THE GOSPEL OF
CHRIST
SPREADING THE SOUL-SAVING MESSAGE OF JESUs
(Chapters 5-6)
Introduction by narrator accompanied by a cappella singing:
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. Spreading the soul-saving message of Jesus. And now, Timothy Sparks and Ben Bailey.
Timothy Sparks:
“Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Heb. 5:8-9). I’m Timothy Sparks.
Ben Bailey:
And I’m Ben Bailey. Welcome to our study of the Book of Hebrews.
This lesson is being brought to you by loving, caring members and congregations
of the churches of Christ. We invite you to visit the
The Book of Hebrews, as we have
suggested in the past lessons, is about how Christ is superior to the Old Law
and all the things that went along with it. In Hebrews 5, we learn that Christ
is superior to Aaron and the Levitical priesthood because
He is of a different order—the order of Melchizedek. The Levitical priesthood
represented to the people of
The Book of Leviticus informs us that those who were to serve in the priesthood could come only from the tribe of Levi. But as we learn from the New Testament, Jesus was not of the lineage of Levi. Rather, Jesus was of the order of Melchizedek—a man who had no known genealogy. Jesus was in that same type of situation, because His lineage went all the way back to God. But in this respect, Jesus has a much more impressive genealogy, because His Father is the heavenly Father, God.
Ben Bailey:
In Hebrews 5:5-6, the writer says, “So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.’ As He also says in another place: ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’” Here, he is showing the contrast between the priesthood of Aaron and the priesthood of Christ, which goes all the way back to God. Yet the writer of Hebrews then stops and offers one of the severest rebukes in all the Bible.
Timothy Sparks:
This rebuke has to do with Christians needing to know more about the Scriptures, and putting scriptural principles into practice in their everyday lives. In verses 11-14 of chapter 5, the writer of Hebrews says,
“You have become dull of
hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first
principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid
food. For everyone who partakes only
of milk is unskilled in the
word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food
belongs to those who are of full age, that
is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern
both good and evil.”
This is indeed a stern rebuke. The writer says that the people hearing his message need “baby food,” and they need to “grow up!”
Ben Bailey:
Imagine walking into a restaurant, and seeing a 30- or 40-year-old man drinking out of a baby bottle! This would be unreasonable. Such was the status of some of the Christians to whom the writer of Hebrews was penning his message. Some of these people had been in the church for 30 years or more, yet they still were “drinking the milk of God’s word out of a baby bottle.” In the middle of his discussion of how Christ is superior to the Aaronic priesthood, the writer stops and offers this amazingly stern rebuke in order to get the people to realize that are not ready to hear such things, due to their own spiritual immaturity. The practical lesson for us today is that we must never come to a point in our own spiritual lives where we feel like we “have arrived.” In Philippians 3:12-15, Paul wrote,
“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.”
Even the great apostle Paul did not feel like he could say, “I have finally arrived. I am exactly where I want and need to be.” Peter wrote, “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Pet. 2:2). A baby needs milk. But as he grows, he must be weaned from milk and put on solid food so that he can grow appropriately. Sometimes, it appears as if some Christians have “retired” from their religion. They understand “the milk of the Word”—things like what to do to become a Christian, or a few facts about the fundamental nature of the church. But their knowledge seems to have stopped there. And they seem to have an attitude that says, “This is good enough. Don’t ask me to learn any more, or expect me to answer any difficult questions.” That is not the correct attitude. Peter wrote, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (1 Pet. 3:15). In order to do that, we must be study and be well prepared so that we can deal with difficult subjects that may arise. As Christians, we must continually grow. Ask yourself right now—“What am I doing to ensure that I am continually growing?” Ask yourself, “Am I ready to teach someone else, or do I need someone to teach me all over again? Am I—as someone who has been a Christian for 20 or 30 years—ready to teach an adult Bible class and help people learn the Word of God? Or does someone else need to teach me the milk of the Word?” We must grow in Christ.
Timothy Sparks:
The Hebrews writer says (speaking of Melchizedek), “We have much to say, and hard to explain, [but] you have become dull of hearing” (Heb. 5:11). His point, in essence, is this: “I have much more I need to say to you, but your knowledge base is so poor that I do not think you can understand it. I am going to have to stop to ‘help you grow up,’ so that I can tell you more about Melchizedek.” In Hebrews 5:6—and continuing all the way through chapter 6—the writer rebukes the Christians for their spiritual immaturity. Then, in chapter 7, he returns to the subject of Melchizedek. Notice especially the writer’s phrase, suggesting that the people to whom he wrote had become “dull of hearing.” Are people today any different? As we look around us, we see people who are self-satisfied: they are satisifed with their religion; they are satisfied with their lives; they are satisfied with the amount of Bible they know. What would the writer of Hebrews have to say about that kind of complacency? He would say the same thing to people today that he said to people of the first century—“You have become dull of hearing. You need to study more diligently to discern what God’s Word is saying to you!” Yes, this is a stern rebuke. But it also can serve as an encouragement for us to do better. One of the main reasons that people apostatize from the Lord and His church has to do with the fact that they have set their Bibles aside and have become complacent. It is difficult to find a faithful member of the church who studies his or her Bible, yet who apostatizes. Those Christians being addressed by the writer of the Book of Hebrews had grown so complacent that they actually were considering returning to their former religion—Judaism. Thus, it is no wonder that in chapters 5 and 6, a strong rebuke is offered.
Ben Bailey:
In Hebrews 5:14, the writer says, “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” One of the greatest ways to grow spiritually is “by reason of use.” That is to say, if you really want to grow, then you must get out and use what you know! Put your knowledge to use every day. Teach someone else the Gospel. Do you want to grow as a Christian? Then get up and teach a Bible class or present a devotional. You will never grow more than when you are teaching others. You must use the truth in order for it to be valuable to you. This applies to every area of life. Do you want to be a good carpenter or welder? Then put to use what you know. Do you want to be a good math teacher? Then go teach math! What happens when you do not use the knowledge you have? You grow dull. You are not as sharp as you used to be. You forget things that are important. We as Christians must—“by reason of use”—have our senses sharpened so that we know what is right and wrong. If you want to grow, then be a good example. Tell others about Jesus and the truth of God’s Word. Do not hide your knowledge and talents—or the truth of God’s Word—under a bushel. Use those things to help others. This is why the writer of Hebrews urges the Christians to whom he writes to “go on unto perfection.” By “perfection,” he means “completeness.” We are never going to be perfect (i.e., sinless). But as we continue to grow, we become “complete”—in that we know the things that God wants us to know. We need to move on from “the fundamentals of the faith” to more difficult issues. That is how we grow.
Timothy Sparks:
The writer wants to prohibit Christians from remaining in a state of spiritual infancy. As Jesus said in Matthew 5:48, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Our goal must be to grow to be as much like God and Christ as possible. That is what the writer of Hebrews is saying in chapter 5. It is time to move on from “the basics,” to more mature matters of the faith so that we can be more valuable to the kingdom. In Hebrews 6:1-6, the writer says,
“Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.”
This is yet another one of the numerous statements from the Book of Hebrews which indicates that if we are not cautious, we as Christians can miss out on the promises of God. If you honestly ask yourself the question, “Does this passage teach the concept of ‘once saved, always saved’?,” the answer would have to be, “No, it does not.” There is no denying the fact that the people addressed here are Christians, for they are “partakers in the Holy Spirit.” If these Christians harden their hearts and rebel against God, it will be, according to the writer, “impossible to renew them to repentance.”
Ben Bailey:
Some people read this passage, reflect on the fact that they once fell away from the Lord, and wonder if they can ever come back? The key to understanding the text has to do with the fact that the writer is speaking of continuous action. This is not talking about the person who leaves the Lord “for a while.” This is the person who is “continuing in a state of ‘falling away.’” This is the person who has fallen away, and continues to stay in such a state. A person cannot go to Heaven if he is stubborn, rebellious, and determined not to do God’s will. In Acts 8, Simon the sorcerer was a Christian, but fell away. If Hebrews 6:1-6 teaches that if you fall away, then you can’t go to Heaven, Simon could not have gone to Heaven. Yet Peter said to Simon, “Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you” (Acts 8:22). Hebrews 6:1-6 is clearly talking about people who are determined to stay away from the Lord, and thus will be lost. In Jeremiah 7, 11, and 14, God said to the prophet, “Do not pray for My people.” Why did God issue such instructions? His point was that, yes, there is a time for prayer, but there also is a time for strong rebuke. This was a time for strong rebuke. The people in Jeremiah’s day were living “in a state of continual falling away.” If they remained in such a state, then they would be lost. But if they listened to the preaching of Jeremiah and the other prophets, and repented, then they could come back to God. Hebrews 6:1-6 is not teaching us that if we fell away from the Lord temporarily, we cannot come back to Him. It is teaching us this: Do not stay in such a state!
Timothy Sparks:
In Hebrews 6:9, the writer says, “But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation.” The writer wants the Christians to whom he is writing to know that he has not given up on them. Rather, he has full confidence that they will “do better.” Paul tells Christians, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:12). Paul’s point is that Christians need to “work out” while God “works in.” The writer of Hebrews wanted those to whom he wrote to “do things that accompany salvation.”
Ben Bailey:
Whenever God offers a rebuke, He almost always offers
encouragement at the same time, so that if we have erred, we can repent, “pick
ourselves up,” and continue forward. When God points out what is wrong, He also
tells people how to make it right, and at the same time offers incentives to do
that very thing. Take, for example, the seven churches of
Timothy Sparks:
In Hebrews 6:10, we read, “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” God will not forget what you do as you are faithful to Him. Christ, according to Hebrews 6:19, is indeed our “anchor of the soul.” He is, to use Paul’s words, our “hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). Jesus is not just our anchor, however. According to Hebrews 6:20, He also is our forerunner, because He has “entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” If we follow Jesus wherever He goes, then we will end up wherever He is. Jesus is our Trailblazer. He has “paved the path” for us. And that path leads straight to Heaven. There is nothing in this world that is more important than our immortal soul. Jesus asked, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mk. 8:36-37). If we lose our soul, we will have lost everything. Fortunately, God is patient with us. We learn from 2 Peter 3:9 that God “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” You must build on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ. He must be your “anchor of the soul.” Jesus said, “Everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall” (Mt. 7:26-27). Paul wrote to Timothy, “The solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity’” (2 Tim. 2:19). If you have not yet become a Christian, that opportunity is yours today. God calls you today through His Word (Heb. 1:1). If you spurn the Word of God and His call, then you will forfeit your salvation. If you are a Christian and you have fallen away, do not harden your heart to God’s call. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Rev. 3:20-21). Yes, Hebrews 5-6 contains a strong rebuke. But the purpose of that rebuke is to help us remain faithful to God so that one day, we can enjoy a home with Him in Heaven.
Ben Bailey:
At times, God says some “hard” things to us. They may not be pleasant to hear, but God always says them for our benefit. God does not rebuke people “just for the fun of it,” or because it makes Him feel better. He does it because He loves us and wants us to go to Heaven. There is only one way to Heaven (Mt. 7:13-14). Sadly, most people are not going down that one way. If you are a child of God, but you are living in a “fallen-away” state, there is help. You can come out of that state, use what you know, study your Bible, and go to Heaven.
This lesson is brought to you by individual
members and congregations of the
Narrator accompanied by a cappella singing:
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST is brought to you by loving, caring members of the church of Christ. The McLish Avenue church of Christ in Ardmore, Oklahoma, oversees this evangelistic effort. For a free CD or DVD of today’s broadcast, please write to:
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
You may call 580-223-3289. Please visit us on the web at www.thegospelofchrist.com. We encourage you to attend the church of Christ, where “the Bible is loved and the Gospel is preached.”
1. In Hebrews 5, we learn that Christ is superior to someone, and to something. Who is the “someone,” and what is the “something”?
2. According to the Book of Leviticus, from what tribe did the priests have to originate?
3. Why, according to Hebrews 7:14, could Christ not serve as a priest while on Earth?
4. What is the connection between Romans 3:25 and Hebrews 10:3-4?
5. What is the basic similarity between Melchizedek and Jesus?
6. In chapters 5 and 6, the writer of the Book of Hebrews strongly rebukes the people to whom he writes. Why?
7. Explain the connection between Hebrews 5:12-13 and 1 Peter 2:2.
8. According to Hebrews 5:5-6, when will Christ’s priesthood come to an end?
9. What is the “milk of the word” referred to in 1 Peter 2:2?
10. What is the “solid food” referred to in Hebrews 5:12?
11. What had caused the Christians of the first century to become “dull of hearing” (Heb. 5:11)?
12. Explain what the writer of the Book of Hebrews meant by the phrase “by reason of use” (Heb. 5:14).
13. According to Matthew 5:48, what is one of a Christian’s goals?
14. To what group of people was the writer of Hebrews referring when he said that there were some whom it was “impossible to renew again to repentance” (Heb. 6:4-6)?
15. To whom was the writer of Hebrews not referring in Hebrews 6:4-6?
16. Why did God tell Jeremiah (in Jeremiah 7, 11, and 14) not to pray for His people?
17. What did the writer of Hebrews means when he said, “But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation”?
18. What is the connection between Colossians 1:27 and Hebrews 6:19?
19. Of the seven
churches of
20. Explain the connection between Hebrews 6:10 and Revelation 14:13.
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST,