Abstract

The thesis defended in this dissertation is that the five warning passages of the book of Hebrews are directed to believing Christians concerning their relationship to the millennial kingdom. Such a study deserves careful attention for the following reasons: there is an extremely limited amount of study from a conservative, dispensation, premillennial theological viewpoint concerning eschatology in Hebrews; the eschatology of the warnings helps clarify the soteriological status of the readers; and the warnings have both a present and future application for Christians. ;The introductory chapter clarifies basic presuppositions related to hermeneutics and systematic theology. These presuppositions form the basis and theological framework for the exegesis and interpretation of each warning. ;chapters two through six exegetically examine each of the five caveats with an exposition of the passages. The warnings are understood as directed to regenerated believers. The admonitions are actual not hypothetical. The readers are in danger of a defection from their Christian confidence and function of worship as believer-priests. The audience is being allured into a sectarian form of Judaism similar to that of Qumran. If this abandonment occurs the apostates may place themselves in a position of temporal discipline and loss of inheritance-rest in the coming eschaton. ;The temporal discipline may result in loss of life as with Isreal under Moses. The eschatological loss concerns the readers' future possession, participation, and authority in the millennial rule of Chirst on earth. ;Each of the five admonitions exhort the readers to presently persevere in order to obtain the full possession of their inheritance-rest in the coming age. A believer's present actions have major eschatological significance. ;The final chapter of the study gives a short summary and conclusion concerning each warning