Hebrews 4:11-13, The Word of God

Hebrews 4:11-13:

The Word of God

Bibliology, the Christian doctrine of the Bible, is described.  The Bible is inspired, inerrant, infallible, sufficient, clear, comprehensible, sufficient, and able to change lives.  Jesus used it as if all of these adjectives were true.  So should we.  Hebrews 4:11-13 deals principally with the Bible's authority as the basis for our judgment before a Holy God.  It gets to the heart of the matter and leaves us without excuse. My notes follow the video. 

A.    Bibliology: The theology of the Word of God

1.    Scripture is Inspired:

a.    2 Tim 3:16 Scripture comes from the mouth of God, not man.

b.    2Pet 1:20-21 The prophet’s mind is involved, but carried along by the Spirit of God.

1.    Unique vocabularies and idioms, grammar and even language.

2.    Same, unified message.

c.    Examples:

1.    Jer 36:2

2.    Ezek 1:3

3.    Rev 14:13

2.    Scripture is inerrant

a.    “The Bible is entirely truthful and reliable in all that it affirms in its original manuscripts.”

b.    God cannot lie, so if these are the words of God, they are true.

1.    Titus 1:2

2.    2 Sam 7:8

3.    Prov 30:5

c.    It has proved faithful in its predictions and promises: 1 Kings 8:56; Ps 111:7; Eze 12:25

d.    [Manuscripts, historical discoveries, unified message]

3.    Scripture is clear and comprehensible:

a.    Some passages are hard to understand (2 Pet 3:16),

b.    But with the Spirit’s illumination (2 Tim 2:7), the teaching can be understood by children (Deut 6:6-7).

c.    Are you “simple”? God’s word makes you wise (Ps 19:7)

d.    Clear enough that Jesus never assumes that his people haven’t understood, rather they have not read (Matt 12:3, 5; 19:14; 21:42; 22:31)

e.    When people misunderstand, the fault lies with the people (sin, pride, etc), not the word of God.

f.     Teachers are gifted for illumination and explanation (1 Cor 12:28; Eph 4:11)

g.    “5 Solas” Sola Scriptura.

4.    Scripture is sufficient:

a.    The canon of scripture has all that we need for life and Godliness (2 Tim 3:15; Psalm 19:7-9)

b.    All functions of the church are anchored in scripture (2 Tim 3:16-17)

c.    Nothing is to be added to the word of God (Deut 4:2; 12:32; Prov 3:5-6; Rev 22: 18-19)

d.    The Holy Spirit will guide and instruct individual believers for the circumstances of their life (Rom 8:14; Gal 5:16, 18, 25) This will always be in line with scripture and a local thing, not new revelation for the church as a whole.(Gal 1:8)

e.    If there is something God hasn’t given us in scripture, it isn’t something we need to capitalize on.  Focus on what he has said clearly, and leave the mysteries to Him (Deut 29:29)

5.    Scripture is spiritual food, a source of Joy and Confidence:

a.    Food: Dt 8:3; Job 23:21; Psalm 119:103; Jer 15:16

b.    Delight: Jer 15:16; Psalm 1; Prov 2:1-5

6.    Scripture is eternal and unchanging (Ps 119:89; Isa 40:8; Matt 5:18; Matt 24:35; 1Pet 1:25)

7.    Scripture is powerful!

a.    Devouring flame: Jer 5:14

b.    Crushing Hammer: Jer 23:29

c.    Life-giving force: Eze 37:7

d.    Saving Power: Rom 1:16

e.    Sword (below)

B.    Jesus and Scripture:

1.    Jesus believed the literal and simple reading of the OT:

a.    Creation: Matt 19:4-6

b.    Cain and Abel: Luke 11:50-51

c.    Noah’s flood: Matt 24:37

d.    Abraham’s call: John 8:56-58

e.    Sodom and Gomorrah: Matt 11:23-24

f.     Elijah’s drought: Luke 4:25-27

g.    Jonah and the Whale: 12:41

2.    Jesus’ life was saturated with scripture. 

a.    Source of his power. Matt 26:54; Mark 8:31

b.    Resist temptation: Matt 4:1-11

c.    Settle disputes: Matt 19:1-12

d.    Died quoting scripture: Matt 27:46

e.    On resurrection Sunday exposited scripture: Luke 24:13-17

C.   Hebrews 4:11-13

1.    This passage is all about judgment based on your adherence to Scripture.  Belief and Obedience.

2.    Verse 11: Let us hasten diligently to the rest, so that we are not hardened by disbelief.  Hurry up and believe and obey.  The longer you put it off, the greater risk of wrath you incur.

3.    Verse 12-13:

a.    Faith is only as good as the object in which it is invested.

b.    Believe what the word of God says.

c.    The Bible is not dead or in the past, living and active.

1.    Not “living” as if it can grow and change, like the Constitution. It is unchanging, but not dead. 

2.    Active: Energized! ἐνεργής energēs

3.    1 Pet 1:22-23

4.    1 Thes 2:13

d.    Two-edged sword

1.    Common picture (Eph 6:17; Rev 1:16; 2:12; 19:21)

2.    Possessing two powers,

a.    Salvation,  Heb 4:2, Rom 1:16  scalpel

b.    Judgment,  Heb 4:4, 2 cor 2:15-16 Sword

e.    Dividing and Judging are parallel ideas.

1.    The word of God Divides:

a.    Divides the physical world at creation Genesis 1

b.    Divides God’s people from those who are not (Lev 19:19; Deut 22:11; Rom 13:13-14; 2 Cor 6:14-18)

c.    Obedience to it divides those who are living (John 14:15, 23)

d.    Obedience to it divides the the eternal future of all people (Matt 25:31-46)

e.    In this context

                                                                                      i.        Dividing what is inside us, our thoughts and intentions,  from what is spiritual,  soulful,  or merely fleshly

                                                                                     ii.        Two spiritual aspect, closely allied, soul and spirit, and two fleshly aspects, joints and marrow.

f.     it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. In doing this, it is able to discriminate successfully between what is spiritual in man and what is merely “soulish” or natural (it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit), and does so even when these often-contradictory inner elements are interwoven as closely as joints and marrow. The inner life of a Christian is often a strange mixture of motivations both genuinely spiritual and completely human. It takes a supernaturally discerning agent such as the Word of God to sort these out and to expose what is of the flesh. The readers might think that they were contemplating certain steps out of purely spiritual motivations when, as God’s Word could show them, they were acting unfaithfully as did Israel of old.

4.    Vs 13

a.    Discernment has discrimination and evaluation implied. 

b.    You will be judged based on your obedience to and belief in the word of God.

1.    Deut 6:6; 11:18

2.    Ps 119:11

3.    Matt 22:29

4.    Col 3:16

5.    The word of God is a personification of God himself (vs 13).  God is manifested in his word (Hebrews 1:2; Jn 1:1ff).

6.    You cannot hide your unbelief from God.  You will be laid bare on judgment day. 

a.    Naked.  Gen 3:9; 2 cor 5:3

b.    τετραχηλισμένα perfect of a verb based on the noun “neck.”  To “neck” is used in the sense of bending back the head of a victim, prisoner, or sacrifice to expose the neck to the sword or knife for execution.  In the perfect tense, we are, once and for all, on the verge of execution because of our transgression of God’s word.

c.    We are awaiting the judgment from God, who is the one “to whom we must give account.”

d.    In saying this, the readers were reminded that, like all Christians, they would someday stand before the judgment seat of Christ where they must give account to God for their lives (cf. Rom. 14:10–12; 2 Cor. 5:10). If at that time their lives are seen to be marked by the kind of failure they have been warned against, the writer implied they will suffer loss of reward (cf. 1 Cor. 3:11–15). In this context the loss they suffer will be that of their inheritance-rest.

1.    Jer 23:29

2.    2Chr 16:9

5.    “God is going to invade, all right: but what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else—something it never entered your head to conceive—comes crashing in; something so beautiful to some of us and so terrible to others that none of us will have any choice left? For this time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. There is no use saying you choose to lie down when it has become impossible to stand up. That will not be the time for choosing: it will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realized it before or not. Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last forever. We must take it or leave it.” --C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

This is my Bible. (James MacDonald)

I am who it says I am. (Matthew 5:16)

I can do what it says I can do. (Philippians 4:13)

I am going where it says I will go. (John 14:3)

God’s Word is milk for my soul. (1 Peter 2:2)

God’s Word is seed for my faith. (Luke 8:11)

God’s Word is light for my path. (Psalm 119:105

God’s Word is power for my victory. (Hebrews 4:12)

God’s Word is freedom for my life. (John 8:32)

When I read God’s Word, it brings me joy. (Jeremiah 15:16)

When I study God’s Word, it keeps me from shame. (2 Timothy 2:15)

When I memorize God’s Word, it purifies my heart. (Psalm 119:11)

When I quote God’s Word, it defeats my enemies. (Ephesians 6:10, 17)

When I meditate on God’s Word, it brings me success. (Joshua 1:8)

When I abide in God’s Word, it gives me confidence. (John 15:7)

I am a Bible-believing follower of Jesus Christ!

Hebrews 3:7-4:13 Part 2: The Rest of God

Hebrews 3:7-4:13, Part 2: The Rest of God

Moses' work is compared with Jesus' work.  Jesus is greater because he actually brings us into our rest, whereas Moses was unable to do so. This passage reinforces the last section of Chapter 3, again stating that our benefit in Christ is dependent on our faith and obedience to the word of God.  The Bible is lauded as the decided factor in our entrance into God's rest.  My notes follow the video of our teaching.

A.    Rest: cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength. Two senses: Mental/Spiritual and Physical.

B.    The original plan: Creation rest with God Both! 

1.    Gen 2:2-3. 

2.    Unlike other creation days, the Seventh-day rest is not bounded by an evening and morning.  It was meant to be eternal.

3.    Man shared in the rest of God (Ge 3:8)

4.    Work was apart of the plan, but not toil

a.    Gen 1:26-18 vs Gen 3:17-19

b.    The dominion of the garden could still be considered “restful” because it was not “toilsome.”

5.    Man’s sin ruined the creation rest. 

a.    Man now works and toils (3:17-19)

b.    God had to “get back to work” in saving mankind (John 5:17)

C.   The Sabbath rest was instituted as a reminder to mankind that there was an original plan, and that God would again bring a rest to his people (Physical rest only)

1.    Exodus 20:8-11

2.    In fact, the H. word “Sabbath” actually means “rest.” Translated that way 17 times in the OT.

3.    That’s why it is such a huge deal not to violate the Sabbath.  You are ruining the picture of the promise of God’s salvation yet to come.  Treating his covenant as unholy.

D.   The Second rest: Rest of Canaan (Physical rest only).

1.    God promised to bring his people into a land in which they could have rest. Ex3:7-9; Deut 12:9

2.    Because of sin, both of the people and of Moses, only two who left Egypt were allowed into the “rest” of Canaan. ( Psalm 95:11; More on this next week)

3.    There was some realization of the rest of God under Solomon’s reign ( 1 Chr 22:9; 1 Kings 8:56)

4.    This rest is incomplete, once again because of the people’s sin, and was cut off by deportation.

 E.    The third and final rest: Rest of Messiah (Currently, Mental/Spiritual.  Will be physical)

1.    Prophesied in Isaiah: Isaiah 11:10.  His rest shall be glorious

2.    Resting in Messiah provides more strength than our efforts: Isa 30:15-17

3.    Jesus completed the work of redemption on the cross (Jn 19:30)

4.    Jesus enters into a new season of rest, having finished the work (Eph 2:6; Col 3:1)

5.    Jesus declared his rest to us and invites us to join him in it: Matt 11:25-30

6.    Realized fully in heaven: Rev 6:11; 14:12-13

F.    Tied to Obedience of the Word of God:

1.    Isa 30:8-18:

a.    Rebellious children who do not want to hear the word of the Lord.

b.    Speak to us smooth things (2Tim4:3)

c.    Turn aside

d.    Hear no more of God

e.    Destruction comes.

f.     Rest is restored as part of repentance and obedience (vs 15)

g.    God will bring destruction because they won’t rest and obey (vs 15-17)

h.    But He wants to save! (vs 18)

i.      Rest and obey his word.

2.    Jer 6:13-21

a.    Corruption characterizes the people (vs 1-15) and destruction has been decreed.

b.    Obedience and rest go together (vs 16)

c.    They will not obey and rest, so God will judge (vs 17-21)

3.    Rev 14:9-13

a.    Vs 9-11: Judgment for those who do not obey the word of God.

b.    Those who obey have rest (vs 12-13)

G.   Our Text: Heb 4:1-13

1.    “Rest” or a pronoun referring to it occurs 12 times in this passage.

2.    Two words used for “rest”:

1.    κατάπαυσις katapausis: “Bring down” and “Pause” or “Cease” The idea here is that the cessation is brought upon something that was previously in motion or action.  The thing moving doesn’t necessarily stop on its own.  A cessation is brought down upon it.  “To give rest” is positive.  “To restrain” negative.

2.    σαββατισμός sabbatismos: Which combines the normal word for Sabbath (Sabbaton) with a unique suffix that is believed by most to lend a sense of “keeping the Sabbath.”  Used only once in the NT and never (that we can find) outside of scripture in Koine Greek literature of the period. 

3.    Start in 3:16.

a.    Following Jesus from a distance is not the same as obedience

b.    Those who left Egypt followed the cloud, which is Christ, but they did not “know his ways”.

c.    Disobedience and unbelief preclude rest:

1.    Gen 3:23-24

2.    Psalm 78:22; 106:19-27

4.    Vs 1

a.    The rest still stands open.  Rest of creation is no longer unavailable.  In fact, it has been made even greater with the promise of eternity with God.

b.    “Seem to have failed to reach it.”

1.    Promise unattained.

2.    The saved will reach the rest.  Don’t live like those who will not.  We are the people who will rest.  Live like it.

5.    Vs 2-3

a.    Those who heard were not “mixed with faith by listening”

b.    Good news was preached to them through Moses, but they did not believe.  They did not have saving faith.

c.    We who believe will achieve the rest.

6.    Vs 4-5: Recap of what we know about the Sabbath.  It was a weekly picture of the promise to come.

7.    Vs 6-7

a.    The rest of God in Messiah is a restored creation rest.  It is open to all, but don’t delay!

b.    Today is the day of Salvation.  Don’t let it pass you by.

c.    Numbers 14:39-45.  Day late.

                 8.    Vs 8-9:

a.    “If JOSHUA” not “If Jesus” (KJV).   Same name. 

b.    Joshua’s rest was not the full rest of God.  Only a rest in the land, not for their souls.

c.    Sabbath rest again reinforced as the picture or type of Messiah’s restoration of the rest of God and man.

d.    “The promise of entering now into this rest means ceasing from the spiritual strivings that reflect uncertainty about one’s final destiny; it means enjoyment of being established in the presence of God, to share in the everlasting joy that god entered when he rested on the seventh day” --ESV Notes

9.    Vs 10:

a.    When God saves us truly, and we enter His rest, there are no more works needed to achieve that rest.

b.    Our works of striving to attain rest stop when we are saved.  We are in His rest.

c.    Eph 2:8-9,

d.    Gal 2:16

e.    Rom 3:20, 28

10.  Verse 11:

a.    Strive to enter rest.

1.    σπουδάζω spoudazō: To do quickly, to do one’s best, to be eager, diligent.

a.    Occurs 11 times, usually having to do with the quality of work performed, not the travail in doing it.

b.    Aorist Subjunctive: A conditional sense of a completed action.  You will ______l, if this has happened.

2.    Examples:

a.    Fight a war before you enjoy peace.

b.    Work out before the relaxing shower

c.    Pay the bills before buying the fun things.

d.    “We will have peace, even if we must kill for it.”

3.    In this case, our good effort, our best work, is belief and obedience, in the context of this passage.  Having believed (punctiliar aorist), we will be able to enter the rest of God (Subjunctive).

b.    Second half of the verse clarifies the meaning of the first.  The striving is to believe, not to perform good works.

11.  Verse 12-13:

a.    Faith is only as good as the object in which it is invested.

b.    Believe what the word of God says.

c.    The Bible is:

1.    Not dead or in the past, living and active.

a.    1 Pet 1:22-23

b.    1 Thes 2:13

2.    Two-edged sword (Eph 6:17; Rev 1:16; 2:12; 19:21)

a.    Divides between closely allied substances.

b.    It is the belief in the word of God which will separate those who are following without belief from those who are (Matt 25:31-46)

d.    The word of God is a personification of God himself (vs 13).  God is manifested in his word (Jn 1:1ff).

e.    You cannot hide your unbelief from God.  You will be laid bare on judgment day. 

1.    Jer 23:29

2.    2Chr 16:9

f.     “God is going to invade, all right: but what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else—something it never entered your head to conceive—comes crashing in; something so beautiful to some of us and so terrible to others that none of us will have any choice left? For this time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. There is no use saying you choose to lie down when it has become impossible to stand up. That will not be the time for choosing: it will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realised it before or not. Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last for ever. We must take it or leave it.” --C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Hebrews 3:7-19, The Penalty of Disbelief

Hebrews 3:7-4:13 Part 1: The Penalty of Disbelief

Here, the preacher of Hebrews compares Moses and Jesus indirectly, by comparing their followers.  Jesus is superior to Moses because Moses' people followed in unbelief, and the true followers of Jesus are those that cling to belief and exhort others to do the same.  Video, below, is followed by my notes. 

A.    Exodus 17:1-7

1.    People come grumbling to Moses about a lack of water. 

2.    Ask “Is God among us or not?”

3.    Ridiculous, when you consider:

a.    Ten plagues of deliverance

b.    Parting of the Red Sea

c.    Pillar of cloud and fire.

d.    Making bitter water sweet

e.    Just received manna at the end of the last chapter.

f.     What do you think?

4.    The miracle of the water from the rock is a picture of Christ:

a.    Struck by Moses’ rod: The rod of judgment (as opposed to Aarons, a rod of blessing)

b.    Water flowed from the “wound”

c.    Living water

d.    Struck once.

e.    God (Jesus) stands on the rock as it is struck

5.    Moses names the place Massah (testing) and Meribah (quarreling). 

6.    The people expressed a complete lack of faith (Unbelief) in God when faced with a difficult situation, despite what they had seen Him do just a few days or weeks prior.

B.    Numbers 14:1-38

1.     They had been journeying now for several months (years?).

a.    Now, they have the law, they have seen numerous miracles, and they have suffered judgment for unbelief several times.  Have they learned?

b.    They have the promise of God that they will enter the land, but faced with difficult odds, they retreat to fear and disbelief.

c.    God threatens to destroy all the people and start over with Moses (for the second time!) Vs. 11

d.    Moses intercedes, appealing to the glory of God, and God relents.

e.    Then, He swears that nobody but Caleb and Joshua will enter the land (vs 20ff)

f.     He kills the 10 spies as an object lesson (Vs 36-38)

C.   Numbers 20:2-13

1.    Nearly a complete repeat of the first scene, but this is now years into the wanderings.  Still, they have not learned. 

2.    Same rock? 1 Cor 10:4.  Perhaps metaphorically.

3.    Subtle Differences:

a.    Aaron’s staff, staff of blessing

b.    Speak to the rock

c.    Jesus was struck only once.  Afterward, we need only ask him, and he pours out forgiveness, life, and blessing.

d.    Moses is angry,

e.    Struck it twice with HIS staff.  Ruined the type.

4.    Moses’ sin was not anger, but unbelief.

5.    Moses is barred from the promised land because of unbelief.

D.   Psalm 95:7-11

1.    In context, this psalm is one that rejoices over the greatness of God as displayed in his works, calls people to worship him, and warns them not to continue, despite the evidence of His works, in disbelief.  This is the central theme of our passage in Hebrews.

2.    “Today,” don’t harden your hearts.  It was too late for the Exodus generation, but it is not too late for you.

3.    Vs 9: Put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.

a.    No further proof should have been needed then, nor should there be now!

b.    We have seen even greater works.  Let us not look for more proof that God is who he says he is.

1.    John 10:38; 14:11

2.    Rom 1:18ff; 2:12ff

c.    Miracles don’t necessarily lead to belief. Mat 24:24; Luke 16:19-31

4.    Huge statement: vs 10: For forty years I loathed that generation.

a.    Don’t let that be said about us!

b.    God is longsuffering but he won’t quit the guilty.  Ex 34

c.    Waited a long time for them, giving opportunity for repentance.  It never came, because “they go astray in their heart and do not know [God’s] ways”.

d.    Long-term hardening of heart.

e.    Continuous exposure to the things of God, if not coupled with belief and repentance, is dangerous.

f.     Clay and wax.

5.    Vs 11: Verdict.  Final judgment.  There is no return for them.

a.    Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is continued refusal to repent after seeing the work of God in your life for your salvation.

1.    Matt 12:31

2.    A saved person cannot commit blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, because they have responded to the saving work of God.

3.    The Exodus generation, most Jews since, and most people in the world today, do.

b.    After hardening your heart against the saving entreaties of God for so long, there remains no opportunity for salvation. 

1.    Heb 10:26

2.    Not God’s fault.  Yours.

 E.    Hebrews 3:7-4:13

1.    Attributed to the Holy Spirit, not David.  Ultimate authorship.

2.    Quote has subtle differences.

a.    Place names translated into their meanings: testing and provoked.

b.    It’s the works that happened for forty years, not the anger of God.

c.    Same spirit of the text.  Same result.

3.    Take care: your will is involved. Also “hearts” in vs 10.

4.    Lest there be an evil, unbelieving heart.

a.    We all have an evil heart before God regenerates it (Rom 1-6).

b.    The natural heart of man is drawn, like gravity, toward hell and damnation.  Only God interrupts that progression.

c.    Yet here, we are told to participate with our minds in restraining our hearts.

5.    “Fall Away” G: ἀφίστημι aphistēmi

a.    Apo: away from, apart.

b.    Histēmi: A prolonged sense of Stato, to stand unmoving.

c.    To remain unchanged, standing at a distance, looking away.

d.    Not “Turning away,” ἀποστρέφω apostrephō

1.    Luke 23:14

2.    Acts 3:26

e.    This is not the action of a believer.

1.    “Fall away” sounds like the person was once with Christ, and now is not.

2.    This person has never come to Christ. They are staying away.

6.    “As long as it is called today” vs “hardened.”

a.    We don’t know the point at which someone crosses the line in their heart or in the mind of God from resisting to hardened.

b.    If they are still alive, keep trying.  Perhaps the Holy Spirit will still save them!

7.    Hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 

a.    Sin seems good for a while, but then death comes. 

b.    James 1:13-16

8.    If we hold our original confidence firm to the end.

a.    This is to the believer (we know). Still an “if.”

b.    Heb. 3:14 For we have come to share in Christ. The evidence of the Christian truly partaking of Christ’s salvation involves endurance to the end. The condition (if indeed) has been understood in various ways. Some have argued that the condition (“if”) indicates that true Christians can lose their salvation. Scripture is clear, however, that true believers cannot lose their salvation, as evidenced, e.g., by John 10:27–29 (“no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand”), Eph. 1:4 (“he chose us in him before the foundation of the world”), and many other Scripture passages (e.g., John 6:39–40; Rom. 8:35, 38–39; Phil. 1:6; 1 Pet. 1:3–5).Hebrews 3:14 should be understood in connection with v. 13, as is indicated by the linking word “for” (Gk. gar). That is, v. 14 is linked to the exhortation not to become hardened (in unbelief and sin). Thus, the logic of the argument is that those who are hardened or who become hardened (v. 13) give outward evidence that they are not (and never have been) genuine believers who “share in Christ,” because genuine believers do not become hardened; instead, they persevere—that is, they hold on to their original confidence firm to the end. Of course, Scripture also encourages believers to pray for and seek to bring back any who have fallen away (James 5:20; 1 John 5:16), in the hope that they will turn back. Still, this passage should be viewed as a sober warning—intended as a means that God uses to keep Christians resolved in faith and obedient until the end. The ongoing experience of perseverance results in “confidence” and assurance that one does in fact “share in Christ.” This verse then provides a grave warning to everyone who claims to be saved—that is, to examine oneself carefully to be sure that one is, in fact, a genuine believer, because if there is no evidence of perseverance in faith and obedience, then there is real reason to doubt that such a person has ever been saved.  --ESV Study Bible

c.    Preservation & Perseverance! (John Piper)

1.    We are saved by Grace alone through Faith alone Apart from works.

a.    Eph 2:8-9

b.    Rom 3:28

2.    Those who are justified will certainly be glorified

a.    Rom 8:30

b.    John 10:27-29

3.    No one will be glorified/finally saved who does not persevere to the end.

a.    1 Cor 15:1-2

b.    Col 1:22-23

c.    Matt 10:22

d.    1 John 2:19

4.    God himself will keep his children from falling away

a.    Phil 1:6

b.    1 Cor 1:8-9

5.    God keeps his children by his children

a.    Heb 3:13-14

b.    James 5:19-20

6.    Eternal Security is a human project with divine orchestration and guarantee.

d.    Four soils:  Only the ones who yield their fruit demonstrate their salvation, but others start to grow. 

1.    Hangers on

2.    Cultural Christians

3.    Unconverted churchgoers (and Pastors!)

9.    Who where…

a.    All those who left Egypt left in unbelief.  They escaped out of a desire for self-preservation, but ultimately, their failure to arrive demonstrated their failure to believe.

b.    They witnessed miracles, made professions, and even followed instructions, but they did not ultimately have faith.

c.    Only a small handful who left did so believing, and they were permitted to enter the land. 

F.    Application to us:

1.    Turn and Embrace Christ! Do not “stand permanently far off.”  If you have not embraced the gospel, you need to!  

2.    Cultural Christianity is Hazardous to Spiritual Health! The more someone is exposed to the gospel and rejects it the harder their heart becomes and the less likely that they will one day turn and be saved.

3.    Participate in the Preservation of Saints!  Be a tool of the Lord in the ongoing salvation of your brethren.