The writer encourages Christians from a Jewish background to grow in faith
to get beyond the basics of the way they came to Christ
and to be aware of the 'dark side'
of those who turn from faith to outright opposition
'Christian' is an interesting word.
Still in this culture many people call themselves Christian
or even think that everybody's a Christian, if they are a nice person.
Dare I say that that cheapens the word?
NOT EVERYONE IS A CHRISTIAN
A Christian is someone who follows the Lord Jesus Christ
who has personally committed his or her life to Jesus
and who will dare to be different from the rest of the world
who is willing to say 'I love Jesus'
and who is committed to live for Christ in their everyday life.
We see this in every book of the New Testament
expressed in different ways but pointing to the same requirement
In John 3 Jesus said: 'You must be born again'
In Acts 16 Paul says to the Philippian jailer
'Believe in the Lord JC and you shall be saved
Here I Hebrews 6.1 the writer refers to how
these Christians from a Jewish background came to commitment.
In challenging the people to grow to a more mature faith
he speaks of their basic introduction
'the elementary teachings about Christ ,,,
repentance from acts that lead to death, (dead religious works)
and of faith in God, 2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands,
the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgement.
These verses reflect very much the Jewish background of the first readers
and the way in which much early Christianity reflected the Jewish religion
in which it was rooted
I use them here to make the point that to be a Christian
there is a commitment to be made that is both personal - repentance and faith
and recognised by the church -- baptisms and laying on hands
and eternal,-- it goes beyond this life
to the issues that only Christ can help us with
the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgement.
Not everyone is a Christian in this sense
in the sense of the Power To Change campaign
Jonathan Edwards the athlete, Maire Brennan the singer,
Noel Kenny from inner Dublin Paul Clarke the broadcaster
people who have seen the power of Christ change their lives.
Do read the booklet: your life can change too.
Of course many people are genuinely unsure if they are Christian in this sense,
they might say they don't really feel close to Jesus
even after having tried to make a personal commitment.
To such folk I want to say and I believe the writer to the Hebrews says it too
'Jesus does love you. Hang on in there. Don't give up.'
What matters is not so much how tightly we grasp him
but how securely he holds us in the hollow of his hand.
To such folk I would also say 'once you are Christ's you are always Christ's'
Whoever comes to him he will never drive away.
That's a promise we need to believe and say over to ourselves.
Then our confidence in Christ will grow and we will be sure that we are his.
But occasionally I meet people who say, 'I was a Christian once, but no longer'
I've fallen away, given up; it doesn't mean anything to me anymore.'
What are we to make of that situation?
To some the answer is: you feel you have let go of Jesus
but he has not let go of you: 'once you are Christ's you are always Christ's'
it is like the story of the prodigal son, in the distant country far from his father
but still his father's son, however deeply lost and troubled.
For others, however, it may be like what is in view here
and is also referred to in a couple of parables
the mystery and tragedy of why some people
may seem to begin well with Jesus,
in all sincerity trusting him, serving him fervently
and yet it seems to end badly.
What they once held dear they now continually spit on and despise.
NOT EVERY 'CHRISTIAN' IS CHRIST'S
Here we come to what is one of the more difficult passages of the Bible
which warns of the fate of those who reject Christ
especially of those who first followed him with great enthusiasm
It says that it is impossible that people who have fallen away
who now continually deliberately deny Jesus Christ
impossible for them to be restored - they are a lost cause.
Something in us may rebel against that idea.
Dare we write anybody off?
Surely no-one is 'impossible' for God to restore.
There's the big difference:
what is impossible for us may be possible for God;
but the writer is a realist;
he is telling the young Christians to beware -
you may have all the evidence of a fruitful Christian life at one time
and yet have nothing in the end.
Think of two people in the Bible
King Saul in the Old Testament, the first king of Israel
talented, 'charismatic', a great leader
who knew something of the Holy Spirit
and yet he ended his life driven by jealous anger against David
having dabbled in sorcery and having lost God's blessing.
Or think of a close friend and follower of Jesus
trusted with the finances of the group
receiving the favoured portion at the last supper
but going out into the night to betray Jesus.
To put it very simply the writer warns us against starting well
but finishing nowhere in the Christian life.
Don't be a Saul. Don't be a Judas.
It is the same basic question as in the parable of the sower in Matthew 13
What kind of soil is that receives the seed of the word
Some does not receive at all, the hard packed ground
Some make a response but it is so superficial.
Some seem to start well, but afterwards they are choked
by other interests desires and concerns.
The writer here sums it up into two types of soil
one that is open to the power of Christ and the other barren, unreceptive
'7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it
and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed
receives the blessing of God.
8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless
and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.'
There is another parable of Jesus which is relevant here:
the wheat and the weeds (or tares).
In this Jesus draws on the puzzle that many of us see even in our own gardens,
how to tell a good plant from a useless weed.
It's not always that easy is it, especially in the early stages of growth.
So with 'Christians', someone may say the right things and do the right things
and even do remarkable things for Jesus
but at the end when the harvest is being reaped at judgement
the Lord will say to many who loudly profess 'Lord Lord',
he will tell them plainly 'I never knew you. 'Away from me, you evil doers'
(Matthew 7.23)
A TRUE CHRISTIAN IS SEEN TO CONTINUE WITH CHRIST
9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends,
we are confident of better things in your case
--things that accompany salvation.
10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work
and the love you have shown him
as you have helped his people and continue to help them.
11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end,
in order to make your hope sure.
12 We do not want you to become lazy,
but to imitate those who through faith and patience
inherit what has been promised.
If the final harvest shows up the false, it will also confirm the true
those who have continued with Christ and showed it in the way they lived
If there is one thing better than someone making a first commitment to Christ
it is surely to meet someone who is continuing with Jesus and is growing in faith
and is showing that in their everyday lives.
And maybe even better than that is to meet someone who started well
but really messed up but now wants to come back.
A word to someone here who is in agony of guilt
that you are the same as the people described in Hebrews 6
that you have let Jesus down, you denied him,
you even said dreadful things about him under pressure
and you feel that it's impossible for you to be restored.
I encourage you that your very desire to be restored
your actual grief over your failure
are signs that God for whom all things are possible
has not given up on you,
however much you may feel you have given up on him.
One of the most moving moments of the last General Assembly
was to hear Rev James Haire speak of visiting Christians in Indonesia
who had been kidnapped by militant Islamic fighters
and forcibly converted to Islam
They felt deeply ashamed that they had not chosen to die rather than submit.
Was there any hope for them? Of course there is
just as there was hope for Peter even after he in fear had denied Jesus.
This is the amazing grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But to start well and then give up and turn against Jesus
possibly even to rely on a commitment made years ago
let the words of Hebrews 6 make an awesome warning.
No good harvest, no blessing but a cursing and condemning as useless
a turning away by a Christ who never knew you.
Lord,
I cannot tell how each person responds to my words:
If they're just waiting for the sermon to end, and switched off.
May they not switch off from Jesus.
Perhaps some are puzzled and grieved
about how someone could profess warm faith
and then turn right round and oppose Christ.
Let not their concern and confusion about others
divert them from the path of patiently continuing with Jesus.
Make us aware of the hopeless end for those who end up despising Jesus
but that whoever turns to him in repentance no matter what they have done
has an endless hope
Go in the grace of Christ who said
You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you
so that you should go and bear fruit, fruit that will abide
Remain in him and in him bear much fruit
May the word of Christ dwell in you richly
May his love and joy ever be in you.
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