Sermon Tone Analysis

Overall tone of the sermon

This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
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Why This Text?
This passage is another of the warning passages within this book.
As I stated before, this book, to me, is a ongoing set of warnings to believers who were tempted to leave the clarity of the New Covenant and the Gospel for the rituals and obscurity of the Old Covenant as understood by the Jewish leaders of that era.
Bruce notes that “These ‘Hebrews’ were exposed to a subtle danger which could not be experienced by converts from paganism.
But the “Hebrews” were exposed to a subtle danger which could not be experienced by converts from paganism.
If a convert from paganism gave up Christianity and reverted to paganism, there was a clean break between the faith which he renounced and the paganism to which he returned.
But it was possible for the recipients of this letter, yielding gradually to pressures from various quarters, to give up more and more those features of faith and practice which were distinctive of Christianity, and yet to feel that they had not abandoned the basic principles of repentance and faith, the realities denoted by religious ablutions and the laying on of hands, the expectation of resurrection and the judgment of the age to come.
For the writer to go on insisting on these things, therefore, would not really help them; it would be better to press on to those teachings which belonged to spiritual maturity, in the hope that the maturity would come with the teachings.
“This, then, we will do, God permitting”34—that is to say, not merely will our author go on to give his mature teaching about the Melchizedek priesthood, but he and his readers together will advance to full growth in Christ, please God.
If a convert from paganism gave up Christianity and reverted to paganism, there was a clean break between the faith which he renounced and the paganism to which he returned.
By contrast, It was possible for the recipients of this letter, yielding gradually to pressures from various quarters, to give up more and more those features of faith and practice which were distinctive of Christianity, and yet to feel that they had not abandoned the basic principles of repentance and faith, the realities denoted by religious ablutions and the laying on of hands, the expectation of resurrection and the judgment of the age to come.
Let’s consider where we have been - it was a plea for spiritual maturity.
There has been a constant example of Israel - the author is speaking to Jews who are looking at Israel
What Are The Major Views of This Text?
In the passage of today there are four primary views of the text:
In the passage of today there are four primary views of the text:
The Arminian View: true believers lose their salvation if they fall away from Christ
THE ARMINIAN VIEW: TRUE BELIEVERS LOSE THEIR SALVATION IF THEY FALL AWAY FROM CHRIST.
In this view person stops believing so they fall away
But they have two big problems.
First, many biblical texts teach that true believers cannot be lost (; ; ).
Second, if true believers can be lost, then our text teaches that it is impossible for them to regain their salvation.
Most Arminians do not want to go there!
This view has three significant problems
Scripture teaches that true believers cannot be lost (; ; ).
The nature of justification and election would not have such occur; Jesus never lost a single one elected to Him ().
God’s purposes are never thwarted.
if true believers can be lost, then our text teaches that it is impossible for them to regain their salvation.
Most Arminians do not want to go there!
Genuine Christians can deny the faith and yet remain saved - they will lose their rewards in Heaven.
Zane Hodges, who was a main person in the Bible Knowledge Commentary, holds to this view.
They hold to a decisional view of salvation and they reduce saving faith to a notional (“mental”) assent that does not include repentance.
Once a person believes in Christ, he is eternally secure no matter what his subsequent life is like.
He may later become an atheist or he may live in gross sin for the rest of his life.
But because he once “believed,” he is eternally secure.
They hold to a decisional view of salvation and they reduce saving faith to a notional (“mental”) assent that does not include repentance.
He wrote a book titled “Absolutely Free” espousing such; it was heretical and belongs with Finney’s teachings under “H” in your library.
This view is that once a person believes in Christ, he is eternally secure no matter what his subsequent life is like.
He may later become an atheist or he may live in gross sin for the rest of his life.
But because he once “believed,” he is eternally secure.
He made a decision...
Scripture tells us that those who are saved will bear fruit.
Additionally, we have clear teaching in
The view that the author is speaking of something hypothetical - but it really cannot happen.
This goes against the nature of a warning - warnings are not theoretical but actual.
Spurgeon held that though men like Gill and Owen stated that these people were not Christians but Spurgeon holds that they are true Christians.
There are elements of this view that I can embrace.
The passage does seem to refer to true believers - it speaks of the Spirit and other elements given to only believers.
Spurgeon taught that true believers cannot fall away because God keeps them from doing so.
He explained that true believers cannot fall away because God keeps them from doing so.
But Paul (whom he thinks wrote Hebrews) is arguing that the reason they cannot fall away is because it would negate the efficacy of Christ’s atonement on the cross.
Thus restoration would be impossible.
Others argue that the hypothetical warning is not against falling away from the faith, but against going back and starting the Christian life all over again (“relaying the foundation,” 6:1-2, which is impossible).
The writer of Hebrews is arguing that the reason they cannot fall away is because it would negate the efficacy of Christ’s atonement on the cross.
As a result, restoration would be impossible.
Others argue that the hypothetical warning is not against falling away from the faith, but against going back and starting the Christian life all over again (“relaying the foundation,” 6:1-2, which is impossible).
Thus restoration would be impossible.
Others argue that the hypothetical warning is not against falling away from the faith, but against going back and starting the Christian life all over again (“relaying the foundation,” 6:1-2, which is impossible).
As I stated earlier, if this is not an actual concern then it has no value.
Spurgeon states that this warning creates a response in the believer to grasp ahold of Christ - but the text doesn’t clearly teach this.
The final view is that these are false believers: they are associated with the church but they are not truly saved.
This view says that the people described in 6:4-5 are in the Hebrew church and appear to be saved.
This view, which I hold to (in spite of the problems), says that the people described in 6:4-5 are in the Hebrew church and appear to be saved.
But at some point, usually a crisis, their true colors come through.
They repudiate their faith in Christ, go back either to Judaism or to the world, and side with those who crucified the Son of God.
In so doing, they put Christ to open shame.
Due to persecution and hardship their true colors come through.
They repudiate their faith in Christ, go back either to Judaism or to the world, and side with those who crucified the Son of God.
In so doing, they put Christ to open shame.
There are two major problems with this view.
First, the terms in 6:4-5 sound as if they are describing true believers, not false believers.
Why would the author pile up all of these terms if he is describing false believers?
Second, if they were not truly saved, then what is there to fall away from?
How can they be renewed to repentance if they never truly repented in the first place?
There are two major problems with this view.
First, the terms in 6:4-5 sound as if they are describing true believers, not false believers.
Why would the author pile up all of these terms if he is describing false believers?
Second, if they were not truly saved, then what is there to fall away from?
How can they be renewed to repentance if they never truly repented in the first place?
Which view is best?
To be “partakers of the Holy Spirit” means to be sharers in the Spirit, probably with reference to the blessings of salvation and the gifts of the Spirit that were manifested in the Hebrew church.
The nation of Israel enjoyed the presence of God in the cloud, the pillar of fire, and the Rock but it did not mean that all were saved.
All of Israel experienced the plagues and the benefit but not all were saved.
To taste the “the good Word of God” refers to His good promises to His people, especially in the gospel.
Again, this was a corporate experience of Israel in the wilderness.
All of them had tasted God’s good word of promise by coming out of slavery in Egypt.
But not all were saved through personal faith.
the powers of the age to come
The powers of the age to come is a reference to the miraculous sign gifts given by God
Seeing miracles within the church is not being part of the church
Jesus even said that there would those who testified that they knew Him but He would tell them He did not know them.
The clarity comes when we view the context of the example of Israel
How Should We Understand This Text?
Let me say that no view is without problems: views 1-2 are obviously to be rejected so it is a toss between views 3-4.
The analogy that the author uses in 6:7-8 to explain 6:4-6 is a major key to interpreting this text.
He talks about ground that drinks in the rain (symbolic of God’s blessings).
If it bears a crop, it fulfills its purpose and is blessed by God.
But if it yields thorns and thistles, “it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.”
This fits with the story of Israel in the wilderness and the point of his warning in 6:4-6.
God poured out His blessings on the nation in the exodus and during their wilderness experience.
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