Hebrews 6:11

And we desire that everyone of you do show the same diligence,.... In the constant exercise of the graces of faith and love, and in ministering to the necessities of the saints: there is a spiritual

And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: And , [ De (G1161)] - 'But.' Desire , [ epithumoumen (G1937)] - 'earnestly desire.' The

And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence: having thus commended them, to show he did not flatter them in it, he discovereth what was wanting in them, and introduceth it with the particle But, we desire you; epiyumoumen properly signifieth the inward affection and strong desire of heart that the apostle had of their further profit. The Spirit lusted in him for this, , which was not only convenient for them, but necessary for their perfection. And this desire of his was not for all promiscuously, but that each single person who was a lover of God and his saints, should use all means diligently, as they had in degree done before, to have this perfected to the end of their life, . It is an earnest agitation and hastening of spirit within, and a demonstrative discovery of the same without to the utmost, . To the full assurance of hope unto the end; their souls with full sails constantly making out after this most certain and full assurance of faith, to the excluding of every doubtful thought of the truth of God and his promises, and of hope, shutting out all wavering, unsettledness, or impatience in waiting for the accomplishment of the good, which is secured by the merit and intercession of Christ, the purpose, promise, and oath of God to them, ,23; compare . Hope here is not synonymous with faith, yet its certain concomitant; and is a vehement desire and longing after, with a patient expectation of, what is possible and sure to be enjoyed, because God hath promised and sworn it; though it be at never so great a distance, yet to be communicated by him to his in his best time, ; compare ,13,21. This Christian diligence must continue to the end of their own days, and the perfection of their grace in glory, until they come unto the entire possession of what they believed, hoped for, and were fully assured of, ,13.

11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: Ver. 11. Do show the same diligence] A man may as truly say the sea burns, or fire cools, as that certainty of salvation breeds security and looseness. To the full assurance] All duties tend to assurance, or spring from it. Strive we must to the riches of full assurance, Colossians 2:2. But in case our assurance be not so fair, yield not to temptations and carnal reasonings. Coins that have little of the stamp left, yet are current.

(11) Full assurance.—Rather, fulness (full productiveness) of hope (Hebrews 10:22). His desire is that the zeal which they have manifested in works of love may be directed toward the attainment of the full harvest of Christian hope—may be shown until the very end (Hebrews 3:6; Hebrews 3:14).

Verse 11. We desire] επιθυμουμεν, We earnestly wish, that each person among you may continue ενδεικνυσθαι, to manifest, exhibit to full view, the same diligence. There might be reason to suspect that some, through fear of man, might not wish the good they did to be seen, lest they also should suffer persecution. This would not comport with the generous, noble spirit of the Gospel; the man who is afraid to let his decided attachment to God be known, is not far from backsliding. He who is more afraid of man than he is of God Almighty, can have very little religion. As the Church of Christ required all those who in these times embraced the Gospel to be publicly baptized, those who submitted to this rite gave full proof that they were thoroughly convinced of the truths of Christianity; and they gave this as a public pledge that they would be faithful. The same diligence] They had an active faith and a labouring love, and the apostle wishes them to persevere in both. They were diligent, very diligent, and he desires them to continue so. To the full assurance of hope, Προςτηνπληροφοριαντηςελπιδος. "The full assurance of faith," says Mr. Wesley, "relates to present pardon; the full assurance of hope, to future glory: the former is the highest degree of Divine evidence that God is reconciled to me in the Son of his love; the latter is the same degree of Divine evidence, wrought in the soul by the same immediate inspiration of the Holy Ghost, of persevering grace, and of eternal glory. So much as faith every moment beholds with open face, so much, and no more, does hope see to all eternity. But this assurance of faith and hope is not an opinion, not a bare construction of Scripture, but is given immediately by the power of the Holy Ghost, and what none can have for another, but for himself only." We must not misapprehend these excellent sayings of this eminent man. 1. The person who has this full assurance of hope is he who not only knows and feels that his sins are forgiven through Christ Jesus, but also that his heart is purified from all unrighteousness, that the whole body of sin and death is destroyed, and that he is fully made a partaker of the Divine nature. As without holiness, complete, entire holiness, no man can see God: so, without this, none can scripturally or rationally hope for eternal glory; it being a contradiction to profess to have the full assurance of hope to enjoy a state and place for which the soul is conscious it is not prepared. 2. All that is said here must be understood as still implying the absolute necessity of continuing in the same degree of grace from which this full assurance of hope is derived. This full assurance, therefore, does not imply that the man will absolutely persevere to the end; but that, if he do persevere in this same grace, he shall infallibly have an eternal glory.

11. And] Rather, “But.”we desire] A strong word: “we long to see in you.”that every one of you] Here again in the emphasis of the expression we seem to trace, as in other parts of the Epistle, some individual reference.the samé diligence] He desires to see as much earnestness (2 Corinthians 7:11) in the work of advancing to spiritual maturity of knowledge as they had shewn in ministering to the saints.to the full assurance] i.e. with a view to your attaining this full assurance. Comp. Hebrews 10:22, Hebrews 3:14. The word also occurs in 1 Thessalonians 1:5; Colossians 2:2.unto the end] till hope becomes fruition (Hebrews 3:6; Hebrews 3:14).

And we desire that every one of you - We wish that every member of the church should exhibit the same endeavor to do good until they attain to the full assurance of hope.

11. We desire—As God faithfully does his part, do you perseveringly do your part. Every one—It is a deeply individual matter. Each man must stand for himself or fall for himself.