In our passage today the writer expressed concern for some members of the church who, after participating in the life of the church, decide to leave the church and follow after the ways of the world. The issue here is not whether a person can lose their salvation; Paul is clear in Romans 5-8 that this will not happen. Rather, the writer is recognizing that human nature is such that a person who turns away from the church is not very likely to want to begin anew with the church. I take his use of the word, ‘impossible’ in the figurative sense, not literally, as nothing is impossible for God. It seems that such people have not mastered the basic teachings of the faith and the author doesn't believe they have fully embraced the faith and thus are not true Christians.
What is shocking in this passage is how the writer describes what he considers the basic, elemental teachings of the Christian faith. The writer expects that a Christian should be well grounded in the Christian doctrines of repentance, faith in God (Hebrews 11:1-6), baptism, laying on of hands, resurrection from the dead and eternal judgment. If an understanding of these doctrines was a condition of going on to a more mature knowledge of the faith how many in our churches are ready to move on?
What word or phrase in these verses
attracts your attention?
Reflect on that word or phrase.
What insights come to you?
How does this passage touch your life today?
21-Feb-12 Heb. 7:1-28
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