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Clear Gospel Campaign
by Ronald R. Shea, Th.M., J.D
 
Topics Touching the Message of Salvation
— Hebrews 6:1-15 —
Curriculum Outline and Study Guide | Resurrection | Assurance | Baptism | The Bema | Calvinism | The Gospel Message & Content of Saving Faith | The Creator | Dispensationalism | Eternal Security | Evangelism & Discipleship | Expiation, Propitiation and Redemption | Faith | Fruit . .. Don't you need it? | Grace | Hebrews 10 | Hebrews 6:1-15 | Heirship and Rewards | James 2:14-26 | Jesus is God | 1st John | John MacArthur | Justification | Bilateral Contract Salvation or "Lordship Salvation" | The Market Driven Church | Perseverance of the Saints | Predestination and Free Will | Public Confession of Christ | Regeneration | Repentance | Roman Catholicism | Salvation | Sanctification | The Sheep and Goats Judgment | Silly Gospel Substitutes | "Sovereign" (Irresistible) Grace | Stewardship of the Gospel Message | The Modern "Testimony" | The Ten Commandments: Their Relationship to the Believer | Theology and Doctrine | Total Depravity and `The Bondage of the Will` | Worship Music | Appendix I: Church History from a Free Grace perspective
Overview: The Purpose of the Epistle
The Message and the Warnings: Four Views
Summary Verses and Thematic Development
The Summary Verses
Summary of the Summary Verses
The Thematic Development of Hebrews
The Thematic Development of the First Two Chapters
Analysis of the Evidence
"Salvation" in the Epistle to the Hebrews

SUMMARY VERSES

Below each verse is a weighing of evidence if it favors one view (Arminian, Calvinist, Inheritance) over the other, and rating of strength of arguments on a scale of negative 10 to 10.  Note:  The strength of arguments listed below are those originally proposed by Ron Shea.   When teaching from this syllabus, let the students observe the verse and think through the strengths and weaknesses before pointing them out.  Also, before offering your own "strength of argument" value, allow the students to assign their own numerical value to the strength and weakness of each verse.

 

By this approach, you will do more than simply:

1)      Teach the proper interpretation of Hebrews, and

2)      Refute errant interpretations and doctrines

 

You will also train Christian leaders, imparting the skills on how to weigh alternative theological positions with rigor and honesty.  You will be instilling in these leaders a confidence that their interpretation of the text is derived neither from their blind confidence in some institution or some charismatic and beloved teacher, or their desire to find favor with such an institution or figure.  Rather, their confidence in the integrity of their theological position will be founded on the thoroughness and rigor with which they examined the Word of God, and the actual weight of Scripture.

 

       Heb. 3:6  "But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end."

 

1)               Does this appear to be a summary verse?  (Is it consistent with the purpose of the book postulated above in red?)                       Yes.

2)               Does it favor any particular view?

 

The Inheritance Heuristic finds support in the term "house."  The Pharoh's "house" was his family.  These are persons who share certain privileges of the king.  The Messiah was to come from the "house of David."  That is, Messiah was to come from the kingly line of David.  He would therefore enjoy a set of privileges and prerogatives that ran only with the royal family.  He would rule from the throne of David.  Believers who hold fast their confidence and rejoicing of the hope firm to the end will be part of that house.  If the term "house" is used in the sense of a ruling family of privilege, then the inheritance view is exactly what this passage is teaching.  Becaue the term "house" is a metapor, language theory prevents us from attaching a 100% certainty that the reference to Christ's "house" supports the inheritance view.  One could, in theory, offer some alternative meaning to this metaphor that fit the context.  Therefore, the use of the term "house" establises a strong argument for the inheritance view but in view of a linguistic metaphor, the certainty of that interpretation cannot be absolute.

 

The Arminian Heuristic view finds no particular support in this verse, but no particular problems either.

 

The Calvinist Heuristic  The Calvinist interpretation-that the warning passages warn the reader that he may never really have been saved- is impossible in view of the language of the passage.  You cannot hold fast to a faith that you never had at all!!  Strength of arguments (scale of 0-10)

 

Inheritance:         7

Arminian:           0.0

Calvinist:            -10.0   (Prohibited by  the language of passage.)

 

Hebrews 3:14   "For we are made partakers ["metachoi", Gk.] of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end."

 

1)      Does this appear to be a summary verse?  (Is it consistent with the purpose of the book postulated above in red?)                                 Yes.

 

2)      Does it favor any particular view?

 

The Inheritance Heuristic:  The term "partakers" is from the Greek word, "metachoi."  The metachoi were the ruling counsel around the king.  The image evoked by the use of this term, the promise that believers who remain steadfast to the end will rule and reign with Christ, is exactly what the inheritance view holds.

 

The Arminian Heuristic finds no particular support, but no particular problems either.

 

The Calvinist Heuristic  Once again, the Calvinist view (that one may discover that they were "never really saved") is impossible in view of the language of this verse.  You cannot hold a beginning of one's faith steadfast to the end if there was no beginning of your faith.  Strength of arguments (scale of 0-10):

 

Inheritance:         9.5

Arminian:           0

Calvinist:            -10    (Prohibited by  the language of passage.)

 

Hebrews 4:1  "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it."

 

1)      Does this appear to be a summary verse?  (Is it consistent with the purpose of the book postulated above in red?)                                   Yes.

 

2)      Does it favor any particular view?

 

The Inheritance Heuristic  In the context, "Rest" refers to the process of subduing the land of Canaan and ruling over it.  This is consistent with the theme of Christ returning to earth to smite his enemies and rule them with a rod of iron.  The use of the metaphor "rest" is therefore extremely consistent with the inheritance theme.  As in Hebrews 3:6, however, the term "rest" is a metaphor.  The presence of a metaphor therefore prevents one from insisting with absolute certainty that this summary verse must be interpreted according to the inheritance view.

 

The Arminian Heuristic   None of the terms in this verse either recommend, nor weigh against, the Arminian heuristic.

 

The Calvinist Heuristic   None of the terms in this verse either recommend, nor weigh against, the Calvinist heuristic.

 

Strength of arguments (scale of 0-10)

 

Inheritance:         7

Arminian:           0

Calvinist:            0

 

 

Hebrews 4:11  "Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. "

 

1)      Does this appear to be a summary verse?  (Is it consistent with the purpose of the book postulated above in red?)                               Yes.

 

2)      Does it favor any particular view?

 

The Inheritance Heuristic  In the context, "Rest" refers to the process of subduing the land of Cannan and ruling over it.  This is consistent with the object of this metaphor as returning to subdue the earth and rule with Christ.  This offers strong support for interpreting this summary verse through the inheritance heuristic.

 

The Armnian Heuristic    None of the terms in this verse either commend, or prohibit the Calvinist interpretation of this summary verse.

 

The Calvinist Heuristic    None of the terms in this verse either commend, or prohibit the Calvinist interpretation of this summary verse.

 

Strength of arguments (scale of 0-10)

Inheritance:         7

Arminian:  0

Calvinist:   0

 

 

Hebrews 4:14  "Seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession."

 

1)      Does this appear to be a summary verse?  (Is it consistent with the purpose of the book postulated above in red?)  Yes.

 

2)      Does it favor any particular view?

 

The Inheritance Heuristic is neither particularly strengthened, nor in any way inconsistent with the language of this verse.

 

The Arminian Heuristic is neither particularly strengthened, nor in any way inconsistent with the language of this verse.

 

 The Calvinist Heuristic   Once again, the Calvinist view is impossible in view of the language.  You cannot hold fast to a profession unless you already have a profession of faith.

 

Inheritance:         0

Arminian:           0

Calvinist:            -10    (Prohibited by  the language of passage).

 

Hebrews 6:11-12  "And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end, that ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

 

1)      Does this appear to be a summary verse?  (Is it consistent with the purpose of the book postulated above in red?)                                            Yes.

 

2)      Does it favor any particular view?

  

The Inheritance Heuristic is strongly supported by the very presence of the term "inherit."

 

 The Calvinist Heuristic also finds very strong support by the presence of the term "full assurance" and the admonition to show diligence to secure this assurance.  Although the term "assurance" is a man-made term to describe the biblical doctrine of assurance, the doctrine of Assurance is biblical!  And the term "assurance" in the above verse could very reasonably have been used by a biblical author with reference to one's assurance of eternal life.  When interpreted in this manner, this verse teaches precisely the Calvinist doctrine of perseverance, wherein one can only have assurance of salvation by striving to produce "fruit" or good works.

 

The Arminian Heuristic  The passage also affords strong support for the Arminian position.  Although the theological terms "assurance" and "security" have distinct theological meanings, these terms have been defined by theologians to describe their doctrinal beliefs.  But no such definitions existed when the Epistle to the Hebrews was being written.  Therefore one could easily imagine that a warning that one was in danger of "losing their salvation" might use the term "full assurance" with respect to eternal security.  Strength of arguments (scale of 0-10)

 

Inheritance:         9

Arminian:           8

Calvinist:            9

 

Hebrews 10:23  "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)."

 

1)      Does this appear to be a summary verse?  (Is it consistent with the purpose of the book postulated above in red?)                                          Yes.

 

2)      Does it favor any particular view?

 

The Inheritance Heuristic finds no particular support from this verse, nor any particular difficulties from this verse.

 

The Arminian Heuristic similarly finds no particular support from this verse, nor any particular difficulties from this verse.

 

 The Calvinist Heuristic     Once again, however, the Calvinist view is impossible in view of the language.  You cannot hold fast to a profession of faith unless you already have a profession of faith. 

 

Inheritance:         0

Arminian:           0

Calvinist:            -10    (Prohibited by  the language of passage).

 

Hebrews 10:35-36  35  "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.   For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise."

 

1)      Does this appear to be a summary verse?  (Is it consistent with the purpose of the book postulated above in red?)                                         Yes.

 

2)      Does it favor any particular view?

 

The Inheritance Heuristic  finds very strong support in the above passage by the presence of the term "reward."  Free grace theology teaches that eternal life is a gift apart from holiness or any other work of the law, and apart from peresevering faith, whereas the believer's inheritance is a reward for holiness, good works, and peresevering faith unto the end.

 

Becasue eternal life is not a reward to the righteous, but a gift to the guilty, the very presence of the term "reward" weighs heavily against the any reference to eternal salvation.

 

The Arminian Heuristic   Becasue the Arminian heuristic views the fundamental purpose of the warning passages in the Epistle to the Hebrews as a warning about the forfeiture of one's eternal life, the presence of the term "reward" weighs heavily against the Arminian heuristic.

 

 The Calvinist Heuristic   Becasue the Calvinist heuristic views the fundamental purpose of the warning passages in the Epistle to the Hebrews as a warning about the uncertainty of one's eternal destiny, the presence of the term "reward" weighs heavily against the Calvinist heuristic.

 

Inheritance:         10

Arminian:           -9

Calvinist:            -9


The Summary Verses

 

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