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PERFECTION
PERDITION
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OR
`While it is said, To day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, AS IN THE PROVOCATION ... with whom was
He grieved forty years? ... to whom sware He that they should not enter into His rest? ... Let us therefore fear,
LEST ...' (3:15 to 4:1).
The whole context of chapters 3 and 4 makes it impossible that that `house' of 3:6 can mean `the church' as we
know it. In the case of the church, there can be no `if', and the figure of Israel in the wilderness can by no system of
interpretation set forth that church whose standing is in pure grace. So also the parallel expression `partakers of
Christ'; this too refers to something which is in addition to redemption. The word `partakers' is the same as that
which is rendered `fellows' in Hebrews 1:9. The idea in these passages is that of association with Christ in `the joy
that was set before Him', the `oil of gladness' being that of exultation or extreme joy. Hebrews 3:1 places no `if'
against the statement that those addressed were `associates of the heavenly calling'. The association with Christ,
however, is different. Romans 8:17 contains a parallel with these two conceptions.
`And if children, then heirs; heirs of God' (parallel with Heb. 3:1).
`And joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together' (parallel with Heb.
3:14).
We shall find that the teaching of this epistle focuses upon the few verses with which chapter 12 opens. The
exhortation is `so run that ye may obtain'.
Chapters 3 and 4 are bounded by the word `confession':
`Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession' (3:1 R.V.).
`Let us hold fast our confession' (4:14 R.V.).
It is evident that the Hebrew believers were exhorted to consider Christ as an Example in the matter of this
`confession'. A somewhat parallel double occurrence is 1 Timothy 6:12-14 where Timothy's `good confession' is
associated with that of Christ before Pontius Pilate. The word contains an element of danger and opposition, and the
exhortation is to hold it fast unto the end. The one great feature which is singled out by the apostle in the case of
Christ Himself is that He `was FAITHFUL' (Heb. 2:17; 3:2). Therefore within the bounds set by 3:1 and 4:14 will
come some further teaching, example, exhortation, encouragement and warning, such as will, by the grace of God,
help the tried believer to hold on his way.
The one characteristic of Christ which the Hebrew believers were called upon to consider was His faithfulness;
the one great warning which follows is that against unbelief:
`Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of UNBELIEF, in departing from the living God ` (3:12).
`So we see that they could not enter in because of UNBELIEF' (3:19).
`The word preached did not profit them, because they were not united by FAITH to them that heard' (4:2 marg.).
The great example is `the provocation', which will be considered later on. This not only deals with unbelief but
also with that of murmuring and complaining. It will be remembered that in Philippians, the Epistle of the PRIZE,
the exhortation is:
`Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be ... the sons of God, without rebuke' (2:14,15).
In 1 Corinthians 10 also, this feature is brought forward:
`Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer' (verse 10).
Murmuring may seem a small thing, but it is the seed of unbelief that departs from the living God. On one of the
occasions, that of Numbers 11:4, it was the mixed multitude that led Israel astray - the type of those `whose God is
their belly, who glory in their shame, who mind earthly things' (Phil. 3:19). Israel murmured at the heavenly
provision of manna, saying `Our soul loatheth this light bread' (Num. 21:5). Psalm 78 reveals that unbelief was at
the bottom of this rejection of heavenly food - `Because they believed not in God'; `Their heart was not right with
Him' (verses 17,18,22,25,37). In the dealings of God with His people after salvation, the principle remains true that
`Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap ... flesh ... spirit'; for in Numbers 14:28,29 we read: