Abandoned the Christian faith? A critical question that every believer must ask himself/herself especially as we witness the faltering of the the collective body of Christ.   It behooves us to assume that maybe the collective body is faltering because each individual link (believer) has weakened, therefore affecting the entire body.  In the Letter to the Hebrews, Paul the Apostle (whom we believer wrote the epistle), addressed the Messianic Jews and their struggle with the faith.  The state of their faith was in shambles, to the point where the Apostle was prompted to rebuke their behavior and to provide guidance to help them persevere and to persist in their walk with the Lord. We’re going to examine the Apostles writings and to evaluate the recommendations prescribed to strengthen the believers, and the dire consequences for those that abandon God. 

Paul’s teaching consists of two primary categories: The Rebuke and The Consequence.  We’ll be analyzing Hebrews 5:11 to 6:8 and in this text, we learn about the role of development and how a believer must progress in the faith.  In the case of the Messianic Jews that Paul was writing too, the risk was for them to have abandoned the Christian faith and return to Judaism.  Unbeknownst to the Messianic Jews is the fact that without Christ there is no salvation.  We have entered the New Covenant, and salvation is no longer through the slaughter of animals (the innocent) for the sinner (guilty before God).   The final sacrifice was Jesus, who laid His life for our sins on the cross.  In John 10:11 Jesus states, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

The Rebuke

Hebrews 5:11-14 states:  11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

The Apostle Paul emphasizes the depleted spiritual status of the church.  Instead of digesting the basics of the faith, which is explained through the example of the process of development from infancy to maturity, they are in danger of abandonment of the Christian faith.  Paul states that they should have moved on to far more complicated topics of the faith, however they resorted to and remained a state arrested development (ch 6 v.1-3). The emphasis on growth is a consistent theme in the New Testament.  Obviously, this church missed the mark, and is a great case study for us to evaluate our own spiritual development.  Scripture further instructs us that training and testing is required for the building of the faith.   Maturity is achieved through challenges, which increase our spiritual endurance and strength.  The process of maturity yields wisdom and without growth in the faith – from milk to solid food (understanding of the scripture and growth in the Word), you will not advance in your walk with the Lord.   If all you know is the basics and you don’t strive to learn scripture, how will you defend yourself or distinguish the attacks, and know who your enemy is (the Adversary/Satan)?

So why did they abandoned the Christian faith? How did the church that Paul is writing begin to falter?  It goes back to the parable of the Sower found in Matthew 13:3-8 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Jesus provides an explanation of the parable, stating the different circumstances of outcome for those who hear the Gospel.   For some who don’t understand the word, Satan and his dominion snatch it away.  For others who aren’t planted in rich soil, once the trials/tribulations hit, they wither away, and the last group falls away from the faith due to the love of this world. It’s simply too much for them to enter through narrow gate to salvation.  There is also another interesting phenomenon in “believers”.  There are those who compartmentalize God and separate their worldly lives from the spiritual.  They live for God only up to the point that it doesn’t hurt their jobs, relationships, ability to generate revenue, etc.   When Christ says, seek the Kingdom first, their understanding is to pursue the Lord only to a specific limit, confined to difficult times when prayer is necessary. 

Dire Consequences

4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen[c] away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. 7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

These verses are intriguing, and it supports Christ’s statement on the salt and light.  Paul is clear about the message for those who reject Christ, there is no salvation, only damnation.  However, for those that hear the Word, absorb it and yield fruit, they will be blessed.  Jesus speaks about this in Matthew 5:13, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.  In both cases, both text supports and complement each other.  Both emphasize the consequences for those who are complacent and irrelevant to the faith. 

So, are you irrelevant to the faith and what is the state of Christianity for you, the individual believer? Have you abandoned the Christian faith? As we are rapidly trusted into the final days of the coming of the Lord, let’s move quickly to remedy our standing with the Lord, repent and engage in the works of the Kingdom.  Time is limited, so if you haven’t already received the Lord and want to give your heart to Christ, prayer this prayer: Lord Jesus I know that I am sinner and I ask you forgive me of my sins.  I believe that you were crucified for my sins and through your blood I have redemption and salvation.  Please come into my heart and I receive you as my God.  I pray in Jesus name. AMEN