The distinguished author of Hebrews gives 5 big-time warnings to born-again brethren
(and back in those days, many/most of them were also baptized with the Holy Spirit).
One of the 5 warnings is this intreging passage …
Hebrews 10 (NKJV):
19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,
22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts
sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering,
for He who promised is faithful.
26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth,
there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation
which will devour the adversaries.
28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony
of two or three witnesses.
29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy
who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant
by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay”, says the Lord.
And again, “The LORD will judge His people.”
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
34 … knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession
for yourselves in heaven.
35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.
36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God,
you may receive the promise:
37 “For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”
39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition,
but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
First, let us consider the last part of “the promise” (v.36) to the brethren,
which is … If anyone “draws back”, God has no pleasure in him (v.38).
Then in v.39, the writer talks about those who draw back to perdition (hell).
Therefore, we should consider what it means to draw back.
The writer tells us the opposite of falling back is:
• to draw near with a true heart (v.22)
• to hold fast your confession (of faith) without wavering (v.23)
• to not sin willfully (v.26)
• to not cast away your confidence (v.35)
• to endure (v.36)
• to do the will of God (v.36)
• to live by faith (v.38)
If you draw back from something, you first must have that something!
In this case, if you have something that keeps you out of hell,
and you choose to draw back from it, then you’re on your way to hell again!
And BTW, the writer really has NO idea who might draw back (fall away)!
He is simply following the Pauline method of encouraging, exhorting, etc.
He is saying that some brethren (somewhere) draw back (fall away),
but not these wonderful brethren to whom he is writing. Nonsense!
As with Paul, the method is to give warnings which are tactfully veiled,
and it is up to the Holy Spirit to reveal spiritual Truth to those who are open.
“God has promised to reward us. But we must persevere, and we
must continue to do the will of God with perseverance until the end;
otherwise we shall lose our reward. We shall lose what He has
promised … Therefore, let us not shrink back. Because if we do,
we will not only lose our reward (v.36); we will also be destroyed
(see Mark 8:35, Mark 13:13, Luke 21:19).”
(The Applied NT Commentary, Dr. Thomas Holt, Spirit-filled missionary)
(and back in those days, many/most of them were also baptized with the Holy Spirit).
One of the 5 warnings is this intreging passage …
Hebrews 10 (NKJV):
19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,
22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts
sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering,
for He who promised is faithful.
26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth,
there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation
which will devour the adversaries.
28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony
of two or three witnesses.
29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy
who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant
by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay”, says the Lord.
And again, “The LORD will judge His people.”
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
34 … knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession
for yourselves in heaven.
35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.
36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God,
you may receive the promise:
37 “For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”
39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition,
but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
First, let us consider the last part of “the promise” (v.36) to the brethren,
which is … If anyone “draws back”, God has no pleasure in him (v.38).
Then in v.39, the writer talks about those who draw back to perdition (hell).
Therefore, we should consider what it means to draw back.
The writer tells us the opposite of falling back is:
• to draw near with a true heart (v.22)
• to hold fast your confession (of faith) without wavering (v.23)
• to not sin willfully (v.26)
• to not cast away your confidence (v.35)
• to endure (v.36)
• to do the will of God (v.36)
• to live by faith (v.38)
If you draw back from something, you first must have that something!
In this case, if you have something that keeps you out of hell,
and you choose to draw back from it, then you’re on your way to hell again!
And BTW, the writer really has NO idea who might draw back (fall away)!
He is simply following the Pauline method of encouraging, exhorting, etc.
He is saying that some brethren (somewhere) draw back (fall away),
but not these wonderful brethren to whom he is writing. Nonsense!
As with Paul, the method is to give warnings which are tactfully veiled,
and it is up to the Holy Spirit to reveal spiritual Truth to those who are open.
“God has promised to reward us. But we must persevere, and we
must continue to do the will of God with perseverance until the end;
otherwise we shall lose our reward. We shall lose what He has
promised … Therefore, let us not shrink back. Because if we do,
we will not only lose our reward (v.36); we will also be destroyed
(see Mark 8:35, Mark 13:13, Luke 21:19).”
(The Applied NT Commentary, Dr. Thomas Holt, Spirit-filled missionary)
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