Hebrews 6:7-9 - We feel sure of better things

6:7,8

Farming analogies are common in the Bible, with Jesus’ parable of the sower perhaps being the most famous one of these. Here we are told that the good land is that which drinks in the rain from heaven, and so produces a good crop. Again we have the point that we are utterly dependent upon God, but that we also have a responsibility. Conversely, the land that produces only thorns and thistles is worthless, and runs the risk of being cursed. Remember, “curse” means God’s judgement on man’s sin. The end result is that it is burned. 

6:9

There are two or three parts of Hebrews which state bluntly that we can lose our salvation, but that is not the purpose of the letter. “We are convinced of better things in your case”. Life is real, and God has created us with “agency”. So we take the warnings seriously and therefore do not suffer the consequences. Maybe it is a bit like the question “could Jesus have sinned?”. The answer is no, but not because He was a puppet just following instructions, but because of who He is. The temptations that Jesus faced were real, as Hebrews has said. But Jesus was without sin. Life is real, and we need to take responsibility. The writer expects salvation for his readers.