Blessed Assurance

Our Sunday School lesson has grab me profoundly this morning. Knowing we have the assurance of true salvation. The writer of Hebrews opens chapter 6 with the admonishment of growing up in the faith. The writer we must move on elementary doctrine to a more mature approach.

As Christians we can get stuck and not grow. We get use to where we are and don’t allow ourselves to think bigger or more expansive.

He said in chapter 5 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. (Heb 5:12–14).

So often we need to be reminded to grow up. Paul said something similar to the Corinthians 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. (1 Co 3:2–3).

So as we continuing in our walk its important for us to makes concrete steps toward maturity. The Hebrews were at risk of relying old way of works of rependent Yet we know that we cant work our way into heaven. Our salvation is secured in Christ. Remember that its in this same book chapter 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. (Heb 9:14).

We must embrace the thought of growing or maturing in Christ.

Charles Spurgeon said, Looking at the scope of the whole passage, it appears to us that the Apostle wished to push the disciples on. There is a tendency in the human mind to stop short of the heavenly mark. As soon as ever we have attained to the first principles of religion, have passed through baptism, and understand the resurrection of the dead, there is a tendency in us to sit still; to say, “I have passed from death unto life; here I may take my stand and rest;” whereas, the Christian life was intended not to be a sitting still, but a race, a perpetual motion

Spurgeon, C. H. (1856). Final Perseverance. In The New Park Street Pulpit Sermons (Vol. 2, p. 169). Passmore & Alabaster.

First we must recognize once you are saved there is no going back.

Since we have the assurance of salvation we we must know there is no turning back. Look at verse 4-6 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. (Heb 6:4–6).

Secondly our salvation will have evidence of growth. The writer says 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. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned. (Heb 6:7–8).

Its interesting that the writer likens our lives as solid that produces results. we who are saved received the rain from God and we produce.

Finally we have the assurance God sees our works.

9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 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.(Heb 6:9–10).

The message Bible says, I’m sure that won’t happen to you, friends. I have better things in mind for you—salvation things! God doesn’t miss anything. He knows perfectly well all the love you’ve shown him by helping needy Christians, and that you keep at it. (Heb 6:9–10).