Sure of Better Things

Day 308: Hebrews 6:1-20

“Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation.” - Hebrews 6:9 ESV

This chapter in Hebrews has been the topic of many Christian theologians throughout the centuries. Some of the questions that continue to be asked upon a casual reading of it are:

"Does this mean I can lose my salvation?" or "Could we do something so vile that the Holy Spirit would leave us and not come back?" or "When do we know we've come to this point?"

We may think of Jesus mentioning an "unforgivable sin" (Mark 3:28-30) or the Apostle John speaking of a "sin that leads to death" (1 John 5:16-17).

It seems like whatever the point of no return looks like, it is a defiant and hardened stance against God and His presence in our lives. In it. It is when we attempt to squeeze God out of every area, demanding to have our way at all costs. This will not be something that will happen accidentally. It will be intentional. Kind of like the Mark of the Beast in Revelation 13:15-18.

With all that being said, the recipients of this letter seemed to have done well in this regard. The writer speaks of how they are destined for "better things." This was obvious because of how they were living their lives. Their work and love in their serving were viewed as evidence of their endurance.

What about us? Are we recognized by others as genuine Jesus followers? More importantly, are we recognized by Jesus as those who follow Him? May we be people who depend completely upon Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection for the rest of our lives.

“The presence of active love among them was a sure sign that God had not left them." - Brooke Foss Westcott (1903). The Epistle to the Hebrews (3d ed., p. 156)