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Hebrews 6:1-8 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Please join me in your copy of God's Word in Hebrews chapter 6.
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As we continue our verse-by-verse study of the book of Hebrews.
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! Our text for today is Hebrews chapter 6 verses 1-8.
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Before I lead us in reading this, beloved, let me remind you that this is God's Word to us.
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It was written for His glory and our good.
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And so we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and to obey its commands.
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Hebrews chapter 6 verse 1 and following.
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Therefore, let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity.
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Not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.
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And of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
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And this we will do if God permits.
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For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift,
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and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the Word of God and the powers of the age to come,
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and then have fallen away to restore them again to repentance,
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since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding Him up to contempt.
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For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it,
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and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated,
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receives a blessing from God.
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But if it bears thorns and thistles,
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it is worthless and near to being cursed,
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and its end is to be burned.
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Preaching is always a serious task.
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If preaching is approached properly,
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we are picking up weighty things.
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Eternal matters.
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This should not be a time of silly frivolity.
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Texts like this make me especially feel the weight of the task before me,
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because its topic is especially weighty.
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The author of Hebrews is writing to a beleaguered church,
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a church that has suffered much,
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a church that was being tempted to forsake following Jesus Christ,
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in order to alleviate their suffering.
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We chose to study the book of Hebrews in part,
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because we believe that it is going to become increasingly uncomfortable
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to be a faithful follower of Jesus Christ in the age we live in.
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There are and will be pressures on every side to forsake the following of Jesus for the sake of comfort.
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For the Hebrew church,
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the temptation was to return to Judaism.
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They were accepted as Jewish worshipers of God by Rome.
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But as Christ followers,
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as followers of the way,
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they were suffering much.
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For us,
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the temptation is and will be
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to become cultural Christians.
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Cultural Christians are, in fact,
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not Christians at all.
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They worship a God of their own making,
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not the God who has revealed Himself in the Bible and in the person of Jesus Christ.
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They believe that they are generally good enough to gain heaven
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and need only to make a decision to add a little Jesus to their lives,
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to live their lives more fully.
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Their religion is focused on them,
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how it benefits them,
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how it makes them feel.
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They have not encountered the risen Christ.
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They know about Him,
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or at least some version of Him,
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but they do not know Him
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and are not known by Him.
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These people have been led to believe
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that they are Christians
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when they are not.
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And this is a rampant problem
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of our day.
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This is quite possibly a problem
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in our midst.
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I fear that false conversions
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are the greatest issue
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of the church in our day.
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The need to rightly preach the gospel
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that people will not be deluded into thinking
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that they are in fact in Christ,
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that they are safe,
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that they will be carried through the storm
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is the most concerning matter.
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Every generation has had to reassert the gospel,
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has had to recapture it,
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re-clarify it.
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And we are not different in our day.
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Listen to what Paul wrote
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to the Galatian church
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in chapter 1, verses 6-9.
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If you're familiar with this letter,
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you know that the Galatian church
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was being tempted by
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what we've called the Judaizers
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to pick up, as Gentile believers,
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Jewish practices, laws,
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and keep those laws
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in order to have their acceptance.
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To forsake the gospel
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that says we're saved by grace alone,
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through faith alone,
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in Christ alone,
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and to add to that works.
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And he said this,
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I am astonished
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that you are so quickly
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deserting Him who called you
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in the grace of Christ
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and are turning
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to a different gospel.
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Not that there is another one,
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but there are some
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who trouble you
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and want to distort
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the gospel of Christ.
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But even if we
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or an angel from heaven
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should preach to you
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a gospel contrary
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to the one we preach to you,
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let him be accursed.
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As we have said before,
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so now I say again,
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if anyone is preaching to you
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a gospel contrary
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to the one you received,
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let him be accursed.
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It was a serious matter
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already in the first century church.
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This idea of distorting the gospel.
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He says as if there is another one.
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Those were preaching
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that you can be justified
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in any other way
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but by grace alone,
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through faith alone,
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in Christ alone.
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This was the gospel
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that Paul had preached
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and he says even if I come
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and preach to you
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a different gospel
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or even if an angel
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from heaven comes
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contradicting this gospel,
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let us and let him
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be accursed.
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The gospel that we are saved
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by grace alone,
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through faith alone,
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in Christ alone
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is the narrow path
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that leads to life now
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and life forever.
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All other so-called gospels
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are the wide path
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that leads to destruction.
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And there is much of that
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in our day.
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Preachers who will say
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just enough
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that sounds good and true
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but not press all the way,
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not present the gospel
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in its entirety
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and in great clarity.
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So if you're in my hearing
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and claim to be a Christian,
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you're here this morning
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and you're saying,
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I am a follower
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of Jesus Christ,
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you will find yourself
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in one of three categories.
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If you claim to be a Christian,
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you could claim
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not to be a Christian,
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that would be an entirely
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separate category altogether.
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If you claim to be a Christian,
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a disciple of Jesus Christ,
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you will find yourself
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in one of three categories
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this morning.
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Number one,
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a confident Christian.
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You will have a surety
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of your salvation.
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You will say,
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yes, I know
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that I am in Christ.
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I have been saved
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by grace alone
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through faith alone
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in Christ alone.
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Secondly,
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you may find yourself
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as an unconfident Christian.
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You may find yourself
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truly a follower
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of Jesus Christ,
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but not having the assurance
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that we would all hope
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you would have.
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That kind of confidence
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that we want you to enjoy,
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knowing that you have been saved
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by God
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and that you are kept
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by God.
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And the third,
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possibly,
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that you're not a Christian
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at all.
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It is very possible
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to say that you're
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a Christ follower
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and to not be
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a Christ follower.
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And the Bible
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is helpful to us
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in this.
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It's not silent
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on this topic.
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It has much
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to say
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about this topic.
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How do we know?
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How can we press on
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in knowing
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that we are,
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in fact,
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secure
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in Christ?
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That His righteousness
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is ours.
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That our punishment
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due our sin
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He took
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on the cross.
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How can we
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know this?
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Our text
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this morning
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is helpful
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to that end.
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Our text
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this morning
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is a warning
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not to be found
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in this third category.
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To not be one
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who says
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they're a Christian
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and proves
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not to be.
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Next week's text
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as we continue on
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in chapter 6
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will be an encouragement
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to be found
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in the first category.
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To not have
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false assurances
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today,
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next week,
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is to have
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good and proper
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and true
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assurance.
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How can we know?
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So today
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is primarily
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about the
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negative
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side of that.
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And our text
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this morning
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begins in verse 1
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with the therefore.
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So we must
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always consider
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when the therefore
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is there,
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why is it there?
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What is it there
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for?
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And so
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last week's text
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which started
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chapter 5
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verse 11
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and went through
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verse 14
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Reese Winkler
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labored
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to preach for us
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and did a wonderful
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job explaining
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the text
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for us.
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We saw the
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only rebuke
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in the book
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of Hebrews
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that these
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Christians,
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this beleaguered
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church that this
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author is writing
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to,
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had become
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dull
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of hearing.
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And then we saw
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in the text
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an exhortation
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toward
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maturity.
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So,
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you have become
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dull of hearing
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and he says
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this should not
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be so,
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so let us
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press on,
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right?
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Let's grow up
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into Christ.
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So let me read
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verses 11
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through 14
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before we move on
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in our text today.
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Author of Hebrews
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wrote,
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we're getting
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verse 11,
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about this
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we have much
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to say
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and it is
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hard to
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explain
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since you
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have become
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dull
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of hearing.
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For though
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by this time
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you ought to
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be teachers,
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you need
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someone to
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teach you
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again the
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basic principles
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of the
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oracles of
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God.
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You need
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milk,
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not solid
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food.
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For everyone
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who lives on
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milk is
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unskilled in
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the word of
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righteousness
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since he is
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a child.
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But solid
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food is
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for the
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mature.
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For those
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who have
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their powers
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of discernment
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trained by
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constant
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practice
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to
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distinguish
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good
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from evil.
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So there's
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this exhortation
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found in this
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to not be
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children any
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longer,
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but to
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grow up
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into maturity.
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And it's
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with that in
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mind that he
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says,
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therefore,
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let us
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leave the
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elementary
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doctrines of
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Christ and
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go on
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to maturity.
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Grow up.
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And here
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he refers
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to these
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elementary
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doctrines
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of Christ.
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Not laying
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again a
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foundation of
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repentance
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from dead
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works and
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of faith
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toward God
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and of
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instruction
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about washings,
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the laying
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on of
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hands,
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the resurrection
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of the dead,
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and eternal
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judgment.
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There are
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six doctrines
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here that
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the author of
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Hebrews calls
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the elementary
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doctrine of
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Christ.
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Now,
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most New
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Testament
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scholars agree,
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and there's a
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lot of
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disagreement
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about this
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particular text,
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but most
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New Testament
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scholars agree
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that this
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list of
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doctrines we
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find in
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verses 1
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and 2
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were an
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early form
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of catechism
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for Jewish
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converts
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to Christianity.
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So people
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who professed
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faith in
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Jesus Christ
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were taken
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through a
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series of
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teaching.
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teaching.
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Let us
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help you
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understand
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this way
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that you're
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now claiming
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to follow.
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And it may
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have taken
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the form
13:57
of a
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catechism
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like we
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have today
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with a
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question
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and an
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answer,
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or it
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may have
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just been
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a structured
14:03
teaching.
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But most
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agree,
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that's what
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here the
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author of
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Hebrews
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is referring
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to,
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kind of a
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packaged
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teaching
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for those
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who are
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new
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to the
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faith.
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And so we
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see first
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some reference
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to the
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law.
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Jewish
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converts
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would have
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been very
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familiar with
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the Old
14:24
Testament
14:25
law,
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the civil,
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ceremonial,
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and the
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moral law.
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And so he
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references
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repentance
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from dead
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works.
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They would
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have had to
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learn,
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just as we
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have to
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learn to
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come to
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faith in
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Christ,
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that we
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can no
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longer work
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at self
14:45
salvation,
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that this
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is an
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impossible
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thing to
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do,
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no amount
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of keeping
14:49
of the
14:50
law is
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going to
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help us
14:51
find favor
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with Christ,
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because we
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can never
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do it
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perfectly,
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and this
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is what
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the law
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requires.
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They did
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and we
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will fall
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short of
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the righteous
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requirement
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of God
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found in
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the moral
15:06
law.
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We cannot
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do it.
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We may
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keep part
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of it,
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and even
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the parts
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we will
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keep
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imperfectly.
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We will
15:13
be mixed
15:14
with messes
15:15
of motivation.
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We cannot
15:18
keep the
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law
15:21
perfectly.
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And so,
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we must
15:25
repent.
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We must
15:27
confess that
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we have
15:29
failed to
15:30
keep the
15:31
law.
15:32
They were
15:32
taught to
15:33
repent
15:34
from dead
15:35
works,
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to do that
15:37
negative act
15:39
of repentance,
15:39
and then
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to do the
15:41
positive act
15:42
of placing
15:43
their faith
15:44
in God.
15:46
The text
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says,
15:47
of faith
15:48
toward
15:49
God.
15:50
That God
15:51
could save
15:52
them.
15:53
Sola
15:54
fide,
15:54
by faith
15:55
alone.
15:57
By placing
15:58
all of their
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trust in the
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person and
16:01
work of
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Jesus Christ.
16:04
So,
16:05
we have in
16:05
these first
16:06
two doctrines
16:06
a soteriology.
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How is it
16:10
that we
16:10
are saved?
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Nixie
16:14
references
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Jewish
16:15
cleansing
16:16
rites,
16:17
which they
16:18
may have
16:18
still been
16:18
practicing
16:19
as a
16:19
New Testament
16:20
church,
16:21
but certainly
16:22
Jews in
16:22
their day
16:23
were practicing
16:23
these rites
16:25
of washings
16:27
and the
16:28
laying on
16:28
of hands.
16:31
And so,
16:31
most likely
16:31
their instruction
16:32
about washings
16:33
was about
16:34
baptism,
16:35
New Testament,
16:38
regenerate
16:38
baptism into
16:40
the fellowship
16:40
of a church
16:41
and in
16:43
baptism of
16:44
the Holy
16:45
Spirit.
16:46
They would
16:46
have come
16:47
to understand
16:47
what it
16:48
means to
16:48
be truly
16:49
cleansed.
16:50
Not to
16:51
just bear
16:51
an outward
16:51
sign of
16:52
it,
16:53
but to
16:53
be regenerate,
16:54
to have
16:54
the Spirit
16:55
of Christ
16:56
come into
16:57
you and
16:57
make you
16:57
new,
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make you
16:59
clean
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forever
17:02
because you
17:03
have His
17:04
righteousness.
17:05
And the
17:07
laying on
17:07
of hands
17:07
likely would
17:08
have been
17:08
taught about
17:09
the commissioning
17:10
and empowering
17:11
Christians for
17:13
Christian service,
17:14
like when Paul
17:14
and Barnabas
17:15
were prayed
17:15
over and
17:16
sent on
17:17
their
17:17
missionary
17:18
journey.
17:20
So the
17:20
church is
17:21
used in
17:21
this way
17:22
to send
17:23
Christians
17:24
by the
17:25
power of
17:25
the Spirit.
17:26
And so we
17:27
see in
17:27
these next
17:27
two,
17:29
a
17:29
pneumatology,
17:30
right?
17:30
Some doctrines
17:31
about the
17:31
Spirit of
17:33
Christ.
17:34
And then
17:36
he picks
17:36
up lastly
17:36
a couple
17:37
of Old
17:37
Testament
17:38
concepts,
17:39
like the
17:39
resurrection
17:39
of the
17:40
dead
17:40
and
17:41
eternal
17:41
judgment.
17:43
And in
17:44
Christ,
17:44
these Old
17:45
Testament
17:45
teachings
17:45
have
17:46
their
17:46
realized,
17:48
their
17:48
fully
17:49
fleshed
17:49
out
17:50
meaning.
17:51
So they
17:52
would have
17:52
come to
17:52
understand
17:53
the
17:53
resurrection
17:54
of Christ
17:55
and what
17:55
that means
17:56
for us,
17:57
our future
17:58
resurrection
17:59
in Him.
18:01
And they
18:01
would have
18:01
been instructed
18:02
in eternal
18:03
judgment,
18:04
a final
18:05
judgment
18:06
that Jesus
18:07
presides
18:07
over as
18:09
the judge.
18:10
And so
18:10
this
18:11
catechism,
18:12
this early
18:13
Christian
18:13
teaching,
18:15
contained
18:15
within it
18:16
also an
18:17
eschatology.
18:18
So a
18:19
simple and
18:19
basic
18:20
soteriology,
18:21
pneumatology,
18:22
doctrines of
18:22
the Spirit,
18:23
and eschatology,
18:24
doctrines of
18:25
the end
18:26
times.
18:27
So those
18:29
are important
18:30
things.
18:31
The author
18:32
of Hebrews
18:32
says,
18:33
therefore let
18:33
us leave
18:33
the elementary
18:34
doctrines of
18:35
Christ and
18:35
go on to
18:37
maturity.
18:37
It would seem
18:38
that he's
18:38
saying they're
18:38
not important
18:39
anymore,
18:41
but they
18:42
are.
18:43
He's not
18:44
saying let's
18:45
forget these
18:46
doctrines.
18:47
We have
18:48
outgrown these
18:49
doctrines.
18:49
We never
18:50
outgrow our
18:51
need of
18:51
them.
18:53
He is merely
18:54
asserting that
18:54
they should be
18:55
settled in
18:56
their
18:56
understanding.
18:58
And they
18:58
should be
18:59
living in
19:00
light of
19:00
them.
19:01
They should
19:02
be building
19:02
lives on
19:03
the foundation
19:04
of these
19:05
doctrines of
19:06
Christ.
19:08
They should
19:08
be going
19:09
on in
19:10
maturity,
19:11
not having
19:12
to be
19:12
again
19:13
reminded,
19:14
brought back
19:15
to the
19:16
milk,
19:17
the basics
19:18
of Christian
19:19
faith.
19:20
They should
19:20
be building
19:20
upon that
19:21
and maturing
19:22
in those
19:24
realities.
19:26
And this
19:27
is what he
19:28
means.
19:28
This is the
19:29
press.
19:29
This is the
19:30
drive of
19:31
the text.
19:34
And then he
19:34
says in
19:35
verse 3,
19:36
and I like
19:36
the interjection,
19:38
and this
19:38
we will do
19:39
if God
19:41
permits.
19:43
We have
19:44
been saved
19:45
by grace
19:45
alone,
19:46
through faith
19:47
alone,
19:47
and we
19:48
will finish
19:49
by grace
19:50
alone,
19:51
through faith
19:51
alone.
19:52
Having been
19:53
saved by the
19:54
Spirit,
19:55
we are not
19:55
now being
19:56
perfected
19:57
by the
19:58
flesh.
19:59
We pay
19:59
a part
20:00
in our
20:00
growing up.
20:02
These
20:03
Christians are
20:03
rebuked for
20:04
being dull
20:05
of hearing.
20:07
The positive
20:07
of that is,
20:08
so here,
20:09
they have to
20:09
participate
20:10
in that
20:11
process.
20:12
We don't
20:13
just obey
20:14
when we
20:15
feel like
20:16
obeying,
20:17
when we're
20:18
compelled to
20:19
obey.
20:21
We obey,
20:22
because we
20:23
know it's
20:23
good and it's
20:24
our part
20:24
to play
20:25
in our
20:25
growing up
20:26
and in
20:27
our
20:27
maturing,
20:28
but all
20:29
along,
20:30
we praise
20:31
God for
20:31
the grace
20:32
he gives
20:33
us for
20:34
obedience.
20:36
God saves
20:37
us and
20:38
God keeps
20:40
us,
20:40
and we'll
20:40
see much
20:41
more about
20:41
this later
20:42
as we
20:43
continue to
20:43
study.
20:44
But at
20:45
this point
20:45
of verse
20:46
three,
20:47
and this we
20:47
will do
20:48
if God
20:48
permits,
20:49
I want to
20:50
read a
20:50
really brief
20:51
excerpt of
20:52
a poem
20:53
written by
20:53
John Bunyan,
20:54
author of
20:55
Pilgrim's Progress.
20:56
This is not
20:57
in Pilgrim's Progress,
20:57
but he wrote,
20:59
Run,
21:00
John,
21:00
run,
21:01
the law
21:01
commands,
21:02
but gives
21:03
us neither
21:03
feet nor
21:05
hands.
21:06
Far better
21:07
news the
21:08
gospel brings.
21:10
It bids
21:10
us fly
21:11
and gives
21:12
us wings.
21:15
All that
21:15
God commands
21:17
of us,
21:17
he provides
21:18
the necessary
21:19
means to
21:20
fulfill.
21:20
those
21:22
commands.
21:23
Now,
21:24
in verse
21:25
four,
21:27
we come to
21:27
the most
21:28
complicated
21:29
and contested
21:30
part of
21:32
our text.
21:34
For it is
21:35
impossible,
21:36
the author of
21:36
Hebrews says,
21:37
in the case of
21:38
those who have
21:38
once been
21:39
enlightened,
21:40
who have
21:40
tasted the
21:41
heavenly gift
21:41
and have
21:42
shared in
21:42
the Holy
21:43
Spirit,
21:43
and have
21:44
tasted the
21:44
goodness of
21:45
the Word
21:45
of God
21:46
and the
21:46
powers of
21:47
the age
21:48
to come,
21:49
and then
21:50
have fallen
21:51
away to
21:52
restore them
21:53
again to
21:53
repentance,
21:54
since they
21:54
are crucifying
21:55
once again
21:55
the Son of
21:56
God to
21:57
their own
21:57
harm and
21:59
holding him
21:59
up to
22:01
contempt.
22:02
The most
22:03
complicated and
22:04
most contested
22:06
part of our
22:07
text.
22:08
Three views
22:09
have commonly
22:09
been held of
22:10
this text.
22:11
I'm going to
22:11
give you brief
22:12
summaries of
22:12
the first two,
22:14
why they're not
22:15
the proper
22:15
views,
22:15
and then
22:17
I'll present
22:17
the third
22:17
view and
22:18
support it
22:19
at length.
22:21
The first
22:22
view,
22:22
erroneous
22:23
view,
22:25
is hypothetical.
22:28
The author
22:28
of Hebrews is
22:28
presenting a
22:29
hypothetical
22:30
case.
22:32
This view
22:32
says,
22:33
it's referring
22:34
to a
22:35
situation
22:35
that could
22:36
not really
22:37
happen.
22:40
This view
22:40
should be
22:41
rejected because
22:41
it is just
22:42
unreasonable.
22:43
If the
22:45
sin could
22:45
not be
22:46
committed,
22:46
then the
22:46
writer would
22:47
have no
22:47
reason to
22:48
warn his
22:49
audience to
22:50
avoid it.
22:51
What is the
22:52
point?
22:53
Why waste
22:54
the precious
22:55
parchment and
22:56
ink warning
22:58
against a
22:59
sin that
22:59
cannot be
23:00
committed?
23:03
I would
23:04
suggest to
23:04
you that it's
23:05
not a
23:05
hypothetical at
23:06
all.
23:08
Secondly,
23:09
erroneous
23:09
view,
23:11
the actual
23:12
view.
23:13
This view
23:13
holds that
23:14
God provides
23:14
the grace
23:15
for salvation,
23:17
that perseverance
23:18
though, the
23:19
keeping to
23:20
the end,
23:21
is entirely
23:22
up to the
23:22
individual.
23:24
So God
23:25
can save
23:25
you, but
23:26
he cannot
23:26
or will
23:28
not keep
23:29
you, and
23:29
you must
23:30
keep
23:30
yourself.
23:33
This view
23:33
sees individuals
23:34
spoken of as
23:36
actually in
23:37
the faith.
23:38
They are
23:39
in fact
23:39
Christians,
23:40
but having
23:40
the ability
23:41
to lose
23:43
their salvation.
23:45
I don't
23:45
know anybody
23:46
in our
23:46
day that
23:47
likes to
23:48
believe that.
23:49
They would
23:49
never say
23:50
they do,
23:50
although they
23:50
may functionally.
23:53
This view
23:53
says that
23:54
these people
23:54
may have
23:55
had all the
23:58
appearances,
24:00
been found
24:00
in the faith,
24:01
but yet they
24:02
can reject it,
24:04
having been in
24:05
it.
24:05
this view
24:06
should be
24:06
rejected because
24:07
it is just
24:08
flatly
24:09
unbiblical,
24:09
which I'll
24:10
show you
24:10
momentarily
24:12
with a
24:13
third view.
24:14
The third
24:15
view is
24:16
the apparent
24:17
view.
24:20
This view,
24:20
the proper
24:20
one,
24:21
holds that
24:21
anyone who
24:22
falls away
24:23
from the
24:24
faith were
24:25
not truly
24:26
believers to
24:27
begin with.
24:28
They weren't
24:29
actually in
24:30
the faith
24:30
to begin
24:32
with.
24:32
They may
24:33
have had the
24:33
appearance
24:34
of faith,
24:35
but were
24:36
not,
24:36
in fact,
24:37
Christians.
24:38
I'm going
24:38
to give
24:38
you a few
24:38
reasons why
24:40
I believe
24:40
this is the
24:40
right view
24:41
of this
24:42
text.
24:44
First,
24:46
this idea,
24:47
the ideas
24:48
presented
24:48
forth that
24:50
these people
24:51
had been
24:51
enlightened,
24:52
they had
24:52
tasted,
24:53
they had
24:53
shared.
24:55
Remember our
24:56
audience?
24:58
These are
24:58
Hellenistic
24:59
Jews,
25:00
people who
25:00
are practicing
25:01
Jews,
25:02
familiar with
25:03
their old
25:03
Testament,
25:05
would have
25:07
been familiar
25:07
with the
25:08
story of
25:09
their predecessors,
25:11
their people.
25:13
The children
25:13
of Israel
25:14
had a
25:15
privileged
25:15
position as
25:16
they encountered
25:17
God in
25:18
the wilderness.
25:20
They had
25:21
followed the
25:21
instructions with
25:22
the Lamb's
25:22
blood on
25:23
their doorposts.
25:24
They had
25:24
been spared
25:25
the Passover
25:25
judgment.
25:26
They had
25:27
miraculously
25:27
crossed through
25:28
the Red Sea,
25:29
had seen the
25:29
pillar of cloud
25:30
and the
25:30
pillar of fire.
25:32
They had
25:32
tasted the
25:33
miraculous waters
25:34
of Marah,
25:35
ate daily
25:36
manna.
25:37
They had
25:38
heard the
25:38
voice of
25:39
God's thunder
25:39
out of the
25:40
clouds at
25:41
Sinai.
25:42
They had
25:42
all the
25:43
same spiritual
25:44
benefits,
25:45
but not
25:46
all of the
25:47
children of
25:48
Israel
25:48
believed.
25:50
These
25:51
original
25:52
hearers would
25:52
have been
25:52
very familiar
25:53
with this
25:54
as he
25:55
employs
25:55
language like
25:56
enlightened
25:57
and tasted
25:58
and shared.
26:01
That they
26:02
were a
26:02
people that
26:03
had the
26:03
spiritual
26:04
benefit of
26:05
God,
26:05
but had
26:05
yet not
26:07
believed.
26:09
And he's
26:09
warning against
26:10
that in
26:12
our text.
26:14
This is the
26:15
point that the
26:16
author of
26:16
Hebrews is
26:16
making in
26:17
chapter 3.
26:19
You can recall
26:19
our study
26:20
there.
26:20
As he speaks
26:21
of those
26:22
unable to
26:23
enter the
26:24
promised land
26:24
into the
26:25
rest of
26:26
God,
26:26
and then
26:26
he says
26:27
in Hebrews
26:28
3 verse
26:28
19,
26:29
so we
26:30
see that
26:31
they were
26:31
unable to
26:32
enter because
26:33
of unbelief.
26:37
Because they
26:38
weren't faithful
26:40
to the God
26:41
that had
26:42
called them
26:42
and had
26:42
provided all
26:44
of this
26:44
spiritual
26:45
benefit.
26:47
Positive
26:48
spiritual
26:49
experiences
26:50
do not
26:52
make for
26:52
salvation,
26:54
but only
26:55
a trusting
26:56
in Christ
26:57
alone,
26:58
by grace
26:59
alone,
27:00
through faith
27:01
alone.
27:02
Throwing
27:03
your whole
27:04
self on
27:05
him,
27:06
that he
27:07
fulfilled the
27:07
righteous
27:08
requirement of
27:08
the law,
27:09
that he
27:09
paid the
27:10
debt of
27:11
your sin.
27:13
No amount
27:14
of
27:14
thelies
27:15
when you're
27:16
part of a
27:17
church
27:17
saves you.
27:20
It's faith
27:20
in Christ
27:21
that saves
27:23
you.
27:23
So this is
27:24
consistent.
27:24
His language
27:25
is extremely
27:26
consistent.
27:27
We just
27:27
have to
27:27
get our
27:28
21st century
27:29
minds to
27:30
catch up
27:30
to the
27:31
text.
27:33
Secondly,
27:34
I think this
27:35
apparent view
27:36
is correct
27:36
because of
27:37
the parable
27:38
of the
27:39
sower.
27:40
Jesus gave
27:40
us instruction
27:41
about these
27:43
types of
27:44
people.
27:45
It should
27:46
grieve us,
27:47
it should
27:48
make us
27:48
very sad,
27:49
but Jesus
27:49
wants us to
27:50
understand what's
27:51
happening when
27:52
we see people
27:52
who claim
27:54
to be in
27:54
the faith,
27:55
who by
27:56
all measurable
27:57
means seem
27:58
to be in
27:59
the faith,
27:59
and then
28:00
forsake it
28:00
altogether.
28:03
As he tells
28:04
this parable,
28:04
he tells the
28:05
parable of the
28:06
sower going out
28:07
and sowing the
28:08
seed.
28:08
The gospel of
28:10
Jesus Christ.
28:11
And we see
28:12
that different
28:12
soils receive it
28:13
and respond to
28:14
it differently.
28:16
And there's a
28:16
particular soil
28:17
that speaks
28:18
into this text.
28:20
It's the rocky
28:21
soil,
28:22
that rocky
28:22
ground.
28:24
Jesus explains
28:25
it in Matthew
28:26
13,
28:27
20-21.
28:29
He says,
28:29
For at what
28:30
was sown on
28:30
rocky ground,
28:32
this is the
28:33
one who hears
28:33
the word,
28:34
and immediately
28:35
receives it
28:36
with joy.
28:38
Yet he has
28:38
no root
28:39
in himself,
28:41
but endures
28:42
for a while,
28:43
and when
28:44
tribulation
28:44
or persecution
28:45
arises on
28:46
account of
28:47
the word,
28:49
immediately
28:49
he falls
28:51
away.
28:53
So,
28:54
it's the
28:54
person who
28:55
says,
28:56
this sounds
28:56
great.
28:58
Eternal
28:58
life?
28:59
I like
29:00
it.
29:01
What must
29:02
I do?
29:04
Walk the
29:04
aisle?
29:05
I'm there.
29:07
And that as
29:07
soon as things
29:08
get tough,
29:10
as soon as
29:10
the suffering
29:11
of this world
29:12
comes,
29:13
and it
29:13
will,
29:15
as soon as
29:16
discomfort
29:16
because of
29:17
a belief
29:18
in this
29:19
word,
29:19
this gospel
29:20
comes,
29:22
they turn
29:23
away.
29:23
This is
29:24
exactly what
29:24
was happening
29:25
in this
29:26
little fellowship.
29:28
They had
29:28
suffered for
29:29
the sake
29:29
of the
29:30
gospel.
29:31
And because
29:31
these individuals
29:32
didn't treasure
29:33
Christ the way
29:35
people who are
29:35
in Christ
29:36
treasure Christ,
29:38
they rejected
29:39
him.
29:41
The measure
29:42
of faithfulness
29:44
is fruitfulness.
29:47
You're
29:48
instructed
29:48
again and
29:50
again and
29:51
again in
29:52
the Scripture
29:52
that good
29:53
trees bear
29:54
good fruit.
29:57
Bad trees
29:57
bear bad
29:59
fruit.
30:02
Beloved, we
30:03
ought not tie
30:03
our salvation
30:04
to an event
30:06
in our life.
30:08
God saves
30:09
people in
30:10
and at
30:11
events.
30:11
praise God,
30:13
should tie
30:14
our salvation
30:14
to his
30:15
active working
30:16
in our
30:17
lives.
30:19
Proofs out
30:20
who we
30:20
are.
30:22
I have
30:22
been saved
30:23
by the
30:24
righteousness
30:24
of Christ
30:25
and his
30:26
sacrificial
30:26
death on
30:27
my behalf.
30:29
And because
30:29
of that,
30:31
faith in
30:32
that,
30:33
I have the
30:34
spirit of
30:34
Christ who
30:35
causes me to
30:36
walk in
30:37
his ways.
30:37
this is
30:39
something that
30:39
can be
30:40
observed.
30:41
It's
30:41
fruit.
30:42
It's
30:43
tangible.
30:43
It can
30:43
be seen
30:44
and smelled
30:45
and tasted.
30:48
The author
30:48
of Hebrews
30:49
does this
30:49
very thing
30:50
in verses
30:51
7 and
30:52
8.
30:53
He picks
30:53
up this
30:54
consistent
30:54
Bible language.
30:55
He says,
30:55
For land
30:56
that has
30:56
drunk the
30:56
rain that
30:57
often falls
30:57
on it,
30:58
and produces
30:59
a crop
31:00
useful to
31:00
those for
31:01
whose sake
31:02
it is
31:02
cultivated,
31:03
receives a
31:04
blessing from
31:04
God.
31:05
But if it
31:06
bears thorns
31:06
and thistles,
31:07
it is
31:07
worthless and
31:08
near to
31:08
being cursed,
31:09
and its
31:10
end is
31:11
to be
31:11
burned.
31:13
Agrarian
31:14
people understood
31:15
these metaphors
31:17
so readily.
31:19
I hope your
31:20
brain is
31:20
catching what's
31:21
being said
31:23
here.
31:24
Beloved,
31:25
if we are
31:25
not pressing
31:26
on in
31:27
holiness,
31:28
and we
31:28
don't do
31:28
this with
31:29
perfection,
31:30
remember
31:30
that second
31:31
category?
31:32
That Christian
31:32
who's just
31:33
not sure?
31:35
We have
31:36
days.
31:37
Where we
31:37
act as if
31:38
we are not
31:39
sons and
31:39
daughters of
31:40
the Most
31:40
High.
31:41
We in
31:42
every way
31:43
reject His
31:44
good rule.
31:46
But we
31:47
ought to be
31:47
able to see
31:48
a general
31:49
life,
31:49
a general
31:50
trajectory
31:51
towards
31:51
holiness,
31:52
a hating
31:53
of sin,
31:54
and a loving
31:54
of righteousness.
31:56
This ought to
31:56
be true of
31:57
us.
31:58
And I will
31:58
tell you
31:58
this,
31:59
you should
31:59
not be
31:59
left alone
32:00
to figure
32:00
this out.
32:02
You will
32:02
either think
32:03
too much
32:03
of yourself,
32:04
or you
32:05
will think
32:05
too little
32:06
of yourself.
32:08
God has
32:08
saved a
32:09
people.
32:10
He's given
32:10
power to
32:11
the church
32:11
to do
32:12
this work
32:12
together.
32:14
We would
32:14
press one
32:15
another in
32:16
holiness.
32:18
That we
32:18
would call
32:19
each other
32:19
out in
32:20
our sin.
32:21
That we
32:21
would repent
32:22
and turn
32:23
to Christ
32:23
and grow
32:24
on in
32:26
our faith.
32:28
So the
32:28
parable of the
32:29
sower is the
32:29
second reason I
32:30
think that the
32:31
author of Hebrews
32:31
is talking about
32:32
apparent
32:33
Christians.
32:36
And then
32:36
thirdly and
32:36
most fully,
32:38
the Bible
32:39
doctrine of
32:41
the perseverance
32:41
of the
32:42
saints.
32:43
Which says
32:44
that those
32:44
who are
32:45
saved by
32:46
Christ will
32:47
persevere
32:48
to the end.
32:49
Will remain
32:49
in Christ
32:51
to the end.
32:52
That this is a
32:53
sure thing.
32:54
If he has
32:54
saved us,
32:55
he will
32:56
keep us.
32:59
The good
32:59
old southern
33:00
version of
33:01
this is once
33:01
saved,
33:03
always
33:03
saved.
33:06
In my
33:06
younger years,
33:08
wrestling with
33:09
doubt,
33:11
the doctrines
33:11
of grace
33:12
became a
33:12
great rest
33:13
for me.
33:15
There's
33:15
nothing I
33:16
could have
33:16
done to
33:17
save myself.
33:18
I did
33:19
not make a
33:20
decision for
33:21
Christ.
33:23
I rejected
33:24
him at
33:24
every turn.
33:26
I was a
33:27
wretched
33:27
rebel
33:28
against God.
33:30
but God,
33:32
because of
33:33
his mercy,
33:35
because of
33:35
his great
33:36
love for
33:37
his people,
33:38
saved me.
33:41
As much
33:42
as I may
33:42
have tried
33:43
to gain
33:44
acceptance
33:44
before him,
33:45
I could
33:46
not be
33:46
accepted
33:47
except to
33:48
be clothed
33:49
in Christ.
33:51
To fully
33:53
believe in
33:53
his righteousness
33:54
and his
33:55
sacrificial
33:56
death for
33:57
the salvation
33:58
of my
33:59
soul.
34:00
This is a
34:00
working of
34:02
God.
34:03
Every time
34:03
these things
34:04
are taught
34:04
in the
34:05
scripture,
34:05
it's taught
34:06
as a
34:06
comfort to
34:08
us.
34:09
It's not
34:09
meant to be
34:10
a thing we
34:10
beat others
34:11
up with.
34:12
It's meant
34:12
to be a
34:13
comfort to
34:14
us.
34:15
God has
34:15
saved you.
34:17
God will
34:17
keep you.
34:19
Richard
34:19
Baxter once
34:20
said,
34:20
this is on
34:20
your bulletin
34:21
if you
34:21
happen to
34:22
have one
34:22
this morning,
34:23
in our
34:24
first
34:24
paradise in
34:25
Eden,
34:25
there was
34:26
a way
34:26
to go
34:26
out,
34:27
but no
34:27
way to
34:27
go in
34:28
again.
34:29
But as
34:30
for the
34:30
heavenly
34:30
paradise,
34:31
there is
34:32
a way
34:32
to go
34:33
in,
34:33
but not
34:34
way to
34:35
go out.
34:37
Praise
34:37
God.
34:38
So I'm
34:38
going to
34:38
take you
34:39
through
34:39
just a
34:40
few
34:40
texts
34:41
that speak
34:42
to this,
34:43
to make
34:43
this point,
34:45
that if we
34:45
are saved
34:46
by Christ,
34:46
we are
34:47
kept
34:47
by Christ.
34:49
In
34:50
Philippians
34:50
chapter 1
34:50
verse 6,
34:52
Paul declares
34:52
with great
34:53
confidence,
34:54
I am sure
34:54
of this,
34:55
that he
34:57
who began
34:57
a good
34:57
work in
34:58
you will
34:59
bring it
34:59
to completion
35:00
at the
35:01
day of
35:02
Jesus
35:02
Christ.
35:03
He started
35:04
it,
35:04
he is
35:05
going to
35:06
finish it.
35:07
In
35:07
Romans
35:08
chapter 8
35:08
verse 38
35:09
through 39,
35:11
Paul again
35:11
says,
35:12
for I am
35:12
sure that
35:13
neither
35:13
death
35:14
nor life,
35:16
present
35:16
lived life,
35:18
nor angels
35:19
nor rulers,
35:19
nor things
35:20
present,
35:20
nor things
35:21
to come,
35:21
nor powers,
35:22
nor height,
35:22
nor depth,
35:23
nor anything
35:24
else in
35:25
all creation,
35:26
including
35:26
your will,
35:29
will be
35:29
able to
35:29
separate us
35:30
from the
35:30
love of
35:31
God in
35:31
Christ Jesus,
35:32
our Lord.
35:34
Earlier in
35:35
chapter 8,
35:36
Paul wrote
35:37
verse 29
35:37
through 30,
35:38
for those
35:39
whom he
35:39
foreknew,
35:40
he also
35:40
predestined to
35:41
be conformed
35:42
to the image
35:43
of his
35:43
son,
35:44
to grow up,
35:44
to be
35:45
matured,
35:46
to look
35:46
more like
35:47
Christ.
35:48
And those
35:48
whom he
35:49
justified,
35:50
he also
35:51
glorified.
35:52
in the
35:54
work of
35:55
justification,
35:56
there's a
35:57
guarantee
35:58
of
35:59
glorification.
36:00
Saves
36:01
us and
36:01
keeps
36:03
us.
36:04
Peter says
36:05
in 1 Peter
36:05
chapter 1
36:06
verse 4,
36:08
that we are
36:08
saved to
36:09
an inheritance
36:10
that is
36:11
imperishable,
36:12
undefiled,
36:13
and unfading,
36:14
and that it
36:15
is kept
36:15
in heaven
36:16
for you.
36:19
Jude
36:20
in Jude
36:20
verse 24,
36:21
has great
36:22
confidence
36:23
in God
36:24
in his
36:24
benediction
36:25
where he
36:26
writes,
36:26
now to
36:27
him who
36:27
is able
36:27
to keep
36:28
you from
36:28
stumbling
36:29
and to
36:30
present you
36:30
blameless
36:31
before the
36:31
presence of
36:32
his glory
36:32
with great
36:33
joy.
36:34
And he
36:34
goes on
36:35
to give
36:35
him glory
36:36
for that.
36:37
Right?
36:37
God is
36:38
able to
36:39
keep you
36:40
and present
36:40
you
36:41
blameless.
36:43
Paul tells
36:44
us in
36:44
Ephesians
36:44
chapter 4
36:45
verse 30,
36:46
that the
36:47
Spirit seals
36:47
us for
36:48
redemption.
36:50
He writes,
36:50
and do not
36:51
grieve the
36:51
Holy Spirit
36:52
of God
36:52
by whom
36:53
you were
36:54
sealed
36:55
for the
36:56
day of
36:57
redemption.
36:58
John,
36:59
in 1 John
37:00
chapter 2
37:01
and verse 19,
37:03
states of
37:04
those people
37:05
who have
37:05
left the
37:07
fellowship of
37:08
the church,
37:09
they went
37:09
out from
37:10
us,
37:11
but they
37:11
were not
37:12
of us.
37:13
For if
37:14
they had
37:14
been of
37:15
us,
37:16
they would
37:17
have continued
37:17
with us,
37:19
but they
37:19
went out
37:20
that it
37:20
might
37:20
become
37:21
plain
37:21
that they
37:22
all are
37:23
not
37:23
of us.
37:26
Jesus
37:26
teaches in
37:27
Matthew
37:27
chapter 24
37:28
and verse
37:28
24,
37:30
that it
37:30
is impossible
37:30
to lead
37:32
the elect
37:33
astray.
37:34
He says,
37:35
for false
37:35
Christ and
37:36
false prophets
37:37
will arise
37:38
and perform
37:39
great signs
37:40
and wonders
37:41
so as to
37:42
lead astray,
37:44
if possible,
37:46
even the
37:46
elect.
37:47
He states
37:48
that it's
37:49
impossible
37:49
for this
37:50
to happen.
37:52
And in
37:52
John
37:52
chapter 6
37:53
verse 40,
37:54
Jesus says,
37:54
for this is
37:55
the will of
37:55
my Father,
37:56
that everyone
37:56
who looks
37:57
on the Son
37:58
and believes
37:58
in Him
37:59
should have
37:59
eternal life,
38:00
and I will
38:00
raise him
38:01
up on the
38:02
last day.
38:04
And in
38:05
John
38:05
chapter 10
38:05
verse 27
38:06
and 28,
38:07
my sheep
38:08
hear my
38:08
voice,
38:09
and I
38:10
know them,
38:11
and they
38:11
follow me.
38:13
I give
38:14
them eternal
38:15
life,
38:15
and they
38:16
will never
38:16
perish,
38:17
and no
38:18
one will
38:19
snatch them
38:20
out of
38:21
my hand.
38:23
So what's
38:23
being taught
38:24
here,
38:25
if you
38:25
understand it
38:26
by this
38:26
apparent
38:27
view,
38:28
it squares
38:29
firmly with
38:31
the doctrine
38:32
of the
38:32
perseverance
38:33
of the
38:34
saints.
38:34
And this
38:35
is just
38:35
a sampling
38:36
of the
38:37
text.
38:38
There's so
38:39
many more
38:39
that speak
38:40
to this.
38:41
God saves
38:42
us,
38:42
and God
38:44
keeps us.
38:47
And so
38:47
those that
38:48
are being
38:48
referred to
38:49
in our
38:50
text,
38:51
those who
38:51
have shared
38:51
and tasted,
38:54
weren't
38:55
Christians
38:56
to begin
38:57
with.
38:58
But then
38:59
we get to
38:59
verse 4,
39:01
this little
39:01
phrase at
39:02
the very
39:02
beginning
39:03
that says,
39:05
for it
39:05
is impossible,
39:07
and then
39:07
later in
39:08
verse 6,
39:09
to restore
39:10
them again
39:11
to repentance.
39:13
If they've
39:13
experienced
39:14
this and
39:14
then have
39:15
fallen away,
39:15
it's impossible
39:16
to restore
39:18
them again
39:19
to repentance
39:21
since they
39:21
are crucifying
39:22
once again
39:23
the Son
39:23
of God
39:24
to their
39:25
own harm
39:25
and holding
39:26
Him up
39:27
to contempt.
39:29
We must
39:30
understand
39:31
what that
39:31
means.
39:33
We must
39:33
wrestle with
39:34
that language.
39:37
It is a
39:38
difficult
39:38
passage
39:38
to wrestle
39:39
with.
39:39
We've
39:40
said before
39:41
that this
39:41
is the
39:41
most
39:42
complex
39:42
Greek
39:43
in the
39:43
New
39:43
Testament.
39:45
It's a
39:45
beautifully
39:46
written
39:46
book,
39:47
but it
39:47
contains
39:47
some
39:48
turns
39:48
of
39:49
phrases
39:49
in it
39:49
that
39:50
are
39:50
quite
39:50
hard.
39:52
We've
39:52
got this
39:52
wonderful
39:52
resource
39:53
that's
39:53
the
39:55
New
39:55
Testament
39:55
in the
39:56
Greek
39:56
text,
39:57
sentence
39:58
diagrammed.
40:00
And this
40:00
one,
40:01
usually I'll
40:01
print those
40:02
things out
40:02
and I'll
40:03
tape them
40:03
together
40:03
and I'll
40:03
put them
40:04
out of
40:04
my
40:04
desk
40:04
and I
40:04
go,
40:05
oh,
40:05
aha.
40:06
This
40:06
one turned
40:07
my head
40:07
around and
40:08
around.
40:08
So the
40:12
simplest thing
40:12
for us
40:13
to do,
40:13
and for
40:13
the sake
40:14
of time,
40:14
is to
40:14
place it
40:15
in its
40:15
larger
40:16
biblical
40:16
context.
40:18
Let's
40:18
say,
40:18
is it
40:19
possible
40:19
that we
40:20
would
40:20
commit
40:20
a sin
40:21
that
40:21
cannot
40:21
be
40:22
forgiven?
40:24
If you
40:25
are much
40:25
of a
40:25
student
40:25
of the
40:26
Bible,
40:27
you will
40:27
know that
40:27
there's
40:28
a sin
40:28
called
40:28
the
40:28
unpardonable
40:29
sin.
40:31
There's
40:31
much
40:32
debate
40:32
about
40:32
what
40:32
that
40:33
is,
40:34
but I
40:34
would
40:34
suggest
40:35
to you
40:35
that that's
40:35
what they
40:35
have
40:36
done.
40:36
They
40:36
have
40:36
committed
40:37
the
40:38
unpardonable,
40:38
sin.
40:41
And Jesus
40:41
speaks about
40:42
this in
40:43
Matthew
40:43
chapter 12.
40:45
And in
40:46
Matthew
40:46
chapter 12,
40:47
he's healed
40:47
a man
40:48
who's demon
40:48
possessed
40:49
and mute.
40:50
And when
40:51
that happens,
40:52
the Pharisees,
40:54
the Jewish
40:55
people,
40:56
who have
40:56
experienced
40:57
the benefit,
40:58
the spiritual
40:59
benefit,
41:00
of being part
41:00
of the
41:01
community
41:02
of God,
41:03
they had
41:04
the Word
41:04
of God,
41:05
they had
41:05
all the
41:05
signs and
41:06
wonders,
41:06
that they
41:07
were being
41:08
pointed
41:08
to
41:09
Christ.
41:11
These
41:11
men
41:12
rejected
41:12
the work
41:13
of Jesus
41:14
as coming
41:14
from God
41:15
and they
41:15
attributed
41:16
it instead
41:17
to
41:17
the
41:18
Elizabeth.
41:19
They
41:20
attributed
41:20
it instead
41:21
to
41:21
Satan.
41:23
They
41:24
had been
41:24
given
41:24
every
41:25
benefit
41:26
and yet
41:27
they
41:28
didn't
41:29
believe.
41:31
Jesus
41:32
says,
41:33
verse 31
41:33
and 32
41:34
of Matthew
41:34
12,
41:35
therefore I
41:35
tell you,
41:36
every sin
41:36
and blasphemy
41:37
will be
41:37
forgiven
41:38
people,
41:39
but the
41:39
blasphemy
41:40
against the
41:40
Spirit
41:41
will not
41:41
be
41:41
forgiven.
41:43
And whoever
41:43
speaks a
41:44
word against
41:44
the Son
41:45
of Man
41:45
will be
41:45
forgiven,
41:46
but whoever
41:46
speaks against
41:47
the Holy
41:47
Spirit
41:48
will not
41:49
be forgiven,
41:50
either in
41:50
this age
41:51
or in
41:52
the age
41:52
to come.
41:55
Jesus is
41:55
not talking
41:56
here about
41:57
taking the
41:58
Holy Spirit's
41:58
name in
41:59
vain.
42:00
This is
42:00
not what
42:00
he's saying.
42:01
What he's
42:02
saying is,
42:03
those who
42:04
see the
42:05
work of
42:05
the Spirit
42:06
of Christ,
42:07
this part
42:09
of the
42:10
triune
42:10
God
42:11
working to
42:12
bring benefit
42:13
to you,
42:14
to lead
42:15
you spiritually
42:16
to faith
42:17
in Christ,
42:18
who reject
42:19
Him
42:20
absolutely
42:21
to the
42:22
end,
42:23
they cannot
42:23
be saved.
42:25
They cannot
42:25
be.
42:27
How can
42:27
one who
42:28
refuses to
42:29
place faith
42:30
in Christ
42:31
be saved?
42:33
And there's
42:33
a little bit
42:34
of a clue
42:34
to this
42:35
in our
42:35
text.
42:37
The author
42:37
of Hebrews
42:37
says,
42:39
since,
42:40
why is it
42:40
impossible
42:41
to restore
42:41
them again?
42:43
Since they
42:43
are crucifying
42:44
once again
42:45
the Son
42:46
of God
42:46
to their
42:47
own harm
42:47
and holding
42:49
Him up
42:49
to contempt.
42:52
What these
42:52
people are
42:53
doing who
42:53
appear to
42:55
have been
42:55
in the
42:56
faith and
42:57
have now
42:57
left the
42:58
faith,
42:59
is they're
42:59
saying that
43:00
this Jesus
43:01
who was
43:03
crucified,
43:05
laid to
43:05
death,
43:06
raised three
43:07
days later,
43:07
was not
43:08
in fact
43:08
the Christ.
43:10
He was
43:10
just a
43:11
man.
43:13
They have
43:14
lost their
43:15
faith in
43:15
Jesus being
43:16
the Jesus
43:17
He said
43:18
He is
43:19
in the
43:19
gospel of
43:20
Jesus Christ.
43:22
They're
43:22
participating
43:23
in His
43:24
crucifixion
43:25
by simply
43:26
saying,
43:27
He's just
43:27
a man.
43:29
They held
43:30
Him up
43:30
to contempt.
43:33
Their
43:33
derision,
43:34
their
43:34
accusation,
43:36
they're
43:36
saying He
43:37
was justly
43:38
condemned
43:39
for claiming
43:40
He was
43:41
the Son
43:41
of God,
43:42
for claiming
43:42
to be
43:43
the Christ.
43:44
They became
43:45
participators
43:46
in that
43:47
and putting
43:48
Him to
43:48
death,
43:49
not believing
43:50
that He
43:51
was faultless,
43:53
that His
43:54
death on
43:54
the cross
43:55
was entirely
43:57
unjust because
43:57
He had
43:58
kept God's
43:58
law with
43:59
perfection.
44:02
That He
44:03
bore all
44:04
of the
44:04
wrath due
44:05
our sin
44:06
in Himself.
44:08
They're
44:08
rejecting that
44:10
and they're
44:10
rejecting it
44:11
with finality.
44:13
They've
44:13
altogether said
44:14
the person
44:15
and work
44:15
of Jesus
44:16
means nothing
44:17
to me.
44:20
So those
44:20
who appeared
44:21
to be,
44:22
who received
44:22
the benefit
44:23
of Christian
44:24
fellowship,
44:26
showed
44:26
themselves
44:26
not to
44:27
be,
44:28
because they
44:28
don't have
44:29
the salvation
44:30
of their
44:30
souls by
44:31
grace alone,
44:32
through faith
44:33
alone,
44:33
in Christ
44:35
alone.
44:37
And this
44:38
is the
44:38
great warning
44:39
of this
44:40
text.
44:42
It's the
44:42
warning for
44:43
us this
44:43
morning.
44:44
You may
44:45
have all
44:45
the spiritual
44:46
benefit of
44:46
growing up
44:47
in a
44:47
Christian
44:48
home,
44:48
being drug
44:50
to church
44:51
each and
44:52
every Sunday,
44:52
being forced
44:54
to sit
44:55
in fellowship
44:56
with your
44:57
parents,
44:58
being taught
44:58
the gospel
44:59
in your
45:00
home,
45:00
going on
45:01
mission trips
45:02
every summer.
45:04
You may
45:04
have all
45:05
of that
45:05
and not
45:06
be found
45:07
in Christ.
45:10
And so
45:11
the encouragement
45:12
for you
45:13
is to
45:13
self-examination
45:15
and to
45:16
church
45:17
examination.
45:17
to bring
45:19
others around
45:19
you that
45:20
will help
45:20
you consider
45:21
the fruitfulness
45:21
of your
45:23
life.
45:24
Because it's
45:24
that fruitfulness
45:25
that proves
45:26
out the
45:27
faithfulness.
45:28
Not that
45:29
we're saved
45:30
by works,
45:31
but works
45:31
evidence.
45:33
Right?
45:34
Our
45:34
unshakable
45:35
faith in
45:36
the works
45:37
of Christ.
45:40
So again,
45:41
if you're in
45:41
my hearing
45:42
this morning
45:43
and you claim
45:44
to be a
45:45
Christian,
45:46
you're going
45:46
to be in
45:47
one of three
45:47
categories.
45:48
A confident
45:48
Christian,
45:50
an unconfident
45:51
Christian,
45:53
possibly not
45:54
a Christian
45:56
at all.
45:58
And I would
45:58
just plead
45:59
with you
46:00
to really
46:01
consider
46:02
the gospel
46:03
of Jesus
46:04
Christ.
46:05
If it's not
46:06
abundantly
46:07
clear to you
46:07
that you're
46:08
in the faith,
46:09
talk to
46:10
someone
46:10
about this.
46:12
Come and
46:12
find me.
46:13
If I'm not
46:14
available to
46:15
talk to you,
46:15
there are so
46:16
many people
46:16
in this
46:17
fellowship
46:17
that would
46:17
gladly share
46:18
the good
46:19
news of
46:19
Jesus with
46:20
you,
46:20
that you
46:20
would repent
46:21
and believe
46:22
in Him.
46:24
If you're
46:25
an unconfident
46:26
Christian,
46:27
the kind of
46:28
wonderful thing
46:28
is that it's
46:29
still a call
46:30
to repentance
46:30
and faith.
46:32
Turn from
46:32
your sin.
46:34
Those sins
46:34
that you have
46:35
carried into
46:35
this room
46:36
with you
46:36
that feel
46:36
like an
46:37
unbearable
46:38
baggage,
46:40
confess them
46:40
to God
46:41
and turn
46:42
to Christ.
46:44
Run to
46:44
the cross.
46:46
If you've
46:47
been there
46:47
before,
46:48
go back
46:48
again.
46:49
You may
46:49
find it's
46:49
the first
46:50
time you've
46:51
ever been
46:51
to the
46:52
cross and
46:53
the burden
46:53
of your
46:54
sin is
46:55
loosed
46:55
from your
46:56
back.
46:57
I would
46:58
hope that
46:59
each of us
47:00
would find
47:01
ourselves in
47:01
that first
47:02
category,
47:03
having a
47:04
full assurance
47:05
of our
47:06
faith and
47:07
persevering to
47:08
the very
47:08
end.
47:09
In closing,
47:11
I'm going to
47:11
read to you
47:11
from 2 Peter
47:12
chapter 2
47:13
where the
47:16
Apostle Peter
47:16
writes in
47:17
verse 20
47:17
and 21,
47:18
For if,
47:19
after they
47:20
have escaped
47:20
the defilements
47:21
of the world
47:22
through the
47:22
knowledge of
47:23
our Lord
47:23
and Savior
47:23
Jesus Christ,
47:25
they are
47:25
again entangled
47:26
in them
47:27
and overcome,
47:29
the last
47:30
state has
47:30
become worse
47:31
for them
47:32
than the
47:33
first.
47:34
For it
47:35
would have
47:35
been better
47:35
for them
47:35
to have
47:36
never known
47:36
the way
47:37
of righteousness
47:37
than after
47:38
knowing it
47:39
to turn
47:39
back from
47:40
the holy
47:40
commandment
47:41
delivered to
47:42
them.
47:44
May we
47:44
not be
47:45
those
47:46
people.
47:48
Let's pray
47:48
together.