Hebrews – Better Things for You
In chapter six of Hebrews, the writer has just told us that mature Christians (ones who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, Hebrews 6:4-6 WEB) who have fallen away, that it is impossible to renew them again to repentance;
Now he pivots to let us know, that it doesn’t have to be that way for us. He was persuaded that for his audience there were “better things for you” in store.
Why? What persuaded him? Hebrews 6:9 ff
God is not unrighteous, he won’t forget “our work” and our “labor of love” toward His name that “you served the saints and still do…”
He exhorted them to “show the same diligence” to the end and don’t be “sluggish, but imitators” of those who through “faith and patience inherited the promises.”
What promises?
God made a promise to Abraham… swearing an oath by Himself, “since He could find no one greater.”
“‘Most surely I will bless you, and I will surely multiply you.’ 15 Thus, having patiently endured, [Abraham] obtained the promise.”
His oath is: Most surely I will
His promises are: bless you and multiply you
God was “determined to show… to the heirs of the promise the [unchangeableness] of his counsel,… with an oath;” that in these two things, in which it is impossible for God to lie: His oath & His promise, “we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us. 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast” – Hebrews 6:17-19 (WEB)
What "better things for us" ?… God’s oath, promises, and Hope!
— Scott R