Hebrews Chapter Six, Practicing Diligence

 

Hebrews 6:11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, [12] that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

 

This labor of love the Hebrews performed was shown toward Jesus’ name. How? In that they ministered to the saints, and continued still to do so. In verse 11 the writer addresses them individually, compelling each of them to show the same diligence, persistence, or thoroughness.

They are likewise to do this to the full assurance of hope until the end, that is, of their lives. Later in this same chapter we are clearly informed what the nature of this hope is that we as Christians are to have full assurance of. “This hope we have [based on God’s immutable nature and promises] as an anchor for the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the presence behind the veil,” Hebrews 6:19. That hope is Jesus Christ Himself, in whom we may have (and are encouraged to have) full assurance of hope. The Greek term for “assurance” in this verse is, “plerophoria.” It means, “the engrossing effect of the expectation of God’s promises; fullness, abundance, entire confidence.” If our entire confidence is meant to rest only in God, then one may see how the Hebrew Christians erred, putting Christ to an open shame, by shifting their trust to another foundation. No matter the nomenclature involved, there are genuinely only two foundations in this life that we may build our faith upon: God or ourselves. Religion (including the modern religion of psychology) is a self-deification manual. If it admits God, He is not our Savior but our counselor in our effort to become like Him. This ultimate blasphemy is embodied most clearly in the Mormon Church, whose former president Lorenzo Snow stated, “As man now is, God once was: “As God now is, man may be.” The lie of Eden is alive and in religion, since Satan is its benefactor. But Christian assurance finds nothing in religion or self; our all is in God, and our faith must manifest through obedience born of love.

 

We are warned not to become sluggish, lazy or tired, but to imitate those who have gone before us that inherited the promises through both faith and patience. Scripture is replete with examples of men and women that served the Lord in faith, whose lives we are encouraged to emulate. The author certainly suggests nothing revolutionary. Paul, when writing to the Corinthian church, tells them, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ,” 1 Corinthians 11:1. To provide clarity to that statement, we find in Hebrews, “Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct,” Hebrews 13:7. The author commends men whose faith reflected in their works and could be judged doctrinally and morally, or else we would not be able to consider the “outcome” or result of their conduct. Again we see James’ wisdom about faith and works evidenced by paralleling an elder’s faith with the conduct it produces, whether one’s faith is lively or dead. That was why Paul told his readership to imitate him only so far as he imitated his Lord. There are many leaders in our professing church that should not be followed; they should not be leading, or be a part of the church at all because they oppose Christ. The Bible is the standard by which we are measured, and it is this word that the former saints place their faith and patience. We can do no less.