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1So we must go on from the first lessons that we learned about Christ. We must grow as believers so that we understand more and more. We should not go back to those first lessons again and again. We already know that we must turn away from wrong things that lead to death. We know that we must trust God.
2We have already learned about how to become clean . We know that leaders put their hands on other Christians to pray for God's help. We know that God will raise dead people to live again. And we know that God will judge every person one day at the end of time.[#6:2 God gave his people special rules to make themselves and other things . See Numbers 19:1-10. This may also mean Christian . This shows that, if someone is a Christian, God has made that person clean and new.; #6:2 The Bible tells us that Christian leaders often put their hands on somebody when they prayed for them. It might be when God chose that person for special work. See Acts 9:17; 13:3. Or it might be to pray for someone who was ill. In the Israel's leaders also did this at certain times. See Numbers 27:18,23.]
3Yes, we must choose to go on from those early lessons! God is ready to help us to do that.
4We must not turn away from Christ, after we have first believed in him. Some people have come into God's light. They have understood God's message. They have started to enjoy the true life that God has given them. They have received the Holy Spirit , like other believers.
5They have started to enjoy God's good message. They have seen powerful things that belong to the future time.
6But after all that, they have turned against God. Then it is impossible for them to turn away from their sins again. It is like they are killing the Son of God on the cross again for themselves. In this way, they cause other people to insult Christ.
7Think about a field where rain has fallen many times. That ground helps the plants in it to grow well. As a result, the farmer receives good things. It shows that God has blessed that ground.
8But a field where only weeds and thorn bushes grow is worth nothing. God will very soon curse that ground. In the end, fire will burn all of it.
9We are telling you this, our good friends, because we want you to continue well. We are sure that God has saved you and that your lives are better as a result.
10God is always right and fair. He will not forget all the good things that you have done. You have shown that you love him very much, because you have helped the other believers. And you continue to help them as God's servants.
11But we very much want each of you to continue to trust God to the end. Show that you really want to serve him. Be sure that, in the end, you will receive all the good things that you hope for.
12Then you will not be lazy. Instead, you will copy the example of those people who continue to trust God. They continue to be patient when trouble happens to them. People like that receive what God has promised to his people.
13God made a promise to Abraham many years ago. God used the authority of his own name to show that his promise was true. He did that because there was nobody greater than himself. His name showed that the promise was very serious.
14God said to Abraham, ‘I will certainly bless you. I will give you many children and many descendants .’
15Abraham waited patiently for a long time. Finally, he received what God had promised him.[#6:15 Abraham was the first of the Israelite . Abraham and his wife wanted a son. When Abraham and his wife were very old God promised to give Abraham a son and many . See Genesis 12:2; 17:1-22. Even though it was difficult to believe that he would have children, Abraham believed what God said.]
16When someone makes a strong promise, he uses the authority of a person who is greater than himself. This shows that he will certainly obey his promise. Then nobody can argue about it.
17God wanted to show very clearly that he would never change his purpose. He wanted his people to know that he would certainly bless them. So when he made this promise, he also used his own name to make it strong.
18These two things can never change. God cannot tell a lie . As a result, we can be brave and strong. We have trusted God to keep us safe with him. He will bless us as he has promised to do. We are sure about that.
19We know that we will receive what God has promised to give us. This keeps our thoughts strong. We know that our life is safe with God. That hope is like an anchor that keeps a ship safe. We know that we will one day arrive in God's special place in heaven . That is like the Most Holy Place place behind the curtain in the tabernacle .[#6:19 A ship with an is safe, because it cannot move. We can be completely sure about what God has promised to give us.]
20Jesus has already gone in there. He has gone there to open a way for us. He has become our great priest for ever, in the same way that Melchizedek was God's priest.[#6:20 In the God's had an inside room that was called the . A curtain made it separate from the other part of the tabernacle. Only the leader of the could go into that room, on one special day each year. See Leviticus 16:2; Hebrews 9:6-7. When Jesus died on the , he opened the way into heaven for us.]