A Call to Maturity • 02.26.23
Nick Lees   -   February 26, 2023

A Call to Maturity
Hebrews 5:11-6:12

Urgent lessons to promote spiritual endurance

  1. Keep growing – do not settle for immature faith
  2. Examine yourself – whom do you worship?
  3. Cultivate zeal – a present passion to love God and love others

 

Good morning, church family! Welcome to those who are visiting. My name is Nick Lees and I serve as the senior pastor here. It is my privilege to study God’s Word with you this morning. We’re continuing our study through the book of Hebrews called Jesus is Better.

Dismiss 4th + 5th graders

Ushers + Bibles (Hebrews 5; page 118_)

Our passage for today is a powerful one. Rather than being the most comforting passage in all of Hebrews like Pastor Jack covered last week, this one sounds a warning cry. It is a reminder for us that there are real heartaches and pains that come from life in the church.

How many of us have watched in horror as someone near and dear to us has walked away from the faith? Or had a trusted counselor or pastor violate or deny the very things they once taught? Perhaps you’re currently walking alongside of someone who is dangerously close to the brink of abandoning the faith. You see the path they are on, the choices they are making, and you know that this path does not end well! How should you respond in such situations? Our passage today not only offers answers, it is a reminder to have a “long view” of faith.

To not arrive too hastily at conclusions of authenticity of faith and to not give up on those who are struggling. We have all likely had periods in our walk with Jesus that were filled with folly and darkness. We need one another in these moments and seasons to call us back to Christ. We need one another to persevere in this race of faith. To run with endurance.

This section of Hebrews is very intentional! Remember, Hebrews is written as a sermonic letter. The author has points he is trying to make. He has been driving home the incredible identity of Jesus and he has been calling his audience to pay much closer attention to Jesus’ great message of salvation. He has warned them of the very real dangers of sin and unbelief. These harden your heart and keep you from entering God’s rest.

Whoever this author is, he clearly cares for his audience. He wants them to persevere in the faith. He is FOR them, not against them. In the verses just prior to our text for today, he reminded them of Jesus’ perfect life and sacrifice as their high priest. This Jesus is the source of eternal salvation to ALL who obey him. Sounds like Good News, right? And it is! There is great salvation available through faith in Jesus Christ!

BUT WHAT IF YOU NEGLECT THE MESSAGE OF JESUS? There is a reason he’s called them to pay much closer attention in 2:1. And to consider Jesus in 3:1. Some were not maturing in their faith. Still others were drifting away from what they had heard and failed to believe. Likely, the deceitfulness of sin was hardening some to the point of unbelief.

Listen to his warning cry in Hebrews 5:11-6:12.

Hebrews 5:11–6:12 (ESV)

11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 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.

6:1 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, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits. 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. 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.

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. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

This is the strongest warning in all of Hebrews. It was meant to be a wakeup call to them, and it is for us as well today. It is a reminder that following Christ and growing in godliness is no small matter. So, let’s spend our time studying…

Urgent lessons to promote spiritual endurance

You can hear the author’s concern radiating out of his words here! Some of his audience had neglected the pursuit of godliness and it showed! By this time, they ought to have matured to the point of teaching others about the faith, but they’re still on the basics. They are milk-drinkers, not meat-eaters. Children in their faith rather than mature adults.

Now, the lessons of verses 11-14 are one we can all understand. Everyone knows a human can’t stay on a diet of milk their entire life. Why? It cannot sustain you. What was sufficient for a baby ceases to be sufficient for an adult! It is God’s design for babies to learn to eat solid food so that they can get the necessary nutrition to grow up into maturity. This is what is healthy and good for them! Milk does not contain fiber, iron, or many other vitamins that are important to a healthy diet. It would be an unnatural thing to meet a 12 year old or a 24 year old whose sole sustenance was milk. Humans must learn to eat solid food as part of their maturation process. It is essential to their physical well-being. God has designed it this way.

Likewise, God has designed you for spiritual growth. It is incredibly unhealthy for a Christian to settle for a basic understanding of the faith. God has given you the word of righteousness so that you may study it and become wise. To learn how to live a holy life and discern between good and evil. This is a necessary part of your spiritual maturation process.

Living on spiritual milk is a disastrous choice that you must not make! The urgent lesson intended to promote spiritual endurance here is…

  1. Keep growing – do not settle for immature faith

The author is concerned for those who have settled for immaturity. Rather than growing in their knowledge and application of God’s Word, they have chosen to be undisciplined in the word of righteousness. Though time has passed since their initial profession of faith, they are not growing as expected. They are spiritual children rather than adults. Rather than being in a position to teach others the depths of the faith, they need someone to teach them again the basics of God’s Word.

It’s clear from the author’s argument that this is unacceptable for Christians. Christians are called to spiritual maturity. Other places in Scripture tell us that we are to be conformed to the image of Christ! I’ve personally been reading in 1 John for my daily time in the Word. To my surprise and delight there has been a lot of overlap in concepts between 1 John and Hebrews. Consider this teaching about what ought to happen in the life of a Christian:

1 John 2:4–6 (ESV)

4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

The expectation was growth through obedience! To abide in God is to walk in the same way Jesus walked. Literally living out the question – “What would Jesus do?”

This only happens as you consistently study and apply God’s Word. We must carefully and thoughtfully study the Scriptures to unearth its riches. This was such a consistent theme in our study of the Pastoral Epistles last year. Do you recall Paul’s counsel to his protégé, Timothy?

2 Timothy 3:14–17 (ESV)

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

He started with the exhortation to CONTINUE in what he has learned and firmly believed. There is to be forward progress. Consistent pursuit of the Lord through the study of His Word!

All Scripture is from God and profitable (beneficial) for your growth and maturation in the faith! It is by commitment to study of God’s Word that he refines and equips you to be the man or woman of God you were made to be! As we hear both in 2 Timothy and in Hebrews, God’s Word confronts and exposes our sin so that we can change. And it doesn’t just confront us, it provides the necessary instruction in order to replace sin with righteousness! To keep growing in our faith! (Point #1 slide)

If you neglect to study God’s Word, then you will remain childish in your faith. You will not be able to distinguish between good and evil. You will be liable to constantly make foolish, sinful decisions.

We all know someone like this. Their choices often don’t make sense. They unnecessarily make their lives harder. They repeat the same struggles over and over again when God has clear answers for them. They refuse help and believe they are doing fine on their own. If you don’t know anyone like this, then I have bad news for you, it might be you.

It is one thing when we have a child who lacks wisdom and makes a foolish choice. As a parent, why would I be surprised when my child puts gum in their hair? They lack wisdom. They need training.

But it is a completely different matter to have an adult in the same situation. They ought to know better! They have had sufficient time and opportunity to learn wisdom. With a child it may be amusing, but with an adult it is quite concerning. Let’s turn the mirror of Scripture on ourselves…

Are you growing as you ought to be? Or have you settled for immature faith? How skilled are you in knowing and applying God’s Word? Obedience is a real litmus test of your faith. It is imperative for each one of you to evaluate your life to ensure that you are continuing to grow.

If you are concerned about your answer to these evaluations, then please reach out for help. The whole point of this part of Hebrews is to call his people to maturity and spiritual endurance. That is my desire for you too. Do not settle for immature faith, ask for help – in your small group, from leadership here at the church, or from another mature man/woman within the body. Don’t settle for milk when meat is on the table.

  • Growth work
    • Read Psalm 1, 19, 119 and consider what they say about maturing in the faith.
    • Make a personal growth plan to grow this year and pick at least one person to talk to about it. (SLIDE: Template available on /resources)

The author of Hebrews does not intend to leave his audience in immaturity. Which is why he transitions in 6:1-3 into a call to maturity. He is rallying the troops and stating his intent to help lead them into growth, God permitting. Everything he does he is seeking to do under God’s perfect plan and authority. As we move through this text, there can be no question that the expectation for Christians is to be growing!

But then we get into the concerning content of 6:4-8. The author pens some of the most haunting words in the New Testament describing the reality of someone who has lost the ability to repent and be saved. Let’s read this again.

Hebrews 6:4–8 (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. 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.

Whom is he talking about here? Is he describing authentic Christians who lost their salvation? Or is he speaking of someone else?

I believe the best way to answer this is by telling you a story. A true story. So, settle in and listen up.

Once upon a time there was a man called by the Lord. He was called to follow him. This man obeyed and began to go where the Lord went and do what the Lord told him to do. He witnessed great miracles, the water turned into wine, the blind receiving sight, the lame walking, the deaf given back their hearing, lepers cleansed, the feeding of thousands of people from a few fish and loaves of bread, which he even got to participate in by handing them out over and over and over again… even the dead were raised before his very eyes. He was present for tremendous sermons laying out God’s plan for the kingdom of heaven. He saw and witnessed great things over the course of the days, weeks, months, and years ahead. With his own ears he heard the call to repent and believe, many, many times. He saw the Lord’s treatment of the religious hypocrites, those who put on a show of worshiping God. He rose to a position of some importance within the traveling ministry group – managing their money. Do you know who this man was? Judas Iscariot.

Judas was one of the twelve. He experienced incredible things in the 3 years he traveled with Christ. And yet, his heart was not changed. From the outside, he appeared to be a devout follower of Jesus. When the Last Supper came and Jesus announced that one of them would betray him, the rest of the group didn’t respond with, “It’s Judas isn’t it! We always knew something was off about him!” They didn’t say that because no one suspected him. He looked like everyone else!

I believe Judas’ example is very helpful for interpreting this passage in Hebrews 6:4-8. Judas demonstrates that it is possible to be deeply involved in the things of Christianity without ever truly turning away from sin and believing in Jesus. He had been enlightened as he sat under Jesus’ teachings, he tasted the heavenly gift and shared in the Holy Spirit’s blessings as he witnessed miracles and enjoyed the fellowship of the saints… he tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come to a degree that many of us may not know until heaven… and yet he walked away in unbelief.

Being around true and spiritual things are not enough to save. It is hard to say, but it needs to be said that some of the most faithful church attenders, the most generous givers, the most sacrificial servants… may be going to hell. If they don’t have faith in Jesus. Your works and your experiences DO NOT SAVE YOU. Faith in Jesus Christ alone saves you. Faith is what Judas did not have. And I believe that the author of Hebrews is warning a similar group of people here. People who do not have faith, despite experiencing so much of the blessings of Christian community and God’s work.

You see, an important principle of Bible study is that Scripture always interprets Scripture. When you come to a hard passage, you must read it in light of other, clearer Scriptures to help you interpret it. And other places in Scripture teach us two valuable lessons:

  • There are people who will reject Christ and walk away from Christian community because they were never truly a part of it. They had not believed.

1 John 2:19 (ESV)

19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

Matthew 13:1–7 (ESV)

13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.

5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.

The second and third soils are the people talked about in Hebrews 6. They never believed. And when life got hard or a more enticing lifestyle came around, they fell away. So, again, first lesson is:

  • There are people who will reject Christ and walk away from Christian community because they were never truly a part of it. They had not believed.

The second lesson is…

  • Those who God saves, he keeps and protects until the end. There is an assurance of salvation that cannot be taken or lost.

1 John 5:13 (ESV)

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

John 10:27–29 (ESV)

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

1 Peter 1:3–5 (ESV)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

These truths are meant to be a balm to your soul if you are a believer. Hebrews 6 is not intended to cause true believers to fear. It is intended to cause those who are putting on a show to repent before it is too late. Do not continue down the path of experiencing the good blessings of God through association with Christian community without confessing your own sin and placing your faith in Jesus Christ.

The urgent lesson intended to promote spiritual endurance here is…

  1. Examine yourself – whom do you worship?

Yet again, this passage provides you with an opportunity to evaluate yourself. Whom do you worship? Are you worshiping the Lord, the radiant image of God who is our great high priest and perfect sacrifice for your sins? The one who has made eternal salvation available? Or are you living in a manner that is more consistent with worship of self?

There is a real danger in thinking you can fool God. As we heard two weeks ago in 4:11-13, he knows your heart. He is not fooled by anyone. Just as the Hebrews needed to heed this call, so do you. It is healthy to examine yourself – to check and make sure that you truly do believe and are living for the Lord. The primary purpose of the warning of 6:4-12 is to motivate to action rather than to offer theological instruction. Allow this to produce movement in your walk with God!

Far better to go through the painful process of self-evaluation than to have a hard heart that leads to destruction on the day of judgment. I want to give you some more growth work to apply this text:

  • Take time to write out your testimony of faith
    • How you came to know Jesus as your Savior and Lord
    • How your life has been transformed since then
  • Take time to evaluate your stewardship
    • How you are using your time, talent, and treasures
    • How you are actively obeying when confronted by God’s Word
  • Take time to evaluate your desires
    • What are you most excited about
    • What do you talk about the most
    • Where do you want to spend your time/energy
    • To what degree do you think about pleasing Jesus on a daily basis

These evaluations are meant to help you celebrate the wonderful work of Jesus and check whether you are responding appropriately to him in worship and a life of obedient devotion. Perhaps you will find some areas that need to be addressed to help you faithfully follow him! Praise God for that, it is an opportunity for growth and to experience greater joy in Christ.

Now, I think it is important for me to point out that in these verses there is a shift in the author’s language. He went from saying “we/us” prior to verse 4 to “those/them” in verses 4-8. Then he shifts back to “we” in verses 9-12.

These changes are used to indicate his confidence that those to whom he is writing are not the ones who have fallen away unable to repent. He reassures them that they are bearing the fruit of repentance.

Hebrews 6:9–12 (ESV)

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. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Our final urgent lesson intended to promote spiritual endurance is…

  1. Cultivate zeal – a present passion to love God and love others

What you’ve read today reveals that the author cares about his people. He loves them enough to rebuke them and call them to maturity, to warn them of the dangers of not pursuing Christ, but also to recognize the good fruit he does see in them. He is not trying to lead them to being a fearful, blubbering mess. He wants them to faithfully prioritize and pursue Christ… to cultivate zeal – a present passion to love God and love others… because he knows Jesus is better than everything else! Living for Jesus as Jesus lived is the best way to live. He is looking out for their eternal wellbeing, as any good pastor ought to do.

And so, he transitions out of the warning to reassurance. And a reminder for them to continue in their earnestness until the end. He wants them to experience the perseverance of the faith that leads to the assurance of hope – the hope of eternity with Christ.

There is an assurance that comes from bearing fruit in keeping with repentance. It is evidence of salvation. The seed of the Gospel bearing good fruit in your life.

Please do not confuse this with salvation. Your works do not save you. But they are a testimony that God has done a work in you. Listen to Jesus’ own words about discerning authentic faith:

Matthew 7:16–17 (ESV)

16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.

Or again from the Apostle John:

1 John 4:7–8 (ESV)

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

There are real evidences of faith that we can expect to see in a believers’ life. Authentic faith produces good fruit – love for God and others.

It is the complacent or sluggish churchgoer that needs to be alarmed. Those who have a “ho-hum” attitude about the faith are living contrary to the calling of Christ. The Scriptures call Christians to be zealous or passionate for the things of God! After all, we are a people who have been brought from death to life. Saved from wrath to eternal bliss with God! Listen to the way Paul spoke about the Gospel leading us to live zealously!

Titus 2:11–14 (ESV)

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

You do not want to be like the Church of Laodicea, which is rebuked in the book of Revelation for its lukewarm faith. They are threatened with being spit out of God’s mouth in discipline… Listen to his call to action to them:

Revelation 3:19 (ESV)

19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

God confronts them in their complacency and calls them to zeal/passion in pursuing godliness.

This entire section we’ve studied today reveals that it is healthy and good for Christians to love one another by addressing sin or dangerous patterns of life. This author cared enough for his people to warn them about the dangerous path they were on. He loved them enough to call them to maturity in the faith.

We have to recognize that this is a necessary part of living in Christian community. Confrontation that is based in the truth and delivered in love is for our good and our growth. You should want people to speak into your life. To help you see areas of temptation and sin about which you may be blind or complacent. In the words of Commentator George Guthrie:

“In a healthy church and in authentic relationships within the church, confrontation is inevitable. The pain and awkwardness accompanying such loving confrontation are not easy for anyone to experience. But ‘no-talk’ rules, if allowed to prevail, will lead to spiritual demise, turning a community of faith into a mere crowd held together by formalities.” (NIVAC, 211)

Healthy things grow! And part of growth is addressing hindrances to growth. In this case – folly and sin. And you should desire a church culture where spiritual growth into maturity is the norm, not the exception. That comes through many means, including confronting sin in a loving, restorative manner.

To stay spiritually immature is a dangerous thing. Spiritual immaturity leads us to live according to the flesh rather than the Spirit. Such a person is unfit for righteousness and such a church is ineffective for the kingdom of God. *Pause* So how do you fit in?

After evaluating your own spiritual maturity, invite others in to walk with you. Grow together. Be willing to have hard conversations for the sake of spiritual maturity. Encourage one another in the faith. Protect each other from the deceitfulness of sin. Do all that you can to prevent people from living a life of spiritual immaturity that results in them falling away in the end. Another insightful challenge from Guthrie:

“As Christ-followers we are challenged to reject lives of lazy mediocrity, in which neither we nor others can witness the powerful ministry of God’s Spirit in and through us.” (239)

I want to call our church, meaning you and me, to be a people who are zealous for the Lord. Passionate about his work in our metro. Committed to our own growth in spiritual maturity. And committed to the growth of those we serve alongside of.

Do not settle for milk when meat is on the table. Plan for growth in 2023. Dig into the Word. Invite others in. Do not walk alone. Fight for holiness together. Serve the Lord joyfully. Meet needs within the church and in the community.

And if you’re here and you’ve been wrestling with the Lord, putting off submission to his rule and reign over your life, or you’ve been living a life of secret sin, playing at church, I would invite you to repent and believe in Jesus Christ for salvation today. Let today be the start of a wonderful journey of authentic faith.

Let’s pray and ask God for help.