In light of passages like Hebrews 6:1-3, why should we strive towards maturity? Think about a newly-planted tree: If a tree never grew beyond a sapling, lots of things could cause it to be uprooted and die, whether being trampled by a forest animal, eaten by one, blown over, or washed away in a flood. When a tree grows big and strong, though, it is able to withstand much greater trials!
For those being persecuted for their Christian faith in the first century (or anyone else whose faith remains shallow), they could not (and cannot) afford to remain immature. There’s just too much risk. If Jewish Christians were being challenged to renounce their faith by Nero’s forces, their faith would need to be a lot stronger to hold up. In that light, let’s consider the following passage.
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen 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. 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. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.
Hebrews 6:4-8 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/heb.6.4-8.NIV
Now, this passage can get complicated when people argue about something called “eternal security”. That is, when someone is saved, can they ever lose their salvation? I would prefer not to debate that here, but there are some things that we can learn about that topic from God’s Word, here in the book of Hebrews:
- The idea of “falling away” is described here, although the NASB footnote on verse 6 suggests an alternate translation more like choosing to give up one’s faith. In fact, some of the initial recipients of this letter may have been asked to do by the Roman Empire, under threat of torture or execution.
- Another NASB footnote on verse 6 also suggests that those who had given up their faith were embarrassing Jesus while they remained in that state.
- And, note [per Girdwood & Verkruyse, p.205] that the “impossible” here is not the impossibility of God forgiving those who repent from apostasy, but the impossibility of them changing their mind in this condition.
So, if you are seeking God and striving to walk with Jesus, don’t worry about accidentally doing something minor that would forfeit your salvation. After all, we trust Jesus with our souls, and He is faithful. Instead, I believe that this passage is written to those who were (or would be) wrestling with Roman demands that they give up their Christian faith and worship a false god like Zeus. Maybe you’re not being threatened with crucifixion if you don’t sacrifice to Zeus; however, if you’re wondering whether it is worthwhile to remain with Jesus and trust Him for your life (both on earth and for eternity), please allow others in the Body of Christ to encourage you and to remind you why following Jesus is so much better than any alternative. And, if this describes you, please keep reading through the book Hebrews, which was God’s Word for a specific group dealing with challenges like that.
Going back to the importance of continuing to mature in our faith, let’s consider something from my past: I met the woman who became my wife during college at church group meetings on campus, including an event where we and a bunch of other students watched movies and ate snacks. That was fun and all; however, if our relationship never got past watching movies and eating snacks, that would be awfully shallow, and certainly nothing to build a marriage upon or to set a good example for our kids.
In the same way, if we’re not continuing to develop our relationship with God – doing so every single year of our lives with Him – we’re missing out on what’s next, and that “initial” relationship with Him is probably not going to yield the best results. Like a sapling that never grows into a tree, or a relationship that never gets past movies and snacks, remaining immature in one’s faith leaves a believer vulnerable to disaster. So, invest in your relationship with God – today, tomorrow, this week, next month, and every day – until the day when being in His presence in the new Heaven and new Earth makes that process so much easier. Investing in getting to know Him on this fallen earth takes work, but it is definitely worth it.
Some good news, though: if you or I have stopped working to make our walk with Jesus better and better each day, we’re not the first to do so, and we have help to get back on track. The book of Hebrews is here to help us out, as is the rest of God’s word, along with God the Holy Spirit Himself! And, like friends or relationship counselors might give advice to a couple who needs to move forward (and not backwards) in their relationship, followers of Jesus have each other – in the body of Christ, the church – to encourage and spur one another on towards what we really need.
So, if you’re in this situation, I hope that you will pause and consider some of the encouragement in the book of Hebrews, which reminds us why following Jesus provides greater blessings than we could ever gain by giving into the broken promises of sin (or any other “gods” that we might try to follow, instead). And, if you have any specific questions about this topic, feel free to reach out to a trusted pastor, a fellow Christian, or me!
From Sunday School lesson prepared for February 15, 2026
References:
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – Hebrews, by Jim Girdwood and Peter Verkruyse. © 1997 College Press Publishing Co.
