Hebrews 6 – Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Hebrews 6:1-6

1 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. 4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

A. Find Out:

1. What does the writer say he will do? v.1a
2. What 6 things come into the former category? v.1b,2
3. What descriptions are given of the person he next speaks about? v.4,5
4. What does he say is impossible? v.4a,6a
5. Why? v.6b

B. Think:

1. List again the things the writer consider elementary teaching?
2. List again the things that have happened to the backslider?
3. Read 2 Peter 2:19-21 & Heb 10:26

C. Comment:

     Having just spoken about their immaturity and need for maturity, the writer says he’ll move on from the basics. He then lists what he considers to be basics: repentance, faith, baptism, laying on of hands, resurrection from the dead, and eternal judgement. I wonder how many Christians today are well taught in each of these “basics” so that they could explain them?

     He then moves on to a sobering warning. Have you noticed how he keeps giving some teaching and then a warning (look back to 2:1-, 3:6-, 3:12-, 4:1, 4:11). This warning is one of the most sobering yet. Very simply, he is saying that if you have enjoyed all of the blessings of knowing Christ and then fall away, it’s impossible to come back to repentance while you are still sinning. Several things need explaining. First the expression, “fall away”. This is not an occasional lapse, but a gradual moving right away from Christ, that is apostasy. Next observe the note in the NIV that “because” could be rendered, “while” which takes away something of the difficulty. Obviously while you are still set in rejecting God, you can’t at the same time come to repentance. This is a tough subject but the Scripture is clear.

D. Application:

1. Exhortation: study, learn, go on from mere basics.
2. Warning: don’t allow yourself to drift away from the truth and from Christ for you can’t guarantee you’ll be able to come back!

Passage: Hebrews 6:7-12

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.

9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case – the things that have to do with 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, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

A. Find Out:

1. What land receives God’s blessing? v.7
2. What land will be burned? v.8
3. Yet what did he feel about his readers? v.9
4. What would God no do? v.10
5. What did he want them to do? v.11
6. What were they to do? v.12

B. Think:

1. How do verses 7 & 8 continue on from the previous ones?
2. How does he encourage them on the basis of the past?
3. How does he spur them on for the future?

C. Comment:

     The writer has just been speaking about those who turn away from God. Now he gives the example of land, two different sorts of land. The first is land that receives the rain and produces a harvest. That is good land. The other land produces only weeds. All that is fit for is for burning. The warning is obvious: lives that are fruitful in righteousness receive God’s blessing. Lives that bear only unrighteousness deserve to be burnt up.

     Having given that very strong warning, he then brings encouragement. I’m sure that won’t be so with you, is what he says. You’ve produced a good harvest in the past, so God won’t forget that. But the warning is still there; make sure you carry on producing that same harvest of goodness! Don’t fall away!

     More than that he encourages them to push on an imitate others who have gone before them, who have held on and through faith and through patience have gone on to receive God’s blessing. It seems as if the writer knows that his readers have been struggling and been on the verge of giving up because they have not seen the fruit of their work. The message is hold on! (see also 2 Thess 2:15 / Heb 4:14 / Heb 10:23 / 1 Cor 15:2 / Heb 3:6 / Heb 3;14)

D. Application:

1. The warning is there: be careful you don’t drift, hold on!
2. Be positive, seek to move on with God.

Passage: Hebrews 6:13-20

13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, ‘I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.’15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

16 People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest for ever, in the order of Melchizedek.

A. Find Out:

1. How had God assured Abraham? v.13
2. What was promised and what happened? v.14,15
3. How do men swear and why? v.16
4. So how did God confirm His purposes? v.17
5. Why did God do this? v.18
6. What have we got where? v.19

B. Think:

1. Read Gen 22:15-18 & Rom 4:18
2. How does today’s passage flow on from the previous ones?
3. What is the point of today’s passage?

C. Comment:

     In 6:11 the writer had said he wants his readers to make their hope sure. Abraham was the classic example of a man who hoped in God. Hope for the Christian means a complete assurance of a future happening. It comes to us because God has said something.

     God came to Abraham and promised him blessing for himself and his offspring and all nations through him. Anyone who has faith in God is to be receiver of that promise. Now when God says He will do something, He WILL do it. It is a fixed and unchangeable thing, a promise we can rely upon. Now when God made this promise to Abraham He doubly emphasised it by swearing an oath.

     Now an oath is simply a device whereby men bind themselves to something. If someone says, “I swear by Almighty God….” they mean that they want God to hold them accountable so that they will keep their promise. On this occasion God swore by Himself because there was no one greater than He. He holds Himself accountable to keep this promise – to bless all nations through Abraham. So, says the writer, there was the promise and the oath, two unchangeable things, that is how sure you can be in the promise of God, and the way is now open for you to go right into the sanctuary to remind God of it, by Jesus.

D. Application:

1. Our hope is of blessing from God. Thank Him.
2. God gave us a double assurance that He will do this. Praise Him.