Sharper Iron — The New Covenant in Christ: Apostasy Is Deadly; Christ Is Life

Rev. Matt Ulmer, pastor at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church—Friedheim, just outside Decatur, IN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Hebrews 6:4-12.

This text is a difficult one from the book of Hebrews. The author speaks about those who have received the fullness of God’s gifts in His Church, yet reject those gifts in apostasy. Because there is no other path to repentance, those who reject this one way to salvation cannot be saved. Yet the preacher is confident that his hearers will not fall away from the faith in this manner. He encourages them to continue in the earnestness of their hope and live with faith and patience as those who have God’s promise.

“The New Covenant in Christ” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrews is best understood as a sermon preached to those who have gathered for the Divine Service, exhorting them to continued faithfulness to Jesus. As the Son of God and our Brother, Jesus is both our exalted King and faithful High Priest who is truly present with us so that we might fix our eyes on Him.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

Hebrews 6:4-12

⁴For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. ⁷For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. ⁸But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

⁹Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. ¹⁰For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. ¹¹And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, ¹²so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

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Rev. Timothy Appel

Although a mathematics degree may not be incredibly helpful to (proudly born-and-raised Texan) Rev. Timothy Appel while hosting Sharper Iron, his love of CFW Walther and the season of Easter will come in handy. His Call is shepherding the flock at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, Illinois, and he’s also husband to wife Kristin and dad to their growing basketball team of children. When he’s not carrying out pastoral duties, you may find him reading “The Lord of the Rings,” snacking on Reese’s peanut butter cups, playing dominoes with his boys, or studying up on Texas history (including Sam Houston, of course).