Daily Bible Nugget #742, Hebrews 6:9

The Nugget:

Hebrews 6:9  But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

My Comment:

This post is Part 5 of the “How to make disciples” series I have been sharing.

Every genuine Bible-believing Christian can have an impact on influencing others for Christ. Seriously reading and studying the Bible on a daily basis will make a great difference in your life. You  don’t have to be a preacher or pastor or Sunday school teacher for God to use you to help others grow spiritually. Read on to learn more!

Cross reference Bible study of Hebrews 6:9 from The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:

Hebrews 6:9
beloved. Gr. agapētos (S# G27, Eph 5:1). *Heb 6:4, 5, 6; *Heb 6:10, *Heb 10:34; *Heb 10:39, 1Co 10:14; 1Co 15:58, 2Co 7:1; 2Co 12:19, *Php 1:6; *Php 1:7, *1Th 1:3; *1Th 1:4, +*2Pe 3:17.

we are persuaded. Gr. peithō (S# G3982, Gal 1:10). Perfect tense. *+Rom 15:14, Gal 5:10, 2Ti 1:5.

better things. Gr. kreittōn (S# G2909, Heb 1:4). Heb 6:10, Heb 1:4; Heb 7:7; Heb 7:19; Heb 7:22; Heb 8:6; Heb 9:23; Heb 10:34; +*Heb 10:35; +*Heb 11:16; +*Heb 11:35; +*Heb 11:40; Heb 12:24.

things that accompany salvation. Attention to the things which accompany salvation will provide guidance for spiritual growth beyond the initial salvation experience of the new birth, as well as provide for continuing growth or restoration, and protection against apostasy, as the individual case may require.
Such things include:

(1) caring about spiritual things:

(a) neglect not our great salvation, Heb 2:3.

(b) care for our own stedfastness, +*1Co 15:58, +*1Th 3:8.

(c) our grounding in the faith as a guard against apostasy, +*Psa 1:3, Mat 7:13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, +*Luk 8:13, +*Eph 4:14, +**Col 1:23; +*Col 2:7, +*1Ti 4:16, +**2Ti 3:15, 16, 17, +*2Pe 3:18.

(d) the stedfastness of others, +*Heb 3:13 note.

(e) our stedfastness in fellowship, +*Heb 10:25.

(f) guard against the danger of willful sin, +*Heb 10:26.

(g) cast not away your confidence, *Heb 10:35, 36, 37, 38, 39.

(h) the security of the believer, Gal 2:20 note. Joh 5:24; Joh 10:27, 28, Eph 4:30.

(2) obedience: **Heb 5:9, *Mat 7:24, 25, 26, 27, +*Luk 11:28, Joh 14:15; Joh 14:23, Rom 1:5; Rom 6:17; Rom 15:18, 2Co 10:5, 2Th 1:8, 1Pe 1:22, +*1Jn 2:3.

(3) teachability, humility, and contriteness: +*1Sa 25:17, **Psa 25:9, +*Isa 57:15.

(4) qualities underlying spiritual maturity: +*Mat 5:3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.

(5) fruit of the Holy Spirit: Gal 5:22, 23.

(6) development of the composite qualities underlying true love: 1Co 13:4, 5, 6, 7.

(7) progress along the steps to stedfastness: **2Pe 1:3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.

(8) regular prayer: +*2Ch 7:14, +*Psa 119:18, +*Dan 6:10, +*1Th 5:17.

(9) a continuing hunger for and increasing knowledge of the written Word of God: +*Job 23:12, +*Jer 15:16, +*Mat 5:6, +*Joh 5:39 note. +*Act 17:11, +**Col 1:10, +**2Ti 3:15, 16, 17, **1Pe 2:2, +*2Pe 3:18.

(10) daily study of God’s Word: *Jos 1:8, +*Psa 1:2, +**Act 17:11.

COMMIT TO READ THE BIBLE ITSELF DAILY

Reading the Bible in the order of the books as we find them in our Bibles is not necessarily the best way to read the Bible. If you start at Genesis, you’ll likely be limping by the time you get to Leviticus, unless you bring to your reading a substantial background knowledge of the Scriptures.

MORE THAN READING, COMMIT TO STUDY THE BIBLE

There is very little real, independent, personal Bible STUDY going on. This may be because no one is telling anyone how to do it. This note is designed to explain in some detail exactly how to study the Bible independently. Real Bible study should first involve studying the Bible itself, not what others have written by way of commentary.

Just reading through the Bible in sequence is not Bible study, though it certainly can be a first step in learning Scripture. Reading the Bible through in a year is a good thing, even a laudable exercise, but it is not the same as Bible study. Why? No one can really take in that much detail by just reading in a manner that can be called Bible study. When you just read the Bible, you are only skimming the surface, not digging into the Bible in depth.

I have found it helps to approach the Bible in more than one way at a time. For example, I suggest reading the Bible in sequence. The Bible may be read in the order in which the books are found in the printed Bible, or the Bible can be read in chronological order using Bibles that are arranged that way. At the same time, give some time to actually studying the Bible using a particular Bible study method or process.

While I am reading the Bible through, or a Bible book through, I may happen upon a verse that particularly strikes my interest. I then take time to study that verse in greater depth. This may involve studying the subjects mentioned in that verse as they are further developed elsewhere in the Bible. This can be a most helpful and fascinating study. I’ll explain more about how to do this below.

HOW TO MAKE TIME FOR BIBLE READING AND STUDY

Perhaps the first question that will pop into your mind is, “And just when do you think anyone can find the time to do all this?”

You find time to eat, don’t you? The Bible encourages us to consider its content as spiritual food. In 1Pe 2:2 we are told, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”

In physical life, a baby would not live long if it could not eat. Babies obviously have a strong desire for milk. So we should have just as strong a desire for the spiritual food found in the Bible if we are really to live the Christian life to the fullest.

One way to solve the time issue is to daily set aside twenty minutes to Bible reading. I have kept a simple paper marker in my Bible and written down exactly where I left off reading on the marker each day. The next day I take up the Bible again and read for another twenty minutes.

I first did this as a high school student. I read my Bible for twenty minutes first before I proceeded to do my homework each evening. When I had time for more reading, I spent more time.

That reading made all the difference in the world for me, for as a result I truly found Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and began a continuing relationship with Him. God can certainly do the same for you if you will read His Word in the Bible for yourself on a regular, even daily basis.

My Concluding Comment:

The solution to bringing about real change for the better for ourselves as individuals, for our churches, for our schools, for our workplaces, for our neighborhoods, for our country, and for the world, is to get Bible-believing Christians to read and study the Bible daily.

Considering the quite dire situation we find ourselves in, we need a revival of Bible reading and Bible study. I have spelled out how to do that in this note from Hebrews 6:9. You can find this material in a printed book–my just-released improved edition of The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

The following comment from David Bliss, head of the Andrew Murray Institute, South Africa, was shared with me 29 years ago, and is still true:

“My expectation and hope is that believers everywhere, particularly in developing countries, will gain access to this volume.

“No longer will any Christian need to decline to lead a Bible study, Sunday school class, or for that matter even to hesitate to start a church. The answer lies in the Word of God. The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge is going to prove itself an indispensable tool to open up that Word to many, many people who not otherwise have the means to become what God wills them to be, students and teachers of the Word.

“If you can’t have a library, you can have the New Treasury, and that in itself is a library.”