While having learned about Jesus and yet not remaining with Him would truly be a tragedy (see Hebrews 6:4-8), the author of Hebrews wasn’t saying that the original audience had fallen away. Despite this warning – this statement of truth – it seems that the first-century recipients of this letter were still “good” with Jesus.
Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.
Hebrews 6:9-10 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/heb.6.9-10.NIV
How does the author know? Because of God’s fairness (ref. Girdwood & Verkruyse, p.210) and because of what they have done. They clearly love God and all that He is (i.e., His name), and they continue to serve others in the church. Of course, doing these things isn’t what saves them, but it shows where their hearts are, and it affirms that they still have faith in God. We don’t buy God’s favor by doing certain things, but when we love God and trust Him with our lives, it shows! In fact, I’m pretty convinced that other people – given enough time – can tell the difference between truly serving others in Jesus’ name and merely putting on a show for people’s applause.
Rather than verses 4-8 being a condemnation of something that has happened, they appear to be a warning against what the author wants readers to avoid.
We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
Hebrews 6:11-12 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/heb.6.11-12.NIV
So, while the recipients of this letter were already close to God (as evidenced by their behavior), what should they be doing? In modern terms, they must not “slack off”. We might tell them, “Keep up the good work”.
While I think that the NIV translation of becoming “lazy” (in verse 12) is a good picture of what we must avoid, I think that the NASB translation of being “sluggish” also adds color to these instructions. Apparently, this uses the same word as Hebrews 5:11, where it called the recipients “sluggish in hearing” [NASB footnote].
Now, this not being “lazy” or “sluggish” doesn’t necessarily mean we need to be really physically active. I don’t know how long I could keep up with third-graders in our congregation’s Kids’ Ministry, for instance! Instead, not slowing down here can include investing in our faith and developing our understanding of God. That can’t help but result in actions of love and service: taking different forms from one of us to the next, and often changing in different seasons of life, but always reflecting the love we have for God.
Maybe you’ve seen a cement slab sitting on an overgrown vacant lot. Perhaps a house was built upon it, but it was torn down long ago. Or, maybe the foundation was poured but no house was ever built upon it. If the “basics” of the gospel of Jesus Christ are our foundation, let’s make sure that we are building upon it by continuing to develop our faith, through God’s Word. We might remember that Jesus talked about two builders: one who built upon rock and one who built upon sand (see Matthew 7:24-27). Building upon the wrong foundation won’t succeed, but Jesus – the right foundation – isn’t going anywhere. However, our role isn’t to just admire the foundation; we are also expected to build upon it. You and I each share the role of builder, even if what we build varies from person to person. Hopefully it’s something good, though, and not just a ramshackle tent, so that by doing so, we can bring glory to God.
In addition to that parable of Jesus, I’d like to look back to verses 7 and 8 in this chapter. This sounds like Jesus’ Parable of the Soils (or, we might call this the Parable of the Sower), described in Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20, and Luke 8:1-15. Even with the same seed – the same word of God – offered to each of us, what we produce with it is dependent upon us.
So, build upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. Produce good fruit with the seed of God’s word. Don’t just be like a seed in a crack of the sidewalk that grows one of those prickly weeds. Invest the life God has given you to build up the Kingdom of God, both in your heart, and in the world around you.
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.
