Hebrews 6:16-20
HOW I KNOW I'M GONNA GO
Intro: We Baptists are among a select group in the community
of Christianity. The reason is, we belief that we are eternally
secure in our salvation. It has been said that we "as sure for
heaven as if we had already been there for 10,000 years."
This is a true statement, because the Bible clearly tells us that
we were "chosen in him before the foundation of the
world.", Eph. 1:4. Therefore, we have been in Heaven for
quite some time now! In fact, the Bible teaches us that He,
"hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in
heavenly places in Christ Jesus", Eph. 2:6. Those are
comforting truths!
Now, I find it ironic that it is in this very chapter that is used
by some groups to try and teach that it is possible to lose one's
salvation, we can find one of the strongest statements
anywhere in the Bible concerning the eternal security of the
believer. Instead of being a passage of doom and gloom, it is
a passage of delight and glory! For is there is one theme that
permeates this chapter, it is the theme of "hope."
Now, the word "Hope" meant something very different
when it was placed in the Bible than it means today in
everyday conversation. When we use the word in
conversation, we might say, "Well, I hope she gets well."
This statement contains a note of fear. We say, "I hope it will
work out." This rings the bell of uncertainty. However, when
the Bible uses the word hope, it does not speak of fear and
uncertainty. The word hope refers to something that has been
determined and settled by the decree of God. When we speak
of biblical hope, we are talking about a divine certainty!
Something that has been decreed by God and which will be
done!
As believers, we live our lives in three realms. We live in
the past, the present and in the future. Since we are saved,
and all of our lives are under the control of the Lord, He has
seen fit to take care of all three realms for us. Each of these
realms of live can be summed up by one word. The past is
taken care of by faith. We know that we have sinned, but by
faith in Christ, we also know that out past has been cleansed
away and is no longer an issue. The present is secured by
love. As the Lord lives in us, He enables us to love Him and
to love others, thus fulfilling the Law and enjoying His
blessings as we travel through this world. The future,
however, is secured for us by hope! That is, as children of
God, we are the priceless knowledge that our futures are
secure by the divine decree of God Almighty. By the way, I
didn't make that up, it is made clear by the Word of God, 1
Cor. 13:13.
Tonight, I would like to take these verses that we have read
together, and I would like to show you that we are secure in
our faith. Since knowing that you are saved and will forever
stay saved is priceless, this is a topic worthy of our time. Since
the devil loves to hold saints back by telling them that they are
lost, this is a topic worth our time. Therefore, let us take the
time to look at these verses as I preach about the theme, How
I Know I'm Gonna Go. There are some precious truths
contained here that give absolute assurance to the hearts of
God's people. Let's look at them together.
I. V. 16-18a THE SAINTS HAVE A COVENANT
A. It Is Confirmed By God's Promise - God has given us
His word in the matter and these verses make it clear
that we have His promise. Just as God made and kept
his promises to Abraham, v. 13-15, He will keep the
promises that He has made to us! You can take God at
His word, He has placed His very integrity on the line.
When He gives us the great promises of John 3:16;
Romans 10:9; Romans 10:13; Acts 16:31, etc, we can
count on the fact that God will do just as He has
promised to do. He will honor His Word! How can we
be sure? The word "immutable", v. 17-18, confirms it
for us! This word means "unchangeable". God does
not change! Because this is true, when He promised in
the past will be good for ever. Romans 6:23 tells us
that salvation through Jesus Christ is a gift from God.
If God ever took it back, He would be an Indian giver!
Now, that will never be! What God has promised, He
will do!
Therefore, if you have trusted Him for your soul's
salvation, rejoice! If you have taken Him at His word,
then you can shout! If you have received the promises
related to the salvation of your soul, then you need
never fear that anything will happen to take that away
from you.
B. It Is Certified By God's Pledge - If that weren't
enough, when God made this promise, He swore by
Himself, v. 17! In other words, God placed His Name
on the line! If a born again child of God ever loses his
or her salvation, did you know that God loses more than
they lose? That's right, they lose their soul, but God
loses His holy character. He loses His right to be God.
He loses everything, because if a child of God goes to
Hell, God has told a lie and He will have to go to Hell
too!
After all, what is eternal life? Is it conditional life,
based on the kind of life I live, or is it really eternal? If
it is eternal, then it can never end, nor can it be taken
away. Eternal means just what it says, John 10:28!
II. V. 18b-19 THE SAINTS HAVE A COMFORT
(Ill. While it is a wonderful thing to have the Lord's personal
promise and pledge for our salvation, there are also two
figures used in verses 18-19 that give us a strong
consolation, or encouragement concerning the eternal
nature of our salvation.)
A. V. 18 We Have Found Asylum In Heaven - The writer
says that we who have come to Christ have "fled to
take refuge". The picture is of the ancient Cities of
Refuge from the Old Testament. These were 6 cities in
ancient Israel that served as havens of safety for
someone who had accidentally taken the life of another
person. When a person was slain in those days, the
next of kin was allowed to exact revenge against the
slayer. So, to protect those who accidentally killed
another person, God gave them these six, easily
accessible, easily seen cities. All six of these cities
were on well maintained roads so that there would be
no obstructions. The way to each of these cities was
clearly marked. They could flee to one of these cities
and find safety from the avenger of blood. They were
safe in that city for as long as the High Priest lived.
After that, they were free to leave.
God compares our salvation to those cities. When
we came to Jesus, most of us were fleeing the wrath of
God, and the sentence of death that was upon us.
When we ran to Jesus and entered into Him, we came
on a prepared way that was well marked. When we
entered Him by faith, we were accepted into the
Beloved and are safe in our refuge as long as the High
Priest lives. And, since He isn't going to die, we are
safe forever, Heb. 7:25.
B. V. 19 We Have Fixed An Anchor In Heaven - Another
illustration of our security is found in verse 19. We are
told that we have an anchor. We all know that an
anchor serves to secure a ship on the ocean. The
anchor extends down to the floor of the sea and the
hooks of the anchor dig deep into the sea bed, holding
firmly to the rocks that are found there. The anchor
provides safety and prevent the ship from being blown
about by adverse winds and destroyed upon the shore.
Spiritually speaking, when you got saved, you threw
the anchor of faith toward Jesus Christ. That anchor
lodged deep with the Rock of Ages, that which is within
the veil, and it will never slip nor be dislodged. The
storms of life may batter you, but you are still anchored.
The adverse winds of affliction may blow against you,
but you are still anchored. The waves of adversity may
crash into your vessel, but you are anchored in the Lord
and that anchor will hold. There are times when the
raging seas of sin and temptation will rock our vessels,
even then we are held fast by the securing power of
that anchor of the soul that is both sure (can be relied
upon) and steadfast (unmoveable).
(Note: By the way, we are not, like a ship, anchored
down. We have not set our anchor in the shifting sands
of this world. Instead, we are anchored up! We have
set our anchors above. We may still drift from time to
time, but we can only drift against that anchor point. As
a matter of fact, we are not anchored at a standstill. We
are taking in cable everyday. Every foot of the journey
brings us closer to our goal of a home in glory. We are
headed in!)
III. V. 20 THE SAINTS HAVE A CONTACT
(Ill. If all we had was either God's Covenant with the saints
or the Comfort of our refuge and our anchor, that would be
enough to give us assurance of our eternal salvation, but
there is one more element revealed here that gives us even
more reason to rejoice in the security we enjoy in Jesus.
We have a contact in Heaven!)
A. The Performance Of Our Contact - In this verse,
Jesus is called a "forerunner". This word was used in
ancient times to refer to "a scout, or one who went
ahead of the main group to prepare for their
arrival."it literally means, "One who comes in advance
to a place where the rest are to follow." Sometimes
sailors would launch a small boat to carry the anchor to
less treacherous waters. There the anchor would be
dropped and the ship would be safe. That boat was the
forerunner. We see that same thing today. Mountain
climbers will often sent the best climber ahead of the
group. He will attach a lifeline to the summit so that the
others will be able to make the climb.
Jesus Christ is our Forerunner! He has already
made the ascent to the summit of glory and has affixed
the lifeline for the rest of us. He has announced our
coming and is making preparations for our arrival. They
are expecting us in that city, and they are preparing for
us over there, John 14:1-3.
B. The Position Of Our Contact - Jesus is called a "High
Priest." This means is One Who acts as a mediator
between God and man, 1 Tim. 2:5. In the Old
Testament period, the high priest would take the blood
of the sacrifice on the Day of Atonement and with much
ritual and preparation, he would go into the Holy of
Holies and sprinkle that blood seven times upon the
mercy seat, making atonement for the sins of the
people. He was not allowed to stay in that place, but he
went in, performed his task swiftly and departed. The
next year, he returned and did it again. Always going in
with the blood of another and leaving immediately after
the blood was applied. Even the high priest couldn't go
in anytime he wanted to. He could only enter on that
one day and he could only enter wearing the robes of
the High Priest. That is why the Old Testament
sacrificial system could never save the soul. It was
never finished and never completed.
With Jesus Christ, all that is different! After He died
on the cross and rose from the dead, He took His own
precious, perfect blood and entered the presence of
God making eternal atonement for everyone who will
receive Him by faith. When He died on the cross, He
cried, "It is finished." This signified that the price of
redemption had been met. When he entered the
presence of God with His blood, He did something an
Old Testament priest could never do: He sat down,
Heb. 10:12. There were no chairs in the Temple or the
Tabernacle. The work of those priests was never
finished. Jesus, however, perfectly and eternally
finished His work on our behalf and there is nothing for
us to do, not to add to what He has done! That is
security! He sits at the right hand of the Father tonight,
making intercession for the saints, Heb. 7:25. Jesus is
the ever present proof in Heaven that your price and
mine has been forever paid. If we are trusting Him, He
has carried our anchor to heaven and has secured us
there forever. How could you ever lose anything that
secure?
Conc: How do I know that I'm gonna go? I have God's Word
on! I also have Christ's work on it! "Saved to the uttermost
and I know that I am! Washed in the blood of the precious
Lamb. Through the Father, through the Son, through the
Holy Ghost, I'm saved to the uttermost!"
But, what if I stumble? My anchor still holds! What if the
devil attacks me and gets me off course? My anchor still
holds! Regardless of what this life may bring into view, the
anchor still holds and grips the solid rock! One day the tide will
come in and we will go to glory!
I am kind of like the little boy who was flying his kite and it
had gotten so high that it could no longer be seen. A man
walked up to him and said, "Son, what are you doing?" The
boy answered, "Why, I'm flying my kite!" The man said, "Well,
I don't see any kite up there, how do you know it's still there?"
The boy said, "Well sir, even though I can't see that kite up
there, I still feel a tug ever now and then."
That's how it is for the saints of God! We may not can
always see things as clearly as we would desire to, but we can
feel the tug of the anchor rope every now and then! I know
where I am anchored and that's how I know I'm gonna go! Do
you know? Are you sure?
