Audio:The Sure Hope of Perseverance

Home Audio Library Hebrews: Persevering Faith in the Superior Christ The Sure Hope of Perseverance

Perseverance gives the genuine believer sure hope, but no such assurance can be given to those who do not continue in the faith.

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Study Notes

Perseverance: To stand firm in faith, to remain vitally connected to Christ.

Three Interpretations

1. These are genuine believers who turn away from their faith and lose their salvation
2. This is a hypothetical situation designed to warn immature Christians of the need to grow in faith or else face severe divine discipline
3. These are “professing Christians” only- they are not genuine believers- and their falling away proves their insincerity

Understanding the Text

1. Warning against falling away (Hebrews 6:4-8)
2. Confidence and sure hope (Hebrews 6:9-12)

The Debate: Is the believer secure?

Some thoughts on the issue...

• While acknowledging the difficulty of the issue and the strong emotions that often come with this debate, I believe both sides are biblically defensible
• While very important, the matter is not an essential of the faith
• Profession of faith, intellectual assent, affiliation with a church, involvement in church ministries or even powerful emotional religious experiences do not necessarily make for a genuine conversion
• Scripture embraces various paradoxical tensions such as the Trinity and divine sovereignty/human responsibility. I believe one such tension is the security of the believer and the simultaneous charge/ warning to continue holding firm in faith
• I believe that genuine believers in Christ will be held securely in Christ until the end, and therefore will persevere until the end. But, I also acknowledge the reality of doubt, besetting sins and even seasons of struggle and disobedience
• All believers will appear at the judgment seat of Christ to be rewarded, or, suffer loss of rewards

Applying the Text

• Is your hope sure?