singing for God's blessing and helped as we worship again this evening. I want to direct our thoughts tonight to the epistle to the Hebrews again, but this evening to chapter six and reading again from verse 17 to 20. It's closing a sentence. It's all one sentence. Hebrews chapter six from verse 17. Let's read these verses again.

wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil. Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Well, those of us who were here this morning, you will remember that we were considering the opening chapters of this epistle, and particularly that great challenge or exhortation that where would we be? Or where would we go? Or how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? And that great concern that we should all have of where we would be if we do not know the Lord Jesus Christ, who is that great Savior.

We know from the Word of God that those who do know the Lord Jesus Christ, who know his great salvation, have been blessed by his grace with eternal life. It is the gift of God. and none can take that life from them. It is, as we heard, a great salvation. It is an all-encompassing salvation. It is salvation to the uttermost. And so those whom the Lord has saved cannot be lost, and they have been blessed with life that will always and inevitably be eternal, it will take them to glory. They have inherited or received the promises of God.

We read together in our chapter this evening in chapter six and verse 12, be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. So the true believer, that one who has found such great salvation, is one who has received by faith the promises of God, they have believed by faith the promises of God, they have rested all their hope in the promises of God, and they will inherit the promises of God. That means the one they will know the fulfilling of the promises of God. And he who is ever faithful to his promises will surely fulfill his promises to his people. Through faith and patience they inherit the promises.

And so we know that the true believer can be sure that the Lord has a place prepared for them in glory. "'Let not your hearts be troubled,' he says. "'You believe in God, believe also in me. "'In my father's house are many mansions. "'If it were not so, I would have told you. "'I go to prepare a place for you. "'And if I go and prepare a place for you, "'I will come again and receive you unto myself. "'My sheep hear my voice. and they know me and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life and none shall pluck them out of my hand there is so many promises of God which speak of the certainty of the salvation of his people they cannot be lost they will inherit the promises and that of course is a wonderful truth that they have been taken from that certainty, that path which leads to hell, and by God's grace have been put on that certain narrow way which leads to heaven.

So we know in the certainty, in the security of the saints, or as Calvinism puts it, the perseverance or the preservation of the saints. But we know that doctrine, but we also know the very real experience that a Christian, God's people go through times of doubts. They experience temptations. They walk through fears. And so the security, the assurance that they know is real and is true, is also at times tested and challenged. They see perhaps others who have professed faith in the Lord Jesus backsliding or turning away from what they have professed. Or they are made very aware of their sinfulness, of their own struggles, or of their lack of faith, or small, little faith, and they question, how can I be sure? And yet, they were professed to be someone who has fled for refuge. Those who have sought for, and longed for, and they believe found something of the gospel and its peace and blessing for themselves.

The Old Testament speaks of those cities of refuge. That when the people of Israel, the children of Israel, were to inherit the land and they were to set up their dwelling places, that they were, in certain places, to set up the cities of refuge. And if there was one who had been accused or one who had accidentally hurt someone, they were to flee to the city of refuge and there they were to be safe. And they were safe at least until proper judgment could be made. There they may have to remain. or at least until the death of the high priest. But there, they would be safe. If they had willfully murdered or done something, then they would be handed over for justice. But if there was what we would call manslaughter today, accident, then they would be safe from the avenger of blood there in the city of refuge.

They have fled for refuge. Now you may Have that hope, that experience in your heart you believe you have fled for refuge. You know and you stand before God as a sinner and you know that there is safety in the Lord Jesus Christ. Make known to you the grace of God to receive a sinner and yet perhaps still have doubts and struggles. And this chapter here deals with some of the reasons for those fears and those doubts that we may have. And as I say, one of them may be that we know people who have fallen away. People who have professed that they are a Christian and yet, as it seems today, have turned their back on it. And we ask the question, firstly, is that possible that someone who is a true believer can lose their salvation? And if it is possible, then could I lose my salvation? And therefore, is it not secure? Because that's what it might look like. Here is someone who seems to be right, or seemed to be right. and yet now seems to be wrong.

Well can the Christian lose their salvation? Of course not. The Word of God teaches us, as I've said already so clearly, that the Christian is secure in the Lord Jesus Christ. They cannot lose their salvation, and yet we read together in Hebrews 6 of people who may seem to lose their salvation. Let's look at it for a moment, just to understand what these verses are telling us. From verse 4, it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and are made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, if they should fall away to renew them again unto repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame. Who is this? It looks at first reading as if this is someone truly born again of the Spirit of God who now has lost hope of salvation. It is impossible to renew them again. So is this really a true Christian? Well, we know from the whole of Scripture that it can't be. This can't be someone who is truly, by the Spirit of God, born again, who then loses that salvation. We know that cannot be. So who is this person? And this is where it comes very close to us.

Here is someone who's been enlightened. It doesn't necessarily mean that they have a true God-given saving faith. It's just that here is someone who knows the truth. They have more knowledge of the truth than many people in the world around us. They have the Word of God in front of them, perhaps they've read it or had it read to them. They are enlightened in the sense that the Word of God, which is that truth, that light, has been known to them. They know more than the unbelieving and ignorant world. They've been enlightened.

Well, I think that would probably be many, if not all, of us. They have tasted of the heavenly gift. This doesn't necessarily again mean that they have received the Holy Spirit in a saving way, but it means that they may have received many of God's gifts. They may have known God's blessing in their lives. They may have even known an answer to prayer providentially. They may have known God's help in different ways, or at least perceived it in their lives or the lives of people around them. They have seen something of God at work. They may partakers of the Holy Ghost, not in a saving way, but they may display some elements of the gifts of the Spirit of God. This may be a very patient, or kind, or generous, outwardly Christian person.

They have tasted the good word of God. That means they appreciate something of the word of God. This isn't just someone who knows the truth. They can actually appreciate something of it. They can see the wisdom in the gospel. They can see that there is something attractive in the message of grace. And the powers of the world to come. They have seen, perhaps, the work of God in the hearts of others. They have witnessed and listened to testimonies of other believers. They have seen something of power in a converted individual.

So here is someone who's been greatly privileged. They know the truth in their heads. They may even appreciate something of the truth. They seem to look like a Christian. But then, They fall away. They fall away and they crucify afresh the Son of God and put him to an open shame. That is this person with all that awareness and knowledge and appreciation to a degree has totally and utterly rejected the Lord Jesus Christ. They have, as it were, joined the crowd in Caiaphas's palace and cried, crucify him! Away with him! They have put him to an open shame.

What are we to do with these people? The apostle says, what is it with these people? Where else could these people go? There is no other saviour. There is no other way. And they have willfully and persistently rejected the Lord Jesus Christ despite all that knowledge and awareness that they have. So let us be clear, this is not someone who is a real believer who is backsliding. That's a very sad state to be in. It's a state we need the Lord to bring us out of, but that's not what's being described here. This isn't someone who is sorry for their sin and sad about where they have fallen to. This is someone who is openly putting Christ to an open shame despite the truth that they know. And the point is, that there is no other way there is if they reject that way there is no other way so this isn't doubts and just stumbling or backsliding this is uh... someone who is utterly rejecting the truth and persistently rejecting the truth and really it's described in verse eight that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned that is by their fruits you shall know them that in their end there is no spiritual life.

And so this is not teaching that the Christian can lose their salvation. But it is a warning for those who can be so close, outwardly so close to the things of God, and yet reject and turn away. These people may worry us. Is it possible then that I could lose that security? Could I be left to be one of these? Well, have you willfully and persistently, with a settled mind, put Christ to an open shame? Have you rejoined willingly the crowd and cry for his crucifixion? Have you absolutely, decidedly rejected Jesus Christ? If you have not, then this is not you.

But you see, it can be worrying. We know in our experience not only that we may see people like this and be sad about it, but if we're a believer, we also know that there are times when we do not have that full of faith, full of confidence experience. Verse 11 tells us, we desire that everyone do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end. We may say, I don't always feel to have the full assurance and hope. Satan is very active and causes us to question causes us to have doubts, just like he did in the Garden of Eden, where he questioned the Word of God, the promise of God to Eve. Has God said, ye shall not surely die? He questioned the Word and the promise of God, and he does the same today.

but there are times in our own experience that we may feel that our faith is not as strong as it was or as strong as we would have it be. You remember the account of Mary and Martha and the sickness and the death of their brother Lazarus and we find the Lord Jesus coming on his journey back down from Galilee to Bethany and they're running out, or at least Martha is running out Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. If you'd been here, then all would have been well. And there is that sense where she is going to the Lord, but also her faith is small. So the Lord is saying, yes, I know. And yes, your brother shall rise again. And there's this calm, assured confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ. He knows exactly what he is doing. And yet there's this hurried fear that's found in her grief in Martha. And so, you know, we can be like that, can't we? There's this anxiety, this fear, oh Lord, if only I had been here, or if only there had been this experience. And we're full of These fears, we don't have the full assurance of hope unto the end. We may desire it, we don't always have it.

And verse 12 tells us, followers of them who through faith and patience, and you may say, well, I don't have much faith and patience either. Patience, that long suffering, that endurance, in continuing always to trust in the Lord. So all these things, as we have in this chapter, they cause us to question that stability that we wish we could have in the Lord. And yet, we also know the truth. We do know that the Lord will not lose any of his people. So how are we to encourage ourselves in the word of God? How are we to answer these fears? What is the Christian's hope? Well, it's in these verses. God, more willing to abundantly show unto the heirs a promise, the immutability of this council confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, which is impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Look at that, that we might have a strong consolation. This is the will of God, that we should have a strong consolation, not that we should be overcome with fears. That we should have this strong consolation, this sure hope. Where is it to be found?

Well, first of all then, we have it in these two immutable things. This is a mysterious thing, isn't it? What are these two immutable things? We have to look at the previous verses. Verse 14, saying, surely I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

Now this is taking us back to Abraham. And Abraham received a promise. The Lord promised him that he would be blessed as a people, that he would have many descendants, as many as the stars in the sky, the sand in the seashore, that he would have land, and that the nations of the world would be blessed through him, the promise of the coming of Jesus Christ.

And in Genesis 15, we read of this promise being given to him about the seed. He said, I have no seed. One is born in my house, is mine heir. And the word of the Lord came to him and said, this shall not be thine heir. And he brought him forth. He said, look now towards the heavens and tell the stars if they'll be able to number them. And he said, so shall thy seed be. That was the promise. A promise was that the seed of Abraham will be so many that he wouldn't be able to count them, that they would be so vast.

Now God, we're told, cannot lie. It is impossible for God to lie. So the character of God assured Abraham of this promise. God will keep it. But then God went further. And in Genesis 15 we read of this quite mysterious event when Abraham is told to take a heifer and a she-goat and a ram and a turtle dove and a young pigeon and divide them. To take them and divide them in the midst and lay each piece one against another.

And so we have a scene set before us of these animals that have been taken, have been killed, and they've been cut in half. And one half is put opposite each other, so there's a pathway between the different halves of these dead animals, quite a gruesome sight. But this was a way in which oaths were confirmed in those days. that they would take an animal and divide it in half and they would cause the people who were making a promise or making an oath to walk between these two divided halves of the animal and what they were saying in doing so was I have made a promise and may I suffer the fate of these animals if I break this promise in other words may I die if I break the promise, I am in the midst of death in that way.

So it's a very solemn oath, a very solemn promise. And so Abraham takes these animals, he divides these animals and we're told that a deep sleep fell on Abraham and the horror of darkness fell on him. And then we're told that God gave him this promise and In verse 17 of Genesis 15, it came to pass that when the sun went up, it was dark. Behold, a smoking furnace and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. And what is happening? So here is Abraham. He has done what God called him to do, and he's at the side of these pieces. And he wakes and he sees a lamp passing down between the two. This is the presence of God. God is passing between the pieces. God is making a covenant, and he is sealing the covenant with an oath. And he is saying, so do to me if I break my oath. Now, of course, God is not a man to suffer the fate of these animals or anything like that. So God is saying, I swear by myself. We had it in that chapter, because there was none greater. He swore by himself. He's saying, really, I would cease to be God if I broke this covenant. I would be subject to judgment if I broke this covenant.

God ceased to be God? God under judgment? The God for whom it is impossible to lie? So when this verse speak of two immutable things, we have the promise of God and we have the oath of God. And when you see it in the strength of that oath, which he makes with Abraham, which is the context of these words, we can see that this is impossible for the oath to be broken. God would cease to be God and the whole of the universe would implode if he broke the oath which was made to his people. It is so sure and so secure.

Here we come to the hope that his people have. Our God has said, He has promised to those who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope that is set before us, that salvation is of grace. Do you notice, going back into that account of Abraham, an oath normally is made between two parties. It's a promise made between two people. But only one person walks between the pieces. Abraham doesn't. Only God walks between the pieces. Because it's an oath, it's a promise of grace. It's God who is giving this promise to Abraham. And Abraham doesn't deserve it, it's a promise of grace. That's the same with the gospel to his people. It's a promise of grace. He walks between the pieces and says, I would cease to be God, I would cease to be the faithful, holy one, if one of my people were lost.

The two are mutable things. So we have this side of the security of his people, the oath or the promise of God. But then the verses go on from verse 19, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, which entereth into that within the veil, whether the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. So the picture changes. We've had the picture of the oath and of Abraham and the pieces, and the picture changes. And now he's speaking, it's really a nautical picture, it's a picture of ships. And he says, we have a hope.

Now, it's not hope in the sense that we use the word hope. What are you going to do tomorrow? I hope I'm going to do such and such, go to such and such a place. That's how we speak today. I hope so. And we mean by that, it's what I intend, it's what I want, but I can't be sure. That's how we use the word hope today. That's not biblical hope. Biblical hope is not vague or unsure. Biblical hope is certainty. It's confidence. This hope, he says, we have as an anchor of the soul. And he sets a picture before us. Now, often we think of an anchor, of course. We think of a ship, and the anchor is thrown out over the side of the ship. It sinks down beneath the waves. It sinks down to the seabed. It beds itself in, and it secures the ship. That isn't actually the picture that's being used here. The reason we know that is because he speaks of a forerunner in verse 20. And the work of the forerunner is to get out of the ship when the ship is out of dock, it's out of the harbor some way. And the forerunner will take the anchor or at least a rope from the ship and we'll get into a little rowing boat from the ship or some other vessel from the ship and we'll row into shore, into the harbour and we'll tie the rope or we'll secure the anchor around a stone which is there on the harbour called the anchor stone.

Now the boat out at sea is directly secured to the anchor. And all the boat needs to do to safely reach port is keep pulling in the rope. And they will and they must inevitably come into harbour because they are now secured to the anchor stone. That was the role of the forerunner. They have gone in before.

And the Lord, the apostle by inspiration of God, takes this picture and he says, this is the hope that the believer has. Jesus Christ is the forerunner. He has gone into the veil. That is, he's gone into the most holy place. He's gone into glory. And as it were, he has tied the rope around the anchor stone. His people are connected directly with him. and they just draw on the rope and are gradually gathered home. They cannot not be gathered home, they cannot not reach home, they cannot come into the harbour, because Christ has secured their place. Not they have done it, but Jesus, the forerunner, has entered in.

And so this is an anchor to the soul. It is sure and it is steadfast. Jesus has entered in. Isn't that a wonderful thought?

With all of our doubts, And if we can imagine that ship which is connected into the harbour, it might still be out on the sea and it might still be bobbing up and down and the waves might still be going over it or causing it to be restless. Yet it's anchored in. It's secure. And you might be like that ship. And there might be a mist. Which means you can't see the anchor, and you can't see the harbour, and you can't see how close it is. And the storm might be raging, or the sea might be raging, and you might be up and down, and you might have many questions, and you might have many fears. And you might wonder, how is it that I could have any hope that I would enter into glory?

And it's not because you can get yourself there. It's because the forerunner has entered in. It's because Jesus has gone in. And so as we learn later on in the epistle, he has gone in with his own blood. He has entered into the most holy place with his blood and is there seated at the right hand of God and his people are secured. The forerunner has entered. That's the security.

So yes, the reality of our experience is that we are sometimes plagued with doubts and questions and troubles. We may say that I believe that I have not neglected this great salvation, but can I be lost? Will I eventually reach home? And we have these two things, the oath and the promise of God, and the forerunner, Jesus, who has gone in. It is impossible. It is impossible for the Lord's people not to make home. I have prepared a place for you. The Lord says he has gone to do that. It is impossible that that place will not be filled. The forerunner has entered in.

Surely here is comfort for the fearful, for the doubting, for the tempted. That our salvation, if you have fled for refuge, if you know this, great salvation is a salvation that is of grace. It is of Him, it is of God's work, and therefore it's of God's securing and of God's promise. It's not of you. And if you keep looking at you, you will be disappointed. And if you keep looking at how you feel or the ups and downs of your experience, you will be up and down. But the anchor is set. It's all of God's grace. Oh, it makes us look upward. It makes us look to him. But there is here, just to reiterate my point this morning, a further challenge for the unbeliever. If the Christian knows such security, if the word of God is so clear, how can you neglect so great salvation? It's another challenge, isn't it? Of where would you be if you do not know these things?

But there is also, as well as a comfort, I believe a direction for us in our lives. Verse 12 gives it to us. Be not slothful, but followers of them who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises. We've thought about the wonder of the promises, the certainty of that inheritance of the Lord's people. But look at the direction. Be not slothful, but followers. In other words, do not be sleepy. Do not be unconcerned. Do not be lazy. Do not lose the wonder of this gospel. Do not lose sight of the fullness of these truths. Do not be slothful, but be a follower. A follower of them. Those who have gone before. Those who have also walked by faith. Those who have also gone on in patience. Be a follower with them. Be active. See, slothful, well, that's laziness. Being a follower is active. Go on. Press on. But look how we press on. Through faith, looking unto God, trusting in the Lord, depending upon Him, and patience.

Patience. We are not good at patience. Or maybe some are better than others, but many of us are not good at patience. At sitting, trusting, waiting. We want to be on the move and it's encouraging us to be on the move, to be a follower, but we want to run. And we don't want to wait for the Lord. We don't want to trust in the Lord. Patience. You have need of patience, that after you've done the will of God, you might receive the promises. We have need of patience. But remember what it says, that we might run with patience the race of the set before us, or that we might run with endurance the race of the set before us. It means put another foot in front of the foot, keep on going one step at a time through the race, through faith. And with that God-given gift and aid of patience, we shall inherit the promises.

So there's an instruction for us, isn't there, in our daily life. How do we deal with a difficult decision, or how do we deal with a difficult situation, or how do we deal with that, perhaps that burden that's on our hearts that we We keep bringing to the Lord, and we struggle with, and we wonder what it means, and we wonder what to do with it. And the Lord says, through faith and patience, let the Lord have his way, looking unto Jesus. You see all these things, but be not slothful. Because if we have that certainty, if we know, as it were, that the rope is secured around the anchor stone, then surely we can trust the Lord for each pull of that rope. until he finally anchors us into the harbour of glory.

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, which entereth into that within the veil, whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus.

In the Old Testament, we read of a character, son of Jonathan, Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth was, we know, dropped as an infant, and both his legs were injured, and he was unable to walk in his life. Mephibosheth, in that way, was an invalid. He was dependent on the kindness, the generosity of others to look after him. But not only that, Mephibosheth was an enemy of the king in the sense that he was the son of the previous line. He was the grandson of King Saul. He was in danger. Naturally, speaking of the king wanting to be rid of Mephibosheth, a possible threat to the throne. But we know that King David showed him grace. King David welcomed him into his court and to his table, and he said, you will always eat with me at my table. You are always welcome to me, with me at this table. This is yours, despite your own physical difficulties, and who you are naturally. You are welcome.

And I want you to imagine those times, perhaps, when Mephistopheles was being carried by his servant, and was being helped along to the door of the room where the table was set, and perhaps was challenged at the door, and you say, what are you doing here? Why do you think you can come in? You're the grandson of Saul, you're not welcome. And he can turn to such a person, and he can say, Ah, but the king called me. David has called me. And David is in there. And I know that because David is in there, there's a place set for me. I know I'm welcome because David is there. He has promised that I am welcome.

And we think of that time, if we can imagine it rightly, when we might stand on the threshold of eternity and it's as if one might say, but why could you ever have any hope of dining, of being welcomed at the marriage supper of the Lamb of God? How is it that you have any confidence that you are welcome in this place, that you have a place set at this table? And you see God's people can turn and they can say, because Jesus is there. because he's sitting at that table, and he has promised. He has promised me that if we come unto him, I will in no wise cast them out. He has promised me that we have a great salvation, which we must not neglect.

But not only has he promised, he's there, and he's prepared the place. And that's my plea. Jesus, my friend, is there. That is the hope that is set before us. That is the hope, not vague, not faltering, but like an anchor of the soul, sure and steadfast, that entereth into that within the veil. Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, maiden high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

I ask again, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? May God bless his word to us.