Through the New Testament for Skeptics, Seekers, and Disciples

The letter to the Hebrews contains serveral “warning passages” that have confused many over the years. Remember any time we come across passages that are hard to understand, look at the context and allow other clearer Scriptures to interpret the less clear Scriptures. Some feel the author is warning these Jewish Christians that if they turn away from faith in Jesus and back to Judaism, they will lose their salvation. Others think the warning is for those within the community who are not really following Jesus. In other words, those who fall away never truly had faith because those with genuine faith will persevere. Some think these warnings are about losing the blessing of life with Jesus we can experience even in the midst of persecution. There are far too many passages about how Jesus’ power to save us brings us from death to life. Something happens in the spiritual realm to us when we choose to follow Jesus that cannot be undone. When talking of those He’s rescued by grace through faith, Jesus says: “No one can snatch them out of my hand” - John 10:28 Jesus rescues us completely and fully! Just as our good deeds cannot save us, our bad thinking and bad choices cannot unsave us. This passage is in the midst of a warning against immaturity. There are consequences for not taking our faith seriously. The consequences of not remaining faithful to Jesus is life without Jesus, a life without purpose, without victory, a life as if you never said “yes” to Him. (This does not mean they lose out on heaven when they die, but they experience hell on earth while they live. You cannot lose your salvation because you did not earn your salvation!) “But that’s not you!” The author warns them but then reminds them that their faith is stronger than that as they demonstrated in the past! They will experience the blessings of God in the life to come AND in this life because they are not like those who give up. “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure…. ” (‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬a NIV) Too often Western thinking emphasizes whether or not someone is in or out of heaven as if the kingdom of heaven is only experienced after death when the scriptures teach the kingdom of heaven is here! But it’s not just whether someone is in or out but also even if you are in so to speak, are you moving toward God or away from God? These passages aren’t to make us worry about losing our salvation but to encourage us to take our faith seriously and pursue growing closer to Jesus. #NewTestament #BibleCommentary #ScriptureAnalysis #Devotional #ChristianLifestyle #SpiritualGrowth #ChristianTeachings #BibleSummary #Christianity #BibleStudy #ScriptureSummary #ApostlePaul #ChristianLife #Faith #Church #EarlyChurch #Hebrews

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