Those Hebrews Warning Passages Again: Salvation, Rewards, or Maturity?

I have written a lot recently on the warning passages in the Book of Hebrews. I took the time to explain that Hebrews is a carefully constructed and precise piece of literature. The author does not write like the Apostle Paul, who is apt to digress from his main themes (such is the occasional nature of his correspondence). The writer of Hebrews is very premeditated, and this fact must be taken into consideration when reading the letter. Not only that, but the warning passages themselves are led up to by the instructional sections so that they could be described as “in view of what has been said” sections.

Given all this, the important question is whether the warning passages teach that a person can forfeit their salvation or whether the warnings concern something else, a lack of spiritual maturity perhaps? The main passages are in Hebrews 2:1-4; 3:6-19; 5:11-6:12; 10:19-39, and 12:14-29. I want to stir all students of Hebrews to read each of these passages very carefully without listening to the voice in their head that is telling them that a Christian cannot lose their salvation. I know they can’t! But please let the writer say what he wants to say. Then do with it what you will.

The Theme of Salvation

Hebrews begins with a reference to Christ having “purged our sins” (Heb. 1:3). In the last verse of the first chapter we read about angels who are “ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation.” (Heb. 1:14). This theme is continued three verses later and we are warned, “how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Heb. 2:3). Jesus is “the Captain of [their] salvation” who is “bringing many sons to glory” in Hebrews 2:10. Hebrews 2:9 speaks of seeing “Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor” (cf. Heb. 2:14). So the emphasis is on Christ’s atoning death on behalf of sinners. This is preparatory to his introducing Christ as the High Priest in Hebrews 2:17 and the exposition of that in the majority of the letter.

In the next chapter people are warned not to harden their hearts (Heb. 3:8). These people will not “enter into [God’s] rest” (Heb. 3:11, 15; 4:7). It is interesting to me that the promise of entering into rest (esp. ch. 4) is connected with hardening of ones heart through unbelief (Heb. 3:19). This mirrors the caution about neglecting “so great salvation” in chapter 2.

These passages are not focussed on maturity but upon salvation. This means that the first chapters of Hebrews (the exordium and initial exposition) set the agenda towards obtaining salvation (or eventual “rest”) and not maturity.

When we get to chapter 5 the tone again reflects Christ’s soteriological function, not so much our response to it. Christ is He who “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.” (Heb. 5:8), and in so doing “He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. (Heb. 5:9).

Hence, the achieving of final salvation is uppermost in the mind of our author.

The Theme of Spiritual Maturity?

After he has set out his stall, so to speak, the author turns to the subject of growing in spiritual maturity at the end of Hebrews 5 and the beginning of Hebrews 6. The author prefaces this section by telling his readers that he wants to say much about Christ’s High Priesthood but they are “dull of hearing” (Heb. 5:11). This rebuke for spiritual laziness (Heb. 6:12), and exhortation to move past “the elementary principles of Christ” (Heb. 6:1) is followed by the famous paranetic section in Hebrews 6:4-8 which very much appear to warn readers that even if they have been “enlightened” and have “tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,” including having some experience (geuomai) of the age to come (cf. Heb. 3:5) they could end up being rejected and “burned” (Heb. 6:8), having no occasion to “renew” these things “again to repentance.” (Heb. 6:6).

Then from Hebrews 7:1 to 10:18 the focus is upon ah explanation of Christ’s office and of contrasting it with the Levitical cultus. There is not a word of exhortation in this long section. Only after this has been recorded is the author again ready to directly address his readers. When he does he encourages them (still employing cultic terminology) to true faith and consecration, exhorting one another in view of the coming “Day.” (Heb. 10:19-25).

No More (New Covenant) Sacrifice for Sins

But after he has done this he fires both barrels:

For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries… Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? – Hebrews 10:26-27, 29.

There is not much room here for talk of maturing. Rather there is an alarm call to rouse the procrastinators. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Heb. 10:31).

Obtaining Rewards?

I might add that despite the efforts of good men who claim that the warning passages are concerned not with the loss of salvation but with the loss of rewards, I have to say that such a claim runs into trouble since nowhere in Hebrews does the author refer to the doctrine of rewards, and the only time the word occurs in reference to the eschaton is in Hebrews 10:35:

Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.

In the context this is not speaking about individual rewards but “a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven” (Heb. 10:34). The burden of Hebrews is not rewards but obtaining eternal rest through Christ and the New covenant. The whole “rewards” premise can only begin to make sense if the ones addressed in the epistle are Christian saints who cannot lose their salvation. But this commits a logical fallacy of not allowing the text to say what it plainly does say for the sake of a theological assumption that is brought to the exegesis. This is putting the cart before the horse, and it is one reason why I wrote the posts on “Hebrews: Another Reading.”

Conclusion

The writer of Hebrews is greatly concerned with the saving of as many “Hebrews” as possible; this salvation being viewed mainly in terms of final salvation. When this is considered along with the eschatological language we see in Hebrews 2:5; 3:6, 14; 4:1, 9-11; 6:11-12; 9:15, 28; 10:25, 35-37; and 12:27-28 I think I am well within bounds when I state that the stress is laid upon salvation and not really upon maturing. Maturity is a good thing and is given some attention in the letter, but it is not the main thing.