Hebrews – Hold onto Hope. Hope anchored in Christ
Readings: Hebrews 6:1-20 Preacher: Phil Swain
This Sunday we are continuing exploring the New Testament in our new sermons series focusing on selected passages in Hebrews – Hold onto Hope. When we look around our world at the moment; or even around our own communities or life; there is a lot of things happening that are unsettling. It is like the storms of life have settled in and some of us are finding the constant wind and waves a drain on us physically and emotionally. We cling to God and our faith … but it can be hard.
Our new Sermon Series will explore some great passages in Hebrews which encourages us to “hold onto hope” in both the good times and the storms. This Sunday we look at Hebrews 6 which poses a really tough question – in the midst of the storm and doubts, how easier it is to fall out of relationship with God? At the same time the writer of Hebrews offers us a helpful analogy of an anchor for our souls – firm and secure – that holds us close to God.
Sermon Text
So this morning we’re continuing our journey through the New Testament part of the Narrative Lectionary. Since Easter we have been working through different parts of the New Testament such as exploring the foundations of the early church through the book of Acts, and then we shifted to discovering life in the Spirit through Paul’s letter to the Galatians.
Now, as we move forward, we find ourselves at an exciting stage of the Narrative Lectionary… where we have a couple of months where the readings are not prescribed but rather we get to choose what to preach on. So Kevin and I have had the opportunity to select specific portions of Scripture for us to dive deeper into as a congregation.
For the next few weeks, I have made the decision that we’ll be immersing ourselves in the profound wisdom found in some selected Hebrews passages, while Kevin has chosen that we will look at some insightful passages from the letters of 1 and 2 Thessalonians.
Now, you might wonder, why Hebrews? Why did I think that Hebrews was a particularly good part of the New Testament to reflect upon? Well, when this was decided about 6 weeks ago, I was looking around the world and feeling a deep sense of unsettledness. Whether it’s political tensions, strained international relationships, economic uncertainties—there seems to be an overwhelming sense of instability and anxiety everywhere I turned. And I felt strongly led that we, as people of faith, needed a timely reminder from Scripture about the certainty and steadfastness of God.
Interestingly, that feeling has become even more relevant this past week. The unfolding events in the Middle East, the alarming rhetoric escalating conflicts, the rising fear-driven reactions—these situations heighten our collective sense of unease. It begs an important question: how do we, as followers of Jesus, respond faithfully amid such uncertainty?
As I pondered this weeks ago, an image came to mind—an anchor. It reminded me of my days as a Boys Brigade boy, where we often referenced the anchor as our symbol—”sure and secure”. This phrase is taken from the book of Hebrews – and was in our bible reading this morning. In storms, the anchor holds firm, providing stability and reassurance when the winds blow fiercely.
So today, and in the coming weeks, we’ll turn to Hebrews to find hope, to rediscover God’s promises, and to anchor ourselves deeply in the certainty and faithfulness of our God—our Rock, who remains unshakeable amid the storms of life.
Sound good?
So, how much do you know about the Book of Hebrews? It’s a fascinating and rich part of the New Testament, yet it often flies under the radar. Let’s take a moment to explore its background and significance.
Authorship and Style
The authorship of Hebrews has been a topic of debate for centuries. While the early church often attributed it to Paul, modern scholarship largely disagrees. One key reason is the absence of Paul’s customary self-identification; Paul was never shy about stating his name and credentials … but there is no identification in the book of Hebrews.
Also, the Greek used in Hebrews is more polished and stylistically distinct from Paul’s known letters. Some scholars have suggested other candidates like Barnabas, Apollos, or even Priscilla and Aquila, but we really don’t know. It doesn’t matter as it is the content of the letter which has more meaning.
Date and Audience
Hebrews was likely written between AD 60 and 70, before the destruction of the Jerusalem temple in AD 70. We can deduce this from the present-tense references to the temple … as if it is still there.
The title sort of hints at the intended audience – the Hebrew people … or Jewish Christians who were facing persecution and considering a return to Judaism. The letter serves as both encouragement and exhortation to remain steadfast in their faith in Christ.
Purpose and Themes
The central theme of Hebrews is the supremacy of Christ. It presents Jesus as greater than Moses, the Levitical priesthood, and even angels! The write emphasizing that Jesus is the ultimate High Priest and the perfect sacrifice for sins. The letter encourages believers to persevere in their faith, highlighting that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Covenant and the mediator of a new, better covenant.
Relevance Today
As I have already mentioned … In times of uncertainty and challenge, Hebrews offers profound encouragement. It reminds us that our hope is anchored in Jesus, who is unchanging and ever faithful.
Lets jump into our reading for today … Hebrews chapter 6.
The writer calls us to move towards maturity in our faith, to move beyond the elementary teachings. What does this mean? The New Living Translation of the bible says, “Let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again” … and the Message Translation tells us to, “leave the preschool fingerpainting exercises on Christ and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ”
What is wrong with the basic teachings of Christ?
Nothing but it can become a problem if we don’t move towards maturity.
One of the theologians I had to read at Bible College was Marcus Borg. He observed that many people often remain stuck in what he refers to as a “Sunday school faith,” a simplistic understanding of Christianity formed during childhood. Borg argues that while this foundational stage is necessary and beneficial at the start of our spiritual journey, it’s problematic if adults never move beyond it.
According to Borg, a mature faith is the ability to wrestle honestly with complexities, doubts, and uncertainties that surround faith. For example, we teach our kids the story of Noah and how God saved all the animals … but we don’t mention the part that God wiped out plenty of humans in that story. But as mature Christians, we should be able to wrestle with that complexity and wonder why if God wanted to save the animals, why didn’t God want to save the humans too?
Borg goes onto to say that when we get more comfortable exploring the complexity, doubts and questions around life and faith, then our faith becomes mature and more robust and resilient. Our faith becomes capable of holding us steady through life’s inevitable storms, tragedies, and moments of doubt.
For Borg, mature faith involves seeing beyond simple interpretations to embrace more complex answers, critical thinking, and deeper truths. Such faith doesn’t crumble when confronted by difficulties; instead, it stands firm because it’s anchored in a more profound, nuanced understanding of God’s grace, presence, and purpose.
I am not sure if this is completely what the writer of Hebrews means when they are talking about a mature faith … but I do find it interesting that straight after they encourage us to move beyond elemental teaching, they raise a tricky and complex theological question about falling away from God.
Did you get the problem they were pondering in verses 4-8?
The question is about whether someone who has experienced the grace of God, who has a relationship or connection with God … if they fall away, can they ever return to God?
Already we can see that they are adding complexities to this. The Sunday School answer is that God accepts everyone, so of course they can return to God. But Hebrews chapter 6 – acknowledges that it isn’t quite that simple and in doing so raises many questions …
1. Can a genuine believer even lose their salvation?
- If someone genuinely experiences salvation, the fullness of God grace. If they are accepted into God’s family and receive the Holy Spirit … can ultimately lose it? Is salvation something that is for all time … or only when we deserve it?
2. What does it mean to “fall away”?
- Does falling away refer to a temporary lapse, doubt, or sin, or does it represent a conscious, prolonged rejection of Christ? Is this momentary or a sustained departure from faith?
3. How permanent is the state of falling away described here?
- The author indicates a severe consequence—impossible renewal to repentance. Does this imply a definitive, irreversible loss of salvation, or is it hyperbolic language meant to strongly warn and urge repentance?
4. What role does human freedom play in salvation?
- If it is possible to fall away, what does this mean about human freedom, God’s sovereignty, and the nature of divine grace? Is salvation conditional on continued faithfulness, or does God’s grace inevitably sustain genuine believers?
5. How do we reconcile this with passages emphasizing eternal security?
- This text appears to challenge assurances of eternal security or “once saved, always saved” found elsewhere (e.g., John 10:28–29, Romans 8:38–39). How can we hold both sets of Scripture in creative tension?
6. Does the passage describe actual historical believers or a hypothetical scenario?
- Some scholars argue that this passage might be rhetorical, intended to warn rather than describe a common scenario. If hypothetical, what is its practical pastoral intention? Why did they include it???
So … do we want to explore any of these questions this morning … or just go with the Sunday School answer that God accepts all who return?
I think it is helpful to wrestle with some of these because there might be a point in your life where you have doubts; when things have not worked out they way you wanted and you are not sure if this faith is for you; or the storms of life have been so harsh that surely a loving God wouldn’t put you through this … unless God wasn’t interested in you anymore. If you find yourself distant in your relationship with God – then all of these questions become much more real.
So – just in case someone is feeling this … lets ponder…
Let me put a few other points next to these complexities to see how they might speak to each other.
Can someone who is in a relationship with Jesus, fall away and not be in relationship with Jesus. I think they can … but I don’t think that is something that can happen in a moment, or quickly.
For those of us who are parents … if you’re child did something wrong, would you immediately kick them out of the house and family, and disown them for the rest of their life? No, that would not be our immediate reaction.
However, I do know of some family relationship that have become so toxic or unsafe or hurtful that the only way forward is a severing of relationship. But once again, that is never the immediate first response but the last resort.
And I think that is the same with God. God is loving and gracious and wants more than anything to be connected to us. God will never break that relationship with us, but if a person doesn’t want to be in relationship anymore then God won’t force it. We have the free will to decide to leave or not.
Even when it comes to living in the blessings of salvation. God will never take our salvation from us … but can we reject the salvation we have already received? Yes, I think we can.
But God is always faithful. This is where I love the anchor imagery. We might be blown around by the storms of life, or tossed by the waves of doubt, or even want to go full steam ahead away from God … but our faith is like an anchor for our soul … anchoring us in the very heart of God. It is hold us firm in our salvation. Sure, we can release the chain from our boat if we want … but be assured, from God’s perspective, God’s anchor will never break, never let go, never let us down.
Eugene Peterson, in “The Message,” emphasizes that God’s mercy continually calls us back. Just like an anchor prevents a boat from drifting aimlessly, God’s grace persistently holds us, offering continual opportunities to return and reconnect.
Can you see the benefits in wrestling with the complexity???
I would love to explore this more. Maybe we need a lunch were we can sit around some good food and just hear what we all think… that would be nice.
Anyway, let’s wrap this up with two last points.
In verses 9–12, the author reassures us that our faithfulness and acts of love don’t go unnoticed. While we firmly believe salvation comes through faith in Christ alone, the good things we do shows our gratitude for what God has done for us. Theologian Dallas Willard insightfully comments that good deeds are the fruit of our relationship with Christ (a bit like what we looked at last week with the gifts of the spirit).
Lastly, verse 19 brings a profound affirmation: our hope in Christ is steadfast and secure, like an anchor firmly set.
Notably, the anchor doesn’t just secure us anywhere—it enters the inner sanctuary, the most holy place where God’s presence dwells. Tim Keller notes the significance of this—our anchor, Christ, doesn’t just hold us; He actively connects us to the intimate, holy presence of God. Jesus, our High Priest, has made the way clear, anchoring us directly in divine grace and unwavering faithfulness. This assurance invites us to continually draw near, confident in the firm hold of God’s eternal promise.
So, where does this all land for us today?
We’ve covered a lot—spiritual maturity, the hard questions of faith, doubts and storms, and this beautiful image of the anchor. And maybe, like me, you’re sitting with a mixture of comfort and challenge. That’s okay. That’s good, actually. Because real faith—mature faith—isn’t about having every answer or never struggling. It’s about knowing where we’re anchored when the storms do come.
Hebrews reminds us that our hope is not in our ability to hold it all together. Our hope is in Jesus—the one who goes before us, the one who has entered the very presence of God on our behalf, the one who stands as our High Priest, anchoring us in grace.
So maybe today, you’re feeling strong in your faith—confident, steady. Or maybe you’re just holding on. Maybe you’re not even sure what you believe anymore. Wherever you are, hear this: the anchor still holds. Christ still holds you. And you are not alone.
Let us keep growing together—not staying in Sunday School faith, but courageously stepping into the deeper waters of maturity. Let’s keep wrestling, keep learning, keep loving. And when the winds rise and the waves toss us around, let’s hold fast to the one who has already secured our place in God’s presence. Amen