The Danger of Dullness – Hebrews 6:3-9
What is the danger of refusing to heed the Kingdom call to violence found in Mat 11:12? Hebrews 6 answers the question with frightening clarity. Last week's message reminded us of a reality of the Christian life... It involves an obedient application of force necessary to overcome obstacles between us and our calling in Christ (mortify sin, sell all we have, take up our cross, endure the disowning of family, dragged before courts, martyrdom, mockery, crucifying the flesh, disciplines of sanctification). This section opens and closes identifying a red flag with the same Greek word translated as: 'dull of hearing' in 5:11, and as: 'sluggish' in 6:12. 'Nothos' connotes the following adjectives: blunt, dull, sluggish, remiss, slack, lazy, listless, inert, lackadaisical. The danger of this kind of dullness is emphasized again by way of warning in Hebrews 6 in three ways signaled by three conjunctions... ('for' 6:4, 'since' 6:6, 'for' 6:7). May we pay heed today!