July 12, 2022
A Promise Enduring: An Invitation to Hope
Hebrews 6
Dillon Everett
Central Truth
God, who has never lied and can't lie, has made a promise to us that we can have eternal life and an enduring hope when we trust in Him.
Key Verse | Hebrews 6:17-18
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.
Hebrews 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, 1 6:2 Or baptisms (that is, cleansing rites) 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.
The Certainty of God's Promise
13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” 15 And thus Abraham, 2 6:15 Greek he having patiently waited, obtained the promise. 16 For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. 17 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, 18 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. 19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
Listen to the Podcast
Listen NowDive Deeper | Hebrews 6
What is assurance? The official definition is "being certain, a pledge, or guarantee." Another way to put it is a declaration intended to give confidence, a promise.
Have you ever been so sure of something that you swore on it, and you promised and begged someone to believe you? It was so obvious to you that it had happened or that what you had experienced was indeed truth.
Well, in Hebrews 6 God swears in this case by His own promise. The difference between us is that He is God, so there is no greater being in the universe to swear on. Thus, He can do so on Himself. He swore to Abraham that He would multiply him, and guess what? He did. He is God. He does not lie, and He cannot lie. He has unchangeable character. When He promises something, it happens every single time. The Bible is full of stories to prove it.
Now what is this promise, this guarantee that He is so eager for us to know? Hebrews 6:18 tells us that God made an oath to those who believe in Him, that we can have "strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope" that we can spend eternity with God. Jesus went on our behalf to God, or "the inner place behind the curtain" (Hebrews 6:19), having borne on the cross the burden of sin that we could never repay, so that we, too, can receive eternal life. We can have full assurance.
If we can have full confidence in where we are going, then we must step up and into maturity (Hebrews 6:1), setting aside our sluggish ways, with our eyes on the hope set before us. We must remind ourselves and each other of the promises God has already delivered on and the ones still waiting for us. We can hold fast to His unchanging character, anchoring ourselves to Jesus and using faith and patience to make war with an enemy who falsely claims that God does not make good on His promises!
Discussion Questions
1. Do you have doubts about God's promises for your life? Which verses stand out in reminding you of God's faithfulness?
2. Hebrews 6:12 calls us to "not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises." What are ways your faith has been sluggish lately? What are action items you can do to change that? Who is a spiritual leader, either in the Bible or in your life, that you point to who embodies faith and patience?
3. Whom can you reassure today with a reminder of God's promise? Text or call them and tell them.