludes this passage by cmparing thse in apstasy t farmland that prduces thrns and thistles. What can the farmer d ther than burn it ver? Fr Discussin What are sme ideas that ne culd get frm an initial reading f this passage? Is apstasy different frm stumbling in yur walk, struggling with particular sins, r wrestling with dubt? If yes, hw s? Key Pints The authr reassures the audience that he is nt speaking f them specifically and expresses great hpe fr them despite their challenges. He expresses cncern that they may becme lazy r sluggish if they d nt rely n their hpe in Christ. Fr Discussin Hw des discuragement kill ur hpes? Hw des laziness fllw frm this? 6:13-20 Key Pints The authr ffers Abraham as a textbk example f patient endurance: He trusted the Lrd beynd all reasn because the Lrd nt nly made him a prmise (which shuld be enugh) but swre n His wn name that He wuld make Abraham a father f many natins. The Lrd has made a prmise f salvatin t believers with the same cmmitment that he made t Abraham.
What are the tw unchangeable characteristics f Gd? Gd s Prmise/Purpse Gd s Oath These serve as ur hpe and find their fulfillment in Jesus, the anchr f ur suls, as He brings us behind the curtain int the Hly f Hlies, where Gd is. PRAISE GOD!!! REFLECTION Is legalism an act f death? Aside frm verses 4-6, are there any ther Bible passages that make disturbing implicatins? What are mdern examples f apstasy? Aside frm apstasy, are there ther sins that cannt be made right? The authr ges t great lengths t assure the audience f their salvatin. What ther passages wuld yu use t ease yur wn fears r the fears f thers abut salvatin? PRAYER LESSON OUTLINE Here are the lessns we will be studying the weeks t cme. INTRODUCTION (January 5) JESUS IS GREATER THAN Angelic Beings Chapter 1 (January 12) JESUS IS GREATER THAN Angelic Beings Chapter 1 (January 19) JESUS IS GREATER THAN But Still Human Chapter 2 (January 26) JESUS IS GREATER THAN Mses Chapter 3 (February 2) JESUS IS GREATER THAN The High Priest Chapter 4 (February 9) JESUS IS GREATER THAN The High Priest Chapter 5 (February 16) THEREFORE, Dn t Fall Away Chapter 6 (February 23) JESUS IS GREATER THAN Melchizedek Chapter 7 (March 2) JESUS IS GREATER THAN The Law Chapter 8 (March 9) JESUS IS GREATER THAN The Tabernacle Chapter 9 (March 16) JESUS IS GREATER THAN Sacrifices Chapter 10 (March 23) THEREFORE, Have Faith Chapter 11 (March 30) THEREFORE, Stand Firm Chapter 12 (April 6) THEREFORE, Offer Acceptable Sacrifices Chapter 13 (April 13) CONCLUSION (April 27)