1. Let us go forward. "You lay the foundation for the purpose of building on it!" TO MATURE TEACHING. "You do not progress _away from_ God's act in Christ to set men free. You progress _into_ it!" AND LEAVE BEHIND US. "Let us leave behind the ABC's of the Good News and get into the deeper meanings o... [ Continue Reading ]
2. About baptisms. The Law had many baptisms or immersions of the body in water. Jewish Christians would connect these with Christian baptism in their thinking (see notes on Acts 19:3). The basic idea in them is _purity._ Compare Hebrews 10:22. THE LAYING ON OF HANDS. _Johnson_ sees in this the gift... [ Continue Reading ]
LET US GO FORWARD. This is the _point_ they must learn! IF GOD ALLOWS. This does not imply any doubt that God will allow it, but rather being aware that success depends upon God's will (compare 1 Corinthians 16:7).... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HOW CAN. "Here is what you face if you do not _go forward_! God's mercy does not fail, and we are sure of that! But there is a sin that cannot be forgiven, not because God would not forgive it, but because the one who does it does not believe he has sinned." (See notes on Matthew 12:31-32). TO R... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM EXPERIENCE. They had studied the teachings and promises of the Good News, and believed them! OF THE COMING AGE. Remember this was written to Jews. They called the age of the Messiah: _the coming age._ They would understand this to be speaking of the Christian age. Since the Holy Spirit was ment... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEN THEY FELL away!_ Beza_ in his Latin version made it read: "If they fall away," because he did not believe it possible for Chosen People to _fall away._ But a warning about something which could not happen would be meaningless! _Johnson_ says the phrase means: "Apostatize from the faith." TO... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD BLESSES THE GROUND. "I will show you this example from nature which teaches the doom of those who do not go forward." PLANTS THAT ARE USEFUL. If the ground produces good fruit, more time is spent on it. Compare John 15:1-10.... [ Continue Reading ]
THORNS AND WEEDS. If the ground will only grow thorns and weeds, it has no real value to the farmer. If your life produces only thorns and weeds, God cannot use you!... [ Continue Reading ]
WE FEEL SURE ABOUT YOU. "We speak, like this to warn you of the dangers, but this does not mean that we think you have failed." WE KNOW. We can see in your actions the _evidence_ that you are following Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD IS NOT UNFAIR. God will bless the ground that has already grown good plants. Their Christian activities and practical charities will not be forgotten. IN THE HELP. _MacKnight_ thinks this points especially to helping the persecuted Christians in Judea.... [ Continue Reading ]
OUR GREAT DESIRE. "We want you to keep up the eagerness you have already demonstrated by your actions. This is why you must go forward! The prize comes at the end of the race!... [ Continue Reading ]
WE DO NOT WANT. There was a real danger that they would _become_ lazy and allow themselves to drift away from the Truth, BUT TO BE LIKE THOSE. (1) Like the Christian Gentiles; (2) Like those mentioned in _chapter 11._ AND SO RECEIVE. God requires people to _trust and obey._ Those who receive the pro... [ Continue Reading ]
HE MADE A VOW. "When I say to be like the Christian Gentiles, it is because they will receive what God has promised equally with the Jews. In fact, God's _sure promise_ is illustrated by Abraham.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SAID. Genesis 22:17. I WILL BLESS YOU by accepting your faith as righteousness (Romans 4:22). AND GIVE YOU MANY DESCENDANTS who will be your spiritual children and also be accepted as righteous through their faith. Compare Galatians 3:26-29.... [ Continue Reading ]
ABRAHAM WAS PATIENT. _Patience_ is obedient endurance. Even though things did not happen immediately (as Abraham might have expected), he was patient because he EXPECTED God to keep his promise. His actions showed that he did believe God!!! At the right time, God made his promise come true.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN A MAN MAKES A VOW. A _vow_ is a promise made while calling on (invoking) a person, place, or thing as _witness_ (attestant) to the fact that you will fulfill your promise or commitment. This is also called _swearing an oath_ (compare Matthew 5:33-37; Matthew 23:16-22; James 5:12). SETTLES ALL A... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD WANTED. "To show us in a way we could understand, God added his vow to the promise. This means he would never change his _purpose_ in which he promises to accept men as righteous because of their faith, and to give them the heavenly country.... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE TWO THINGS. God's promise and his vow. Neither of these could ever be broken. ARE GREATLY ENCOURAGED. "We have escaped from the guilt and fear of punishment which makes the Law a curse. We have found safety with Him as we hold firmly to the hope of forgiveness which God promised us and confirm... [ Continue Reading ]
HOPE AS AN ANCHOR. "As the storms howl around the ship, the anchor holds firm in the unseen world below the surface. Just so, hope reaches through the curtain into the inner sanctuary (the _true_ Most Holy Place) and takes hold in the presence of God himself! Our Christian hope is anchored in Eterni... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS HAS GONE IN. As the Jewish high priest went through the curtain into the Most Holy Place in the earthly temple, Jesus has gone into heaven itself and sits at God's right side! By doing this, he has anchored our hope of forgiveness and eternal life, and we hold firmly to it! See Hebrews 10:20_.... [ Continue Reading ]