A.Hebrews 5:11-6:20 is an important passage concerning spiritual maturity that stands out from the main context of the epistle.
1.The writer of Hebrews sets forth the superiority of Christ as his main theme.As he develops this theme, he shows how the priesthood of Christ is superior to the priesthood through Aaron, and he shows Christ to be a priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
2.In the middle of this context, the writer breaks away from the theme and declares that it is difficult to explain these things because the Hebrew Christians who received this epistle were immature.This is the message of Hebrews 5:11-6:20.
B.The charge of immaturity may have seemed harsh to these Christians, but it was given for their own good and intended to awaken them to their condition.
1.In fact, the writer states these things with a spirit of optimism toward these immature Christians.Notice Hebrews 6:9.
But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.
2.Therefore, this is a statement of exhortation and confidence that these Christians will aspire to and achieve better things.
C.Let us consider this passage and how spiritual immaturity will also hold us back from achieving better things for ourselves.
II.YOU OUGHT TO BE TEACHERS
A.The first problem noted about these Christians in this passage is that they were hard to teach because they had become “dull of hearing” (Heb. 5:11).
1.The word translated as “dull” means sluggish or slow to move.One who is dull of hearing in this context is slow to understand spiritual things.
2.James admonishes Christians to be the opposite of what the Hebrew Christians were, saying, “let everyone be quick to hear…” (Jas. 1:19).
B.The evidence for the charge made against these Christians is the fact that they had failed to grasp the first principles of the faith by the time that they should have been teaching these principles to others (Heb. 5:12-13).
1.The lack of understanding by these Christians was not because of a lack of teaching or opportunities to hear the word of God.It was because they were dull of hearing.
2.These were not new converts, but rather they were inappropriately immature Christians.The figures of milk and solid food are presented as an analogy.A grown man should not be sustained on milk like an infant, and neither should a mature Christian require continuous teaching of the first principles.Yet these Christians still needed the milk, and so they were still spiritual babes.
3.Their lack of understanding hindered them from meeting their obligations of spreading the gospel.By writing, “you ought to be teachers,” the writer gives the sense of responsibility.In their learning and teaching of the oracles of God, these Christians had been irresponsible.
C.Not only had they failed to understand and to teach the oracles of God, but they had also failed to practice them (Heb. 5:14).
1.Their lack of understanding of the first principles showed that they had not properly trained their senses to discern good and evil, which meant that they had failed to practice the word of God.
2.Compare this lack of commitment to the strength of Ezra’s commitment in Ezra 7:10.
For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.
D.Not having one’s senses trained to discern good and evil puts one in serious danger of apostasy, and this fact leads to the warning given in Hebrews 6:1-8.
III.A WARNING
A.This warning begins with the admonition that that these Christians could and should become mature (Heb. 6:1-3).
1.It was high time that they gained a firm grasp of the first principles and moved on to maturity.
2.This was within their ability if God permitted it, of which the writer seems confident.
B.The warning is this: if these Christians failed to become mature, then they stood in serious danger of falling away from the Lord forever (Heb. 6:4-8).
1.The writer declares the very real possibility that a person could at first embrace the truth about Christ but then fall away from Him later.
2.Clearly, the writer is warning these Christians that they could be the ones to fall away.By failing to learn, teach, and practice the oracles of God, they had failed to become trained to discern good and evil.Thus, they were in danger of choosing evil and falling away from the Lord.
3.For such persons who turn away from the word of God, it is impossible to renew them to repentance because they have rejected the only means of acquiring repentance.The gravity of this choice is that these apostate Christians “crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame.”
4.The figure of Hebrews 6:7-8 compares the ground that receives rain to Christians who receive the word of God.Just as the ground will be blessed or cursed according to what it produces after receiving rain, so also will Christians be blessed or cursed according to what they produce after receiving the word of God.
C.Certainly, these things were stated to make the Hebrew Christians reconsider the course they had chosen.They were going down a path of ignorance and immaturity that could lead them to reject their Lord.
IV.BETTER THINGS CONCERNING YOU
A.Even though the writer has shed the harsh light of reality on these Hebrew Christians, he states his confident optimism about them in Hebrews 6:9, saying, “we are convinced of better things concerning you.”
1.Having warned these Christians, the writer is certain that they will not allow themselves to fall away from the Lord, but that they will press on with a renewed zeal.
2.God remembered the good things that they had accomplished (Heb. 6:10), and these stood as evidence that they could still accomplish better things.
B.Using the examples of their own works toward God, the writer encourages these Christians to be diligent in spiritual things (Heb. 6:11-12).
1.Notice the phrases “show the same diligence” and “that you may not be sluggish.”These stand in contrast to being “dull of hearing.”
2.This is truly an admonition against spiritually laziness.Christians should be as those who came before them who pursued the promises of God through diligent faith and patience.Like Ezra, a Christian should “set his heart” with purpose to diligently study, teach, and practice the word of God.Consider 2Timothy 2:15.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.
C.Being diligent in pursuing maturity, these Christians could have all confidence that they would certainly receive the promised blessing of God (Heb. 6:13-20).
1.The certainty of the promise of God given to Abraham is given as an example that God will certainly fulfill His promise to Christians as well.
2.The confidence that Christians have in this promise of God is hope, and that hope is “an anchor of the soul” (Heb. 6:19).One who diligently seeks God has this hope to keep him from falling away.
V.CONCLUSION
A.The applications to Christians today are the same as they were when this epistle was first written.
1.All Christians should be in a constant state of growth toward spiritual maturity through learning and practicing the word of God.
2.Failure to grow indicates a serious problem.The ultimate consequence of this problem may be that a Christian will fall away from God and be lost.Therefore, let us all seriously consider how we may stimulate ourselves to grow spiritually.
3.In all things, God is the rock to which we must anchor our souls through faith.Our hope in Him is the confident expectation that He will reward us for seeking Him (Heb. 11:6).This is the motivation that inspires us to press on to maturity.
B.Let us be convinced of better things concerning ourselves.If we are willing and diligent to press on to maturity, and if God permits, nothing holds us back from realizing our full potential as individual Christians and as a church of Christ.
