⁵ In Hebrews Jehovah alerts us to dangers such as ‘drifting away,’ ‘falling away,’ ‘becoming sluggish,’ ‘shrinking back to destruction’ or ‘begging off.’ (Hebrews 2:1; 6:6, 12; 10:39; 12:25) The book offers fine counsel to help us to show “industriousness so as to have the full assurance of the hope down to the end” and to be “the sort that have faith to the preserving alive of the soul.”​—Hebrews 6:11; 10:39.

“Not the Sort That Shrink Back”

6. What had Hebrew Christians faced, yet what need did they have?

⁶ Evidently many of the Hebrew Christians had experienced persecution. They “endured a great contest under sufferings,” such as being exposed in a Roman theater or jeopardizing themselves by coming to the aid of those in prison. (Hebrews 10:32-34) Nonetheless, they had to work at not being “the sort that shrink back to destruction, but [being] the sort that have faith to the preserving alive of the soul.”​—Hebrews 10:39.

7. (a) How might the prospect of persecution affect a Christian? (b) What should you ask yourself?

⁷ So there is the danger that a Christian might develop a fear of opposition, causing him to “shrink back” or compromise. How about us? We may have had a limited amount of opposition, such as from schoolmates or fellow workers. Even physical abuse, as from an unbelieving mate or parent, has come to some. Yet in many lands it is rather unusual for a Witness to be severely persecuted because of his faith. This can make him less prepared for intense persecution and more liable to “shrink back” when it comes. Let us ask, ‘Might I, after having lived a comfortable life, be tempted to shrink back if I were seriously threatened, such as with the loss of my home, employment or access to my family, or with imprisonment and physical abuse?’

10. Hebrews helps us reach what determination regarding persecution?

¹⁰ Concerning the ancient examples of faith under persecution, Hebrews says that “the world was not worthy of them,” but that Jehovah will see that they are “made perfect” in the earthly Paradise. Who could ask for more? So let us take to heart both ancient and modern examples of faith. Rather than ‘shrinking back to destruction,’ we must be determined to “have faith to the preserving alive of the soul.”​—Hebrews 11:38, 40; 10:39.