Commentary on Hebrews 6 and 10

Background

To properly exegete chapters 6 and 10 one should start with analyzing the theme of the letter beginning in Chapter 1.  Following are some observations.

Heb 1:2  Christ is her of all things.

Heb 1:14  This is referring to future salvation associated with His second coming (see 2:5 “the world to come” and especially 9:28 “Christ . . . . shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.”

Heb 2:10  Speaking of believers sharing in Christ’s glory in the future.  This is conditional in light of Heb 2:1-4.

Heb 3:12-14  We will become partakers of Christ conditioned on our holding fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end.

Heb 3:16-19  This is pointing out that the Jews led by Moses in the wilderness were not able to enter His rest because of their disobedience.

Heb 4:11  Chapter 4 pints out that we cannot enter God’s rest from our work until our work is complete.  Therefore, verse 11 states that we must be diligent to complete the work that God gives us in order to enter His rest (rest from our works).

Heb 5:11-14  Warns us not to degenerate from Christ.

Heb 6:4-8 The consequences of degenerating are loss of reward, loss of inheritance and not entering God’s rest.

Heb 10:26-28  Same thing as Hebrews 6 referring to judgment and 10:30 states, “The Lord will judge His people.”  That’s us!  The dead in Revelations 20 are not God’s people.

Hebrews 6:4-8 may be referring to a believer who has abandoned his confession of faith in Christ and has returned to the old, familiar way of doing things.  This believer has gone past the point of restoration.  The severity of such an action is seen in Hebrews 10:26-31.  Also, notice that in verse 6 it is impossible to renew them.  This is referring to us renewing them.  Nothing is impossible with God. Finally, remember that, if you accept the Armanian and Reformed views of this passage referring to losing one’s eternal life and /or being cast into the lake of ire, then there can be no assurance for the believer that he has eternal life because this passage makes it very clear that this is a regenerate believer who has fallen away.  Refer also to Luke 19:11-27 and notice that all 3 of the main characters in Jesus’ parable are servants and the servant who is judged in verse 22 was judged in a public setting with many witnesses (vs 24).  This is obviously referring to the Judgment Seat of Christ while verse 27 is referring to the Great White throne judgment.  These are two distinct judgments, the first occurring at the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom to judge Christ’s own and the second occurring at the end of the Millennial Kingdom to judge the dead.  These souls are not even resurrected until then.  Also, notice that in Revelations 21, after the Great White Throne Judgment is when Christ will “wipe every tear away”.  That is when the new earth and new Jerusalem with streets of gold come down, not during Christ’s millennial kingdom.  Therefore, Christians before that can, in fact, suffer loss and feel rejection and pain for a moment in time at least.  However, it is clear in Revelations 21 that this will only be for a time, not for eternity.  It is also obvious, if one understands these distinct timelines in the future that it is impossible that these judgments are of Christians, and while they have negative consequences to many believers, they do not result in loss of their eternal life (it is eternal and therefore does not end) or being thrown in the lake of fire.  That is only for believers. 

Following is a list of a few of the verses that refer to the Judgment Seat of Christ for believers.

Romans 14:10-12, Romans 2:16, 1 Cor. 3:13-15, 2 Cor. 5:10, Phil. 1:10, Phil 2:16, 2 Tim 2:11-13, 1 Pet. 1:11, 2 Pet 3:17, and 1 John 2:28.