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Hebrews 6

World English Bible

WEB

1Therefore leaving the teaching of the first principles of Christ, let’s press on to perfection—not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God, 2of the teaching of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3This will we do, if God permits. 4For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame. 7For the land which has drunk the rain that comes often on it and produces a crop suitable for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receives blessing from God; 8but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near being cursed, whose end is to be burned. 9But, beloved, we are persuaded of better things for you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we speak like this. 10For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them. 11We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end, 12that you won’t be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherited the promises. 13For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself, 14saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15Thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16For men indeed swear by a greater one, and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation. 17In this way God, being determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath, 18that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us. 19This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil, 20where as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

Hebrews Chapter 6 serves as a profound exhortation to the believers, urging them to move beyond the elementary teachings of Christ and to strive for spiritual maturity. The chapter begins with a call to leave the foundational principles, such as repentance from dead works and faith toward God, and to advance to deeper understanding and practice of the faith. This progression is essential for growth in the Christian life, as indicated in verses 1-3, where the author emphasizes the importance of not remaining stagnant but rather pressing on to maturity. The mention of the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment highlights the core tenets of Christian belief that should be firmly established in the hearts of believers.

The chapter then presents a sobering warning against falling away from the faith. Verses 4-6 describe the serious consequences of apostasy, illustrating that those who have tasted the goodness of the Word of God and the powers of the age to come, yet turn away, cannot be renewed to repentance. This serves as a stark reminder of the gravity of our commitment to Christ and the importance of perseverance in faith. The author uses the analogy of land that drinks in the rain and produces a crop, contrasting the fruitful believer with the one who bears thorns and thistles, which is worthless and near to being cursed (verses 7-8).

Finally, the chapter concludes with a note of encouragement, affirming the hope that anchors the soul. In verses 19-20, the author points to Jesus as our forerunner who has entered the inner sanctuary, providing believers with a steadfast hope in the promises of God. This hope is not just a wish but a confident expectation based on the unchanging nature of God’s promises, reminding us that we are called to hold fast to our faith and trust in His faithfulness.

Overall, Hebrews 6 challenges us to grow in our relationship with Christ, warns us of the dangers of spiritual complacency, and reassures us of the hope we have in Him.

#Hebrews #SpiritualMaturity #Apostasy #HopeInChrist

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Referenced by

  1. Joshua 20:9v18Joshua 20:9 concludes the establishment of cities of refuge for all Israelites and foreigners, which is spiritually paralleled in Hebrews 6:18, where believers find refuge in the hope set before them in Christ.

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