Actually, it is quite evident that Hebrews, while being an evangelistic tool to the Jews (and along with Romans, the second primary doctrinal book of the NT), is written to immature Christians, who are exhorted, not to come to faith, but to keep so great salvation - based on a better covenant, promises and high priest - in the face of pressure to deny it, from internal or external sources .
"But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. " (Hebrews 6:9-10)
The subjects here are clearly Christians, not Jews being called to conversion.
"Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children , My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:... "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: " (Hebrews 12:28) " (Hebrews 12:4-5)
The lost are children of wrath, while these "we" are persecuted Christians who have not yet resisted unto death, and are exhorted to not faint but focus on Jesus holding fast the faith, which is a constant theme in Hebrews. Likewise these are being called to continue serving, not to come to faith in the Lord Jesus. .
All such texts, which are many, esp. where personal exhortation is involved, and objectively considered in context , show they are not written to the lost - though also applicable sometimes - but those who are of faith in the Lord Jesus
A few examples chronologically:
"...when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; " (Hebrews 1:3)
Believers are the ones who have had their sins purged.
"But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. " (Hebrews 3:6)
These had a beginning of their confidence, (cf. v. 14) a confidence which they are told to hold fast, not a faith they had yet come to.
"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; " (Hebrews 3:12-14)
These brethren are warned against departing from the living God in the context of holding fast to the Lord Jesus in whom they had already trusted - "the beginning of our confidence," (cf. Acts 11:23) and to exhort one another daily to that end, as which is part of Christian conduct, versus being like the Israelites who forsook their covenant, and could not enter in because of unbelief. (v.s/ 8-16) .
""For we which have believed do enter into rest,...Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. " (Hebrews 4:11)
RWP: Do enter (eiserchometha). Emphatic futuristic present middle indicative of eiserchomai. We are sure to enter in, we who believe.
Believers have a sure rest by faith, but the full realization is yet future (Rv. 14:13) and obtained by faith, thus they once again are exhorted against falling away, as said, "in departing from the living God, sinning willfully and drawing back into perdition" (Heb. 10:25; 38) which the elect will not
"For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. " (Hebrews 5:12)
These were immature Christians, not lost souls being called to conversion.
"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, "Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. " (Hebrews 6:1,2)
Rather than being written to lost souls in need of conversion, this was penned to immature believers in need of growth and fruit bearing, and are warned of the dangers of those of inert faith, but which are not them. "But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. " (Hebrews 6:9-10)
Again, this is incontrovertible testimony that the subjects of this letter were Christians.
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus...Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)" (Hebrews 10:19,22-23)
It is only believers who already have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, and can be told to "hold fast the profession of our faith."
"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. " (Hebrews 10:23-25)
Again, the exhortation is not to one who has yet to make a profession of faith, but to those who had that they would hold firmly to it, and exhort each other to that end.
"For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. " (Hebrews 10:26-27)
It is texts as this that compels some to disallow it as addressing Christians, but as with the other exhortations, it is addressed to believers and flows from v. 25," Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."
Thus believers are warned against forsaking that fellowship which fosters faith, so that they do not impenitently live a sinful life, effectively denying the Lord that bought them. Note also that "the knowledge of the truth" is a phrase used to denote conversion. (1Tim. 2:4; 2Tim. 3:7)
"Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? " (Hebrews 10:29)
In context and according to the most natural reading, these were souls who had been sanctified by the blood of Christ, but like the Israelites the writer of Hebrews has often used as an example of drawing unto perdition," he warns them of the consequences of this denial of faith and forfeiture of what it gains, for "the Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (vs. 30,31) Likewise Gal. 5:1-4.
"But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;... For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. " (Hebrews 10:32,34)
Again, believers are the subject, exhorting them to remember how they began and not to forsake their faith and so great salvation it appropriated. "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. " (Hebrews 10:35-36)
Here again believers are being addressed to hold firm to their faith.
"Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. " (Hebrews 10:38-39)
The just are those who possess a living and tried faith, versus those who forsake this faith, which they are warned against doing in the light of the grace given them. .
It has become obviously this examination necessarily has extended beyond revealing who is being addressed in Hebrews to what they are being exhorted to do, and which challenges OSAS . And which i believe is the reason so many attempt to relegate it to being an evangelistic call to the Jews, which is only secondarily can be considered to be.
I myself would rather hold to OSAS, and perhaps allow the warnings to be hypothetical, and i esteem other verses which provide assurance, but i must try to go wherever honest exegesis leads and i honestly see Hebrews as teaching as described herein.
A very good post on Hebrews; however, as touching Final Perseverance, we should not take the existence of commands and warnings in scripture as evidence for a moral ability, in and of ourselves, to either accomplish them, as in the more obvious examples wherein we are commanded to “be ye perfect, as my Father in heaven is perfect,” or to “sin no more”; and in the other case of falling away, as the scripture tells us in other places that it is impossible for the Elect to fall away, and those who do fall away are always described as “never” being known, or never “being of us,” and so they must “leave us,” to make manifest what they really are.
The same God who “calls” whom He “predestinates,” and then infallibly “justifies” them, and “whom he justifies he glorifies,” also ordains that they are to be brought forward to Christ through the preaching of the truth and of sound doctrine, which such preaching is believed and accepted effectually in the Elect by the Holy Spirit, and in the case of the reprobate is rather used to render them “unexcused,” and is a “savour of death unto death” to them.
It is impossible for us to do an analysis of the book of Hebrews here. Scholars today believe it was written to a mix audience. However, John MacArthur disagrees with this interpretation and I think he's correct. So do other historical authors. So I know I'm not heretical on this matter. I would suggest that the title of the book should give an indication that this book was written to the Jews. This makes sense as it talks how Christ is better than the angels, the priests, and completes the faith.
If you are trying to convince me that one must do something to keep their salvation, I'm very sorry but that is completely works oriented. Christ did it all. I rest in this fact that any good work of God that I may do in my life is due to Christ working through me. We are saved to do good works. We are not saved because of good works.
Tit_2:14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.