Reading and Reflection

Let us go forward

Reading Hebrews 6:1-8

1Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3And God permitting, we will do so.

4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. 7Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

Reflection:   The opening words of this chapter are very striking. Writing in a time of persecution, the author is keen to stress the need to hold fast to the truth. He even says it's impossible for those who abandon the faith after receiving the Holy Spirit to be brought back to repentance (verse 4). This is a solemn warning that our relationship with God goes two ways: he is always faithful and keeps his covenant with us, but we have a responsibility to keep our promises too.

But even in the context of a situation where it's likely some were abandoning the faith out of fear, the author is not just concerned to see believers survive – he wants to see them thrive. 'Let us go forward, then, to mature teaching and leave behind us the first lessons of the Christian message,' he says (verse 1). 

Perhaps this has lessons for today. We might be tempted to think we can only really thrive spiritually when things are 'normal' – when we can go to church or home groups when we want, meet and pray with our friends, and go about our everyday business. But that's not always been the experience of God's people. Many live in challenging situations anyway, where just getting by is a struggle, and many are persecuted. But their faith is often far deeper than those with more comfortable lives.

Hebrews reminds us that personal hardship is no reason for spiritual indifference.

This reflection was written by Mark Woods, Bible Society's Editor