Join us in this insightful exploration of Hebrews chapter 6, as we unpack the profound theological questions surrounding salvation, faith, and spiritual growth. Reflecting on decades of personal Bible engagement, we discuss the power of God’s eternal promise and the hope it represents in our lives. Through thought-provoking narratives, this episode offers comfort and assurance to believers, encouraging them to persevere in faith and service to others.
Welcome to Add Bible, an audio daily devotion from the Ezra Project. Allen J. Huth shares a Bible passage with comments from over 35 years of his personal Bible reading journals and applies the Word of God to our daily lives.
SPEAKER 03 :
Today in Hebrews chapter 6, we’ll deal with the age-old question, once saved, always saved, and God’s eternal promise. Let’s listen in to Faith Comes By Hearing’s reading of Hebrews chapter 6.
SPEAKER 02 :
Hebrews 6 Therefore, let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift and have shared in the Holy Spirit and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding Him up to contempt. For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned. Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things, things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, Surely I will bless you and multiply you. And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So, when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of His purpose, He guaranteed it with an oath. So that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
SPEAKER 03 :
In 1993, when I was 38 years old, I was reading Hebrews with a little study book. So I didn’t make very many notes in my journal, I did make a note that when I read Hebrews 6, I used that study book. In 2005, I read Hebrews chapter 6 the day I got home from Thailand. Here’s what I said in my journal. It’s always good to get home, home into the loving arms of Terry, home to our house, home to Denver, Colorado, our town, and our state. Home, it’s where I live. On that day, I wrote about Hebrews 6. 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. That was verse 10. And I wrote a great verse, summarized my 13 international trips. Thank you, Lord. Then I wrote unchangeableness, two unchangeable things about God, his purpose, verse 17. or His promise, verse 17, and His truth, verse 18. In 2013, at 58 years old, I read Hebrews 5 and 6 on the same day, and concerning chapter 6, I wrote, Once saved, always saved, or fallen away, producing a crop, Lord, or thistles and thorns. Bless my works for Thee. Help me be steadfast, earnest for You. And then I wrote, It is impossible for God to lie. That ends my journal entries for Hebrews chapter 6, so let’s take a look at this chapter. It’s a continuation of chapter 5 concerning milk and solid food. It opens with the verse, let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity. And then we have the discussion about once saved, always saved. Let’s start with verse 4. For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God, and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God. Think about the conditions laid out here for losing your salvation. Has the person been enlightened? Have they tasted the heavenly gift? Have they shared in the Holy Spirit? Have they tasted the goodness of the Word of God? Have they tasted of the powers of the age to come? If one has done all that, it is doubtful that they would ever fall away. But if a person does fall away, to restore them again to repentance is virtually impossible, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God. This passage will be argued from various points of view by various people. I do not intend to argue it or solve it in this recording. I will enlighten us a little more based on the footnotes of my English Standard Version Study Bible. And I will summarize them because they are lengthy. It says, It also says, Most argue, however, that although these people may have participated fully in the Christian covenant community, when such people do fall away, it is clear that they are not true Christians because they have not made a true, saving response to the gospel, resulting in genuine faith, love, and perseverance. The footnote goes on, Another view is that the warnings are addressed to true believers, and though they will never completely fall away, the warnings are still the means that God uses to challenge them to persevere in their faith, and so to preserve those whom the Lord has chosen. A fourth view is that falling away, described in Hebrews 6.6, has to do with loss of heavenly rewards. So, as I mentioned, there will be various views to this question. Let’s go on in the chapter to see what the Scripture says. Verses 7 and 8 remind us as Christians to bear fruit. In other places in the Scripture, the Word of God tells us we will know them by the fruit that they bear. And in verse 9, the author speaks to the people he’s writing to, and he says, Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things. Things that belong to salvation. This is the part of the chapter we ought to pay attention to. Verse 10 says, For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints as you still do. We ought not to be worried about whether we’re going to lose our salvation. We ought to be serving the saints in works and in love. The chapter ends with some level of assurance. It reminds us that God is faithful. He keeps his promises. He reminds us that Abraham was saved by faith having patiently waited and he obtained the promise he also reminds us that god is unchangeable and it is impossible for god to lie but then he says this in verse eighteen we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf. So if we have confessed Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He has taken that behind the curtain, the Holy of Holies, the throne room of God. It can be a sure and steadfast anchor for our souls. Salvation has never been based on what we do. It’s only based on what Jesus has done for us. So those of us who have made a profession of faith, have committed our lives and our trust in the Savior Jesus, have repented of our sins, and accepted the payment that Jesus made on the cross, we can have assurance of our salvation. And there ought be no danger of ever falling away if we mature in our faith and We love God and our neighbors as ourselves and we serve those around us. Back to verse 7. For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receive a blessing from God. In those verses and many others in Scripture, I for one thank the Lord for my eternal security in Him. Father, thank you for challenging us our theology, our thinking, by your word. Holy Spirit, thank you for enlightening us through the scriptures. This is where we ought to get our theology. Thank you for the things that we’ve read in this chapter that belong to salvation. Thank you that our salvation does not rest in what we do. It rests in who we believe in. Thank you for your eternal promise a steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope we can hold on to. Your name is Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Hallelujah. Amen. Thanks for listening to AdBible today. If you’re worried about the moral decline, let not your heart be troubled. Remember when God unleashed ten plagues on Egypt? None of them affected the Israelites. No flies, no bloody water, no hail, no death angel. Though they lived in Egypt, they lived under God’s protection in Goshen. As you consume the news of our day to day, you may become hopeless. So visit EzraProject.net and read Living in Goshen. It will brighten your countenance and renew your trust in God. Even as plagues rain down all around us, you can live in Goshen and not be affected. Visit EzraProject.net and read Living in Goshen today. I know you’re going to enjoy it and want to share it with others. We make very few financial appeals after our daily programs, yet from time to time it is necessary to do so. Today is one of those days, so please don’t shut me off. The Ezra Project started in 2002 with one mission, to connect God’s people to God’s Word. Back then, and still today, I believe the number one need in the Christian church is to come back to God’s Word. I’m not a preacher. I don’t have a pulpit to encourage Christians to engage in their Bibles or a church to support this radio program. But with your help, we can continue to proclaim God’s Word to you and thousands of others. Ours is a unique approach. We don’t preach the Word or even teach the Word. We share the powerful impact of God’s Word in a normal life over 50 years of daily Bible reading. I started reading my Bible at 15 years old and have virtually read my Bible every day since. In Add Bible, I share my personal Bible reading journal starting in 1983 and continuing to this day. I share from my heart how the Bible has intersected my life and how it can intersect yours. We need less preaching about the Bible and more personal engagement in the Bible. We need to know the Bible is still applicable to a 21st century life. That’s our mission at the Ezra Project. If you agree that the greatest need among Christians is to get back into the Bible and apply it to our daily lives, I invite you to visit our website, EzraProject.net, and donate today. You can do it online or by mail. Our mailing address is there on our website. We have so much more to share on this program. Your partnership will allow us to do so. Thanks for considering a financial donation today.
Join us in this insightful exploration of Hebrews chapter 6, as we unpack the profound theological questions surrounding salvation, faith, and spiritual growth. Reflecting on decades of personal Bible engagement, we discuss the power of God’s eternal promise and the hope it represents in our lives. Through thought-provoking narratives, this episode offers comfort and assurance to believers, encouraging them to persevere in faith and service to others.
