Article - Things That Accompany Salvation
Beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation (Hebrews 6:9). As a strong word of exhortation the writer of Hebrews leaves his readers realizing that salvation must be combined with other important conditions. It is evident from Hebrews 5 & 6 that these Christians had quit growing and had become stagnant in their Christianity. He then mentions several things that must accompany their salvation to be acceptable to God.
From Disobedient to Obedient (Hebrews 5:8-9). One thing that is directly connected to a person’s salvation is obedience to God and His Word. Please understand that we are not saying a person earns his salvation. It is clear that salvation is by grace. But it is also directly connected to faithfulness (See Ephesians 2:8-9). It is clear that one must obey God’s commands and meet the conditions He has set forth to please Him (Luke 6:46). The writer of Hebrews makes it abundantly clear that obedience is necessary to salvation when he says, “And having been perfected He became the author of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9). There are some in our modern religious world who do not accompany their salvation with the things Jesus has commanded. Let me illustrate with this example. Jesus said, “He that believes and is baptized will be saved. He that does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). Many in our modern world will say that baptism is a good thing to do, but not essential to salvation. Yet, our Lord directly connected belief and baptism to salvation. To say that baptism is not essential to salvation is a failure to accompany the proper things with salvation (See Acts 2:38). In reality, it is a deception and not salvation at all.
From Milk to Meat (Hebrews 5:12-6:2). For a person's Christianity to be profitable for salvation, that person must make it his aim to move from milk to meat. By using this illustration, the Hebrew writer reminds us of the natural growth process from infant to adult. When a baby is first born it must only partake of milk. However, as it grows it begins to eat solid food. The Christians growth must be the same way. What would you think if you saw a 40 year old man drinking from a baby bottle? This is the exact point the Hebrew writer is trying to get across. How long have you been a Christian? Have you grown any since you obeyed the gospel? Or, are you still stuck on the fundamentals? Christianity must be accompanied by continual growth. The Apostle Peter said, “…Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord & Savior” ( 2 Peter 3:18).
The wonderful thing about God & His Word is we can know exactly what is connected to salvation and what we must do to be saved. The Apostle John said, “These things I have written to you…that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).
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