A couple of years ago, I watched a sheep being released from being wedged in a ground crevice. The rescuers took a while to pry the animal out so as not to harm it.
As soon as it was freed, it bounded away, and in seconds, had leapt into another nearby crevice.
Alas, sheep do not corner the market on wisdom. And neither do we Christians. The book of Hebrews stresses that our chief danger is our constant tendency to drift from the faith. That makes the entire book a master class on backsliding, and a first-aid kit for those who have been bitten with the “leaving bug.”
Early Jewish Christians had departed Judaism (to differing extents), when they had believed in Jesus. Yet a trend apparently developed that set many of them on a backward trajectory. They were in danger of becoming faith drop-outs. Persecution from an unfriendly Jewish community exacerbated the problem, but their own religious confusion made it far worse.
Those drifting Jewish believers had had a physical, visible background in Judaism supported by Scripture and centuries of tradition. Further reinforced by family and friends, it was an attractive target indeed to retreat back into. And so many of them were hovering at the precipice of apostasy. Some had indeed thrown themselves over the edge, going from simple careless drift (2:1-3), to hardened doubt (3:12-13), into spiritual stagnation (5:11-6:3). They fell away from the blessed experiences of the Holy Spirit and the Word (6:4-6), and began to neglect the gatherings of the church (Heb. 10:25). Finally, they rejected God Himself (Heb. 12:25).
That’s a lot of leaving.
The entire picture seems to be one of gradual deconversion, with each departure representing a stage in spiritual decline. Nearly all of these are invisible, internal to the Christian. However one is concrete: gatherings of the church. We are told in Hebrews 10:25 not to neglect meeting together. Though I would suggest that this by itself lies at the earlier stages of departure, Hebrews places it farther along, closer to an outright rejection of God Himself.
This sad nomadic movement of Christians continues today as we join and then leave one another in an almost mindless, casual fashion. Some seem to be propelled by a voracious consumer spirit. Or spirit of offense. Grievance. Disagreement. Or, well, a spirit of whatever, that always seems to be on the lookout for something new and religiously stimulating. As much as we try to portray such moving around as harmless, it takes an overwhelming toll on the Christian life. Think of a tree planted and pulled up multiple times, damaging its roots by repeated exposure. That tree will experience what is known as “transplant shock” and ultimately fail to flourish.
Likewise in a Christian, the habit of church meandering saps important spiritual energy as we force ourselves to adapt to a new group of people and a whole host of externals–new logos, new schedules, new parking lots, new programs, and new culture. With each new change, odds are fair that later something will happen that triggers yet another flight response, re-igniting the whole search cycle. At some point the process becomes so wearying that we give up altogether. You can see why it’s easy for church leavers to become fully-blown church drop outs.
We need help. Aside from the considerable resources of the Word (chapter 4), the eternal priesthood of Jesus (chapters 5 and 7), and the encouragement of the church (chapter 10), the book signs off in chapter 13 with a dose of stunning practical wisdom. It consists in clear admonitions that will prevent, slow, or even help reverse faith departures:
Brotherly love (vv. 1-3) – Forge and continue close relationships with those in your faith community, and serve them. Healthy close relationships can anchor you within the faith and the church. Loners and self-indulgent people are the most at-risk of disappearing.
Sexual morality (v. 4) – Maintain a strict personal attitude in this area. A permissive private life can seriously erode your spiritual stability. Christians who wander always find themselves in trouble here. Decline accelerates within lawless freedom.
Materialism (vv. 5-6) – Love of money can morph into an overall change of purpose in your life, and transfer your trust from God to the stock market. The uncertainty of worldly wealth comes freighted with anxiety. Ground your trust in the unchanging faithfulness of God.
Attitudes toward leaders (vv. 7, 17) – Consider the qualities in godly leaders as worthy of imitation, and obey and submit to them. Don’t be the person always at odds with those who are trying to benefit the church (and your soul). Otherwise, you will remain on the treadmill of church shopping, escaping church messes that you perhaps helped to create.
Weird teachings (v. 9) – Avoid Tiktok theology, mysticism, adventures in Jewish ceremonial law keeping, etc. These can become intense attachment points that have nothing to do with grace. They mimic growth without being the real thing. When it comes to study, major in the majors—The redemptive work of Christ, His Supremacy, His grace, and His purpose. These present a clear understanding of what true north looks like, and to where you must always return.
Sacrificial living (vv. 13-14) – Use your mouth to give thanks, instead of the incessant complaining that accompanies backsliding. But don’t limit the sacrifice of praise to the mouth alone. Do good and be generous as well. Such deeds have a positive effect upon the doer as well as the recipient.
For sheep who love to wander, these admonitions are literally the shepherd’s rod and staff.
And truly, having said these things, Hebrews ends with a benediction, calling Christ, “the Great Shepherd of the sheep” (13:20).
