Thematic Bible: Select reading, heb 511-14, 61-16
Thematic Bible
spiritual Development » Select reading, heb 511-14, 61-16
I have much to say to you about this, but it is difficult to make it clear to you, because you have become so slow of apprehension. For although from the length of your Christian experience you ought to be teaching others, you actually need someone to teach you over again the very elements of Christian truth, and you have come to need milk instead of solid food. For anyone who is limited to milk is unacquainted with Christian teaching, for he is only an infant. read more.
But full-grown men have a right to solid food, for their faculties are trained by practice to distinguish right and wrong.
But full-grown men have a right to solid food, for their faculties are trained by practice to distinguish right and wrong.
Let us therefore leave elementary Christian teaching alone and advance toward maturity. We must not be always relaying foundations, of repentance for wrong-doing, and of faith in God, with the teaching of baptism and the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and final judgment. And we will advance if God permits it. read more.
For it is impossible to arouse people to a fresh repentance when they have once for all come into the light and had a taste of the gift from heaven, and shared in the holy Spirit and felt the goodness of the word of God and the strong influences of the coming age, and yet have fallen back, for they crucify the Son of God on their own account, and hold him up to contempt. Ground that drinks in frequent showers and produces vegetation that is of use to those for whom it is cultivated receives God's blessing. But if it yields thorns and thistles, it is thought worthless and almost cursed, and it will finally be burned. But about you, dear friends, even though we say this, we are sure of better things that promise salvation. For God is not so unjust as to forget the work you have done and the love you have showed for his cause, in giving help to your fellow-Christians as you still do. But we want each of you to exhibit this same earnestness to the very end with regard to your confidence in your hope, so that you may never grow careless, but may learn to follow the example of those who through their faith and endurance are the possessors of God's promises. For when God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to make oath by, he did so by himself, and said, "I will certainly bless you richly, and greatly increase your numbers." And so after waiting patiently, he received what God had promised him. For men make oath by something greater than themselves, and they accept an oath as settling finally any disagreement they may have.
For it is impossible to arouse people to a fresh repentance when they have once for all come into the light and had a taste of the gift from heaven, and shared in the holy Spirit and felt the goodness of the word of God and the strong influences of the coming age, and yet have fallen back, for they crucify the Son of God on their own account, and hold him up to contempt. Ground that drinks in frequent showers and produces vegetation that is of use to those for whom it is cultivated receives God's blessing. But if it yields thorns and thistles, it is thought worthless and almost cursed, and it will finally be burned. But about you, dear friends, even though we say this, we are sure of better things that promise salvation. For God is not so unjust as to forget the work you have done and the love you have showed for his cause, in giving help to your fellow-Christians as you still do. But we want each of you to exhibit this same earnestness to the very end with regard to your confidence in your hope, so that you may never grow careless, but may learn to follow the example of those who through their faith and endurance are the possessors of God's promises. For when God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to make oath by, he did so by himself, and said, "I will certainly bless you richly, and greatly increase your numbers." And so after waiting patiently, he received what God had promised him. For men make oath by something greater than themselves, and they accept an oath as settling finally any disagreement they may have.