And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. (Hebrews 05:09-11, NKJV).
First drifting, then departing, and now dullness, the third in the progression of dire warnings in Hebrews directly related to neglecting so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him.
Christ, our Sacrifice, who learned obedience through the things which he suffered, has been perfected (made complete, fulfilled, finished) in that He became the final and comprehensive payment for our sin and our entrance into Heaven. Just as omniscient God voluntarily taking on a subservient role learns obedience, so a divine Being complete in Himself, becomes perfected as a payment for sin by voluntarily dying on the Cross in our place. This is utter humility on Christ's part, in absolute accordance with His teaching that the Son of Man came to serve and not be served.
This aspect of the Lord's earthly mission and ministry is yet another integral part of His overarching superiority to all things, and is the common theme woven throughout this magnificent book of Scripture. In inconceivable condescension, God Himself became Man, divesting Himself of all the inherent privileges and power of His eternal godhood, to suffer and die for creatures miserably dead in their own trespasses and sins. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
And in that perfection, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. That word translated author here is aitios (ah'-ee-tee-os) in Greek, and means essential cause. In other words, by His ministry and death He caused salvation to be possible. Prior to the completion of His work, salvation was impossible.
As a reminder to us that these events were ordained before the foundation of the world and foreshadowed throughout the events of human history, the writer refers again to Psalm 110 and the ancient order of Melchizedek as the prototype of a High Priest called by God, rather than one genetically inheriting that position. This fact of being called to, rather than inheriting the priesthood as a descendant of Aaron, will be used later in Hebrews to continue the presentation of the superiority of Christ. For now, it serves as a rebuttal to the anticipated Jewish argument against Jesus being considered a legitimate priest because He was descended from the royal line of Judah, from which tribe no man has officiated at the altar.
Now, at this point in the discourse, the writer would like to expound even further on this distinction, but can't because his audience has become dull of hearing.
Dullness is the inevitable and tragic result of selective inattention to the things of God. It is what happens to a person who claims belief, for whatever false reasons, but does not invest in the relationship he or she is to have with the Lord. Like a ship dismissive of needed course correction that drifts from its intended destination, and ultimately departs from safe waters, the inattentive Christian becomes spiritually dull, and unable to hear the urgings and will of his Lord.
Discover a man who is oblivious to the walk of obedient faith, and you will find beneath his lackluster witness a purposeful ignorance of the doctrines of the Christian faith.
It is inevitable, for you become what you pay attention to, and become less like what you willfully ignore.
This is a spiritual principle as adamantine as the laws of sowing and reaping, forgiveness and forgiving, and humility and exaltation.
You become what you meditate upon. If it is the things of the world, you become like the world. If it is the things of Christ, you become like Him.
As a Christian, friendship with the world is enmity with God (James 4:4).
Look, superficial Christianity is like anything superficial. It is a veneer easily tarnished or scraped off, that neither protects, encourages, nor nourishes.
Someone who cannot hear the Good Shepherd cannot follow Him.
Dullness of hearing can quickly become fatal, like that sheep of the field left behind and subject to the ravages of the wild because it simply ignores the shepherd's call to the safe haven of the sheepfold.
The only protection against dullness is diligence.
Diligence in the Word, in prayer, in fellowship, and obedience.
There are no shortcuts, loopholes, and scant margin for neglect.
