The book of Hebrews was written for a relatively mature group of Christians whose problem was more a matter of spiritual drifting than blatant sin. Because of their apathetic trajectory, the members of this congregation were in danger of becoming spiritual corpses. The author desperately warns them not to let down or to forget, but to hold fast. One of the consequences of letting down was the tendency to forsake fellowship with each other. The strong should support the weak. A severed limb cannot last very long. If we stick together, allowing ourselves the benefit of exhortation, consolation, and encouragement, we will less likely commit willful sin. When we teach or exhort one another, we also learn the instructions ourselves; when we help others with their spiritual race, we end up helping ourselves.