The Anchored Soul – Part 3
Hebrews 6:9-12
August 16, 2015
As you know, we are working our way through
This amazing book called “Hebrews”
And the premise is simple.
We have a group of Jews who have made a profession of faith in Christ,
But now because of persecution are considering defecting from the faith
And returning to Judaism.
It may be that some already have, that is what has inspired this letter.
That being the case, this letter is written with
As much emotion and passion as any in the New Testament.
This writer agonizes and begs and pleads over the people he is writing to.
You can literally feel this man pull out his heart and lay it on the table as he writes.
His warnings are stiff and penetrating
His explanation is careful and true
His invitations are heartfelt and urgent
This writer wants these Hebrews to stick with Jesus.
SO WHY WERE THEY DEBATING LEAVING?
Well, the quick answer is persecution.
They were being cut off from the temple and they were being ostracized by the Jewish community.
But, let’s be honest, persecution isn’t a shocker.
That’s promised to everyone who follows Christ.
The real problem was that they weren’t convinced about the truth
And therefore it was hard for them to stand on it
In the midst of persecution.
Let me put it this way.
If a gunman were to walk in the back door this morning and tell you that everyone in here who confesses Jesus will be executed, you aren’t going to confess Jesus unless you’re convinced that He really is the Savior and really will take you to be with Him in heaven.
It will boil down to your convictions.
And to take it a step further,
You won’t have convictions unless you have knowledge.
Unless you know why Jesus can save and will save,
You won’t have conviction about it.
So the writer set out to accomplish one thing.
He set out to anchor their souls.
“Every ship needs an anchor”
A ship without an anchor will be blown by every wind
And tossed by every wave.
You don’t just need to know what you believe, but why you believe it.
The writer of Hebrews is writing to provide them with conviction.
He is writing to thoroughly show them why Jesus is superior to Judaism.
And can we do some quick inventory?
Jesus is greater than the prophets…why?
Because He is the complete message of God. God spoke to the prophets in many portions and in many way, but now He spoke to us in His Son.
Jesus is greater than the angels…why?
Well, to which of the angels did He ever call him “son” or say “sit at my right hand while I make your enemies a footstool at your feet”?
Jesus is greater than Moses…why?
Moses was certainly a faithful servant to God’s house, but Jesus is a Son over God’s house.
Jesus is greater than Joshua…why?
Joshua offered rest which was never achieved, Jesus offers rest that is sure and permanent
Jesus is greater than Aaron…why?
Aaron negotiated atonement with God that was good for one year, Jesus negotiated atonement that is good for eternity
The writer has been doing everything he can
To explain the truth, solidify their convictions, and anchor their souls
So that they will no longer feel compelled to return to Judaism.
That’s the goal of the whole letter.
In fact that’s been the goal of his preaching for quite some time.
Well, why hasn’t his preaching worked?
Why has he had to write a letter?
That is what he explained to us back in chapter 5.
• Remember, all of a sudden the writer just sort of stopped mid-thought.
• He was talking about Aaron and how Jesus is a greater high priest.
• And he told us how Jesus could save us forever because He’s not a priest like Aaron, Jesus is a priest like Melchizedek.
• But when you read through Hebrews, you recognize that the writer introduced Melchizedek there in chapter 5, but won’t return to him until chapter 7.
From 5:10 through the end of chapter 6 we have a parenthetical section of Scripture.
We have a portion squeezed into the middle of the natural train of thought
Meant to address a serious issue.
And the issue is that the Hebrews have a problem.
The writer/preacher has been trying to give them the truth
That will anchor their souls, BUT thus far it hasn’t worked.
WHY?
Well that was the first point to this parenthetical section which we saw two weeks ago.
#1 HE EXPOSES THE PROBLEM
Hebrews 5:11-14
Namely we look at verse 11
“Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.”
I’ve been trying to give you the truth that will anchor your souls,
But you won’t hear it.
You won’t hear it, so you haven’t learned it
You haven’t learned it, so you don’t know it
You don’t know it, so you can’t benefit from it
He said in verse 14 that:
People who know the truth are like people who eat solid food they are “the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”
The people who learn the truth and have solidified their convictions…
You don’t see them vacillating about whether or not to follow Jesus.
They already have an anchor
They aren’t going anywhere
The reason you are so confused and are vacillating
Is because you only want milk.
You don’t know the truth and so you’re drifting wherever the wind blows.
And if you were here last week,
You know that this can lead to an even bigger problem.
He Exposes the Problem
#2 HE EXPLAINS THE PENALTY
Hebrews 6:1-8
Here the writer explained why having no convictions
And being blown by any wind CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS.
It is dangerous because you might be convinced to turn away from Jesus
And to turn back to Judaism.
And if you turn away from Jesus after being fully exposed to Him,
There is no turning back.
Remember the example he gave?
(4-6) “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.”
I want to be clear again and remind you that this passage does not teach
That a genuine Christian can lose their salvation.
None of the words used here are used anywhere else in Scripture
To indicate genuine redemption.
THIS PASSAGE DOES NOT DESCRIBE A REDEEMED PERSON.
THIS PASSAGE DESCRIBES AN EXPOSED PERSON.
• They were enlightened
• They tasted it
• They had it explained to them
• They felt the conviction of God’s Spirit
• They were associated with Him
And then they fell away – we call that apostasy.
They came to full understanding of the gospel and chose to reject it.
And the penalty is destruction in hell with no possibility of repentance.
And I’m sure you could hear a pin drop in that Hebrew church
As this segment was read.
The writer’s warning couldn’t be clearer or more sobering.
I’d like to anchor your souls with the truth, but you have been to lazy to hear it,
And as a result you are contemplating returning to Judaism,
Which is a decision that will condemn you forever.
Harsh isn’t it?
It’s true, but it’s harsh.
I would imagine that the faces of many of the Hebrews were probably pale.
Well, if that is so, they are now ready for point number 3.
He Exposes the Problem He Explains the Penalty
#3 HE ENCOURAGES THE PEOPLE
Hebrews 6:9-12
There is no doubt that the last 12 verses have been harsh.
He scolded them for being dull of hearing
And then he warned them where that could lead.
But understand the goal of the letter is not to scare the Hebrews.
The goal of the letter is to anchor their souls.
Now it is true that sometimes the cage needs to be rattled.
But our GOAL IS NOT to have jittery people who are afraid of judgment.
Our goal is to have confident, convicted, secure, hope-filled people
Who know what they believe.
2 Timothy 1:12 “For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.”
That’s the kind of people we want.
And so the writer doesn’t stop with the scary reality.
The writer now, like a gentle shepherd,
Softens the blow and seeks to encourage.
He has their attention, now he gets to the real point.
And as we have done with the others,
We can take this third point and break it down a little further.
There are three easy points to be made here.
1) HIS CONVICTION (9)
“But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.”
Oh man, what a timely statement.
He just spent 8 verses talking about the phony believer.
• He talked about their preoccupation with elemental things and their lack of willingness to mature.
• He talked about their exposure to Christ and their utter lack of faith.
• He talked about their present state of danger and their eventual state of burning in hell for eternity.
And now he says, “But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you”
Yes, I just warned you about apostates.
I just warned you about the type of person
Who has been exposed to Jesus, but then falls away.
I just warned you about how angry God is at
The type of person who chooses to crucify again the Son of God.
“But, beloved” I don’t think that’s who you are.
WHEW!!! – Pause for the massive sigh of relief
Did you catch what the writer did?
He just played a little “good cop / bad cop” with them.
He told them all about the penalty for being an apostate
And then said, but I don’t think that’s who you are.
“though we are talking in this way.”
I know I’m talking about judgment, but I don’t really think that’s for you.
I don’t think you’re the type of person
• Who would fall away from Christ after being fully exposed.
• Who would be content on milk and abandon the meat.
• Who would stay in the elemental things and refuse to press on to maturity.
In short, I believe in you.
I think you’re better than that.
Do you see how he is now building them up after rattling their cage?
And notice particularly what he says.
“we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation”
Those people I was talking about at the first of this chapter,
They aren’t saved people.
But I think you are.
I see “things” in you “that accompany salvation”
When I look at you I see what appears to be evidence of a saved person.
When I look at you, I see someone with Christian fruit.
That is the writer’s conviction.
I’ve been talking harsh about sinful people who are in a world of danger before God, but I don’t think that’s you.
Now let me show you why he thinks that.
2) HIS OBSERVATION (10)
“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.”
What a rich verse this proves to be to us.
This writer just told them he was convinced they were actually saved.
Well, why?
WHY WOULD YOU SAY SOMEONE WAS SAVED?
• Because I like them…
• Because they go to church…
• Because they have a fish on their car…
• Because they vote Republican…
• Because they don’t cuss on Facebook… (much)
None of those are evidences of salvation.
And while we’re on the topic, do you know what else isn’t?
-saying you’re a Christian.
I’ve shared it with you before
(the scariest passage in the Bible)
Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’”
• Wow, there was a person who called Jesus “Lord” (they even did it twice).
• They were a person in the ministry who preached in Jesus’ name.
• They even pulled off some full blown powerful things like working miracles
and casting out demons.
AND THEY WERE STILL LOST
Jesus told them to beat it.
Saved people may in fact do some of those things,
But apparently lost people do them too.
So what is the fruit of salvation the writer is referring to?
What are these “things that accompany salvation”?
Are you ready?
(It’s simple, but so good)
(10) “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.”
Did you pick out the two fruit he mentioned?
1) “the love which you have shown toward His name”
2) Shown by “having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.”
You want the simple version?
Two fruit, here they are:
1) YOU LOVE GOD
2) YOU LOVE GOD’S PEOPLE
Did you know that loving God
Is the single greatest evidence of salvation that there is?
This was, after all, the problem of the Jews.
Jesus told them in:
John 5:42 “but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves.”
Jesus told them:
Luke 11:42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.”
They didn’t love God.
They loved themselves.
They loved religion because of the glory they got from it.
But they didn’t love God.
LOVING GOD IS THE CHIEF AND HIGHEST AIM.
When the Jews tried to trick Jesus by getting Him to name the greatest commandment, He didn’t hesitate.
Matthew 22:36-39 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ “This is the great and foremost commandment. “The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’”
The biggest goal, the biggest aim, the most important thing is that
YOU LOVE GOD.
Jesus said:
“with all your heart” (that is in regard to your DESIRES)
Do you love anything more than you love God?
That is why God gave the command have no other gods before Me.
It was the essence of idolatry – to love something else more than you love God.
Genuine believers love God more than anything else in the world.
And it is a supernatural love that was poured into them
Through the Holy Spirit.
Romans 5:5 “and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
Genuine believers love God with all their heart or with all their desires.
Jesus also said they love God:
“with all you soul” (that is in regard to the DEPTH of your love)
That is to say how much do you love God?
Jesus said,
John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”
The genuine believer loves God so much
That they let go of their life for Him.
Sure, it may require that they someday die for God,
But even more than that it requires that they live for Him.
Dying for Jesus takes a split second, living for Him is the hard part.
Romans 12:1 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”
It’s that “living sacrifice” stuff that’s difficult,
But that is the depth to which a genuine believer loves God.
They love God with all their heart and with all their soul.
Jesus also said they love God:
“with all their mind” (that is to say with their DECISIONS)
Because the emotional side of love is there,
So is THE OUTWARD RESPONSE to it.
They love God so much that they decide to do the things God desires.
John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”
That is a decision the genuine believer gladly makes.
They love God so much that they delight to do His will.
THAT IS A GENUINE FRUIT OF SALVATION.
But don’t forget the second indicator the writer mentioned:
That love for God was actually expressed how?
“in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.”
They expressed their love for God in the way they loved each other.
John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
1 John 3:14 “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.”
1 John 4:20 “If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.”
We had a youth fellowship Thursday night and Amy was sharing with me
How two different workers at the school had commented to her
How obvious it is that our church loves each other.
They noticed how if one of our members is involved in something,
It seems like they all are.
And one of those people was a member of another church,
Whom this person said is not like that.
That’s on you guys church, and that’s a great compliment.
And that is the compliment that the writer here gives to these Hebrews.
I know I spoke of phony believers who fall away from Jesus,
But I don’t think that’s who you are.
I’ve seen your love for God and your love for one another,
And I don’t overlook that.
But more than that, “God is not unjust so as to forget” that.
It’s very encouraging isn’t it?
I don’t think you’re the type of people who will fall away, I think you’re the type of people who love God.
So we see His Conviction We see His Observation
3) HIS DESIRE (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.”
This segment isn’t just about calming their nerves,
It is about helping them see what they need to be doing.
When you tell someone
You believe they are more than what they are showing,
That comes with an expectation
That they do more than what they are doing.
He just told them he believes them to be the real deal,
Now he is asking them to step up and prove it.
HOW SO?
He wants them to BE DILIGENT TO OBTAIN HOPE.
“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end.”
That is to say, “You’ve been diligent in your love for the saints, now show that same kind of diligence in regard to obtaining hope.”
They didn’t have hope in Jesus,
And that is why they were vacillating.
Do you remember why they didn’t have hope?
Because they had been “dull of hearing”.
Remember that word meant “sluggish”.
In fact the same word is translated “sluggish” in verse 12.
They were lazy in regard to truth and the effect was no hope
Which caused them to vacillate in regard to their faith.
So now the writer says, “I’ve seen you work hard in ministering to the saints, now work just as hard in understanding the truth so that you can have hope.”
“we desire that each one of you show the same diligence, so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end.”
Work hard to hear and learn so that you can have hope.
You haven’t been lazy in regard to ministering to the saints,
Now don’t be lazy in regard to learning the truth.
And that is actually a good warning to believers.
We see people who will work their fingers to the bone for a ministry,
But won’t labor just as hard in study of the word.
Friends, both are important, and the writer is asking for that here.
Be diligent to obtain hope.
And then look at his second desire.
BE IMITATORS OF THE FAITHFUL
(12) “so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
In other words, don’t be like those people with no knowledge and no hope
Who fall away from Jesus because it’s too hard.
I want you to be like those people who aren’t sluggish
And who have hope and who faithfully endure.
Those people “who through faith and patience inherit the promises”
I want you to be like them.
In fact in chapter 11, he’s actually going to name several of them.
(Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses…)
Be like those people.
• Don’t be like the apostates in Israel; those wanderers in the wilderness who had evil unbelieving hearts and fell away from God.
• Be like the faithful who stood strong and endured and claimed what God had in store for them.
And in order to be like them,
You’re going to have to quit being dull of hearing
And be diligent “to realize the…hope” that is available.
He wants them to anchor their souls.
And so here is the application for you this morning.
GET IN THE WORD AND FIND OUT WHAT YOU BELIEVE.
• I can tell you that Jesus is the Son of God
• I can tell you that He lived a sinless life
• I can tell you that His death on the cross satisfied the wrath of God
• I can tell you that He rose from the dead
• I can tell you that He ascended and now intercedes
• I can tell you that He can save you forever
• I can tell you that you can’t lose your salvation
• I can tell you that if you follow Jesus you don’t have to worship on Saturday, or
abstain from pork, or participate in Jewish festivals and sacrifices
• I can tell you that if you follow Jesus your sin is forgiven and you don’t have to
worry about condemnation any longer
I can tell you those things,
But until you do the work it will never be your own conviction.
Just this last week Tommy Bailey posted a blog on Facebook entitled “Can Christians Lose Their Salvation? What does the Bible Say?”
And it was a blog written by a man named: Wes McAdams
Who argues why a genuine Christian can lose their salvation.
IT INFURIATED ME,
But suppose you didn’t know why a believer is secure.
A blog like that can steal your hope. It can actually throw you into a tale spin of fear and anxiety, wondering if you might do something to mess everything up.
You have to study, you have to listen to God,
You have to know the truth because it’s the truth that sets you free.
• So do you want an anchored soul?
• Do you want a steadfast hope?
• Do you want the strength like the saints of old to persevere and inherit the promises?
We aren’t talking about whether or not you’re a Christian.
(Your confession of Christ,
coupled with your love for God and His people proves that)
WE’RE TALKING ABOUT BEING A HAPPY CHRISTIAN,
OR A CONTENTED CHRISTIAN, OR A CHRISTIAN FILLED WITH HOPE.
AN ANCHORED CHRISTIAN – A MATURE CHRISTIAN
Do you want that?
Then “show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end”
It is the pathway to an anchored soul.
