Understanding Hebrews 6:4-6 and other Warning Passages of Hebrews

One of the most hotly debated topic among Christians is in regard to the doctrine of perseverance. This doctrine pertains to the understanding of the nature of salvation that Christians have in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Reformed Christians have always believed in the preservation and perseverance of the saints. In other words, we believe a Christian would be kept by God from falling away and would thus persevere till the end. Thus all true Christians shall persevere till the end and only those who persevere till the end are true Christians. 

The warning passages in the book of Hebrews have always been considered as a clear biblical objection against such an understanding of the nature of salvation. The debate is whether the book of Hebrews teaches the final perseverance of the saints or does it teach some genuine Christians will fall away.  This question is essentially an exegetical one and thus needs to be answered by an exegete who carefully examines and exegetes the text to understand the teaching of the book.

Dr. Wayne Grudem, Research Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies at Phoenix Seminary, has done a very thorough case study on Hebrews 6:4-6 and other warning passages of Hebrews, in his contribution to The Grace of God and The Bondage of the Will Vol.I (Eds:Thomas Schreiner, Bruce Ware; Grand Rapids: Baker, 1995). Grudem’s basic thesis is “by focusing our attention within the book of Hebrews itself, we will see that this passage in its immediate context and within the larger context of the book of Hebrews as a whole, is entirely consistent with the Reformed doctrine of the perseverance of the saints.”

Grudem’s analysis of this passage in its immediate and wider context of Hebrews is exegetically sensitive and theologically astute. After his analysis of the book of Hebrews, he moves onto the wider canon of New Testament. Grudem’s interacts with the rest of the New Testament to show how similar descriptions like in Hebrews 6:4-6, is used elsewhere by Jesus and the Apostles, to refer to people who, though having enjoyed many blessings, were not saved. He concludes his article with some implications of his exegetical investigation, on the assessment of and proclamation of the doctrine of perseverance.

The article has been organized as follows :

I.              Analysis of Hebrews 6:4-6 in its immediate context

a.     Definition of the question

b.    The meanings of the descriptive terms in verses 4-6

                                          i.    The argument that these people were once saved

                                         ii.    The argument that the terms alone are inconclusive

                                        iii.    Other views of 6:4-6

                                        iv.    Conclusion regarding the positive terms in 6:4-6

                                         v.    Why is it impossible to restore such people to repentance?

c.     Verses 7-8: The metaphor of the field

d.    Verses 9-12: Better things, that is , things that belong to salvation

e.    Chapters 3-4: Comparison with the earlier state of those who fell away elsewhere in Hebrews

f.     Comparison with language describing the saved elsewhere in Hebrews

g.    Conclusions regarding Hebrews 6:4-6

II.             Analysis of other warning passages in Hebrews

a.    Hebrews 2:1-4

b.    Hebrews 3:6-4:13

c.    Hebrews 10:26-31

d.    Hebrews 12:25

III.            Comparison with related passages in the rest of the New Testament

IV.           Conclusions for the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints

This article is one of the finest exegetical treatment of the warning passages in Hebrews. It is very easy to read and would be appealing to both laymen and scholars.

Perseverance of the Saints  Read | Download

Living in Light of the Gospel

John Stott expounds Romans 11:33-36 to describe what living in light of the gospel is. He defines this life as one of worship, noting the doxology of Paul at the end of the theological section and at the beginning of the practical section of Romans. Stott then expounds the verses one by one to show how a right knowledge of God would and should produce true worship in our life.  He shows three noteworthy truths of God in Paul’s doxology – i) how God is altogether beyond us, ii) how God is altogether independent of us and iii) how God is the center : the source, the means and the end, of all things.  Stott then spends the rest of the time exploring the relationship of theology and doxology.  He notes how our knowledge of God and our worship of God are never to be separated from each other, rather the former flowing into the latter and the latter flowing from the former, in order to live a life in light of the gospel. 

Living in Light of the Gospel : Worship  Listen | Download

Our Fourfold Duty To The Gospel

More than forty years ago, John Stott expounded the second epistle of Paul to Timothy, to emphasize the different aspects of a gospel-faithful ministry.  Stott in his introduction says :

In each of these four chapters, the Apostle Paul seemed to emphasize the different aspects of Timothy's responsibility. In chapter 1, Timothy was told to guard the gospel. He was to protect it, pure and undefiled. In chapter 2, he was told to suffer for it. In chapter 3, he was told to continue in it, to abide in it, and not to deflect from it to the right hand or to the left. And in chapter 4, he was told to preach it, to make it known.[1]

Stott’s exposition is straightforward and marked with excellent observations and reflections. He sticks to the passage and brings out the essential meaning of the passage.  At the end of his first address, while concluding his exposition of the first chapter, he summarizes as follows:

The gospel is good news of salvation. It was promised from eternity, was secured and purchased by Jesus Christ, and is now offered to friends. First, we must communicate it faithfully, we shall undoubtedly suffer for it. And when we suffer for it, we shall be tempted to trim it and to eliminate the elements that provoke opposition. So then, third, and above all, we must guard it against every possible corruption, keeping it pure whatever the cost. Guard it faithfully, spread it actively, suffer for it bravely - that is our threefold duty.[2]

Though given many years ago, this excellent exposition is still worth reading in our day and ministers would benefit by taking time to read these gospel meditations.  At the end of the series, Stott outlines a gospel-centered ministry, from this epistle, as follows :

Guard it--the gospel is a treasure;

Suffer for it--the gospel is an offense to the people;

Continue in it --the gospel is profitable;

Proclaim it - the gospel is good news.[3]

It is a pity that the thing that is most missing in today's Evangelical churches is the biblical gospel. May the Lord foster biblically faithful and gospel-centered ministry in His church.  It is hoped that these expositions would serve as an instrument for this purpose.

2 Timothy 1 : The Charge to Guard the Gospel             Read | Download

2 Timothy 2 : The Charge to Suffer for the Gospel        Read | Download

2 Timothy 3 : The Charge to Continue in the Gospel     Read | Download

2 Timothy 4 : The Charge to Preach the Gospel            Read | Download

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[1]  Guard the Gospel: 2 Timothy 1, Urbana 1967

[2]  Ibid

[3]  Preach the Gospel: 2 Timothy 4, Urbana 1967