Grow Up Hebrew 5:11 – 6:12 Lou Di Lorenzo 5 th June 2011

Scripture Reading – Hebrews 5:11-6:12 Warning Against Falling Away 11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!

Scripture Reading – Hebrews 5:11-6:12 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Scripture Reading – Hebrews 5:11-6:12 Hebrews 6 1 Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so.

Scripture Reading – Hebrews 5:11-6:12 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 if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

Scripture Reading – Hebrews 5:11-6:12 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.

Scripture Reading – Hebrews 5:11-6:12 9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case—things that accompany 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.

Scripture Reading – Hebrews 5:11-6:12 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

Grow Up Hebrew 5:11 – 6:12 Lou Di Lorenzo 5 th June 2011

Hebrews 5:11-6:12 – Warning Passage  3 rd of 5 Warning passages in Hebrews  Most extensive and harsh  Bible warns because of real danger  Warnings send us back to Jesus

Hebrews On Baby Food  They had not grown up  Milk is pre-digested nourishment  What’s good for babies will kill adults  To teach is to know with conviction  “If you do something for someone that they can do for themselves. They never grow up.” Howard Hendricks

Scripture Reading – Hebrews 6:4-6 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 if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

3 Main Views On Apostasy  “Falling Away” or Apostasy - Abandoning one’s faith. Deliberately turning away from the faith you once had. 1.Were saved, and are still saved 2.Were saved, but are no longer saved 3.Never saved in the first place

Were Saved And Are Still Saved  Only loss of heavenly rewards (2 Cor 5:10) or backsliding Problem  Speaks of significant consequences  Cannot be brought back to repentance

Were Saved But Are No Longer Saved  Lost salvation due to sin or relinquished their salvation  Relinquish – By own free will; turn away from Jesus Problem  Salvation is a work of God  Once saved, always saved  Jesus’ work on the cross totally sufficient

Eternal Security We Have in Christ John 5:24 “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. John 10: My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish ; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”

Eternal Security We Have in Christ Ephesians 2:8-9 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. Philippians 1:4-6 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Never Saved In The First Place  Some form of Christianity but not real thing Problem  5 ways the person described – Verses 4-5  Have once been enlightened  Have tasted the heavenly gift (Jesus)  Have shared in the Holy Spirit  Have tasted goodness of word of God  Have tasted the powers of coming age

Fruitful Land – Fruitless Land  Only the fruitful are confident of being saved  “Those who persevere - are the true saints.” F.F. Bruce 1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

Application – Grow Up  Salvation doesn’t take work, maturity does  “There are two paths a person could be on: either going towards Christ or away from him. There is no middle ground of ‘saved but not progressing.’ ” Michael Burer

Application – Spiritual Maturity  Understand God’s word  What do you do - with what you know  Realises own sinfulness – Humility  Struggles over issues with the Holy Spirit  Able & willing to teach others  Discernment – courage to be different  Involvement in discipleship & mentoring