Joseph Prince Lied & Double-Talked (Repeatedly) when He Postured Hebrews was written to Unbelievers – By Rev George Ong (Dated 2 Oct 2022)
This is Part 2.
Part 1 was featured last week on 26 Sep 2022. You are strongly advised to read it if you haven’t. Kindly click below:
You mustn’t miss Appendix 1 at the end of this article which gives my proof why Joseph Prince is a Serial Double-Talker.
Appendix 2 gives an informative and short account why Hebrews was written, which sets the entire context of the book.
Besides the video at the beginning of this article, be sure to catch another video on how Joseph Prince twisted scripture in Hebrews 6:1-3 to fit his doctrine in Part 4 of this article.
(This article was also sent to Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian, General Secretary, National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) office, and for the attention of the Executive Committee Members.)
Please click below to view the one-and-a-half-minute video of Joseph Prince,
https://drive.google.com/file/
Joseph Prince said in the video,
“First and foremost, what book is this under? – Hebrews. Who are the Hebrews? – The Jewish people. It is also written for us. But it’s not written to us. It is written for us in a sense it’s for our benefit. But don’t forget, it was directly written to the Hebrews.
Let me prove to you. From the very beginning of the book of Hebrews chapter 1:1:
Hebrews 1:1-2 NKJV
“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds.”
Now, God, who have various times and various ways spoke in time past to the fathers. Now fathers, here, whose fathers? – Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. It is not your father. It is not my father.
So he is writing to people who are Jewish people, you understand. He’s telling them God, the true God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are the fathers, as well as all the other fathers.
So keep the book in its context. He is writing to Jewish people, who are, listen carefully, they are not believers; all of them are not believers in the sense that they are born again.
But they have, these Jewish people, they have a mental assent that Jesus is the Messiah…”
“They are not believing all the way to the point of new birth, to the point of regeneration. They have a mental assent, ya Jesus, they are checking him out first.”
Joseph Prince said,
“So keep the book in its context. He is writing to Jewish people, who are, listen carefully, they are not believers; all of them are not believers in the sense that they are born again.”
Joseph Prince has lied again that he has interpreted the Bible in context – this time, when he claimed he has kept the book of Hebrews in its context.
He has also proven that he is a Serial Hypocrite as he has time and again championed that we must interpret a text in its context, when he is the one who has repeatedly broken the same rule that he advocates.
The book of Hebrews is like any other book in the New Testament.
Just as every book was written to believers, it is no different for Hebrews.
But Joseph Prince claims that Hebrews was written to unbelievers – the unbelieving Jews.
No book in the New Testament was written to unbelievers.
Since Joseph Prince holds to this strange view that Hebrews was written to unbelievers, the onus is on him to prove it, as he is going against a well-accepted and established position of the Historic Church.
What Prince has said as proof that Hebrews was written to unbelievers in the video is just plain rubbish.
If the whole book of Hebrews was written to unbelievers, there must be lots of evidence to show as proof.
But there is hardly any proof.
On the contrary, there is overwhelming concrete evidence that Hebrews was written to believers.
Of course, we know why Joseph Prince has to posture the view that Hebrews was written to unbelievers.
It is to protect his ‘once saved, always saved’ doctrine.
This is because many texts in Hebrews point clearly to the possible loss of salvation because of the sin of apostasy.
And if the possible loss of salvation is referring to believers, his grace doctrine about the unconditional eternal security would be torn to pieces.
So, he has to twist the whole thing to say that Hebrews was written to unbelieving Hebrews.
Let me give you 10 Concrete Reasons supported by a massive number of verses why Joseph Prince is blatantly lying when he asserts that the Book of Hebrews was written to unbelieving Jews, and not to believers:
1. The writer calls his readers ‘brothers and sisters’ or ‘brethren’ and ‘holy brothers and sisters or ‘holy brethren’:
Hebrews 2:11-12 NIV
11 “Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. 12 He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing your praises.”
Hebrews 2:11-12 NASB
11 “For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying, “I will proclaim Your name to My brethren, In the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise.”
The words, “brothers and sisters” (NIV) or “brethren” (NASB), prove that the readers the author was addressing were believers as these were common and usual words that believers were being addressed by in all of the New Testament letters.
The author calls them “brethren” (NASB) 9 times throughout the letter of Hebrews (Heb 2:11,12,17; Heb 3:1,12; Heb 7:5; Heb 10:19; Heb 13:1,22).
Furthermore, the author went a step further to address them in Hebrews 3:1 as “holy brethren” (NASB) or “holy brothers and sisters” (NIV):
Hebrews 3:1 NASB
1 “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession.”
Hebrews 3:1 NIV
1 “Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.”
No unbeliever is ever called ‘holy’ in the entire scriptures.
The writer also described them in Hebrews 2:11 as “those who are sanctified” (NASB) or “those who are made holy” (NIV):
Hebrews 2:11 NASB
11 “For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren.”
Hebrews 2:11 NIV
11 “Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.”
Only believers can be said to be holy and are sanctified (past tense).
The term “holy” and “those who are sanctified” are never used on unbelievers.
They are not only called holy in Hebrews 3:1, but they are also people “who share in the heavenly calling” (NIV) or as “partakers of a heavenly calling” (NASB):
Hebrews 3:1 NIV
1 “Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.”
Hebrews 3:1 NASB
1 “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession.”
Could this be said of an unbeliever?
Could an unbeliever be holy and a partaker of the heavenly calling?
Certainly not!
This is an unshakable proof that those addressed by the author were believers.
And since they have already acknowledged Jesus as the high priest in Hebrews 3:1, they must be believers.
Next, the author in Hebrews 12:14 gives the Jews no option but to be holy as “without holiness no one will see the Lord.”
Hebrews 12:14 NIV
14 “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”
How can unbelievers be expected and compelled to be holy when they haven’t even accepted Christ as Saviour and Lord (Heb 12:14)?
If Joseph Prince insists that Hebrews was written to unbelievers, then he needs to explain why:
unbelievers can be addressed by the term “holy”,
be compelled to be holy,
and as people who are partakers of the heavenly calling?
2. The writer describes himself and his readers as “we” as the ones “who have faith and are saved” (Heb 10:39):
Hebrews 10:39 NIV
39 “But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.”
This would be true only of believers.
How could Joseph Prince ever miss this verse?
If he didn’t, why is he posturing the silly view that Hebrews was written only to unbelievers?
3. The readers whom the writer was writing to are referred to as “sons” and “children” who have a relationship with God the Father (Heb 12:5,6,7,8,9):
Hebrews 12:5-11 NIV
5 “And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
Only believers can share in God’s holiness (Heb 12:10).
Only believers have the privilege of being addressed as “sons” and “children” of God.
Unbelievers, professing to believe or otherwise, do not have a “son” or “child” relationship with God, the Father, until they are adopted by becoming believers (Gal 4:5):
Galatians 4:5 NIV
5 “to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.”
Furthermore, the author also said:
Hebrews 2:10 NIV
10 “In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.”
Hebrews 2:13 NIV
13 “And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again he says, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.”
By his stand that Hebrews was written to unbelievers, it seems that Joseph Prince is about to start a revolutionary doctrine that can qualify unbelievers to be called “sons” and “children” of God.
4. The author exhorts those he was writing to, to “press on to maturity” (Heb 6:1) in the faith they already possessed (Heb 6:4-5).
In chapters 5 and 6, the writer admonished them to move on from the elementary stages of the Christian Faith to maturity:
Hebrews 5:11-14 NIV
11 “We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”
According to the author of Hebrews, a number of his readers was still living as babes in Christ in their spiritual growth, and unable to teach others because they were not yet skillful in the word of righteousness.
These Hebrews were admonished not to remain children in the faith, but to grow to maturity.
They had been saved for some time, but had remained spiritual babes, and could not take to the solid meat of the word.
Though they are spiritual babes; nonetheless, they are still believers.
In chapter 6, the author urges them to move out of their spiritual immaturity and to move on to perfection (NKJV), or to grow to spiritual maturity (NASB):
Hebrews 6:1 NKJV
1 “Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.”
Hebrews 6:1 NASB
1 “Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.”
The author was not writing to unbelievers as to exhort unbelievers to “press on to maturity” makes no sense.
Without faith in Christ, there is no life to be matured in and no faith to press on to.
The fact that these Hebrews were believers is a death blow to Joseph Prince’s view that they were unbelievers.
Joseph Prince, in his attempt to salvage this passage from contradicting his view had to resort to twisting the text.
Please view the one-minute video on Joseph Prince by clicking below,
https://drive.google.com/file/
Joseph Prince said in the video,
“Heb 6 (Heb 6:1-3) starts off by saying, ‘Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.’ That’s how it begins.
Literally, it’s saying, ‘Let’s leave the school of Moses and let’s go on to the school of Christ. Let’s leave the ABC of Christ.’
The ABC of Christ is actually found in the Old Testament. It is the laying on of hands, of the offerer, the sinner, he offers the lamb, he places his hands on the head of the lamb. That’s the ABC of Christ.
How many know the lamb is not the real lamb? Christ is the real lamb. So it’s the ABCs.
And everytime…or the waters of immersion. That’s called the doctrine of baptisms, or washings. And the Apostle Paul by the Spirit.
I believe Paul is the author of Hebrews. Paul says, ‘Leave all this ABCs of Christ behind. Let us go unto perfection. Perfection is Christianity. Perfection is what Christ has accomplished.”
Joseph Prince has got an ‘imaginative’ mind. The trouble is – his imagination has run totally out of control:
Hebrews 6:1-3 NKJV
1 “Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits.”
Wow, from,
“Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection,”
Joseph Prince has ‘imaginatively’ twisted it to become,
“Let’s leave the school of Moses and let’s go on to the school of Christ. Let’s leave the ABCs of Christ. The ABC of Christ is actually found in the Old Testament.”
The “laying on of hands,” simply means the healing power or an anointing of the Holy Spirit being transferred or bestowed (Matt 19:13-15; Mk 5:23; 8:23; 10:16; 16:18; Lk 4:40; Acts 8:17-18; 9:12-17; 1 Tim 4:14; 5:22; 2 Tim 1:6); and the baptism in the Holy Spirit is often administered through “laying on of hands”.
But Joseph Prince twisted it to,
“It is the laying on of hands, of the offerer, the sinner, he offers the lamb, he places his hands on the head of the lamb. That’s the ABC of Christ.”
From perfection, which is simply to be understood as maturity, Joseph Prince twisted the word “perfection” to mean Christianity, or to what Christ has accomplished.
Besides these six translations I have listed below, there are at least another 24 (total of 30) other Bible translations (I have personally counted them) that translate perfection as maturity.
None of them translate according to the view that Joseph Prince has asserted:
Hebrews 6:1 ESV
1 “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.”
Hebrews 6:1 NET
1 “Therefore we must progress beyond the elementary instructions about Christ and move on to maturity, not laying this foundation again: repentance from dead works and faith in God.”
Hebrews 6:1 GNT
1 “Let us go forward, then, to mature teaching and leave behind us the first lessons of the Christian message. We should not lay again the foundation of turning away from useless works and believing in God.”
Hebrews 6:1 TLB
1 “Let us stop going over the same old ground again and again, always teaching those first lessons about Christ. Let us go on instead to other things and become mature in our understanding, as strong Christians ought to be. Surely we don’t need to speak further about the foolishness of trying to be saved by being good, or about the necessity of faith in God.”
Hebrews 6:1 MEV
1 “Therefore, leaving the elementary principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
Hebrews 6:1 NASB
1 “Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
Joseph Prince is claiming he is smarter than all the translators, who are Bible scholars of these 30 Bible versions, as he taught that perfection refers to something different from what all of them had agreed on – maturity.
Joseph Prince is saying that these 30 Bible translations are wrong, and he is the only one who has got it right.
If this is not pride, I don’t know what is.
When one has to go against 30 Bible translations and the whole host of Bible scholars, he better be able to prove it concretely, and not just say without even proving it – and deceive many who don’t even bother to check this out.
Joseph Prince had to twist it because if he accepts perfection as maturity, that would mean that the Hebrews were already believers (even though they were spiritual babes) who were asked to move on to maturity.
That would contradict his view that Hebrews was written to unbelievers, and not to believers.
5. The Jews, whom the author was writing to, went through sufferings, insults, persecutions, and tribulations for their faith in Christ (Heb 10:32-34 NIV):
Hebrews 10:32-34 NIV
32“Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.”
Not only did they suffer and were persecuted for their faith, but they also accepted the confiscation of their property joyfully and were even imprisoned for their faith (10:34 NIV).
It’s highly improbable that unbelievers would be willing to go through such sufferings for a faith that they have not even embraced.
Is Joseph Prince that foolish to tell us that unbelievers who have not even given their lives to Christ, would be willing to go through such sufferings and persecutions?
For what? For whom? Prince got to be kidding!
The readers were exhorted to persevere in running the race of their salvation by being encouraged about how these pioneers of faith in Hebrews 11 persevered, and by fixing their eyes on Jesus, who is their pioneer (author) and perfector (finisher) of their faith:
Hebrews 12:1-4 NIV
1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.”
Does it make any sense to unbelievers if these exhortations were written to them?
And in their persecution and struggle against sin, the saving point is that blood has not yet been shed – meaning they haven’t been martyred (but later they will) (Heb 12:4).
Will unbelievers be willing to be martyred for someone like Jesus whom they have never acknowledged as Saviour and Lord?
Joseph Prince has obviously not put on his thinking cap when he said Hebrews was written to unbelievers:
Hebrews 6:9-12 NASB
9 “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.”
Just ask yourself – can such an exhortation in Hebrews 6:9-12, especially that which encourages the readers to persevere in inheriting the promises be written to unbelievers (Heb 6:12)?
How can unbelievers be challenged to persevere in inheriting the promises when they have not even embraced them in the first place?
The writer also praised the readers for having ministered to the saints (Heb 6:10).
The word “saints” in Hebrews 6:10 is used to denote only believers and never unbelievers.
6. In four of the five passages warning about the possible loss of salvation (which can only be applicable to believers), the writer uses first-person plural pronouns (we or us); he includes himself with the readers.
Because the author is a believer, he views the warnings as applicable to both himself, as a believer, and to his readers, who are also believers.
If the warnings had been for ‘professing’ believers and/or unbelievers, he wouldn’t have included himself by using the personal pronoun, ‘we’.
See the following as examples:
First Warning: Hebrews 2:1-3 NIV:
1 “We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.”
Second Warning: Hebrews 3:1-4:13 (Heb 3:6,14 NIV):
6 “But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.” 14 “We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.”
(Third warning isn’t included.)
Fourth Warning: Hebrews 10:26-31 (Heb 10:26-27, 30-31 NIV):
26 “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.”
30 “For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
You cannot escape the fact that sin in the life of a believer will be judged as Hebrews 10:30 says, “The Lord will judge his people.”
If you try to get around these warning passages by saying, “They are not for believers, but written for unbelievers or professing Christians,” you are only fooling yourself.
The writer tried to get believers who were under great trials to remain faithful to Christ.
However, the enticement of Judaism and the safety it provided to get out of their persecutions had ensnared many of them.
Fifth Warning: Hebrews 12:25-29 (Heb 12:25 NIV):
25 “See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?”
Since these warning passages include the verses containing ‘us’ and/or ‘we’, it shows that the author, who is a believer, is including himself in the warning, thus, Hebrews is unmistakably written to believers.
In the entire book of Hebrews, I have personally counted (NASB) that the author also includes himself by using the pronouns we (51 times), us (32 times), and our (16 times).
The writer identifies with the readers using plural pronouns, repeatedly, indicating that they shared a similar Christian faith and experience.
Just some examples:
In Heb 3:14 (NASB), he writes, “For we have become partakers of Christ…”
In Heb 4:14 (NASB), he writes, “let us hold fast our confession…”
In Heb 4:16 (NASB), he writes, “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace…”
In Heb 10:25 (NASB), he writes, “not forsaking our own assembling together…”
The description of these passages means that Hebrews is clearly written for believers.
Is Joseph Prince aware that if he keeps insisting that Hebrews was written to unbelievers, despite the overwhelming evidence, he is plainly going against pure logic and established and accepted Bible scholarship?
7. The author also refers to his audience as “beloved” in Hebrews 6:9:
9 But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. (Heb 6:9 NASB)
Though the author gives them repeated warnings (Heb 6:4-8) concerning the danger of apostasy, by calling them “beloved”, he constantly affirms them as believers, and admonishes them to continue going forward in Hebrews 6:10-12.
If you aren’t aware, let me tell you that whenever the word ‘beloved’, is mentioned, Joseph Prince would fall heads and heels over it as that is his favourite word, and it would never fail to fire him up.
By insisting that Hebrews was written to unbelievers, even though the author addressed them as “beloved”, there ain’t going to be any way Prince can explain himself.
8. Other Passages.
a. Hebrews 4:14 NIV
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
Can the author be exhorting unbelievers to hold firmly to a faith that they haven’t even embraced?
He is writing to believers who had already made their confession of faith in Christ, and now needed only to “hold firmly” to it.
The only reason Joseph Prince would maintain that the author was writing to unbelieving Jews (which he will never admit) is to prevent his false doctrine of unconditional eternal security, or once saved, always saved, from being exposed.
b. Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Why should unbelievers be concerned about meeting together to encourage one another, and wait for the second coming of Christ (Day approaching), when they haven’t even given their lives to Christ in the first place?
c. Hebrews 12:18-24 NIV
18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, 20 because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” 22 “But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Joseph Prince needs to tell us honestly – can such a description in Hebrews 12:22-24 be referring to unbelievers?
Not by a stretch!
Such a blissful, majestic and glorious description of our eternal inheritance of the New Covenant can only be relevant and appropriate to New Covenant believers.
d. Hebrews 10:29 NIV
29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
The people that the writer was writing to are those who are already sanctified (past tense) by the blood of Jesus or made holy.
Unbelievers can never be described as those who are sanctified or made holy.
9. Hebrews 10:10-25.
10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. 15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: 16 “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” 17 Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” 18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary. 19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Heb 10:10-25 NIV)
Can unbelievers be exhorted by the author in such a stark and pointed way (especially Heb 10:22-25) that will only make sense to believers?
10. The whole of Hebrews Chapter 13 contains much evidence that Hebrews was indeed written to believers.
Hebrews chapter 13 shows that it is written to believers, or else most of what was written make no sense if written to unbelievers.
It was written to those who are believers about how they ought to live out their faith.
a. Hebrews 13:3 NIV
3 Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
Some of these believers were suffering for their faith in Christ and were imprisoned.
They were even urged to share in the sufferings of fellow believers who were imprisoned.
If they are unbelievers, why should they be suffering for a faith that they have not even embraced, and at the same time, exhorted to share in the sufferings of others?
b. Hebrews 13:7-8 NIV
7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
This passage shows that the readers were believers, who were asked to imitate the faith of their leaders, who in turn, as V8 implies, had placed their faith on Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today and forever.
c. Hebrews 13:9 NIV
9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so.
The fact that these readers were cautioned about false teachings simply means they have believed in the true teachings about the grace of Christ and were warned against heresies.
Such an appeal to unbelievers who have not even placed their faith in Jesus makes no sense.
d. Hebrews 13:11-14 NIV
11 The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. 12 And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. 13 Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. 14 For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.
Here, the readers were exhorted by the author to bear the disgrace for Christ and be prepared to suffer as Christ Himself had suffered.
The motivation for their suffering is that whatever they will lose for suffering for Christ, they are going to lose them anyway as this earthly city will not endure.
Through their suffering, they are investing in a future city that will endure forever.
Such an exhortation can only be logically given to believers of Christ.
If the same exhortation were to be given to unbelievers, it is like speaking Greek to them.
e. Hebrews 13:15 NIV
15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.
The fact that the author asked the readers to offer God the sacrifice of praise through Jesus simply means they were believers in Jesus.
Because they were going through persecution, and the fact that they can still praise God, particularly during the tough times they have found themselves in, it is indeed a sacrifice of praise.
Can such a sacrifice of praise that is offered through Jesus to God during such hard times be one that could come from unbelievers?
Impossible!
f. Hebrews 13:18-19 NIV
18 “Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. 19 I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.”
The author is asking the readers to pray for leaders and for him to be restored soon.
The author might have been forced to flee because of persecution, and they were asked to pray for his soon return to their midst.
When prayers are requested against the backdrop of persecution, this has to concern believers of Christ.
Unbelievers will not be bothered with praying, much less praying for those who are persecuted.
g. Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV
20 “Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
The doxology or benediction contained in Hebrews 13:20-21, can only be applicable and appropriate to believers of God, who were saved through the blood of Christ.
This would be irrelevant to unbelievers.
h. Hebrews 13:22-25 NIV
22 But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. 23 Take notice that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you. 24 Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you. 25 Grace be with you all.
First, the fact that “brethren” was used here (as it is used in all epistles) means that believers were being addressed (Heb 13:22).
Second, only believers are being addressed as “saints” (Heb 13:24). No unbeliever can qualify for the term “saint”.
Third, the author ended his letter with “Grace be with you all” (Heb 13:25), indicating that it is believers he was addressing as every believer is saved by the grace of God in Christ Jesus and empowered to live their Christian life by the same grace that they have received.
With these three pieces of evidence (Heb 13:22-25), how can Hebrews be written to unbelievers?
Concluding Remarks
In conclusion, one reading the book of Hebrews on its own merit would never come away with the notion that Hebrews was written to unbelievers, or even to a mixture of believing and unbelieving Hebrews.
The letter speaks for itself.
Hence, the lie of Joseph Prince that Hebrews was written to unbelievers is clearly and ‘loudly’ exposed.
It is unacceptable for Joseph Prince who is the so-called the ‘leading voice of grace’ and a ‘world-acclaimed teacher’ to make such a basic error in Bible interpretation that only amateurs can be expected to make.
So ask yourself – why is Joseph Prince still able to have his big group of ardent fans, who would loyally stand by him, despite the many theological fiascos that he is responsible for?
By his biblical teaching of God’s word?
No.
By his feel-good messages that feed their flesh?
Yes.
These people are not as concerned about whether Joseph Prince has made one big or many blunders in his Bible interpretation.
But as long as their flesh is being fed by Joseph Prince’s feel-good teachings, they would be satisfied, and would continue to ‘play along’ with and follow his teachings.
Last, Joseph Prince has always said that Paul was the author of Hebrews and let’s assume he is right.
If that is the case, then Joseph Prince is disagreeing with Paul as there is such overwhelming evidence that Paul was writing Hebrews to believers, not unbelievers that Joseph Prince claimed.
If Joseph Prince can’t even agree with Paul on who the recipients of the letter of Hebrews were, how can Joseph Prince claim that the grace doctrine he is teaching is what he has learned from Paul?
Rev George Ong
Appendix 1
Joseph Prince – The Serial Double-Talker.
In the video that I have shown at the beginning of this article, Joseph Prince clearly stated that the book of Hebrews was written to unbelievers.
Joseph Prince unambiguously said,
“He is writing to Jewish people, who are, listen carefully, they are not believers, all of them are not believers…”
(For the full text of his speech on that video, please see the beginning of the article.)
But in his book, ‘Grace Revolution’ written in 2015 (the above video was probably made earlier than 2015), Joseph Prince contradicted himself when he said that Hebrews was also written to believers.
In ‘Grace Revolution’, Pages 73-74, Joseph Prince wrote,
“Whom Is the Warning For?
The first thing we need to understand is that the book of Hebrews was written to the Hebrews, or Jewish people (which included believers as well as nonbelievers.)
Hebrews 10:26, in particular, is addressing Jewish nonbelievers who had heard preaching on Jesus being their Messiah, but who were still going back to the temple to offer animal sacrifices.”
Let me place what he said in the video and what he wrote in his book together, so you can straightaway see how Joseph Prince had double-talked and contradicted himself.
One moment, Joseph Prince said in the video,
“He is writing to Jewish people, who are, listen carefully, they are not believers, all of them are not believers…”
The next moment, Joseph Prince wrote in his book,
“The first thing we need to understand is that the book of Hebrews was written to the Hebrews, or Jewish people (which included believers as well as nonbelievers.)”
Joseph Prince is indeed a Serial Double-Talker, as this isn’t the first time he is caught double-talking.
Do you know what’s going on with this guy called Joseph Prince?
He thought no one would find out his persistent double-talking ways as he tried to keep this matter under wraps, until “George the ‘nosy’, ‘fussy’ and gutsy religious detective” comes on the scene.
Why is he double-talking again?
You have to ask him.
Both of his views cannot be right at the same time.
If one is right, the other has to be wrong.
Joseph Prince has to come clean and declare to the Christian public which view he is holding?
Why is Prince double-taking in this instance?
My educated guess is as follows:
– he postured an initial position that Hebrews was written only to unbelievers
– and upon realising there were massive loopholes in that position (which I have also highlighted in this article)
– he changed his position to one that Hebrews was written to both believers and unbelievers (which is also false anyway)
– without the basic decency, humility and honesty to admit that he was wrong the first time.
– Again, his sin of pride is very telling here (I’ve always said that his sin of pride would result in his downfall). He would rather be accused of being self-contradictory and a double-talker rather than humble himself to admit he was wrong and apologise for the mistake in Bible interpretation.
Given the frequent flip-flops in his position on other doctrinal issues, which I have already highlighted in other articles on the website, and making a name for himself as a Serial Double-Talker, how on earth can people still trust and believe in what he teaches?
“Yet, every Sunday, there are thousands riveted in their seats listening to him in rapt attention, unthinkingly and in a robot-like manner, saying ‘Amen’ to whatever he utters, including heresies, from his mouth.” (George Ong)
“The fact that even intellectuals, the spiritually mature and veteran shepherds are singing praises of the utterly false grace theology of Joseph Prince that can be so easily debunked is the insanity of it all.” (George Ong)
Joseph Prince’s current position that Hebrews was written to a mixture of believers and unbelievers is not guided by a true and objective study of either the contents nor context of the book.
It is purely driven by the desperate attempt to keep his false grace theology from being exposed.
With the mixed-readers view, the five warning passages about the possible loss of salvation (Heb 2:1-4; 3:1–4:13; 6:4-6; 10:26-31; 12:25-29) are typically regarded by Joseph Prince as addressing ‘professing’ believers or unbelievers, and with other parts in the same book addressing true believers.
He claims that Paul, the author was writing to both the saved and unsaved, and therefore, we must determine to whom the writer is speaking to in a particular verse or passage based on its content.
Therefore, if it’s a warning, particularly about salvation, he concludes that verse or passage pertains to unbelievers.
If it is encouraging the people, then he will say that that verse or passage belongs to believers.
Quite honestly, this is not only a strange way to interpret scripture, but it is also very telling of how far Joseph Prince, who embraces the once saved always, saved ideology, will go to twist the words of scripture fit his doctrine.
No good communicator would ever craft a letter wherein the recipients have to constantly figure out whom he is speaking to, based on what he’s saying in a particular sentence as he goes back and forth from one group to another.
The entire reasoning of Joseph Prince is flawed.
There are no clear indications in the text to indicate the switching of the readers between true believers and professing believers or unbelievers.
The burden of proof for a mixed readership rests on Joseph Prince and others who propose this view.
It is logical to assume that the writer is addressing one consistent group of Jewish believers unless the text clearly indicates a change.
The idea that the readership switches back and forth between believers and unbelievers is chiefly governed and driven by Joseph Prince’s agenda to support his theological position and prevent the falsity of it from being exposed, rather than by contextual evidence from the text.
Appendix 2
Why the Book of Hebrews was written?
You would need to understand the background to the Book of Hebrews – why was Hebrews written?
This will give you the key to understanding the substance and the entire flow and context of the book.
The letter was written to address a crucial issue.
The issue was that the Jewish Christians were under the pressure of persecution.
These Jewish believers were in danger of being discouraged and drifting away from the faith.
And the writer was concerned about these Jewish Christians, who were in danger of leaving their Christian assembly and returning to their Judaistic religion because it offered a safer haven.
The reason was that in Rome, an edict had been made which stated that the Jewish religion was now legally registered.
But Christianity was still an unregistered, illegal religion, much like the underground church in many parts of the world.
Why was the letter written only to the Jewish believers?
The answer is simple.
The Jews had an opportunity to escape from suffering and persecution, whereas the Gentile believers didn’t.
Now, how could the Jewish believers get out of trouble? – By going back to the synagogues.
For you see, at this time, Christianity was illegal, but Judaism was legal.
It meant these Christian churches were unregistered and outlawed, and therefore, believers were liable to be arrested and punished.
And so Gentile believers had no way of escape, but Jewish believers could say, well, “I’m going back to the synagogues.”
And they and their families would be out of persecution.
But the cost of doing it, (and the only way for them to get back into the Jewish synagogues and be saved from the persecution) was that the synagogue authorities demanded that they publicly deny their faith in Jesus.
Now you see the dilemma and danger that these Jewish believers were in.
And many Jews in that church were drifting back to the synagogues because of the pressures that were coming on them.
To motivate them to come back to the Christian faith, the writer had to show them even the finest of their old Judaistic religion needs to be left behind.
And Christ is all they need.
They must run the salvation race looking unto Him.
They must not be discouraged because of the persecution that was coming upon them.
Although they had lost their property, they had been beaten, they had been imprisoned, and they might even lose their lives shortly, the writer had to use all his might, to woo, to appeal, and even to warn them, that they are to press on in Christ because the stakes are high.
It’s either they continue to focus on Christ to finish the race of their faith, or they will stand to lose their salvation and eternal inheritance because of the sin of apostasy.