12 God’s Purpose in Christ

In the second half of chapter 6, we see the author continuing to show how Jesus our representative with the Father, is our great High Priest. The chapter also shows how Jesus’ role as High Priest is connected to our spiritual growth.

When a believer falls away, and then attempts to “re-lay” the foundations of their Christian faith, they are figuratively attempting to re-crucify Christ, and bringing shame upon His finished work at Calvary:

Hebrews 6:6

1 Benefits of Fruitfulness

Hebrews 6:7-8

The author uses an illustration of how a properly cultivated field with the proper amount of rain, should produce “useful” crops.

This would picture blessings received from the Lord.

At the same time, there can be uncultivated land, which while receiving the same rains, will only produce thorns and briers. The result is that instead of being beneficial, the product is rejected, which is the Greek word <adokimos> which means “disapproved”.

The illustration relates to what the author had previously spoken of regarding the benefits of a growing Christian life:

Hebrews 6:4-5

Yet, when a believer walks away from their faith, it devalues both the believer and the work of salvation.

It shows a lack of reliance upon the Holy Spirit, who works upon the believer who enables us to bear abundant fruit, which is God’s desire for us:

John 15:4-5

2 A Better Estimate

The author begins to encourage the Hebrew believers, because of his confidence that they would continue growing in Christ:

Hebrews 6:9-12

The author admits to having dealt more harshly at the outset, but that it had been necessary to do so. He had in effect used “tough love” on them.

He was following a biblical model — where on occasion it becomes necessary to exhort more directly, but then to use more gentle encouragement. Verse 9 is a perfect example of that:

Hebrews 9:9

In verses 10-12 he then praises these believers for their good works. This is much like John did when he wrote to the Ephesian believers, in Revelation 2. He mixed exhortation and encouraging words of praise:

Revelation 2:1-4

We see how both these Hebrew believers, and those in Ephesus, believed their works of service was enough, even while their relationships with the Lord had waned.

In his letter to the Ephesian church, John spoke their decline and fall, yet still encouraging them to repent and to return to the Lord:

Revelation 2:5

In the same way, the author of Hebrews desired to encourage his readers to imitate the faith of others who’d gone before them.

3 God’s Purpose in Christ

The author uses the example of Abraham, who had to wait patiently before God’s promise was fulfilled:

Hebrews 6:13-20

He used the example of Abraham’s faith, because his audience would certainly be familiar with the account, and because Abraham was waited patiently for the fulfillment of God’s promise to bless him with great numbers of descendants:

Genesis 22:16-17

Verse 15 states that Abraham “patiently endured”. The Greek word < makrothymēsas> which means to act in restraint.

God sealed His promise to Abraham with an oath, swearing by His character and reputation.

The author wanted to emphasize two unchanging things:

• God’s promises will indeed come to pass.
• Unlike us, God never changes.

Because of those certainties, we can trust the reliability of the Lord’s promises, and we may take refuge in them.

The idea of “refuge” pointed to two things:

• The Old Covenant cities of refuge, to which someone accused of a capital crime could flee, while awaiting the disposition of his trial.
• Our refuge is to be in Christ, the fulfillment of the cities of refuge, whereby those “guilty” once in Christ, are forgiven, acquitted, and safe from all condemnation.

In verse 19 the author provides more encouragement, and showing how believers are to be anchored in Christ:

Hebrews 6:19

The believer is to be anchored to the Lord, to prevent us from drifting and thus becoming spiritually shipwrecked.

The author then spoke of the “Presence” behind the veil, picture the Lord’s glory in the most holy place, something the Hebrew believers would have certainly been familiar with.

Interestingly, he spoke in terms of it as being something in the present, which pointed to the temple still being in existence when the letter was written.

He then referred to Jesus as “High Priest forever” showing He is our eternal High Priest.

While Jesus never entered behind the veil in the temple in Jerusalem, He continually functions as our heavenly High Priest, not offering sacrifices, but continually interceding on our behalf.

Which points to His being High priest after the order of Melchizedek, which the author will address once again in the next chapter.