No one should misinterpret his exhortation to spiritual maturity; the writer ended this section with a tremendous argument for the assurance of salvation. All of us Christians are not making the spiritual progress we should, but we need never fear that God will condemn us. The writer gave three arguments for the certain salvation of true believers.

Gods promise (vv. 13-15): God’s main promise to Abraham is recorded in Genesis 22:16-17. In spite of Abraham’s failures and sins, God kept His promise and Isaac was born. Many of God’s promises do not depend on our character but on His faithfulness. The phrase “patiently endured” (v. 15) is the exact opposite of “slothful” (Heb. 6:12). The readers of this letter were about to give up; their endurance was running out. We Christians today have more of God’s promises than did Abraham! So what’s keeping us from making spiritual progress?…We don’t apply ourselves by faith. To use the illustration of the farm, the farmer does not reap a harvest by sitting on the porch looking at the seed. He must get busy and plow, plant, weed, cultivate, and perhaps water the soil. The believer who neglects church fellowship, ignores their Bible, and forgets to pray is not going to reap much of a harvest.

God’s oath (vv. 16-18): God not only gave Abraham a promise, but He also confirmed that promise with an oath. God did not do this only for Abraham. He has also given His promise and oath to “heirs of promise” (v. 17). Abraham and his descendants are the first of these heirs (see Heb. 11:9), but all believers are included as “Abraham’s (spiritual) seed” (Gal. 3:29). So our assurance of salvation is guaranteed by God’s promise and God’s oath, the “two unchangeable things” (v. 18). We have great encouragement concerning the hope set before us! Hebrews is a book of encouragement, not discouragement! The phrase “fled for refuge” (v. 18) suggests the Old Testament “cities of refuge” described in Numbers 13:9 and Joshua 20. We have fled to Jesus Christ, and He is our eternal refuge. As our High Priest, He will never die; and we have eternal salvation. No avenger can touch us, because He has already died and arisen from the dead.

God’s Son (vv. 19-20): Our hope in Christ is like an anchor for our soul. The anchor was a popular symbol in the early church. However a spiritual anchor is different from material anchors on ships. For one thing, we are anchored upward – to heaven – not downward. We are anchored, not to stand still, but to move ahead! Our anchor is “sure” – it cannot break – and “steadfast” – it cannot slip. No earthly anchor can give that kind of security! The writer then clinches the argument: this Savior is our “forerunner” who has gone ahead to heaven so that we may one day follow (v. 20)! Jesus Christ is “within the veil” as our High Priest. We can therefore come boldly to His throne and receive all the help that we need. But we must not be “secret saints.” We must be willing to identify with Christ in His rejection and go “without the camp, bearing His reproach” (Heb. 13:13). The Hebrew believers who received this letter were tempted to compromise to avoid that reproach. However, if we live “within the veil,” we shall have no trouble going “without the camp.”

Don’t miss the lesson of the past three studies: believers must go on to maturity, and God has made it possible for us to do so. If we start to drift from the Word, then we will also start to doubt the Word. Before long, we will get dull toward the Word and become lazy believers. The best way to keep from drifting is – to lay hold of the anchor! Anchored heavenward! How much more can you be?

Hebrews 6:13-20 Reflection Questions:

Are you progressing to spiritual maturity?

In what ways will you expand on your “spiritual maturity” journey?