Tuesday Bible Study Hebrews Outline as requested

[HKHaugan]

Hebrews 6

We have been lifting up the subject of the priesthood of Christ, which is the priesthood He shares with us. We are but partial sharers inasmuch as He is the High Priest governing our priesthood. What is really happening in this experience of being priests is that while His priesthood is completed and complete ours continues to expand as we exercise our faith from moment to moment. His priesthood of the sacrifice of His blood was once and for all. Our priesthood is to be priests sacrificing ourselves through repentance, worship, witness, exercising our spiritual gifts in the fruit of the Spirit allowing Him to minister through us.

As we begin Chapter 6 the ‘therefore’ is based on 5:11-14 which outlines the slowness of those who are falling away from personal faith in Jesus. They need milk, not solid food because they act as though they have not known what righteousness is all about. The issues of persecution, social and economic pressure have not been seen as opportunities but as distractions that overwhelm them.

Yes, they have believed the basics but haven’t gotten beyond them. It is as though they depended on belief to get them by but not actually putting the substance of belief into practice.

It is not that they should rid themselves of the basics but rather see them as building blocks upon which they stand to let their faith work as they face every next moment. They don’t have to go back and rehearse them over and over.

Perhaps they have begun to use their experience to measure the validity of their faith rather than letting the validity of their faith shape how they react to their experience. That is what righteousness is all about. Righteousness is faith at work. It is faith at work in every next moment. That’s how faith justifies us. It makes us understand what experience is when we let the Lord lead us in every next moment.

As we believe in our minds and trust that belief in our hearts then it is by faith in our spirit that we live out spiritual reality, which is ultimate reality, to the fullest. It is belief, trust and faith that make up what it means to be righteous. That is the character we build within and the attitude that is seen without. Character and attitude describe who and what we are as images of God acting out His presence in our lives. This is what changes our environment and transforms the world around us. This is how Jesus reconciles the world around us and makes absolute reality real in the temporary and secures our place in eternity.

6:1-2 Maturity is the issue here. How do we define maturity? See Eph.4:11-13
What slows down maturity? Compare with Eph.4:22-24. Are vs.1-2 an indication of a new legalism forming?
6:4-6 Five experiences highlight a believer’s spirituality
1. been enlightened
2. tasted the heavenly gift
3. shared in the Holy Spirit
4. tasted the goodness of the Word of God
5. tasted the powers of the coming age
These are continuously available.
But it is impossible for those who fall away to be brought back to repentance because of two things;
First, they are recrucifying Christ again (they are repeating some of the dynamics that put Jesus on the Cross)
Second, they are subjecting Him to public disgrace (denying His grace by their public witness in falling away)

6:7-8 an agricultural example to explain vs.4-6. We need to refer to Gen.3:17on and see the spiritual parallels. What are the thorns and thistles and is this similar
to Matt.13:24, the Parable of the Weeds?

6:9-12 things that accompany salvation
1.work and love shown in help given God’s people
2.help that is continuing in the present
3.diligence is the attitude lifted up
4.imitate faith and patience in order to inherit promises

6:13-15 promise to Abraham Gen.22:16 came through patience

6:16-20 When man swears an oath it is based on someone greater. When God speaks it is a final declaration out His perfection and Holiness.

Vs.17 First, God’s unchangeable nature means an unchanging purpose.
Second, to illustrate His unchanging nature He presents two unchangeable things, His promise and His oath.
When God speaks He acts. Creation---God spoke and He acted.

Vs.18 We who have fled—what have we fled from?
What is the hope that contrasts where we have been to why we choose Him?
Abraham’s hope in 8:14 then Rom.8:20-24

Vs.19-20 Hope---entering the inner sanctuary behind the curtain where Jesus entered on our behalf as the High Priest forever in the order of Melchizedek
1.temple, inner sanctuary, Jerusalem, Promised Land
2.Jesus the High Priest enters that we may enter.
3.High Priest of the promises of God and the Cross is the oath for our salvation.
4.High Priest of the Kingdom of God and High Priest of this world

Next, ch.7 Melchizedek

[HKHaugan]

Thanks Jacqui, the site is growing. Anyone you'd like to invite? Please do. ><>W

[jacque Wright]

Thank you for putting into words the meaning of faith. It is true that when we believe and put our trust in God; He's always there for us. It's amazing how much God loves us and how much it pleases Him when we place our lives in His hands. He gave us so much, in the sacrifice of His Son; in order to prove that to us. How could we not return all that we are and have to Him. Thanks again!