Hebrews, Perseverence and Hebrews, Perseverence and PredestinationPredestination

• Hebrews and Falling Away.Hebrews and Falling Away.

• Scriptures which point toward Scriptures which point toward Perseverence/Once Saved Always Saved.Perseverence/Once Saved Always Saved.

• History of the doctrine of Predestination.History of the doctrine of Predestination.

• Arguments for Predestination.Arguments for Predestination.

• The biblical doctrine of Predestination.The biblical doctrine of Predestination.

• Assurance of Salvation in Hebrews.Assurance of Salvation in Hebrews.

Question:

Do you believe in Predestination?

Hebrews and Falling AwayHebrews and Falling Away

• They shall never enter my rest 3:11, 4:5They shall never enter my rest 3:11, 4:5• We have come to share in Christ We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to if we hold firmly to

the end the confidence we had at first. the end the confidence we had at first. 3:143:14• They were not able to enter because of their unbelief They were not able to enter because of their unbelief

3:193:19• Be careful not to be found to have fallen short of it. 4:1Be careful not to be found to have fallen short of it. 4:1• Some… did not go in because of their obedience 4:6Some… did not go in because of their obedience 4:6• Let us make every effort to enter that rest Let us make every effort to enter that rest so that no so that no

one will fall by followingone will fall by following their example of their example of disobedience 4:11disobedience 4:11

• Do you get the point?Do you get the point?

 

Historical type/antitype in the Exodus

OLD TESTAMENT TYPE

NEW TESTAMENT ANTITYPE

SLAVERY IN EGYPT

LOST, SLAVE TO SIN

WANDERING IN THE WILDERNESS

SAVED, BUT LIVING THE LIFE OF A DISCIPLE

ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND

ENTERING HEAVEN

 

Hebrews 6:4-6 Who is he talking Hebrews 6:4-6 Who is he talking to?to?

• a. been enlightened (NT church a. been enlightened (NT church “enlightened” = baptized)“enlightened” = baptized)

• b. tasted the heavenly gift (salvation?)b. tasted the heavenly gift (salvation?)• c. shared in the Holy Spiritc. shared in the Holy Spirit• d. tasted the goodness of the wordd. tasted the goodness of the word• e. tasted the coming age (saved)e. tasted the coming age (saved)

• Yes, you can fall away! Conclusion: You had Yes, you can fall away! Conclusion: You had better move on toward maturity in Christ.better move on toward maturity in Christ.

Hebrews 6:4-8Hebrews 6:4-8

• It is It is impossibleimpossible… if they fall away, to be brought … if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance.back to repentance.

• They are crucifying the Son of God all over They are crucifying the Son of God all over again.again.

• Land that produces thorns… will be burned.Land that produces thorns… will be burned.

Falling Away Hebrews 10:26-31Falling Away Hebrews 10:26-31

• Crucifying the Son of God all over again.Crucifying the Son of God all over again.• Subjecting Jesus to public disgraceSubjecting Jesus to public disgrace• Trampling the Son of God under foot. (Heb Trampling the Son of God under foot. (Heb

10:29)10:29)• Insulted the Holy Spirit (Heb 10:29)Insulted the Holy Spirit (Heb 10:29)• Blasphemed (spoken against) the Holy Spirit Blasphemed (spoken against) the Holy Spirit

(Matt 12:32)(Matt 12:32)• Committed the unforgivable sin (1 John 5:16 )Committed the unforgivable sin (1 John 5:16 )

• What is the “unforgivable sin?” To willfully, What is the “unforgivable sin?” To willfully, deliberately continue in sin. (Hebrews 10:26)deliberately continue in sin. (Hebrews 10:26)

Falling AwayFalling Away

• Crucifying the Son of God all over again.Crucifying the Son of God all over again.• Subjecting Jesus to public disgraceSubjecting Jesus to public disgrace• Trampling the Son of God under foot. (Heb Trampling the Son of God under foot. (Heb

10:29)10:29)• Insulted the Holy Spirit (Heb 10:29)Insulted the Holy Spirit (Heb 10:29)• Blasphemed (spoken against) the Holy Spirit Blasphemed (spoken against) the Holy Spirit

(Matt 12:32)(Matt 12:32)• Committed the unforgivable sin (1 John 5:16)Committed the unforgivable sin (1 John 5:16)

• What is the “unforgivable sin?” To willfully, What is the “unforgivable sin?” To willfully, deliberately continue in sin. (Hebrews 10:26)deliberately continue in sin. (Hebrews 10:26)

History of the doctrine of History of the doctrine of predestination.predestination.

• Augustine of Hippo AD 354-430 “The City of Augustine of Hippo AD 354-430 “The City of God”God”

• Martin Luther (1483-1546): an Augustinian Martin Luther (1483-1546): an Augustinian monk.monk.

• Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531) Reformed Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531) Reformed Churches.Churches.

• John Calvin (1509-1564) “Institutes of the John Calvin (1509-1564) “Institutes of the Christian Religion”Christian Religion”

• A profound belief in the sovereignty of GodA profound belief in the sovereignty of God• Double Predestination and TULIPDouble Predestination and TULIP

Sin, Redemption, SalvationSin, Redemption, Salvation

• Augustine!!!!! (Augustine!!!!! (AD AD 354-430)354-430)– The City of God The City of God

SoveriegntySoveriegnty– Total depravityTotal depravity– Monoergism (only God)Monoergism (only God)– PredestinationPredestination– Original SinOriginal Sin– Infant baptism required Infant baptism required

for salvationfor salvation– SacramentalismSacramentalism– TransubstantiationTransubstantiation– City and StateCity and State– Opposed DonatistsOpposed Donatists Augustine of Hippo (from 6th

century)

Augustine: Evil and Free WillAugustine: Evil and Free Will

• About Augustine: “Evil arises from the About Augustine: “Evil arises from the corruption of a nature which is essentially corruption of a nature which is essentially good. What is called evil is good corrupted; good. What is called evil is good corrupted; if it were not corrupted it would be wholly if it were not corrupted it would be wholly good; but even when it is corrupted, it is good; but even when it is corrupted, it is good in so far as it remains a natural thing, good in so far as it remains a natural thing, and bad only in so far as it is corrupted.”and bad only in so far as it is corrupted.”

• ““A man’s free will avails for nothing except A man’s free will avails for nothing except to sin.”to sin.”

Pelagius AD c. 354-430

Works Salvation?Affirmed the existence of free will. “Evil is not born with us, and we are procreated without fault.” Rejected infant baptism. Taught that we become holy through our own effort?

More troubling:

“Since perfection is possible for man, it is obligatory.”

Julian of EclanumJulian of Eclanum

• ““You [ie. Augustine] think that your Lord is You [ie. Augustine] think that your Lord is capable of committing a crime against capable of committing a crime against justice such as is hardly conceivable even justice such as is hardly conceivable even among the barbarians.among the barbarians.

• Accused Augustine of making God the Accused Augustine of making God the creator of both good and evil.creator of both good and evil.

• Q: What is the nature of “the Fall” of Q: What is the nature of “the Fall” of mankind? What happened in the mankind? What happened in the garden?garden?

• Puritans: “In Adam’s fall we sinned Puritans: “In Adam’s fall we sinned all.”all.”

• Romans 5:12-19 What “death” is this Romans 5:12-19 What “death” is this in v. 12in v. 12

Thomas Aquinas

1225-1274

Aristotle

Revelation by reason

Scholasticism

Arguments for existence of God

Natural Theology

“Summa Theologica”

Thomas Aquinas:

“God, therefore, is the first cause, who moves causes both natural and voluntary. And just as by moving natural causes He does not prevent their actions from being natural, so by moving voluntary causes He does not deprive their actions of being voluntary; but rather is He the cause of this very thing in them, for He operates in each thing according to his own nature.”

In other words, Aquinas believed in free will and not a strict monergism.

Martin Luther 1483-1541

Augustinian Monk

Faith Alone

Grace Alone

Scripture Alone

Predestination

Martin Luther:

“Away with James… His authority is not great enough to cause me to abandon the doctrine of faith [alone] and to deviate from the authority of the other apostles and the entire Scripture.” St. James’ epistle is really an epistle of straw, compared to these others (Romans, Galatians, John) for it has nothing of the nature of the gospel about it.”

Ulrich Zwingli

1484-1531

Opposed baptismal regeneration

Double Predestination

Reformed Theology

“Those individuals who end up damned forever in hell are also eternally determined by God for that fate.”

John Calvin 1509-1564

Institutes of Christian Religion

His emphasis: the sovereignty of God

TULIP

TULIPTULIP

• TTotal depravityotal depravity• UUnconditional electionnconditional election• LLimited atonementimited atonement• IIrresistable gracerresistable grace• PPerseverence of the saint (once erseverence of the saint (once

saved, always saved)saved, always saved)

• This entire system is:This entire system is:– Logical andLogical and– Built on the doctrine of Original Sin.Built on the doctrine of Original Sin.

Jacob Arminius

(1560-1609)

Opposed Reformed idea of predestination.

Are we Arminians?

Jonathan Edwards

“A Sinner in the Hands of an Angry God.”

How do we know we are of the elect?

1800’s America: Predestination Light1800’s America: Predestination LightOnce Saved, Always SavedOnce Saved, Always Saved

• Preservation of the SaintsPreservation of the Saints

• Believer’s Prayer. Believer’s Prayer.

• Once God saves you, in is impossible to lose Once God saves you, in is impossible to lose your salvation, no matter what.your salvation, no matter what.

• Q: Scriptures which appear to Q: Scriptures which appear to support the doctrine of support the doctrine of predestination?predestination?

• Is a believer in this false doctrine Is a believer in this false doctrine lost?lost?

• Q: Scriptures which prove free will Q: Scriptures which prove free will and refute predestination? and refute predestination?

Predestination?Predestination?

• Romans 8:28-30 Romans 8:28-30

• Romans 8:31-39 Nothing can separate us Romans 8:31-39 Nothing can separate us (except we ourselves because we(except we ourselves because we

• have free will)have free will)

• John 10:27-29 No one can snatch them out John 10:27-29 No one can snatch them out of my hands…of my hands…

• Romans 9:10-21 (read v. 14-18)Romans 9:10-21 (read v. 14-18)

The Biblical Doctrine of The Biblical Doctrine of PredestinationPredestination

• First of all, man had “free will”!!!First of all, man had “free will”!!!– It is God’s sovereign will that we have free will It is God’s sovereign will that we have free will because he because he

loves usloves us..– Deut 30:19-20Deut 30:19-20– Joshua 24:15Joshua 24:15– Ezekiel 18:19-20Ezekiel 18:19-20– All of Hebrews.All of Hebrews.

• God predestined all of us to be saved (but he does not God predestined all of us to be saved (but he does not force anyone)force anyone)

• Very rarely, God intervenes in history to bring about Very rarely, God intervenes in history to bring about his will, but even then, he does not, ultimately steal his will, but even then, he does not, ultimately steal anyone’s free will.anyone’s free will.

God’s Assurance: Hebrews 6:9-20

Two unchangeable things:

God’s Word

God’s Oath (Genesis 22:16-18)

Jesus, your anchor, is behind the veil with the Father

God’s Assurance: Hebrews 10:19-23

We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place

Let us draw near to God… in full assurance of faith.

For he who promised is faithful.

Hebrews 10:35-36 Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded…. You will receive what he has promised.