A “tightrope” walker must be very careful to keep the right balance on the rope he is walking. If he leans too far to the left, he’ll fall off. However, if he learns too far to the right, he will still fall from the rope. Whether he falls on the left side or right side of the rope doesn’t really matter. In either instance, he’ll hit the ground.
Some Hebrew Christians in the first century were in danger of losing their balance. The writer of the book warned, “For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food” (Hebrews 5:12). Clearly, from both his warning in this chapter, then on into the next chapter, these Christians were in danger of falling away from Christ. In 6:4-5 he wrote, “For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakes of the Holy Spirit, and the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them unto repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame.” From these things the writer emphasized here and the things further in the epistle with which he will deal, it is evident what they were neglecting and were in danger of losing.
In chapter 1 the superiority of Christ over angels is emphasized. In chapter s the superiority of the words of Christ (the New Covenant) is shown to be vastly superior to the covenant which was given through angels to Moses. The writer showed Jesus to be superior to Moss: Jesus is a Son over His house while Moses is simply a servant. In chapter 3-7 the writer showed the priesthood of Melchizedek (of which order Jesus is, Psalm 110:4) to be higher than the priesthood of Aaron. As we progress further in the epistle we are shown the superiority of the blood of Jesus above that of animals, and the heavenly Jerusalem to be far above the earthly one (Hebrews 13:14). These Christians were dangerously close to falling from God’s grace for they were close to removing Jesus in lieu of what was meant to be a shadow and pattern of what Jesus ordained. This was all a grave warning to “keep our balance.”
We are reminded in Hebrews 1:1 that God in times past spoke through the prophets to the fathers in divers portions and manners but that in these last days He has spoken to us through His Son. God’s message on the Mount of Transfiguration was and is, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him” (Matthew 17:5).
When I was a child my recollection of sermons in gospel meetings were on the necessity of water baptism; the oneness of the church; baptism is immersion not sprinkling; the possibility of “falling from grace;” the sinfulness of missionary societies; and other similar subjects. In later years some of those subjects were neglected, and this neglect likely contributed to the problems brethren have had with such issues in the last 50-60 years. Perhaps brethren leaned a little too far to the right and failed to keep a right balance on the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).
The resolving of such problems is not to neglect some issues (moral) to emphasize fundamentals. The resolving of these problems is to maintain proper balance by making sure that when those who visit us who are not Christians, they are taught what God requires men to do to become Christians. And, there is among us our children who, if we fail to preach either on morals or fundamentals, will never know God’s truth regarding those subjects. Whether in gospel meetings or in weekly lessons, we should continue to preach all God’s Word, neglecting nothing. I realize that for some people it is inconceivable that any one does not understand Jesus’ words: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved,” but strange as that may be, and as clear to us the passage is, some people look at Mark 16:16 and believe that baptism has nothing to do with salvation.
The truth is God’s people can lean either too far to the left or to the right. The “tightrope” walker is ever mindful of that. Conservative brethren must remember that while we must ever be careful not to lean too far to the left; we must also remember that we can lean too far to the right. And which either way we lean, if we fall, we’ll hit the ground.
Let us “preach the word.” Let us be diligent that all God’s Word is preached in season and out of season. God’s Word is our light. God’s Word is our bread. God’s word is the seed by which we are begotten. God’s Word is His sword and God’s Word will determine our destiny. Preach the Word!
Jim McDonald