Hebrews 6:4-12

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age ⁶and 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. ⁷Land 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. ⁷But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. ⁹Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case - the things that have to do with salvation. ¹⁰God 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. ¹¹We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. ¹²We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

 We Are Convinced of Better Things

Today’s reading starts in verses 4-6 with a severe warning. In contrast to this warning, the writer of Hebrews then offers a confident encouragement of hope. “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”.

How do we try to reconcile and understand these two passages? Let’s start by looking at the verses that fall in between. They describe two types of land. The first, drinks in the rain often falling on it and produces a crop that is useful to those for whom it is farmed. The second, however, produces thorns and thistles, is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. It is important to note that these are descriptions of two different types of land. This is not about the first type (the one producing a useful crop) turning into the second type (the one producing worthless thorns and thistles). For this reason then, it can be understood that the writer of Hebrews is not describing a situation in which Christians are turning their back on their faith and losing their salvation, but rather a situation in which there exists two different groups of people, one believing and the other unbelieving.

As Christians, we are addressed as “dear friends” and encouraged to be diligent to the very end - imitating those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. So, let us consider imitating the examples, listed in Hebrews 11 of those who lived by faith. Let us also consider and reflect on those (perhaps a parent, grandparent, teacher, pastor, uncle/aunt, or friend) whom we have seen run with perseverance the race marked out for them - having fixed their eyes on Jesus. Finally, let us encourage one another to be diligent to the very end.

Prayer: Father, we ask for your grace that we would drink in the rain often falling on us that you provide. We ask for your grace that we would not merely taste and sample our faith in you as one of the many options available to us, but that we would be fully devoted and committed to you alone. Thank you for surrounding us with a great cloud of witnesses - people of faith whom we can imitate - those who have run and completed the race and who were welcomed with “well done good and faithful servant”. Amen.