Dullness, or a lethargic
approach to scripture is something that is prevalent in the church
today, and even among true Christians. I have found that the great
majority of Christians that I have the most respect for experience times
in their lives where this can be said of them, I find that it happens
to me all too often....my heart desires fiercely to be moved by
scripture, but yet when I read and listen to it my heart remains
unmoved. I believe the writer of Hebrews speaks to this, I have found it
encouraging and I hope that you do as well.
The context of this passage comes from the writer of Hebrews wanting to teach the Hebrews how Jesus is similar to Mekchizadek. He then pauses and tells them that it will be hard to explain because they have become dull of hearing. The Greek word for dull is nothros, and means slow, or sluggish. Or literally "one who apprehends with difficulty"
The writer proves this diagnosis by showing them that though at this time they ought to be teachers, they need instead to be taught, the basic principles of the oracles of God. Literally the "ABC's" of the faith, which he will later explain in chapter 6:1. He proceeds to tell them in v. 12 that they need milk, not solid food because they are unskilled in the word of righteousness. Their spiritual stomach cannot handle solid food, because as He says in v. 14 solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice of determining good and evil. I would like to note here that this is still the diagnosis, not the prescription. While it is true that someone who is not trained in discerning good and evil cannot digest spiritual solid food, this doesn't mean however that trying harder to discern good and evil will fix the problem. The solution comes later.
Next in chapter 6:1 the writer encourages those that are dull to leave the elementary doctrines of Christ and go on to maturity. Although there's a lot of meat here that I would love to get into, for the sake of space I wont discuss exactly what that means, but instead just to say that the main point the writer is saying here is that they need to move on to maturity, or in other words they need to stop being dull of hearing. Then comes a startling phrase "And this we will do if God permits. Stating without hesitation that it is up to God, and God alone whether or not they will become mature. Then the writer gives us a prognosis of what will happen if they do not go on to maturity, and the stakes are not crowns in heaven, but eternal death or life.
In verses 4-8 the writer tells us that for certain persons who taste of Christ, and make an outward profession of faith, but stay in a state of perpetual dullness it is impossible for those persons to come to a state of repentance. Notice that it does not say that repentance would not be granted to them if they sought it, but that it is impossible for them to come to that state. This idea is then told in a parable in verses 7 and 8. So we see that this is not speaking of simply whether or not someone becomes a mature believer, but whether someone inherits the promise, or is burned in eternal destruction.
So that is the prognosis, or at least half of it. In verses 9-10 the writer tells us that he does not believe that this will be the end of those that he is writhing too, and the reason he is confident is revealed in verse 10 "For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for His name in serving the saints, as you still do." He knows that these are genuine good soil Christians as opposed to shallow thorn and thistle or rocky ground professors because their fruit continues to the present. Now there are two very important things I would like to take note of from this fact. 1. Genuine Christians can and do become dull of hearing. 2. The grave life or death warning that the writer gave was for people that the writer believed to be genuinely saved.
At this point, if I read no further, I would be inclined to believe that the writer did not believe in eternal security, why would you give them such a grave life or death warning if you believed that there was no possible way that could happen to them. But the next verse shows that he does indeed very much believe in eternal security. v11. "And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness TO HAVE THE FULL ASSURANCE OF HOPE TILL THE END." And the reason that he wants them to have assurance is shown in v. 12 "So that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises." The reason he wants them to have the assurance of their salvation is SO THAT THEY WONT BE SLUGGISH! (Which is the exact same word used earlier in chapter 5:11 for dullness)
So here is basically how the train of thought goes. 1. Diagnosis- you are dull of hearing. (chapter 5:1) 2. Prognosis- Move on to maturity, because if you stay in this state of dullness you will be like the field that produced no fruit, and you will be burned. 3. Encouragement- Because I see fruit in your life, I don't believe that this will happen to you. 4. The cure- Be assured of the certainty of the promise of eternal life! And you will not be dull of hearing! (Which he explains in detail how sure the promise is until the end of the chapter)
Now, at first glance I had a few questions. 1. Why would the writer give such a warning like that to people he believed to be eternally secure? 2. How does being sure of your salvation cure and vaccinate you against dullness of hearing? and 3. How does all this apply to me?
This is my attempt to answer those questions. 1. The fact that the divinely inspired writer wrote this warning to people he believed were eternally secure tells me that one of the ways that God keeps His sheep secure is by warning them of what will happen if they don't come running back to Him. And this warning will work, because the greatest fear of a true Christ follower is to not be able to make it to the end. So it will achieve it's purpose and in the picture of Hosea 11:10 "When He roars, His children shall come trembling from the west."
2. To be sure of your eternal state and to know that no matter what the King of the universe holds you in His hands and has promised you eternal rest with Him in a state of perfection is enough to melt away all hardness clear away any dullness by replacing it with earnestness and zeal for Christ.
3. From all of this I take away this. When I find that I am becoming dull, or someone else brings it to my attention I should think of the warning in Hebrews 6 that if I stay in this state it will be proof that I never truly knew Him and that my end will be destruction. Which in turn should cause me to to take Paul's advice in 2 Corinthians 13:5 and examine myself as to whether I am in the faith. Knowing that I will only come out of this state of dullness "if God permits" Which should cause me to tremble, and beg God to be merciful to me repenting of my dullness and asking His forgiveness. Then, if He does so choose to allow me to mature, and He breaks through my dullness and pierces my heart with His truth working fruit in me. Then I will know that I am sure to obtain the promises and that He has chosen me and will not let go of me. And on this foundation, with Christ as my anchor, I will fight against dullness with the assurance that He who has called me will be faithful to the end!
The context of this passage comes from the writer of Hebrews wanting to teach the Hebrews how Jesus is similar to Mekchizadek. He then pauses and tells them that it will be hard to explain because they have become dull of hearing. The Greek word for dull is nothros, and means slow, or sluggish. Or literally "one who apprehends with difficulty"
The writer proves this diagnosis by showing them that though at this time they ought to be teachers, they need instead to be taught, the basic principles of the oracles of God. Literally the "ABC's" of the faith, which he will later explain in chapter 6:1. He proceeds to tell them in v. 12 that they need milk, not solid food because they are unskilled in the word of righteousness. Their spiritual stomach cannot handle solid food, because as He says in v. 14 solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice of determining good and evil. I would like to note here that this is still the diagnosis, not the prescription. While it is true that someone who is not trained in discerning good and evil cannot digest spiritual solid food, this doesn't mean however that trying harder to discern good and evil will fix the problem. The solution comes later.
Next in chapter 6:1 the writer encourages those that are dull to leave the elementary doctrines of Christ and go on to maturity. Although there's a lot of meat here that I would love to get into, for the sake of space I wont discuss exactly what that means, but instead just to say that the main point the writer is saying here is that they need to move on to maturity, or in other words they need to stop being dull of hearing. Then comes a startling phrase "And this we will do if God permits. Stating without hesitation that it is up to God, and God alone whether or not they will become mature. Then the writer gives us a prognosis of what will happen if they do not go on to maturity, and the stakes are not crowns in heaven, but eternal death or life.
In verses 4-8 the writer tells us that for certain persons who taste of Christ, and make an outward profession of faith, but stay in a state of perpetual dullness it is impossible for those persons to come to a state of repentance. Notice that it does not say that repentance would not be granted to them if they sought it, but that it is impossible for them to come to that state. This idea is then told in a parable in verses 7 and 8. So we see that this is not speaking of simply whether or not someone becomes a mature believer, but whether someone inherits the promise, or is burned in eternal destruction.
So that is the prognosis, or at least half of it. In verses 9-10 the writer tells us that he does not believe that this will be the end of those that he is writhing too, and the reason he is confident is revealed in verse 10 "For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for His name in serving the saints, as you still do." He knows that these are genuine good soil Christians as opposed to shallow thorn and thistle or rocky ground professors because their fruit continues to the present. Now there are two very important things I would like to take note of from this fact. 1. Genuine Christians can and do become dull of hearing. 2. The grave life or death warning that the writer gave was for people that the writer believed to be genuinely saved.
At this point, if I read no further, I would be inclined to believe that the writer did not believe in eternal security, why would you give them such a grave life or death warning if you believed that there was no possible way that could happen to them. But the next verse shows that he does indeed very much believe in eternal security. v11. "And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness TO HAVE THE FULL ASSURANCE OF HOPE TILL THE END." And the reason that he wants them to have assurance is shown in v. 12 "So that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises." The reason he wants them to have the assurance of their salvation is SO THAT THEY WONT BE SLUGGISH! (Which is the exact same word used earlier in chapter 5:11 for dullness)
So here is basically how the train of thought goes. 1. Diagnosis- you are dull of hearing. (chapter 5:1) 2. Prognosis- Move on to maturity, because if you stay in this state of dullness you will be like the field that produced no fruit, and you will be burned. 3. Encouragement- Because I see fruit in your life, I don't believe that this will happen to you. 4. The cure- Be assured of the certainty of the promise of eternal life! And you will not be dull of hearing! (Which he explains in detail how sure the promise is until the end of the chapter)
Now, at first glance I had a few questions. 1. Why would the writer give such a warning like that to people he believed to be eternally secure? 2. How does being sure of your salvation cure and vaccinate you against dullness of hearing? and 3. How does all this apply to me?
This is my attempt to answer those questions. 1. The fact that the divinely inspired writer wrote this warning to people he believed were eternally secure tells me that one of the ways that God keeps His sheep secure is by warning them of what will happen if they don't come running back to Him. And this warning will work, because the greatest fear of a true Christ follower is to not be able to make it to the end. So it will achieve it's purpose and in the picture of Hosea 11:10 "When He roars, His children shall come trembling from the west."
2. To be sure of your eternal state and to know that no matter what the King of the universe holds you in His hands and has promised you eternal rest with Him in a state of perfection is enough to melt away all hardness clear away any dullness by replacing it with earnestness and zeal for Christ.
3. From all of this I take away this. When I find that I am becoming dull, or someone else brings it to my attention I should think of the warning in Hebrews 6 that if I stay in this state it will be proof that I never truly knew Him and that my end will be destruction. Which in turn should cause me to to take Paul's advice in 2 Corinthians 13:5 and examine myself as to whether I am in the faith. Knowing that I will only come out of this state of dullness "if God permits" Which should cause me to tremble, and beg God to be merciful to me repenting of my dullness and asking His forgiveness. Then, if He does so choose to allow me to mature, and He breaks through my dullness and pierces my heart with His truth working fruit in me. Then I will know that I am sure to obtain the promises and that He has chosen me and will not let go of me. And on this foundation, with Christ as my anchor, I will fight against dullness with the assurance that He who has called me will be faithful to the end!
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