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TODAY’S MESSAGE:
“FIVE TYPES OF RAIN”

READ:
HEBREWS 5:12-14 (NKJV)
Spiritual Immaturity
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (NLT: 13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. 14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.)

HEBREWS 6:1-12
The Peril of Not Progressing
1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (Six Foundations) 3 And this we will do if God permits.
4 For it is impossible for those who were (1) once enlightened, and (2) have tasted the heavenly gift, and (3) have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and (4) have tasted the good word of God and (5) (tasted) the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; 8 but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.
A Better Estimate
9 But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. 10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

THE PROBLEM OF STAGNATION/SPIRITUAL BABIES
Staying on the milk of basic, elementary teachings and not moving on toe becoming teachers means you’re unskilled in the word of righteousness
Laziness
Procrastination
Distractions
Idols
Comfort, convenience
Philosophies/thinking

Solid spiritual food is for the mature. The mature are those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil
They have the elementary principles down
They are moving on to perfection
“By reason of use” implies consistent training in the word of the Lord

ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES / BASIC FOUNDATIONS:
1. repentance from dead works
2. faith toward God,
3. the doctrine of baptisms,
4. laying on of hands,
5. resurrection of the dead,
6. eternal judgment

If these are considered basic and “milk”, then every Christian should know, understand and be able to teach them to others.
That is why we have it, although slightly different, in our Three Keys Membership course. Each believer, each member should have a solid faith foundation from which they live - for their own confidence, and to be effective in the Kingdom.

The Hebrews writer says if we have these down, we can move on to perfection. We just read in the previous chapter that Jesus was perfected by obedience through suffering. Perhaps these are all linked. As we mature spiritually, there is a type of suffering through obedience by choosing daily and consistently to engage with God, His word and His presence, through which we constantly grow in Him and become more like Him.

FIVE TYPES OF RAIN:
He then goes on directly saying “For it is impossible…” showing it follows on the discussion of moving on from the elementary principles of faith to perfection; and he proceeds to say it is impossible for someone who has experienced 5 specific things that if they fall away to be renewed to repentance because they crucify Christ again. And gives a reason by way of illustration of rain falling on the soil of the earth:
7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; 8 but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

So it would seem that the five things that believers have experienced is like rain falling on soil. The fruit of the harvest determines blessing or rejection.
The RAIN is the SAME! It is the soil that gives different kinds of fruit and then God either blesses or the farmer curses.
(Fire can mean that it needs to be purified so he can start again.)

Let’s look at the five things:
1. once enlightened,
2. have tasted the heavenly gift,
3. have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,
4. tasted the good word of God
5. the powers of the age to come

Let’s bring up the 6 faith foundations next to them:
repentance from dead works - once enlightened
faith toward God - have tasted the heavenly gift
the doctrine of baptisms - have become partakers of the Holy Spirit
laying on of hands - tasted the good word of God
resurrection of the dead - the powers of the age to come
eternal judgment

Turn it around, five types of rain first:
once enlightened - repentance from dead works
have tasted the heavenly gift - faith toward God
have become partakers of the Holy Spirit - the doctrine of baptisms
tasted the good word of Go - laying on of hands
Tasted the powers of the age to come - resurrection of the dead
eternal judgment

DOCTRINE OF ETERNAL SECURITY:
John 10:27-30 - 'My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”'

I John 5:13 - 'These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.'

Ephesians 1:13-14 - 'In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.'

Philippians 1:6 - 'being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; '

I Corinthians 1:8-9 - 'who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.'

II Corinthians 1:20-22 - 'For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.'

Romans 8:1-2 - 'There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. '

Romans 8:37-39 - 'Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.'

So if our salvation is sure and eternal, why do we get these scary verses in Hebrews 6, and something similar in Hebrews 2 and even stronger in Hebrews 10?
Firstly, remember, this is written by a Jew who follows Jesus to Jews who follow Jesus. They renounced Judaism and were persecuted for it. Many of them were considering turning back or just taking it slower just to lessen the rejection, ridicule and reproach. And the writer is trying to strongly explain to them you cannot step away from salvation once you have tasted it. It would be like the Israelites returning to Egypt after being free from slavery and bondage only to walk right back into it.
Secondly, we need to understand that even though we cannot lose our salvation once we are truly saved, it does not mean that our sinful actions will not have consequences or that our Father in heaven who loves us will not discipline us. The consequence can never be the loss of salvation, but the cost can be high.
We can experience torment, trials and tribulations that are not our portion, but we bring it upon ourselves when we fall way, drift away or willfully sin. This is a warning for all who believe.

UNFORGIVENESS
One of the main ways us as Christians step into this is through unforgiveness. When we hold something against another person, if we do not forgive, do not let go, but hold on in bitterness and anger, we will be given over to the tormentors and we will suffer dire consequences. If you’re trully born again you won’t lose your salvation, but you may experience a lack of joy, freedom, rest and peace.

LAST FEW VERSES - ENCOURAGEMENT
A Better Estimate
Hebrews 6:9 But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation (FIVE TYPES OF RAIN), though we speak in this manner. 10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.


LET US MAKE SURE WE HAVE A SOLID FAITH FOUNDATION AND GET EXCITED ABOUT MOVING ON TO PERFECTION AS MATURE, STEAK EATING CHRISTIANS WHO ARE BOLDLY CONFIDENT IN THE LORD AND ARE SHARING, TEACHING AND PREACHING THE GOSPEL TO EVERYONE AROUND US!


HOW? LET THE FIVE TYPES OF RAIN KEEP FALLING:
1. Once Enlightened: REMAIN ENLIGHTENED BY ABIDING IN THE LIGHT OF JESUS

2. Tasted the heavenly gift: REMIND YOURSELF YOU’RE A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN SEATED IN HEAVENLY PLACES WITH ACCESS TO EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES

3. Have become a partaker of the Holy Spirit: RECEIVE THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHICH IS THE BAPTISM OF POWER AND FIRE THAT EMPOWERS YOU TO BE A WITNESS FOR JESUS

4. Tasted the Good Word of God: KEEP EATING, TASTING THE WORD OF GOD EVERY DAY - THIS IS HOW WE BUILD ON THE FOUNDATIONS AND MOVE ON TO PERFECTION

5. Tasted the powers of the age to come: ONCE YOU’VE TASTED JESUS’ POWER, THE POWER OF HIS WORD, ONE’S OWN RESURRECTION IS A TASTE OF THE POWERS OF THE AGE TO COME, EVERY TESTIMONY, EVERY OTHER PERSON LED TO CHRIST, EVERY HEALING - POWER OF GOD! WE CAN PRESS ON IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE BEST OF GOD’S POWER IS YET TO COME

REFLECT AND RESPOND
Let us reflect and respond:
MAY HIS FIVE TYPES OF RAIN KEEP FALLING IN ALL OF OUR LIVES AS WE MATURE DAILY IN CHRIST PRESSING ON TO PERFECTION