Hebrews 6:4-12 | It's Time to Stay Faithful

INTRODUCTION: Salvation prayer on roller coasters.

Hebrews 6:4–6 ESV

4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

The biggest question is who is he talking about? Christian or non-Christian.

3 biggest theories:

You lose your salvation.

Hebrews 5:9 “9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,”

Hebrews 10:14 “14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”

Its about non-believers who are around the church.

Its a hypothetical.

Cross illustration.

Yet, many of us know people who have fallen away. Teaching us that there will be many people who for a seasons will look like believers.

Matthew 7:22–23 ESV

22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Don’t let this happen to you!

John 18:9 ESV

9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.”

If you could fall away then Jesus would need to be crucified again.

If you could lose your salvation. You would.

Don’t ask if you can lose your salvation, ask can God lose me?

Hebrews 6:7 ESV

7 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God.

drink the rain - receive the teaching from the word of God. Produces a crop.

receives a blessing from God. - bear fruit. You do what you were designed to do.

Hebrews 6:8 ESV

8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

If your life is marked with thorns and thistles instead of the love of God then you are “closed to being cursed” notice, it is not cursed yet. But close to it. end is to be burned. The final destination: burn. Hell.

If you fall away you become useless to the Lord.

Hebrews 6:9 ESV

9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation.

Draw this out - He has been warning them don’t fall away! …but then he switches it and says but I’m not worried about you.

Leading to assurance

in your case, beloved - He is saying, because you are Christian.

there is something better. - salvation.

Hebrews 6:10 ESV

10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.

God is not unjust - this is true. in all circumstances. We often feel like he is, but he never is.

overlook your work - he sees your faithfulness (sees in secret)

love that you have shown for his name - We love the name of Jesus, and being serving saints as you do.

You want assurance that you are a believer? Serve others for God’s sake.

ILLUSTRATION - overlooking good work at job or school??

Hebrews 6:11 ESV

11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end,

God has no desire to keep you doubting your salvation. He wants you to be assured. How?

By showing earnestness. - the sin makes you doubt, not Jesus.

Hebrews 6:12 ESV

12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Inherit the promises - the point of it all. How do we do that? By faith and patience.

Sluggish - lazy in following Jesus.

imitators - Copy those who inherited it

patience - big difference between being lazy vs being patient.

If you fall away you miss the blessings of the Lord.

CONCLUSION - story of someone who fell away????????????? / emphasis on grace????????????? it is well

Child, hold onto me as I hold onto Jesus…story of boys on my shoulders.

If it was up to you, you would lose your salvation, but it’s not up to you.

If they walk away, then they can’t get saved again. ....Good news, Christians can’t walk away, fully. ....If you do, your not saved.

Falling away - never ate macdonalds chicken again.

Getting saved on every roller coaster.