Hebrews 6:11-12 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
The author writes now about the “assurance of hope” that the reader can have. Assurance is related to faith (Hebrews 11:1). It is a strong conviction about what we believe in (1 Thessalonians 1:5). The author wants the readers to eagerly seek to have this assurance. This will take some effort on their part. They cannot be lazy but must put effort into experiencing this assurance. The effort is best seen in active faith that follows through in living out God’s promises to us. In this verse, assurance is anchored in hope. This hope is in the promises mentioned at the end of v. 12. These promises are found in Jesus who brings salvation to us. The author is basically encouraging the readers to stay strong in the faith in Jesus and to forward in this faith. There may have been some in this fellowship who were being lazy (“sluggish”) and not growing or maturing. They were “imperfect” or “incomplete” in their faith. This was a dangerous place to be because of temptations to turn away. As a motivation, the author points out those who are worthy of imitating. Their lives show faith and patience. When the difficult times come, they are strongly anchored in God’s word and their faith in Jesus. In order to inherit the promises God has given to us, we must endure trials and temptations with faith and patience. Being lazy spiritually can lead to doubts about our salvation or with struggles to overcome temptation. The New Testament warns us about remaining babies in our faith. Babies are vulnerable and weak. Strength comes as we grow in our faith in God’s promises.
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