Apostasy Is Deadly; Christ Is Life

Rev. Matt Ulmer, pastor at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church—Friedheim, just outside Decatur, IN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Hebrews 6:4-12. This text is a difficult one from the book of Hebrews. The author speaks about those who have received the fullness of God’s gifts in His Church, yet reject those gifts in apostasy. Because there is no other path to repentance, those who reject this one way to salvation cannot be saved. Yet the preacher is confident that his hearers will not fall away from the faith in this manner. He encourages them to continue in the earnestness of their hope and live with faith and patience as those who have God’s promise. “The New Covenant in Christ” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrews is best understood as a sermon preached to those who have gathered for the Divine Service, exhorting them to continued faithfulness to Jesus. As the Son of God and our Brother, Jesus is both our exalted King and faithful High Priest who is truly present with us so that we might fix our eyes on Him.