This chapter has two distinct parts. The first part flows from the last portion of chapter 5, discussing the elementary doctrine as opposed to the mature doctrine. The second part sets up the explanation of the order of Melchizedek. Let us look closely at each part and set the stage for chapter 7.
We left the last discussion with a discussion about the Word of Righteousness and the powers of discernment. And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Ephesians 4:11-14. The mature Christian has to exercise his mind. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:14. Am I pummeling the equinus rigamortis? Perhaps, but it is only because I saw him flinch.
Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
Repentance from dead works is an interesting phrase, worthy of its own series of posts. James talks about dead faith, but what is this about dead works? The answer is clear from all that we have discussed thus far. Works are not the path to righteousness; works are the path from righteousness. Why are we to leave behind discussion of what is essentially the Gospel? Because the writer wants us to understand how all of the Old Testament types and shadows fit together with the revelation of Jesus Christ in the New Covenant. This is the next level to which he would have us aspire. Of course, Paul never really thought you could assume the Gospel. He spends the first part of every letter reiterating basic doctrine, always making sure that the foundation is solid before building upon it. In our day, this approach is more necessary than ever.
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, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 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. 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. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.
We spend so much time on this concept, worrying about this and that person falling away. Really, if you have the proper reformed categories, this is a non-issue. Let me explain. Let’s assume for a moment that Romans 9-11 and several other places in the both the Old and New Testaments are accurate in discussing the idea of the elect. I like making this assumption because I believe that it is true. But for those Arminians who read this, let’s just make the assumption for a moment. How does that presupposition effect the above passage? The elect cannot fall away. Jesus states that He is the Good Sheppard and He will not lose even the least of His flock. So, to whom, then, is the writer referring that may have fallen away? They cannot be the elect, because the writer states that it is impossible to restore these to whom he is speaking. At this point, some might try and apply that phrase from the Synoptics of which this is an example: But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Luke 18:27. Here is the difference. The writer of Hebrews specifically discusses covenant blessings through the Holy Spirit. Then, he talks about crucifying Jesus once again. The point is this. Not all who are part of the visible church are actually part of the invisible church. Was Judas a circumcised Jew? During life, did he receive the blessings of being within that covenant community? Is he a part of the True Church? In the same way, Baptism brings us into the covenant community. But not all who are Baptized are part of the True Church.
When those who do not have true faith participate in the Sacraments, particularly in Communion, they are doing exactly the unforgivable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. By partaking in Communion without the faith that goes with it, they are, in a very real sense, crucifying Jesus again. The believer goes beyond the crucifixion to the resurrection. The reprobate only goes to the cross, but never to Easter. Therefore, they may appear to drift in and out of covenant community during their lives, without ever truly being believers.
This is not to suggest that we are fruit inspectors. All sheep will certainly stray for a time. But their path back is not blocked, for they return for true repentance, because they understand the source of their righteousness before God. So, like the rain that falls on all ground, all those that receive the Sacraments may not produce good fruit, because that ground was not fertile. They were not among the elect. That ground was only going to product thorns and thistles. Therefore, all of this drifting away was inevitable.
Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 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. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
OK, my friends. What exactly is going on in this paragraph? Let’s start with the phrase things that belong to salvation. Salvation is about judgment. We cannot lose track of that point. The door to salvation is faith in the redeeming work of Christ on the cross, in His propitiating sacrifice. Now, let’s examine God’s justice. 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. Does this sentence undo every other line of scripture concerning justification? And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. How does one have the full assurance of hope until the end? You have that assurance by knowing that our justification is independent of these works. Remember how this section began, talking about repentance from dead works. God will not overlook your good works any more than He will overlook your sin, if you want to base your righteousness on your own works. The point is that, outside of Christ, there are no good works in terms of God’s righteousness, only the righteousness of man, which Paul told us was rubbish. Jesus Christ sanctifies our works as well as the rest of us. After we are justified by faith, we are sanctified by faith so that even our works now are sanctified and truly good works, not those dead works of above. The only way to be imitators of those who inherit the promise is to be one of those who inherit the promises. And since you are one of those, act like it.
For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
In Bible study, we referred to the Covenant ritual of God with Abraham. Here is that passage from Genesis 15:17. When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. In these rituals, there were always TWO things passing through the pieces. The first thing is the Great High King. The second thing is the vassal king, and the blood of the animals was sprinkled upon the second king to remind him of the curses. The conditions, the blessings and the curses, all fell upon the second king. Notice the Covenant ritual of God with Moses from Exodus in chapter 24 and of the Aaron in chapter 29. The blood was cast upon Moses, the Israelites, the altar, the Law, Aaron. In the first example, God, the father, and God, the Son, pass through the pieces. They are clearly of the same substance. All of the Covenant responsibility falls upon God, not on Abraham. All of the Covenant responsibility at Sinai falls upon Israel, not God. These are two totally different types of Covenants. Finally, Jesus had gone behind the curtain, into the Holy of Holies, on our behalf. He is the firstborn from the dead. He tears open the veil and allows us to end boldly, in confidence, in His name.
He is the eternal Great High Priest of the order of Melchizedek. In the next post, we will finally come to Melchizedek.
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