A Good Pastor

December 1st, 2025
by Lance Waldie

Hebrews 6:9-12 But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. 10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Any preacher worth his salt knows that there are both true and false believers in his audience. The author of Hebrews was such a pastor, for he addressed his audience knowing that some were true some were false. Though he wrote harshly at times (cf. 6:4-6), he seems confident that the potential apostasy he saw was not widespread but was limited to a few. In spite of this, he clearly had in mind a strong message to keep any would-be apostates from taking the plunge back into Judaism, a plunge from which it would be impossible to repent (6:6).

Beginning in 6:9, the author relented from his warnings and was convinced that the dire situation he posed in 6:4-8 was not the case with most of his audience. He was convinced of “better things” concerning them, things relating to their salvation as opposed to their apostasy. After all, this group of Jews had been through many hardships dating back to the day they left Judaism to follow Christ. They endured sufferings, public humiliations, and even martyrdom for their faith. They had even joyfully accepted the confiscation of their property for their commitment to Christ (Heb 10:32ff.). The author was merely exhorting them through biblical preaching to recall what they had suffered, for God Himself would never forget their work and the love they once showed for His name through serving others who professed faith in Christ.

What the author “desired” (Gr. epithumeō) from the audience, instead of falling back into the worthless religion of Judaism, was “diligence” (Gr. spoudē). Epithumeō is a strong Greek verb that denotes deep desire, revealing the author’s passionate concern for “each one of you.” All good pastors love their church with no exceptions. Secondly, his call for them to show the spoudē was his exhortation for them to be as strong in their faith in the present as it had been in the past (cf. 10:32-34)—diligent. Their diligence over time would give them the full assurance of the hope they had in Christ (cf. 2 Peter 1:5-10). Without that diligence they would not only forfeit their blessed assurance, they might also prove themselves false (cf. 6:4-8).

Diligence in one’s faith consists of being eager to do one’s best, the result of which produces a fail-safe against becoming “sluggish” (Gr. nōthros; v. 12). So, these potential backslidden church-goers were to imitate those around them who lived out their faith in Christ daily and who “through faith and patience inherit the promises.” For a Jew these promises were for all who showed the same faith as their beloved Abraham (cf. v. 13). Imitating saints like him was the one thing that would give them the assurance of salvation God so lovingly grants to His own.

Food For Thought
There are clergymen, and there are pastors. The former have a job; the latter have a passion. The author of Hebrews shows that he was a pastor, one who truly loved God’s people. He loved them enough to preach to them from God’s Word, and he loved them enough to warn them severely while rebuking them for their willingness to do nothing with Christ. He preached the Bible word-for-word and showed that he was gifted not only as a teacher, as one with wisdom and knowledge, and as a prophet, but also as one with the gift of exhortation and discernment. His deepest desire was for God’s people to be diligent in their faith, so he warned them while at the same time encouraging them. These are things we should all look for in a pastor.