Week 3
READ Hebrews 6:1-12 – “Full Commitment to Christ”
QUESTIONS:
If you can remember yesterday’s main point, it was that “dull in hearing” is very dangerous! People who are “dull in hearing” do not respond to the Word of God. They will hear simple truths of the Bible, and pass them off and continue to think and live in a way that they think is ok or maybe in a way THEY THINK is biblical. Today, you will see the severity and danger of “dull in hearing” and an apathetic commitment to Christ. What do you think is the danger in being lukewarm, apathetic, and slow to obey?
Many times we come to the Bible desiring encouragement and hope. The Bible has plenty to offer in those things. But what if you are living a life that is not consistent with Scripture and obedience? What if you made a decision for Christ at some point, but there was never a change, there was never a desire for obedience, and there was never a passion to treasure Jesus above everything in life? What if you’ve never really put your faith in Christ and it’s showing itself in a very worldly, Self-centered life? Do you need a word of hope and encouragement to get you back to feeling OK, or do you need the truth? If you had cancer, would you rather the doctor spare your feelings and tell you you’re OK with false encouragement and hope, or tell the truth that you may die without treatment?
Today we are going to read one of the most debated passages in the Bible, but read rightly, it will serve as a wakeup call to those who may be fooled into thinking they are a Christian when they really are not. Today the Bible will give you a strict warning! If you are living a lifestyle that would best describe you as “dull in hearing” today’s warning may be for you. Take time now and pray that God would allow you to hear him very clearly today.
Read Hebrews 6:1-12. Today we are going to attempt to answer 4 main questions about this passage:
1) Is this passage talking about hell, or something else?
2) What must I do or not do to make sure this warning doesn’t happen to me?
3) If this does happen to a person, were they ever really truly a Christian?
4) If I know that I am one of God’s elect and I’m sure that I’m a Christian, should I apply
these verses to my life?
Let’s now begin to answer these questions. I pray you will be sensitive to the warnings the Bible is issuing and you truly seek Scripture and your heart for peace.
4 QUESTIONS:
1) Is this passage talking about Hell?
YES. Let’s look at why I say that:
Read v. 7-8. The author is talking about 2 different fields.
What is similar about the 2 fields?
What is the difference in what the fields produce?
What is the final fate of each of the 2 fields?
Read Hebrews 10:38-39. There are 2 peoples’ actions and 2 results to their actions. What are the 2 actions and the 2 results?
2) What must I do or not do to make sure this warning doesn’t happen to me?
Read Hebrews 6:6. “Falling away” is talking about those who fall away from faith. But what does it mean to fall away? What does that look like?
Read Hebrews 6:7-8. People can drink from the goodness of God and fields can drink of rain from God, but both can still produce no fruit. The person described as falling away in v.4-6, is their problem believing the wrong thing or acting the wrong way? (Hint: they knew of the heavenly gift, the Holy Spirit, God’s Word, and God’s power.)
Willful, continual rebellion without a pursuit of holiness, in spite of warnings, is falling away.
Read the following illustration:
There once was a vulture that spotted the corpse of a fox on a big chunk of ice floating down the river toward Niagara Falls. He flies to the ice, lands, and begins to eat the fox. He watches the falls approaching and hears the warnings of danger, but he tells himself that he has wings and is free and does not need to pay attention to such warnings. He is destined for the sky. At the last minute, he finishes his feast and spreads his wings but he can't fly because his talons have frozen in the ice and he is dragged over the falls to his destruction.
And so it will be with people who have heard the warnings of Scripture to abandon their worldly lusts and pursue holiness, but who say, "I have wings, I am a Christian. I can fly anytime I want to."
3) If this does happen to a person, were they ever really truly a Christian?
NO. It cannot happen to a person who has TRULY been born again in Christ! Now let’s see this truth in Scripture.
Read Hebrews 3:14. The order and verb tenses of this verse are extremely important! Which does this verse say? 1) “We have come to share in Christ if indeed we hold our original confidence until the end.” OR 2) “If we hold our original confidence firm to the end we will share in Christ.”
Is it 1 or 2?: What’s the big difference between these two? Is there a difference? Explain.
If a person drifts along in sin and makes no priority for holiness in their lives, do they fall out of Christ and salvation or did they never have it? Explain.
Read Hebrews 10:14. Define “perfected”. (pay close attention to the verb tense.)
Define “are being sanctified”. (pay close attention to the verb tense.)
Christ’s death was a single offering he made that has perfected believers as they are being sanctified. Explain this verse & why it is impossible for someone to lose salvation.
4) If I know that I am one of God’s elect and I’m sure that I’m a Christian, should I apply these verses to my life?
YES. In other words, if I know I’m a Christian, should I still pay attention to this passage? YES, for 2 major reasons. Let me explain.
ONE: He put these verses in the book for a reason. Who is the book of Hebrews written to? (Look at the begin ning under “Interesting Facts” for help) Knowing this, why do you think the author of Hebrews put these verses in the book?
Read v. 9. The author obviously wants better things than for them to fall away, but he put these verses in the book for a very real reason and we should heed this warning.
TWO: To describe who can actually fall away.
I believe these verses are also here to show us that someone can look completely like a Christian and not really be born again and in a relationship with Christ. List below from v. 4-5 all the ways the author describes all the good things about this person who has fallen away. (There should be 5)
Now read Matthew 7:22-23. What did Christ say about these people who did great things?
The most important question of the day! DO YOU KNOW CHRIST? Now, if you say yes, that he has made you perfect, explain from Hebrews 10:14, how you are being sanctified. That is, how are your bearing fruit and growing to love holiness?
“God’s promises entice us to the glory of God and warnings disengage our passions for the world.”