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Let Us Go On By Arlen L. Chitwood www.lampbroadcast.org
Contents
Foreword Introduction 1. From Aaron to Melchizedek 2. Author of Eternal Salvation 3. From Milk to Meat 4. Leaving the Principles 5. If They Shall Fall Away 6. Two Kinds of Growth 7. Things That Accompany Salvation 8. Inheriting the Promises
Foreword
Melchizedek is introduced in Scripture as a king-priest in Jerusalem, and he forms a type of Christ as King-Priest in Jerusalem during the coming day of His power, during the coming Messianic Era. This is clearly seen to be the case through both the two Old Testament references to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18, 19; Psalm 110:4) and the place that Melchizedek occupies in Hebrews 5-7.
Both Old Testament references are Messianic in their scope of fulfillment, as are the references in the book of Hebrews. In this respect, Christ is not presently exercising a priestly ministry after the order of Melchizedek, for Melchizedek was also a king in Jerusalem as well. Rather, Christ is presently exercising a priestly ministry after the order of Aaron, who ministered in the sanctuary on the basis of shed blood, on behalf of a redeemed people. Christ is presently ministering in the sanctuary (the heavenly), on the basis of shed blood (His Own), for a redeemed people (for Christians).
Christ is presently a Priest after the order of Melchizedek, as He is presently King (He was born King [Matthew 2:3]). Christ though has yet to exercise either office; and Scripture presents His exercise of both offices as occurring at the same time, during the coming age.
In keeping with the manner in which Scripture has been structured, Melchizedek appears in Genesis, chapter fourteen in a particular setting and at a particular time; and, within this setting and time, God established foundational truths from which He could later draw spiritual lessons in order to teach His people deep spiritual truths surrounding the various things having to do with His Son's coming reign over the earth.
These foundational truths were established during Abraham's day through the record of that which occurred in Genesis, chapter fourteen. Then the writer of Psalm 110 drew from this account, as did the writer of Hebrews, chapters five through seven.
Thus, in all three sections of Scripture, the three different writers dealt with issues surrounding Christ in relation to the Messianic Era, not in relation to the present age. And sections of Scripture such as Hebrews 6:4-6, contextually, must be looked upon and interpreted in this same light.
Introduction
There is a logical progression in thought as one moves through the five major warnings in the book of Hebrews. And all the warnings are directed to Christians alone, centering on the same subject matter — Christians either realizing or failing to realize the salvation of their souls/lives, synonymous with Christians either realizing or failing to realize the rights of the firstborn; and this salvation has to do strictly with the position that Christians will occupy in the coming Messianic Era (Hebrews 6:12, 18-20; 10:36-39; cf. James 1:21; 1 Peter 1:9).
In the first warning, the salvation set before Christians is called, so great salvation, and is specifically stated later in the epistle to be "the saving of the soul." This is the greatest thing God could ever design for redeemed man, for it centers on man being removed from the earth, placed in the heavens, and occupying the throne as co-heir with the "Heir of all things" (Hebrews 1:2-2:5; 10:39; cf. 3:1).
Then the second warning outlines the route that one must travel during his pilgrim journey if he would one day come into a realization of so great salvation. The route is from Egypt to Canaan.
Spiritual lessons are drawn from the historic account of the Israelites under Moses, forming the type. And these spiritual lessons are seen in the antitype surrounding the experiences of Christians under Christ. The Israelites under Moses had been called out of Egypt and were being led toward an earthly land, wherein their calling was ultimately to have been realized. And Christians under Christ have been called out of the world and are being led toward a heavenly land, wherein their calling is ultimately to be realized.
With these things in mind, the third warning then continues with one major overriding thought: Let Us Go On! (6:1). The thought has to do with moving from immaturity to maturity; and this maturity, contextually, centers on Christians coming to a knowledge and understanding of the things surrounding the land set before them, for a revealed purpose.
In other words, so great salvation has been set before Christians (warning one), and the route that Christians must travel to realize this salvation has been well marked (warning two); then, with these things as an established background, the writer exhorts Christians to go on to a mature knowledge and understanding of those truths that God has revealed concerning the land set before them (warning three).
Entering into that land and realizing the rights of the firstborn therein is the goal of the Christians' calling. And pressing toward any goal apart from knowing and understanding certain things about the goal, or things that may lie in the pathway preventing one from reaching the goal, would be unheard of.
This is easy to see from the manner in which Christians are commanded to array themselves for the spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6:11ff, for they cannot properly array themselves apart from a knowledge and understanding of that which lies out ahead.
The "helmet of salvation," for example, is identified as the "hope of salvation" (cf. Ephesians 6:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:8); and the "hope of salvation" has to do, not with the salvation that Christians presently possess, but with the salvation of the soul (Hebrews 6:12, 18, 19; 10:36-39), which is the central message of the book of Hebrews.
The "helmet of salvation" cannot be possessed apart from a "hope" based on knowledge and understanding. But it is only one part of the armor, and the possession of other parts of the armor requires a similar knowledge and understanding surrounding the goal of the Christians' calling. And, apart from being properly arrayed for battle after the fashion revealed in Ephesians 6:11ff, Christians will suffer defeat time after time and ultimately fail to realize the goal of their calling.
Drawing from the previous two warnings in order to understand the third is the progressive manner in which the things in this book, LET US GO ON, have been structured; and this is also the progressive manner in which any correct exposition of Hebrews, chapters five and six must be viewed.
Scripture must be understood in the light of Scripture. There is first the near context, and there is then the far context. The near context, in this case, takes one back to the previous two warnings; and the far context takes one to the various other related points in Scripture throughout both the Old and New Testaments. One must compare "spiritual things with spiritual" if he would come into a correct knowledge and understanding of the things that God has revealed to man in His Word (1 Corinthians 2:9-13). |