There are two kinds of apostasy. We can call them: formal and informal, or declared and undeclared, or intentional and consequential. Apostasy is defined as the abandonment of what one has voluntarily professed; a total desertion and departure from one’s faith, principles, or party. And especially, the renunciation of a religious faith. It can be in the form of a formal declaration and intentional change of mind. Or it can be more a function of neglect or a waning of interest. Whether it is intentional or unplanned, the result is the same. Interest, involvement, and concern atrophy. It can be a formal turning away, or an informal falling away. The result is faithlessness, defined as a lack of concern, interest, involvement, and commitment. …
Jesus was sent to provide them with solid food, and they weren’t ready for Him. They were “unskilled in the word of righteousness” (v. 13). Not only could they not define righteousness, they were not interested. Hebrews is a call to Christian maturity, “for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil” (v. 14). …
In chapter six Hebrews calls us “to leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity.” And how do we do that? By “not laying again a foundation of repentance” (v. 1). This is a criticism of people who give their lives to Jesus during some evangelistic event, only to abandon it. And then come back to repent again and again. Too many people do this over and over as they are caught up in the boom and bust of repentance and relapse. When people continue in a loop of revival, repentance, and relapse they never graduate from biblical nursery school. This had been the sorry history of Israel since they left Egypt.
Paul then said, “whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction” (v. 4). This means that the teachings of the Bible, Old Testament and New, were written for them, were written for their instruction—and ours today! It means that the teachings of the Bible are always for “us,” for the contemporary people of every age. …
