Friday, August 9, 2013

God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name

The foundations of the gospel of Christ include repentance, faith towards God, baptism, laying hands, resurrection of the dead, eternal judgment. All these are considered to be the basics of doctrines. As the Christian matures, they should have these principles but also to expand beyond this. There is a warning that people who have experienced these foundational doctrines, then turned away, it would not be possible for them to come back. Perhaps it indicates that after knowing the truth and yet fall away, they must not have truly believed in the first place.

God recognizes our work for Him, even though it is not counted for salvation. The author urges believers to keep the hope and faith and patience to the end, to inherit the promises. Abraham is mentioned as the example whose faith led him to hope in God's promises to the end. The fact that God could not lie also strengthens our hope. Jesus also has led us by example of entering into the presence of God, and be a High Priest for us, again mentioning of the order of Melchizedek.




Hebrews 6
The Peril of Not Progressing

1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this we will[a] do if God permits.

4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away,[b] to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; 8 but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

A Better Estimate

9 But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. 10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of[c] love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

God’s Infallible Purpose in Christ

13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.”[d] 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16 For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. 17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might[e] have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

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