GO ON UNTO PERFECTION
-- Hebrews Six --

In Hebrews six the writer shows that the best way to prevent apostasy is to do better than the Hebrews had done in serving God. Our goal must be to persevere in the faith and to grow in holiness. True happiness comes in serving God faithfully until the end.

The purpose of this chapter is to warn these brethren against the danger of going back to Judaism. God wanted to encourage them to gain as much knowledge as possible of the Christian system and of how to please Him daily.

The writer uses several methods to encourage these brethren to faithfulness. First, he encouraged them to leave the simple doctrines and to go on to maturity. Second, he warned them of the danger of falling away from the grace of God. Third, he showed that those who did not grow and become more Christ-like would eventually be destroyed. Fourth, he showed that he was expecting better of them than their past life had shown. Fifth, he desired that they show diligence until they had received the fulfillment of their hope. Sixth, He showed that God would be faithful to His promises and that it was important for them to be faithful also.

Let us labor to attain a more perfect measure of the knowledge of the glorious gospel of Christ.

A warning against apostasy -- Hebrews 6:1-6: In Christianity there are many fundamental principles that must be carefully taught and learned. Sadly many never learn these principles. Some who learn these elementary things never go beyond them. Once the foundation principles have been learned we must go to perfection.

The writer names six foundation principles of the Christian religion. These foundation matters include: (1) Repentance from anything causing spiritual death, (2) Faith in God, Christ and the Holy Spirit, (3) The matter of baptism into Christ, (4) The laying on of hands as a manner of blessing and accepting, (5) The resurrection of the dead, the animating principle of the gospel, and (6) The eternal judgment, which will doom the lost to everlasting punishment. "Leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; which we will do, if God permit."

How could anyone who has been once enlightened, tasted of the heavenly gift, been made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, turn away from God? Those who do so, "crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." The sin here mentioned is plainly apostasy from the truth and from the Christ, Himself. There is but one way of salvation. If a man deliberately rejects that, he must perish.

An illustration of apostasy -- Hebrews 6:7-10: The truth concerning apostasy is illustrated by the ground that after much cultivation brings forth nothing but briers and thorns. It "is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned." (Hebrews 5:8)

The good ground drinks in the rain that comes upon it. This rain softens the earth, refreshes it, and makes it fruitful. Those who desire to serve God drink in God's truth in the same fashion and it brings forth fruit in their life. The sincere Christian becomes fruitful under the preaching and teaching of God's word and receives many blessings. The fruitless professor of Christianity is like the dry desert, which, after many refreshing showers, brings forth nothing but briars and thorns. Blessings belong to those who serve God faithfully, burning awaits the others.

The writer expected better things of the Hebrews. His desire and hope was that they would produce the proper fruits of holiness, and that they would be saved.

We must learn that while we must teach men that if they should fall away they would certainly perish, we must nevertheless address them with the full assurance that salvation is possible! Salvation is possible because of God. He "is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister."

A sure promise from God -- Hebrews 6:11-15: When Christianity is persevered, hope can be obtained. Those who faithfully serve God will attain the full assurance of hope in the end. No one can have this hope who, does not persevere in holy living! Therefore, the object of every Christian must be a life, totally devoted to God.

It is sad, but, sometimes even good men relax their efforts for God. They sit down feeling contented, thinking that they now have it made as far as going to heaven is concerned. Those who have a "full assurance of hope" must show diligence unto the end.

Those who have gone before have set many good examples of continuing diligently until the end. Just as God blessed Abraham He will bless all who are faithful till the end. Would your faithfulness serve as an example for someone else?

Heaven is a promised inheritance, which saints, by faith and patience, can possess. We have the promise of God that heaven can be our home. God could promise by no greater than Himself! God did not fail Abraham and He will not fail us. Abraham did not fail God, and we must also be careful that we remain faithful.

An anchor for our soul -- Hebrews 6:16-20: God's promise of our heavenly hope provides an anchor for our soul. Two immutable things, God's promise and the oath of God should cause us to possess a strong consolation. As Christians we have fled to Christ for refuge. He is the Christian’s city of refuge, the only sanctuary for distressed souls.

We are in this world as a ship at sea. The world tosses us in all directions. There is always the danger of being cast away. Our souls are at stake. Heaven is the harbor to which we sail. The temptations, persecutions, and afflictions that we encounter, are the winds and waves from Satan that threaten to shipwreck our soul.

          We have an anchor and that anchor is Christ. Without Him we have neither anchor nor hope. The hope of the believer is invisible unto the world. They enter within the veil. How beautiful and wonderful it must be beyond that veil in the heavenly land.

It is necessary to be in Christ in order to be saved and to have this heavenly hope. To be in Christ you must hear the gospel (Romans 10:17), Believe in Jesus (Hebrews 11:6), Repent of sins (Acts 2:38), and Be Baptized to wash away sins. (Acts 22:16) But it is not enough just to have been baptized into Christ. In Christ we must live faithfully to the end. May God help each of us to remember who we are, where we have been, and where we are going.