The Warning Passages in Hebrews

“The purpose of Hebrews was to strengthen, encourage, and exhort the members of a persecuted Christian community to hold firmly to their confession of Jesus Christ rather than seek security in the old rituals of Judaism.”1George Guthrie quoted by Pastor Jeff Davis. God’s Rest & Hebrew’s 2nd Warning Passage. https://jeffdavis.blog/tag/warning-passages-in-hebrews Perseverance and faithfulness are main points of this warning passage, as the author of Hebrews warns his audience about the danger of developing an evil heart of unbelief like the generation in the wilderness had done and the grave consequences that would result if they did not change their ways. 2Jeff Davis. God’s Rest & Hebrew’s 2nd Warning Passage. https://jeffdavis.blog/tag/warning-passages-in-hebrews Jason Whitlark adds, “Most interpreters recognize that Hebrews addresses a Christian community under pressure to compromise or give up altogether its exclusive confession and hope in Jesus Christ.”[8] It is against this backdrop of apostasy, the author of Hebrews addresses an audience on the verge of making a terrible decision to abandon their Christian faith.3Quoted by Davis

The interpretation of the warning passages in Hebrews remains a highly debated topic, especially amongst Calvinist-Reformed and Arminian traditions. B. J. Oropeza4Oropeza is quoted by Davis. https://jeffdavis.blog/tag/warning-passages-in-hebrews demonstrates, “The apparent inability of a second repentance for those who have fallen away from faith has ignited a long history of discussions and debates on the issue.” The main question always seems to come back to: “Was the original audience genuine Christ-followers to begin with?” Oropeza explains, “Those who examine the passages with Reformed-Calvinistic perspectives [believe] the ones in danger of apostasy in Hebrews are not elect or ‘genuine’ believers. Likewise, those who approach the texts with Arminian theological agendas conclude the warnings evince a real possibility that believers can abandon salvation.” As Percer remarks, “If all we had was Hebrews, we would all be Arminians.” The fact the writer includes himself in the warning passages serves to indicate the warnings did apply to genuine Christ-followers.5Davis

The five warning passages are a “warning against apostatizing, departing from truth once held. All the warnings in the Bible against following false teachers are similar to this one in their intent. If we do not diligently remain in the truth-and to do so we must know it and remember it-we will depart from it. We live in a world that is striving to separate us from it. Satan also wants us to abandon it (cf. Genesis 3; Matthew 4).” 6Dr. Thomas Constable. Notes on Hebrews 2021 Edition. https://www.planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/html/nt/hebrews/hebrews.htm

The warning passages are as follows:

  1. The danger of negligence. Heb. 2:1-4
  2. The danger of disbelief. Heb. 3:6-19
  3. The danger of immaturity. Heb. 5:11 – 6:12
  4. The danger of willful sinning. Heb. 10:19-39
  5. The danger of unresponsiveness. Heb. 12:14-29

The titles are from Dr. Thomas Constable. Notes on Hebrews 7Dr. Thomas Constable. Notes on Hebrews 2021 Edition. https://www.planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/html/nt/hebrews/hebrews.htm

“The author writes sternly, because his readers are true believers…” Turning back now, “would amount to a sin of rebellion resembling what the wilderness generation had done at Kadesh-Barnea,8see Heb. 3:1-4:13 yet deserving of even greater punishment.”9Dr. J. Paul Tanner. A Severe Warning Against Defection Hebrews 10:26-31. http://paultanner.org/English%20Docs/Hebrews/Suppl%20-%20App/App%20B%20-%20Heb%2010.pdf

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