May 1 (brief and late)

Numbers 8; Psalm 44; Song of Solomon 6; Hebrews 6

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 86: WHAT IS REQUIRED IN THE TENTH COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The tenth commandment requires contentment with our own condition, with a right and charitable frame of spirit towards our neighbor, and all that is his.
Scripture: Hebrews 13:5; 1 Timothy 6:6; Romans 12:15; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; Leviticus 19:18.

Hebrews 6

     v1-3.  Paul makes the case that there is elementary doctrine of Christ involving conversion and repentance and basic understanding of sacraments and understanding our future bodily redemption.  Some of this was contextually in their time and the struggles against the concept of resurrection.  But for my sake now it is helpful to relate this to the mention of milk vs solid food in the end of chapter 5.  So we need solid food but this is once we grasp the elementary principles of salvation.  Paul seems to indicate that the audience is at risk of being in the category of needing reminders about faith and repentance and elementary principles.
     v4-8.  Now the difficulty begins as Paul lays out an argument that it is impossible for one who has experienced in various ways membership in the family of God, and has subsequently fallen away, to be restored to repentance.  Hmmm.  Perhaps Paul means it is impossible for us to do anything about this because he has already been fed the Word and it is up to God to grant true faith and repentance and there is nothing more we can do for him.  It is impossible for me to do something more in order to win this person.  Nothing is impossible with God but I lack alternative means to conduit the Spirit unto this person and thus it is impossible for me to "save them" or "restore them" by returning to the elementary principles and thus it is pretty much to no avail.  He has heard…and he has been hardened.  Yet Paul leaves room for God to direct us to return to this elementary teaching for maybe two reasons.  Perhaps for the sake of the newcomer or perhaps for the sake of God's providence in determining to yet restore the one described despite Paul's assertion that there is no ability in him to do anything more for them…Some difficulty to my view here is verse 6-8 that speaks of a second crucifixion and an injury done to their soul in holding Jesus up to contempt.  Hmmm…Maybe as the mention of harm to the unbeliever who would partake in communion, similarly here is the breaking of the body of Christ on the cross which in the first experience with a supposed union with Christ in his death there was no effectual killing of sin and no genuine repentance.  Perhaps the same matter here is that there has been a trampling and a false testimony of what would look like a powerless salvation…a powerless grace.  Now this person has clearly not been saved if they are so plainly disowning of Christ who they supposedly belong to.  Maybe such dramatic falling away and denial of faith…but I really don't know at this point.  More study for sure needed here.
     v9. Never the less he gives hope to the reader that this is not their case and that they are indeed saved…hint to the status of the person above.  Never saved unless of course salvation can be lost (I don't carry that opinion based on sealing and hope and promise and predestination).
     v10.  Interesting the evidence he offers in this judgement is their work for the Lord and their love for the saints.  Love may be key here.
     v11.  They want this same subjective assurance for all in that they would walk faithfully and remain hopeful until the end.  Perhaps this indicates that there is a way to lack hope and yet be saved?  Certainly there are gradations of walking in faith and obedience and there must be something here in that the more you experience sanctification and the work of the Spirit in us the greater our hope and assurance.
     v12.  When we have a sure hope it seems that we do not lack zeal and energy and purpose.  As in Rom 8:23-25 we are admonished here to not be sluggish but to imitate those who have gone before us and demonstrated an unending faith and patience.  This reminds me of Rom 2:7 and 12:11-12 and Rev 1:9 and James 5:7-8.  We wait patiently for our redemption and hope in what is not seen vs in what is seen and we seek for glory and honor and immortality.  Patience is not slothful but zealous!
     v13-14. In promising Abraham a land and a people, he simply swore on himself…he gave no other reason for it to be so or no other authority by which he would give any collateral or evidence in the affirmative.  He alone is the source and the guarantee.  There is no guarantee in life greater than God's Word.
     v15.  Here is where there seems a part on the side of Abraham to understand.  He then waits patiently.  Having waited patiently, he obtained the promise.  What if he did not wait patiently?  Some do not wait upon the Lord but refuse the free offer and some remain hard hearted and corrupt.  Some do not obtain the promise as the promise is to the offspring of Abraham.  Romans 9:6-8 makes it clear that it is not children of the flesh but children of the promise that are counted as offspring.  Being counted by God is ultimate over any sense of having something in the flesh.  Note also that Abraham actually did wait patiently.  He actually did hope in the unseen and he did by patience in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality.
     v16. "By myself I have sworn" from Genesis 22:16 and now we are reminded that God's oath is final confirmation.
     v17.  No greater authority to be had for an oath
     v18.  So two things…God's unbreakable promise (and his inability to lie) combined with the eternal priesthood of Jesus gives us guarantee.  Romans 4:16 tells us the the promise rests on grace and this is the guarantee.  The fact is that it relies on God and not us…which is the teeth to grace (unmerited favor…unmerited).  God's unbreakable promise and the unending priesthood of our big brother…these are the two things that give me hope beyond hope.  Reconciling this unmerited favor with God's statement in Gen 22 that "because you have obeyed my voice" leaves me looking for dots to connect and a need to see that it was God who gave this obedience to Abraham (promise and not works).  Systematically I have no problem with that but I need to see the biblical evidence for the system in this specific context.  Maybe this is a good argument for necessary sanctification because the faith indeed resulted in obedience for Abraham.  Remember Rom 3:3 and that Abraham believed God and this was counted to him as righteousness and so he obeyed and he believed.  Maybe this is one thing, yes?  To obey is to believe according to John 3:36.  We may hold fast to hope and he will do it!
     v19-20.  The fact that it is up to God and not us (Rom 9:16) and his inability to lie plus the unending priesthood and advocacy of the Son gives my soul a sure and steadfast anchor…if only I will see it and will look at it continually.  My hope is not distant and external to me but resides within and has given me immediate access to the Father by the authority of the Son and the power of the Spirit!  My brother, my king, my savior, my healer has made the way and he has gone before me and he ever lives to aid me and lead me.  Consider if I let this anchor move me…do I let this anchor hold me and animate me?  Do I ignore this anchor and let fear come along?  Do I fail to rejoice over this anchor and do I distract myself from it?

Soli Deo Gloria!