2007 Book of Hebrews Series – “Better Things”
Hebrews 6:4-12
Sermon preached at Curwensville Presbyterian Church – April 15, 2007

Prayer Introduction: A Lady asked a preacher one Sunday: “Why do you keep preaching repentance when it doesn't last?” He asked her, “Why do you keep taking baths?” We come to God’s word again and again to hear His call to repentance, and respond through the power of His grace.

Over the last two Sundays, the book of Hebrews has called us to grow up beyond the milk of elementary truths to the solid food of spiritual maturity. This morning’s passage invites us to discover the better things contained in that solid food…We pray now for the preacher in the pulpit. He is not worthy, but by your grace he is able. And so it is through Jesus Christ that we pray – Amen!

READ Hebrews 6:4-12

I. Taste Test (vv.4-6)

These verses come in the context of a call to spiritual maturity and the author wastes no time in helping us to pursue that spiritual maturity. Hebrews 6:4-6 are some of the more hotly debated verses of Scripture. That debate is for those who want to pursue spiritual maturity. And so we are not going to address the full debate right now, but will do so tonight – for those who want to take another step forward in maturity.

            Right now we are just going to begin with a little taste test; since verse 4 says that those who have tasted the heavenly gift and fall away will not be brought back to repentance.

These verses are referring to what is called “Apostasy” – A-P-O-S-T-A-S-Y – which is those who profess faith, but by falling away later prove that they were never truly born again.

As the apostle writes in 1 John 2:19 says, “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.”

A father tells of putting his 4-year-old daughter to bed one evening, He read her the story of the Prodigal Son. They discussed how the young son had taken his inheritance and left home, living it up until he had nothing left. Finally, when he couldn't even eat as well as pigs, he went home to his father, who welcomed him. When they finished the story, he asked his daughter what she had learned. After thinking a moment, she quipped, “Never leave home without your credit card!”

Christians live on credit. We live on the credit of Christ. We are credited with his righteousness – that is how we are forgiven. But some people commit credit card fraud. They claim to be credited in Christ, but they are not. That is apostasy.

            Apostates have tasted the milk of elementary truths; but have never discovered the better thing – loving God and others.

            They may have tasted God’s goodness. They may have even had a profound spiritual experience. They have prayed and seen those prayers answered. They have been blessed by God. But in all of this they have never truly known the Lord.

            Those who fall away from the faith show, in their falling away, that they have never known the better thing. They have known about God, but they have never known God.

II. Good Fruit (vv.7-8)

If you’re sitting there thinking, “Well no one’s perfect, how can you know if anyone is saved? Who are we to judge?” Then you are feeling and thinking the same thing as the original recipients of this letter. And so verses 7-8 are meant to instruct and to encourage listeners by showing them that faith produces works.

            The blessings of God fall on everyone like rain. Jesus said, in Matthew 5:45 – “[God the Father] causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

            Notice that God’s blessings fall on everyone, whether they are Christians or not, just like the rain falls – and the sun shines – on all people.

            The difference is what is produced by God’s blessings. The Christian, who has true faith, “produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed.” However, the unbeliever, “produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed.” [See also Jeremiah 17:5-8].

            In other words, you can tell a Christian by the fruit produced by the blessings they have received from God. In Matthew 7, Jesus said, “By their fruit you will recognize them…every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit” (vv.16a, 17). Jesus goes on to warn, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (vv.21-23).

            No one here wants to hear those words. So what are we to do? We are to examine our lives. Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” What kind of fruit are we producing? Are we producing godly fruit at all?

            This is what is meant in James 2:17 – “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

            One of my all-time favorite passages, Ephesians 2:8-9, reminds me that we are saved by faith alone and not by works, but then verse 10 reminds us, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

            So examine your life for two things: (1) Have you put your full faith in Jesus Christ? And (2) Is that faith producing good works?

When Jesus said, “Do not judge” – he meant do not judge hypocritically and self-righteously. He says we must be willing to remove the log in our own eyes, so that we can see clearly to confront other professing Christians about the speck in theirs. This is one of the greatest things that we can do for each other. Having someone speak the truth in love, allowing us to repent and produce good works by faith – what great assurance that our faith is true.

III. Better Things (vv.9-10)

And so I would have you see the good news of the better things in verses 9-10. The author of this letter encourages the original listeners, and now us, by writing, “Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case – things that accompany salvation.”

            What are the better things – “your work and the love you have shown [God] as you helped his people and continue to help him” (verse 10).

            On Friday night, Jen and I went to see the school’s production of The Fiddler on the Roof. As always they did an excellent job. But did you catch the meaning of the story? Tradition. The Jews of Anatevka were bound to their traditions. Their authority was their traditions. So what are you to do when those traditions get threatened?

            One group says, “These are our traditions, we must follow them.” The other group says, “Traditions need to change.” Where is the authority? With the first group the authority is the tradition, but with the second group the authority is the individual.

            “I want to marry this man…I say so…This is what I want.” Who is the authority? I am.

            Neither group knows the better things of salvation. Our authority should not be ourselves, but neither should our authority be tradition. Our authority is the Triune God, who has revealed who he is and what he requires in his word.

            Tradition often comes from God’s Word. But tradition can also misquote, misinterpret and mis-apply God’s Word – as Tevya frequently does with “the good book” in Fiddler.

            We must never find ourselves bound to traditionalism; but we must not err on the other side of individualism. Instead, we must pursue the better thing – the things accompanying salvation. What are they? Loving God and loving our neighbor (the great commandment).

            Notice that traditionalism, individualism and genuine faith can often look similar. All 3 can find themselves in church – but only one is truly loving the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. All 3 can find themselves doing good things for others – but only one is truly loving their neighbor as themselves.

William Sloan Coffin once said, "The church is full of people who are seeking that which they have already found and only want to become that which they already are.

            Seek more. Seek beyond yourself. Seek beyond your tradition. Seek more of Christ’s lordship of your life. Seek greater love for God and love for his people. Seek spiritual maturity.   

IV. Finish Strong (vv.11-12)

Verses 11-12 call us to finish strong – to show this diligence for loving God and others to the very end of your life. Endure, to be sure. Perseverance of faith brings assurance of faith.

            Laziness can look a lot like apostasy. “I got out of the habit” can look a lot like apostasy. How do you know whether you are just lazy or apostate? By repenting in faith and persevering in faith.

“Sometimes truly regenerate believers backslide and fall into gross sin. But in this way they act out of character, do violence to their own new nature and make themselves deeply miserable, so that eventually they seek and find restoration to righteousness. When regenerate people act in character, they manifest a humble, grateful desire to please the God who saved them, and the knowledge that he is pledged to keep them safe forever simply increases this desire” (NIV Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible).

For hockey fans, this is the best time of the year. Stanley Cup playoffs have started. And as any hockey fan will tell you – the playoffs are a whole different season. It doesn’t matter how many games you won during the season – you need to win tonight. You need to work hard right up to the end.

Getting antsy during a day-long church seminar, a friend of mine leaned over to the man seated next to him and whispered, “Are you going to stay to the bitter end?” To which the man replied, smiling, “I am the bitter end.”

How can you be sure that you are saved? Ask yourself three questions: (1) Have I put my trust in Jesus Christ as my Savior, knowing that he is the only way that I can have right standing before God? (2) Have I truly followed Jesus as Lord, and seen genuine repentance happen in my life? (3) Am I still trusting in Christ as my Savior and following Him as my Lord?

Endure to be sure of your salvation and enjoy the better things of loving God and his people.

MAY THE TRUTH SET YOU FREE – AMEN!