Further Thought:

Read Ellen G. White,  “John the Beloved,” pages 539-545, in The Acts of the Apostles; “Judas,” pages 716-722, in The Desire of Ages.

“The warfare against self is the greatest battle that was ever fought.

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The yielding of self, surrendering all to the will of God, requires a struggle; but the soul must submit to God before it can be renewed in holiness.” — Ellen G. White,  Steps to Christ, p. 43.

“John desired to become like Jesus, and under the transforming influence of the love of Christ he did become meek and lowly. Self was hid in Jesus. Above all his companions, John yielded himself to the power of that wondrous life. …

It was John’s deep love for Christ which led him always to desire to be close by His side. The Saviour loved all the Twelve, but John’s was the most receptive spirit. He was younger than the others, and with more of the child’s confiding trust he opened his heart to Jesus. Thus he came more into sympathy with Christ, and through him the Saviour’s deepest spiritual teaching was communicated to the people. …

The beauty of holiness which had transformed him shone with a Christlike radiance from his countenance. In adoration and love he beheld the Saviour until likeness to Christ and fellowship with Him became his one desire, and in his character was reflected the character of his Master.” — Ellen G. White,  The Acts of the Apostles, pages 544, 545.

Discussion Questions:

<–Thursday

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This video is produced by the South Pacific Division Discipleship team.

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You can view an in-depth discussion of Jesus, The Anchor of the Soul in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. Click on the image to view:

With thanks to Hope Channel – Television that will change your life.

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Paul culminates his warning against apostasy and encouragement toward love and faith with a beautiful, soaring exposition of assurance in Christ.

Read Hebrews 6:17-20. How did God guarantee His promises to us?

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God guaranteed His promises for us in several ways. First, God guaranteed His promise with an oath (Hebrews 6:17). According to Scripture, God’s oaths to Abraham and David became the ultimate basis of confidence in God’s permanent favor for Israel. When Moses sought to secure God’s forgiveness for Israel after the apostasy with the golden calf, he referred to God’s oath to Abraham (see Exodus 32:11-14, Genesis 22:16-18). The implied strength of his plea was that God’s oath was irrevocable (Romans 9:4; Romans 11:28-29).

Similarly, when the psalmist interceded before God for Israel, he claimed God’s oath to David. God had said: “I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips. Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me. Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies” (Psalm 89:34-37, ESV). According to the New Testament, both oaths were fulfilled in Jesus, the seed of Abraham, who ascended and was seated on the throne of David (Galatians 3:13-16; Luke 1:31-33, Luke 1:54-55).

Second, God has guaranteed His promises to us by the act of seating Jesus at His right hand. Jesus’ ascension has the purpose of corroborating the promise made to the believers because Jesus ascended as a “forerunner on our behalf” (Hebrews 6:20, ESV emphasis author’s). Thus, the ascension reveals to us the certainty of God’s salvation for us. God led Jesus to glory through the suffering of “death for everyone,” so that He might bring “many children to glory” (Hebrews 2:9-10, NRSV). Jesus’ presence before the Father is the “anchor of the soul” (Hebrews 6:19), that has been fastened to the throne of God. The honor of God’s rule has been waged on the fulfillment of His promise to us through Jesus. What more assurance do we need?

<–Wednesday Friday–>

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After the strong and sincere warning of Hebrews 6:4-8, Paul expresses confidence that the readers have neither fallen away from the Son, nor will they in the future. He believes that his audience will receive the warning and produce the appropriate fruits. They are like the “earth,” which is cultivated by God and produces the fruits He expects. These people will receive the blessing from God (Hebrews 6:7), which is “salvation” (Hebrews 6:9).

Read Hebrews 6:9-12. List the good things that the audience has done and continues to do and explain what they mean.

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Believers show their love toward God’s “name,” that is, toward God Himself, by their service to the saints. These were not isolated actions in the past, but sustained actions that have extended into the present. Exceptional acts do not reveal the true character of a person. The weightiest evidence of love toward God is not “religious” acts per say, but acts of love toward fellow human beings, especially those who are disadvantaged (Matthew 10:42, Matthew 25:31-46). Thus, Paul exhorts believers not to “forget” to do good (Hebrews 13:2, Hebrews 13:16).

Look at Hebrews 6:12. It warns against their becoming “dull” or “sluggish” (ESV), which characterizes those who fail to mature and who are in danger of falling away (Hebrews 5:11, Hebrews 6:12). Hope is not kept alive by intellectual exercises of faith, but by faith expressed in acts of love (Romans 13:8-10).

Paul wants the readers to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. He has already presented the wilderness generation as a negative example of those who, through lack of faith and perseverance, failed to inherit what was promised. He then presents Abraham (Hebrews 6:13-15) as an example of one who through “faith and patience” inherited the promises. The list of positive exemplars is lengthened with the people of faith in Hebrews 11, and it climaxes with Jesus in Hebrews 12 as the greatest example of faith and patience (Hebrews 12:1-4). In Revelation 14:12, faith, patience, and commandment keeping are characteristics of the saints in the last days.

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

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