The Importance of Spiritual Maturity
Teaching – This chapter is a parenthetical excursion from the development of Jesus Christ as High Priest, to the neglected area of spiritual maturity. The writer believed this was a stumbling stone to his audience because they were dull and hard of hearing. (Heb 5:11-12)
The first paragraph of this chapter is difficult to understand. There are several ways to understand it, and since the overriding subject of the chapter is spiritual maturity, it is no surprise that a difficult passage, requiring a bit of hard work and yes, spiritual maturity, is central to its understanding.
Simply Broken Out Summary / Thoughts
| Heb 5:11-14 | The passage begins a detour to the spiritual maturity “train station.” He needs to call them to a sharp change of direction, otherwise they are in danger of foregoing salvation which can only come from faith, back to the old, deadness of the Law of Death. He accuses them of being babes and not even to late childhood, let alone adulthood! |
| Heb 6:1-3 | The therefore is the linkage from Chapter 5’s exhortation to maturity. The word is teliotes, and can also be translated “perfection.” Dead works connotes the works we do outside the power of the Holy Spirit. All throughout the passage, the power of the Spirit in our goal is an absolute requirement, there is no getting around it. This idea is coupled with faith, not, as we shall see, a “foundation of repentance,” but to maturity. |
| Heb 6:4-6 | There are at least three understandings of what this means: Arminians hold that the people described in these verses are Christians who actually lose their salvation. If this be so, notice that the passage also teaches that it is impossible to be saved a second time Some hold that the passage refers not to genuine believers but to those who only profess to be believers. Thus the phrases in verses 4-5 are understood to refer to experiences short of salvation (cf. v. 9). The “falling away” is from the knowledge of the truth, not personal possession of it. Others understand the passage to be a warning to genuine believers to urge them on in Christian growth and maturity. To “fall away” is impossible (since, according to this view, true believers are eternally secure), but the phrase is placed in the sentence to strengthen the warning. Source: Ryrie Study notes, Heb 4:6 |
| Heb 6:7-8 | This is an analogy where we are the ground, and we either bear fruit or thistles. What is harvested, the fruit, or burned away, the thistles, is not us, but WHAT WE BEAR. Therefore, the passage here speaks not about losing salvation, but of rewards. It is vitally important tto go on to spiritual maturity, not to lay aside the gift of God, since this can lead to (apparently) permanent stunted spiritual growth. Mat 13:3-8 v 8 Note that 1 Cor 3:15 > The individual is CLOSE to being cursed. |
| Heb 6:9-12 | This verse is critical in resolving the unclear meaning of verses 4-6. A couple of things to consider:He speaks of things that accompany salvation, not sustain it! This jibes perfectly with James 2:17 (and the whole passage there in James); that the works are a manifestation of salvation, not the cause. “Though we are speaking in this way.” is an additional gentle chide and encouragement, as is verse 12. |
| Heb 6:13-20 | The writer nows goes on after this pressing rebuke (from the end of Chapter 5), to reassure and encourage them not promising what he can do or show or give an attaboy, but by appealing to the nature of God as not being able to lie; consequently being good for His word. Te confidence of hope, real hope, capital H Hope. Unlike wishful thinking, it is sure, and brings confidence and amazing endurance to the mature believer. |
Memory Verse – “Beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.” Hebrews 6:9
Application – How will you live out what you have learned?