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Does the Book of Hebrews teach that “Works” or “Holiness” is necessary for Salvation?
Or to be more exact,
that “Holiness” is a necessary outworking, proving one is actually “Saved”
Consider the following Scriptures:
Hebrews 4:14-16
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us live our lives consistent with our confession of faith. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. Instead, we have one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet he never sinned. 16 So let us keep on coming boldly to the throne of grace, so that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need
My Note: So many times, I’ve heard the above verses quoted to support sermons which state we can come boldly and unafraid to the Throne of Grace AFTER sinning, for we won’t find judgment there, so come and confess your sins. Although this is a Truth, I see this verse actually teaching that Jesus knows what it is like to be tempted, and so in our struggle to stay pure and not sin, or in order to live our life consistent with our profession that we are Christians and called to live “holy lives”, let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace, asking God for help, Who won’t turn us away or say “Shame on you for needing help”, and God will give us grace to OVERCOME our temptation(s).
Hebrews 5:9 – 14
he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him having been designated by God to be a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. We have much to say about this, but it is difficult to explain because you have become too lazy to understand. In fact, though by now you should be teachers, you still need someone to teach you the basic truths of God’s word. You have become people who need milk instead of solid food. For everyone who lives on milk is still a baby and does not yet know the difference between right and wrong. But solid food is for mature people, whose minds are trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.
Note: I see these verses implying that the “lazy” Christian, or as commonly said in North America the “carnal” Christian, does not understand that “works” or “holiness” is a necessary outworking of a true conversion experience … They have not trained their minds to distinguish between good and evil, or between living carnal, sinful lives versus “presenting their bodies as living sacrifices to God, which is our spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1). Please, anyone, correct me if I am way off.
Hebrews 6:1 then goes on to continue the theme, (remember CONTEXT when we read passages) that “REPENTANCE FROM DEAD WORKS” is an elementary teaching … or as I read this to mean, turning away from dead works / unholy living / living in the lusts of the flesh is elementary and basic Christianity 101 teaching!
Hebrews 6:4
For it is impossible to keep on restoring to repentance time and again people who have once been enlightened
Note: I see this verse as showing that repentance from dead works and living according to the lusts of the flesh is necessary, or a “turning away from” dead works / lusts of the flesh IS an obvious state of life for the truly Born Again, and therefore to have to KEEP ON restoring someone to repentance is an impossibility …. the person isn’t accepting the Truth that God desires “holy living” from the Born Again New Creation. Again, correct me if I am wrong.
Hebrews 10:26-31
For if we choose to go on SINNING (after) we learned the full truth, there NO LONGER REMAINS A SACRIFICE FOR SINS, but only a terrifying prospect of judgment and a raging fire that will consume the ENEMIES OF GOD. Anyone who violates the law of Moses dies without mercy “on the testimony of two or three witnesses.” HOW MUCH MORE SEVERE A PUNISHMENT do you think that person deserves who tramples on God’s Son, treats as common the blood of the covenant by which it was sanctified, and insults the Spirit of grace? … The Lord will judge his people. It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!
Hebrews 12:14
Pursue peace with everyone, as well as HOLINESS, WITHOUT WHICH NO ONE WILL SEE THE LORD
Hebrews 12:16-17
No one should be IMMORAL or godless like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterwards, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, HE WAS REJECTED
Hebrews 12:28-29
let us be thankful and worship God in reverence and fear in a way that pleases him For our God is an all-consuming fire.
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As in my other Studies, and to be honest with all Scripture, let’s see if the Book of Hebrews speaks of GRACE ALONE without works, obedience, or “holiness”, as being the only condition for Salvation.
Consider the following Scriptures:
Hebrews 4:10
because the one who enters God’s rest has himself rested from his own works
Hebrews 7:19
since the law made nothing perfect, and a better hope is presented, by which we approach God
Hebrews 8:12
For I will be merciful regarding their wrong deeds, and I will never again remember their sins
Hebrews 9:12 & 14
but with his own blood he went into the Holy of Holies once for all and secured our eternal redemption ... how much more will the blood of the Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works so that we may serve the living God!
Note: seems Hebrews 9:14 supports my statements that the Blood of Jesus cleanses and frees us to enable us to live FOR God (in holiness and good works), rather than just cleansing us so we can go on living any way we like/choose with our minds believing we will still see heaven at the end of such a selfish, sinful life
Hebrews 9:26
But now, at the end of the ages, he has appeared once for all to remove sin by his sacrifice
Hebrews 10:1, 10, 18
For the Law, being only a reflection of the blessings to come and not their substance, can never make perfect those who come near by the same sacrifices repeatedly offered year after year … By God’s will we have been sanctified once for all through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus, the Messiah … now where there is forgiveness of these sins, there is no longer any offering for sin
Hebrews 11:6
Now without faith it is impossible to please God
End Note: As I stated in an other Posts, I do not believe the Blood of Christ has cleansed us from all sin, so that we can continue to live in the muck and filth and sin of the world while entertaining the notion that Heaven is our home when we die;
Rather, I believe the Blood of Christ has cleansed and freed us from all sin so that we can live righteously and holy as God has outlined and asked us to do in each New Testament Book …. living truly free from the stronghold of sin and able to live for and “serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:14).
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Does the Book of Hebrews uphold or teach the doctrine, ”Once Saved Always Saved”?
Consider the following Scriptures:
Hebrews 2:1
For this reason we must pay closer attention to the things we have heard, or we may drift away
Hebrews 3:6
and we are his household if we hold on to our courage and the hope in which we rejoice
Hebrews 3:12
See to it, my brothers, that no evil, unbelieving heart is found in any of you, as shown by your turning away from the living God
Hebrews 3:14
because we are the Messiah’s partners only if we hold on to our original confidence to the end
Hebrews 4:1
Therefore, as long as the promise of entering his rest remains valid, let us be afraid! Otherwise, some of you will fail to reach it
Hebrews 6:4-8
For it is impossible to keep on restoring to repentance time and again people who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have become partners with the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of God’s word and the powers of the coming age, and who have fallen away, as long as they continue to crucify the Son of God to their own detriment by exposing him to public ridicule. For when the ground soaks up rain that often falls on it and continues producing vegetation useful to those for whom it is cultivated, it receives a blessing from God. However, if it continues to produce thorns and thistles, it is worthless and in danger of being cursed, and in the end will be burned.
Hebrews 10:26-27
For if we choose to go on sinning (after) we learned the full truth, there NO LONGER REMAINS A SACRIFICE FOR SINS, but only a terrifying prospect of judgment and a raging fire that will consume the ENEMIES of God
Hebrews 10:36-39
For you need endurance, so that after you have done God’s will you can receive what he has promised. For in a “very little while the one who is coming will return – he will not delay; buy my righteous one will live by faith, and IF HE TURNS BACK my soul will take no pleasure in him.” Now, we do not belong to those who TURN BACK and are DESTROYED, but to those who have faith and are saved.
Note: Why do I continue to bring up the question of “Once Saved Always Saved”? Because I believe if one believes they are eternally secure, regardless of how they live, then they could find themselves missing the Rapture and/or missing Heaven altogether …. and my desire is that all will live godly lives and find themselves welcomed into Heaven and the presence of God. (“Do not be DECEIVED, the one who practices righteousness is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil” — 1 John 3:7-8).
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Is the Coming of the Lord mentioned in the Book of Hebrews?
Hebrews 10:23-25
Let us continue to hold firmly to the hope that we confess without wavering, for the one who made the promise is faithful. And let us continue to consider how to motivate one another to LOVE AND GOOD DEEDS, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another even more as you see the DAY OF THE LORD coming nearer.
Conclusion:
Please, brothers, “listen patiently to my encouraging message” (Hebrews 13:22) as I try to spur the Body on to Good Works as I see the “Day of the Lord coming nearer” (Hebrews 10:25)
Grace and mercy to all who long for Christ’s appearing, and who desire to live their lives fully for Him. Amen.
Are YOU saved AND rapture ready?
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All Scriptures in this Study were taken from the International Standard Version, as found on Bible.cc
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