First Baptist Church of Hoquiam
Sunday Worship, October 5, 2025

      • Psalm 119ESV

  • Which of these things is not like the other?

    People with Bibles
    If we are not dull of hearing, we will move from milk to solid food, from immaturity to maturity. And today’s passage finishes out this warning that asks what if we don’t go on to maturity?
    Hebrews 6:1–12 ESV
    1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits. 4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. 7 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned. 9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

    Elementary Doctrine of Christ

    Hebrews 6:1–2 ESV
    1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
    Repentance from dead works
    Faith toward God
    Instruction about washings (or Baptisms)
    Laying on of hands
    The resurrection of the dead
    Eternal Judgment
    The goal is to go on from these foundational truths and to mature.

    We will mature if . . .

    Hebrews 6:3 ESV
    3 And this we will do if God permits.
    We must never forget our dependance on God to bring about this work in our lives. We are responsible to do what we should but God is the one who gives us the ability. It brings us back to the point of faith in God. By faith we trust God to produce maturity in us instead of trusting in ourselves to produce maturity for Him.

    Impossible to restore

    Hebrews 6:4–6 ESV
    4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

    Enlightened - They have been exposed to the light, to the Gospel, to the message of salvation

    Tasted the heavenly gift - They have experienced and partaken of the gift to some extent.

    John 4:10 ESV
    10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
    Romans 6:23 ESV
    23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
    James 1:17–18 ESV
    17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

    Shared in the Holy Spirit - They have personally been exposed to and participated in what the work of the Holy Spirit

    Tasted the goodness of the Word of God - They have sat under the teaching of the Word of God and found it to be good and helpful

    Tasted the powers of the age to come - They have experienced the miracles of a God

    They have fallen Away - They have rejected all of the above.

    They are crucifying Christ again putting Him to open shame.

    Luke 9:26–27 ESV
    26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

    Were these people saved or not?

    Land illustration

    Hebrews 6:7–8 ESV
    7 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

    Compared to the beloved

    Hebrews 6:9 ESV
    9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation.
    So, these things discussed do not belong to salvation
    These things reflect that which is to be burned.
    Hebrews 3:12–14 ESV
    12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.

    What did Jesus say?

    The vine

    John 15:1–6 ESV
    1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

    Those He knew

    Matthew 7:21–23 ESV
    21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
    These are people who appear in every way to be disciples of Jesus. They participate in church, pray for people, study and know scripture. They say they are Christians, the act and try to live like believers but their faith is lacking sincerity and they will fall away. When that happens, they will be in such a state that they cannot repent.

    Don’t be Lazy

    Hebrews 6:9–12 ESV
    9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

    Rewards

    1 Corinthians 3:10–15 ESV
    10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

      • Hebrews 6:1–12ESV

      • Hebrews 6:1–2ESV

      • Hebrews 6:3ESV

      • Hebrews 6:4–6ESV

      • John 4:10ESV

      • Romans 6:23ESV

      • James 1:17–18ESV

      • Luke 9:26–27ESV

      • Hebrews 6:7–8ESV

      • Hebrews 6:9ESV

      • Hebrews 3:12–14ESV

      • John 15:1–6ESV

      • Matthew 7:21–23ESV

      • Hebrews 6:9–12ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 3:10–15ESV

First Baptist Church of Hoquiam
fbchoquiam@outlook.com
3605324887
http://fbchoquiam.com
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