Because the book of Hebrews speaks these words of righteousness in every section, it issues serious warnings according to these words. There are five warnings.
The first two chapters tell us that Christ is the complete God and a perfect man, far superior to the angels, becoming our great salvation. Based on this word, the first warning, in 2:3, says, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” According to the context of the whole book of Hebrews, “how shall we escape” does not refer to eternal perdition, but to the receiving of the righteous punishment at the Lord’s coming back (cf. 2 Cor. 5:10).
Chapters three and four speak of Christ as the Apostle sent by God, who is far superior to Moses and Joshua, in order to bring us into the rest of the coming kingdom. Based on this word, the second warning is issued in the section from 3:7 to 4:13, saying, “Do not harden your hearts” (3:8), so that you will not provoke God’s wrath and be unable to enter into the rest of the coming kingdom. This righteous word does not mean that the saved persons can still perish forever and miss the enjoyment of God’s eternal rest; rather, it means that if we neglect the righteous word of God and allow an evil heart of unbelief or the sins of a hardened heart to deceive us (3:11-12), when the Lord comes we will not enter into the millennial kingdom and enjoy the rest of reigning with Him in the kingdom. This is only a punishment during the coming age of the millennial kingdom, not the perdition that issues in the loss of rest for eternity.
Chapters five through seven speak of Christ as our heavenly High Priest who is far superior to Aaron, supplying us with the heavenly life, saving us to the uttermost according to the power of this indestructible life, and bringing us into the riches of His heavenly ministry. Based on this word, the writer issues the third warning in the section from 5:11 to 6:20, encouraging us to leave the word of the beginning of the Christ (the gospel) and to be brought on to maturity; otherwise we will be near a curse and receive the punishment of burning (6:1, 8). This serious and righteous word does not mean that we who have been enlightened, have tasted the heavenly gift, have participated in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word, may still perish and be burned by the consuming fire of the lake of fire. Rather, it means that if we neglect the Lord’s grace after having been saved by grace, we will surely receive the Lord’s punishment as a kind of fire to purify us during the period of righteous reward or punishment, the coming millennial kingdom. This is a dispensational punishment, not the eternal perdition of the lake of fire.
Chapter eight through the first half of chapter ten speaks of how the Lord offered Himself as the eternal sacrifice, accomplished an eternal redemption, established the new covenant with His own blood, ascended to the heavens as the Mediator of this new covenant, and is now supplying us with all the blessings of the new covenant as the heavenly Minister in the heavenly tabernacle. Then in 10:19-39 the fourth warning is issued, which urges us to come forward into the Holy of Holies where Christ is, to enjoy the riches of His heavenly presence, but never to draw back and return to the old religion, signified by Judaism; otherwise, we will surely receive the Lord’s righteous judgment and suffer His punishment. This solemn and righteous word, of course, does not mean that we who are saved by grace may perish forever; rather, it means that after we receive the Lord’s salvation, if we do not come forward to enter into the realm of the Lord’s ascension and enjoy all the riches of His heavenly ministry, when He comes back we will surely receive His severe dealing and punishment. This, again, is a dispensational punishment, not eternal perdition.
After speaking of the witnesses of faith in chapter eleven, in chapter twelve the fifth warning admonishes us to run the race that is set before us, lest we fall from grace (vv. 1-2, 15); otherwise, we will not be able to escape punishment, because our God is a consuming fire (v. 29). According to the proper meaning of this book, such a warning, of course, cannot refer to eternal perdition, but points to the righteous punishment that God will give to some of His children during the dispensation of the kingdom.