Hebrews 6
Time to move forward from the basicsverses 1-3
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ
let us go on unto perfection
Not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works
and of faith toward God – of the doctrine of baptisms
and of laying on of hands
and of resurrection of the dead
and of eternal judgment
AND this we do – IF God permit
Return to salvation impossibleverses 4-6
FOR it is impossible for those who were once enlightened
and have tasted of the heavenly gift
and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost
and have tasted the good word of God
and tasted the powers of the world to come
IF they shall fall away – to renew them again unto repentance
seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh
and put HIM to an open shame
Example of a farmerverses 7-8
FOR the earth which drinks in the rain that comes oft upon it
and brings forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed
receives blessing from God
BUT that which bears thorns and briers is rejected
and is nigh to cursing
whose end is to be burned
Prevention of spiritual coldness neededverses 9-12
But beloved – we are persuaded BETTER THINGS of you
and things that accompany salvation – though we thus speak
FOR God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love
which you have shown toward HIS name
in that you have ministered to the saints
and do minister
AND we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to
the full assurance of hope unto the end – that you be not slothful
but followers of them who through faith and patience
inherit the promises
Example of Abrahamverses 13-15
FOR when God made promise to Abraham
because HE could swear by no greater
HE swore by HIMSELF – saying
Surely blessing I will bless you
and multiplying I will multiply you
AND so – after he had patiently endured
he obtained the promise
Anchor of the soulverses 16-20
FOR men verily swear by the greater
and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife
WHEREIN God – willing more abundantly to show to the
heirs of promise the immutability of HIS counsel
confirmed it by an oath – that by two immutable things
in which it was impossible for God to lie
we might have a strong consolation
who have fled for refuge to lay
hold upon the hope set before us
which hope we have as an anchor of the soul
both sure and steadfast
and which enters into that within the veil
whither the forerunner is for us entered – even Jesus
made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrines of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God. (746 “principles” [arche] means beginning, corner, origin, the first person or thing in a series, the active cause, elementary aspect, simple truth, first cause, or rule)
DEVOTION: The author of Hebrews is continuing his thought from the last chapter that there are elementary truths that all believers need to know to make proper growth possible.
Our elementary truth needs to start with the fact that Christ died for our sins. HE makes salvation possible because of HIS sacrifice on the cross. HE makes our eternal state possible through HIS resurrection from the dead. There is life after death. It is eternal life. It is in heaven with HIM. We can’t earn it ourselves. We can’t add to it. We can only accept it as a gift of love from God.
There is no second repentance or second beginning in our salvation. There is one beginning and through the ministry of the Holy Spirit one end to our spiritual life. We are promised heaven throughout eternity. There is confession of sin to continue in good fellowship with God. If we neglect to confess it is stated in I Corinthians that HE will chasten us with weakness, sickness and death.
Our responsibility is to look for guidance from the Holy Spirit each day after our time of prayer of confession of sin. HE directs us away from living in sin. HE knows that we cannot stop committing individual sins. That is why we need Christ as our advocate before the Father. Our enemy is daily bringing up our sins to God. Christ is daily advocating for us.
It is great to know that once we genuinely become a believer, we have the Father looking at us through Jesus Christ. HE sees the nail prints in HIS hands and remembers HE died for us.
Thank the LORD for the provision of salvation and ministry of the Holy Spirit in our life. Move on to maturity in Christ. There is no status quo with God. We are either moving forward or backward. Backward brings the chastening of the LORD. If you are not maturing and there is no chasten there is probably no salvation. Repent of your sins now and move on toward maturity in Christ. Don’t live on the false hope of the fact that you said a prayer sometime in your life and think you are going to heaven because of the prayer without having a desire to move on in your faith with Jesus.
CHALLENGE: False hope is given when you are living the same way every day without moving forward for the LORD. HE accepted you as you were but expects movement toward maturity.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost (102 “impossible” [adunatos] means unable, weak, could not do, impotent, powerless, or without strength)
DEVOTION: This is a problem verse in this book. The problem involved is whether someone can loss his salvation. The individuals talked about in these verses have learned the basics of the faith and are asked to move on to more maturity in the LORD. They seem to be those who have been enlightened and tasted the heavenly gift and been partakers of the Holy Ghost. These things seem to describe someone who is a believer.
However, if this is a believer and he falls away from the LORD, these verses say that renewal of them is not possible. Why? Because they are trying to crucify Christ again putting HIM to open shame.
If we are adopted into God’s family when we become followers of God can we become un-adopted? If we are in the Father’s hand when we become a follower of God can we be taken out of HIS hand?
Here we have an individual who has tasted the heavenly gift. Here we have an individual who were partakers of the Holy Ghost. Does the Holy Ghost come on anyone who is not a follower of God today?
So many questions that need answered. If it is not possible for those who were once enlightened to lose their salvation, then what is this verse saying. Is it saying that once saved always saved? If someone is a genuine believer can he become an unbeliever?
The Bible seems to imply that once we are genuine believers we are going to stay in the family of God. If this is so what can we say about this verse? What we can say is that those who are genuine believers can be saved “yet so as by fire.”
The Bible says that sometimes God sends weakness, sickness and pre-mature death to those who are disobedient. Once we are enlightened, we are a child of God and once a child of God we will be chastened. Once we are chastened and listen, we mature, but if we don’t listen, we can expect to be taken out of the world soon.
Is God surprised by the actions of those who were once enlightened? NO!!! We are the ones who are powerless. We are the ones without strength. This word does not describe God. HE can do the impossible. HE is all-powerful. If our salvation depended on us, it would fail. If it depends on God, it will never fail. We are in HIS hands. Praise the LORD.
These verses seem to be a warning to some in the church that this letter is written to. The end of the chapter informs the receivers of this letter that God is not unrighteous. HE will remember their work and labor of love. Could there be unsaved individuals in the church at are acting like they are saved but are not genuine believers? Could they be the ones that Christ warned about when HE told some that came to HIM on judgment day and said “Have we not done many wonderful works in YOUR name?” and Jesus says “Depart from ME.” There are many false teachers and fakers in the church, but that mean that the church is bad? NO!!! What better place for these people? One day they might realize their need for the LORD for real and become genuine believers.
CHALLENGE: Don’t fake it. Continually ask the LORD to show you your relationship to HIM. Understand the warnings of Scripture. They are real.
: 12 That you be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (3576 “slothful” [nothros] means dull, slow, indolent, lazy, stupid, or careless)
DEVOTION: We are commanded to not be lazy believers. We have a relationship with God that we need to keep in tune if we are to be a blessing to others. This relationship needs work on a daily basis. It is impossible to grow in the LORD without a time of study in the Word of God.
There has been an example giving to us by the LORD Jesus Christ. HE took time to get alone with God. HE took time to pray. HE took the time to teach HIS disciples the truth of the Word of God. HE took time with regular people to present the truths of the Word of God. HE even took the time to inform the religious groups of HIS time that they were teaching the people false doctrine.
God doesn’t want us to be dumb. HE doesn’t want us to not have answers from HIS Word, the Bible. HE would like us to dig into the Word of God to find the gems HE has there for all believers who are genuine seekers of truth.
If we are faithful in our study of the Word of God HE has guaranteed that we will inherit HIS promises.
HE wants to see faith or trust in our life that takes risks for HIM. HE will give us the open doors to go through and start serving HIM in a new and living way. HE would like us to do it for the rest of our life.
Remember there is no retirement age with the LORD. HE has more mountains for us to conquer with HIS help.
CHALLENGE: Are you still looking for mountains to conquer??? Follow the example of Caleb.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. (276 “immutable” [ametathetos] means not transposed, not to be transferred, fixed, unalterable. [Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship])
DEVOTION: Change is a constant part of our modern life. We entered this era of our culture by the desire to have more and more things, all of which wear out. Even our national elections show our desire to have change. We are inclined to ask, what things are there that do not change.
God had already told His people that He did not change (Malachi 3:6). That was why His commands to them were not to change. What was right was not to be decided on the basis of consensus, but rather on the absolutes that God had given them on Sinai. God’s immutability was based on two things: His perfections, and His eternal character (not subject to time).
The recipients of this letter had been challenged by those who persecuted them, and the text suggests that some had fallen away from faith as a result of these persecutions. Because of these persecutions, some were probably questioning whether they had made the right decision to convert from Judaism to become followers of Jesus Christ. No doubt some were also questioning whether or not God had forgotten them and failed to keep His promises in the light of the persecution that they were enduring.
The author of Hebrews reminds them that God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Not only that, but God’s plans had not changed since the beginning of time. This is in contrast to those today that teach that God does not have a fixed plan for mankind, but that He changes His plan in response to what man does (open theism). The author of Hebrews reminds them of the example of Abraham (the father of the Jewish people), and that God had made a promise to Abraham on the basis of two trustworthy things—His unchangeable character, and an oath (covenant) to Abraham which would not be broken. Based on this, these believers could have the same faith that Abraham had in spite of their circumstances. God would not let them down!
CHALLENGE: Have you been tempted to doubt the love or provision of God in your life? Remember that we worship a God who does not change! (MW)
: 19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entered into that within the veil. (949 “steadfast” [bebaios] means sure, firm, stable, trusty, valid, verified, or secure)
DEVOTION: I have been sailing a few times in my life. I sailed with my landlord for a time around Lake Michigan. It was great. He knew what he was doing, until the time told me to steer the sailboat. I had never been in sailboat much less sailed with any skill. The only reason we did well is because he kept track of what I was doing.
Today we have someone keeping track of what we are doing with HIM. We have asked HIM to join our life when we repented of our sins and became a follower of HIM. Once this was accomplished, HE gave us instructions regarding how to live our life.
HE is sure and steadfast in HIS knowledge regarding how we should live our life. HE knows our strengths and our weaknesses. HE knows our desires. HE knows our motivation.
When Jesus came to this earth, HE was following the directions of the Father. HE was involved in the planning but HE was also a participant. HE knew the beginning from the end.
If a storm came, HE was ready because HE had sent it to strengthen our faith. HE has a desire to have us true to HIM fully. HE is the one who can enter into the Holy of Holies because HE is the perfect sacrifice for our sins. HE will forgive our sins and declare us righteous or right with HIM.
CHALLENGE: Now we are ready to face our world with hope and confidence.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Within the veilverse 19
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Word of Godverse 5
Promise to Abrahamverses 13-15
Melchisedekverse 20
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Godverses 1, 3, 5-7, 10, 13, 17, 18
God permitverse 3
Blessing from Godverse 7
God is not unrighteousverse 10
God doesn’t forget our workverse 10
God doesn’t for get our labor of loveverse 10
HIS nameverse 10
Swear by HIMSELFverses 13, 14
Immutability of HIS counselverse 17
Confirmed with an oathverse 17
Immutable thingsverse 18
Impossible for God to lie
Strong consolation
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Christverse 1
Doctrine of Christ verse 1
Crucifyverse 6
Son of Godverse 6
Put HIM to open shameverse 6
Forerunnerverse 20
Jesusverse 20
High Priest foreververse 20
Order of Melchisedecverse 20
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Holy Ghostverse 4
Partakers of the Holy Ghost verse 4
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Farmers blessed of Godverse 7
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Dead worksverse 1
Fall awayverse 6
Crucify to themselves Christverse 6
Open shameverse 6
Unrighteousverse 10
Slothfulverse 12
Strifeverse 16
Lieverse 18
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Principlesverse 1
Doctrineverses 1, 2
Perfectionverse 1
Repentanceverses 1, 6
Faithverses 1, 12
Enlightenedverse 4
Tasted heavenly giftverse 4
Partakers of the Holy Ghostverse 4
Tasted the good word of Godverse 5
Powers of the world to comeverse 5
Renew to repentanceverse 6
Blessingverses 7, 14
Belovedverse 9
Better thingsverse 9
Salvationverse 9
Workverse 10
Labor of loveverse 10
Ministerverse 10
Saintsverse 10
Full assurance of hopeverses 11, 18, 19
Patienceverse 12
Inherit the promisesverses 12, 13, 15
Blessing I will blessverse 14
Patiently enduredverse 15
Heirs of promiseverse 17
Strong consolationverse 18
Fled for refugeverse 18
Lay hold of the hopeverses 18, 19
Anchor of the soul – sure and steadfastverse 19
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Abrahamverses 13-15
Multiplying I will multiply you
Patiently endured
Obtained the promise
Church (New Testament people of God)
Principles of the doctrines of Christverse 1
Doctrine of baptismverse 2
Laying on of handsverse 2
Resurrection from the deadverse 2
Belovedverse 9
Persuaded better things of youverse 9
Things accompany salvationverse 9
Speakverse 9
Minister to the saintsverse 10
Last Things (Future Events)
Resurrection from the deadverse 2
Eternal judgmentverse 2
Powers of the world to comeverse 5
End is to be burnedverse 8
Full assurance of hope unto the endverse 11
End of all strifeverse 16
For eververse 20
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QUOTES regarding passage
:6 “If they fall away” means “fall away from Christianity.” The verb parapiptō is found only here in the NT, and its meaning is clear. The writer is envisaging people who have been numbered among the followers of Christ but now leave that company. Such cannot be brought back to repentance. Notice that he does not say “cannot be forgiven” or “cannot be restored to salvation” or the like. It is repentance that is in mind, and the writer says that it is impossible for these people to repent. This might mean that the repentance that involves leaving a whole way of life to embrace the Christian way is unique. In the nature of the case, it cannot be repeated. There is no putting the clock back. But it seems more likely that the reference is to a repentance that means leaving the backsliding into which the person has fallen. He cannot bring himself to this repentance. The marginal reading “while they are crucifying the Son of God” is attractive, but in the end it really amounts to a truism and scarcely seems adequate. The tense, however, does convey the idea of a continuing attitude.
It is probable that we should take the verb rendered “are crucifying … all over again” (anastaurountas) simply as “crucifying.” Elsewhere it seems always to have this meaning. The author is saying that those who deny Christ in this way are really taking their stand among those who crucified Jesus. In heart and mind they make themselves one with those who put him to death on the cross at Calvary. Heautois (“to themselves”; NIV, “to their loss”) points to this inward attitude. The final words of v. 6 stress what this attitude means.
There has been much discussion of the significance of this passage. Some think that the author is speaking about genuine Christians who fall away and that he denies that they may ever come back. This view sets the writer of the epistle in contradiction with other NT writers for whom it is clear that the perseverance of the saints is something that comes from God and not from their own best efforts (e.g., John 6:37; 10:27–29). Others think that the case is purely hypothetical. Because the writer does not say that this has ever happened, they infer that it never could really happen and that to put it this way makes the warning more impressive. But unless the writer is speaking of something that could really happen, it is not a warning about anything. Granted, he does not say that anyone has apostatized in this way, nevertheless, he surely means that someone could, and he does not want his readers to do so. A third possibility is that the writer is talking about what looks very much like the real thing but lacks something. The case of Simon Magus springs to mind. He is said to have believed, to have been baptized, and to have continued with Philip (Acts 8:13). Presumably he shared in the laying on of hands and the gift given by it. Yet after all this Peter could say to him, “Your heart is not right before God.… you are full of bitterness and captive to sin” (Acts 8:21–23). The writer is saying that when people have entered into the Christian experience far enough to know what it is all about and have then turned away, then, as far as they themselves are concerned, they are crucifying Christ. In that state they cannot repent. (For a good discussion of the various interpretations, see Kent, in loc.) (Morris, L. (1981). Hebrews. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews through Revelation (Vol. 12, pp. 55–56). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House)
It is impossible to renew them again (ἀδυνατον παλιν ἀνακαινιζειν [adunaton palin anakainizein]). The ἀδυνατον [adunaton] (impossible) comes first in verse 4 without ἐστιν [estin] (is) and there is no “them” in the Greek. There are three other instances of ἀδυνατον [adunaton] in Hebrews (6:18; 10:4; 11:6). The present active infinitive of ἀνακαινιζω [anakainizō] (late verb, ἀνα, καινος [ana, kainos], here only in the N. T., but ἀνακαινοω [anakainoō], 2 Cor. 4:16; Col. 3:10) with ἀδυνατον [adunaton] bluntly denies the possibility of renewal for apostates from Christ (cf. 3:12–4:2). It is a terrible picture and cannot be toned down. The one ray of light comes in verses 8 to 12, not here. Seeing they crucify to themselves afresh (ἀναστραυρουντας ἑαυτοις [anastraurountas heautois]). Present active participle (accusative plural agreeing with τουσελλιψπαραπεσοντας [tousellipsparapesontas]) of ἀνασταυροω [anastauroō], the usual verb for crucify in the old Greek so that ἀνα- [ana-] here does not mean “again” or “afresh,” but “up,” sursum, not rursum (Vulgate). This is the reason why renewal for such apostates is impossible. They crucify Christ. And put him to an open shame (και παραδειγματιζοντας [kai paradeigmatizontas]). Present active participle of παραδειγματιζω [paradeigmatizō], late verb from παραδειγμα [paradeigma] (example), to make an example of, and in bad sense to expose to disgrace. Simplex verb δειγματισαι [deigmatisai] in this sense in Matt. 1:19. (Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Heb 6:6). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.)
In an extremely solemn pronouncement, the author then set forth the tragic alternative to the progress he desired his readers to make. If they did not advance, they would retreat. Should anyone so retreat, his situation would be grim indeed.
6:4–6. This passage has been interpreted in four ways: (1) that the danger of a Christian losing his salvation is described, a view rejected because of biblical assurances that salvation is a work of God which cannot be reversed; (2) that the warning is against mere profession of faith short of salvation, or tasting but not really partaking of salvation (The New Scofield Reference Bible, p. 1315); (3) that hypothetically if a Christian could lose his salvation, there is no provision for repentance (The Ryrie Study Bible, p. 1736); (4) that a warning is given of the danger of a Christian moving from a position of true faith and life to the extent of becoming disqualified for further service (1 Cor. 9:27) and for inheriting millennial glory. The latter is the interpretation adopted here. The entirety of these verses constitutes a single sentence in Greek as well as in the English of the NIV. The central assertion is: It is impossible for those who have … to be brought back to repentance. Following the words “those who” is a description of the persons whom the writer affirmed cannot possibly be brought back to a state of repentance. The description he gave shows that he had Christians in mind.
To begin with, he described them as individuals who have once been enlightened. This is a natural way to refer to the conversion experience (cf. 2 Cor. 4:3–6). The writer’s only other use of the verb “enlightened,” is Hebrews 10:32, where the reference to true Christian experience can hardly be doubted. In also calling them people who have tasted the heavenly gift, he again employed familiar concepts related to initial conversion (cf. John 4:10; Rom. 6:23; James 1:17–18). The effort to evade this conclusion by seeing in the word “tasted” something less than full participation fails—in view of the writer’s own use of this word (Heb. 2:9)—to describe Jesus’ experience of death. One might also compare 1 Peter 2:3, which quotes Psalm 34:8.
The description is continued with the words who have shared in the Holy Spirit. The underlying Greek employs again the word metochoi, used in Hebrews 1:9 of the “companions” of the messianic King, and in 3:1, 14 of the Christian readers (and is also used in 12:8). The preceding expression evidently led the author to think about those who had received the gift of the Spirit as a result of their conversions. Finally, there are also those who have tasted the goodness of the Word of God and the powers of the coming Age. Here the thought naturally applies to converts whose instruction in “the Word of God” had given them a genuine experience of its “goodness” and who likewise had known the reality of miracles. The word rendered “powers” (dynameis) in NIV is the usual one in the New Testament for “miracles” and is an apparent allusion back to the experience mentioned in 2:4. In every way the language fits true Christians with remarkable ease. The effort to see here mere professors of the faith as over against true converts is somewhat forced.
There follows, however, the grim expression if they fall away. But the translation does not do full justice to the original language, where there is no hint of a conditional element. The Greek word parapesontas is in fact a part of the construction to which the preceding descriptive phrases belong. Thus a more accurate translation would be: “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted … who have shared … who have tasted … and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance.” Far from treating the question in any hypothetical way, the writer’s language sounds as if he knew of such cases.
Naturally the words “fall away” cannot refer to the loss of eternal life which, as the Gospel of John makes perfectly clear, is the inalienable possession of those who trust Christ for it. But the writer evidently has in mind defection from the faith, that is, apostasy, withdrawal from their Christian profession (cf. Heb. 3:6, 14; 10:23–25, 35–39). The assertion that such a failure is not possible for a regenerate person is a theological proposition which is not supported by the New Testament. Paul knew the dangers of false doctrine to a Christian’s faith and spoke of a certain Hymenaeus and Philetus who said “that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some” (2 Tim. 2:17–18). The author of Hebrews was a solid realist who took assaults against the faith of his readers with great seriousness. And he warned that those who succumb, that is, “fall away,” after all of the great spiritual privileges they had experienced, could not be brought back to repentance.
The reason is expressed in the words because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace. The words “to their loss” might be better rendered “with respect to themselves.” Those who renounce their Christian faith are, with respect to their own conduct and attitude, taking a step that amounts to a fresh public rejection of Christ. When they first trusted Him, they thereby acknowledged that His crucifixion had been unjust and the result of man’s sinful rejection of the Savior. But by renouncing this opinion, they reaffirmed the view of Jesus’ enemies that He deserved to die on a cross. In this sense, “they [were] crucifying the Son of God all over again.” Since the original Crucifixion was especially the work of the Jewish nation, if the readers were Jews being lured back into some form of their ancestral religion, the writer’s words made a particular point. Their apostasy would be like stepping back over the line again and once more expressing solidarity with their compatriots who wanted Jesus put on the cross. That this was most serious was precisely the writer’s point. Such persons could not be won back to the state of repentance which marked their original conversion to Christianity. In affirming this, the author’s words suggested a deep hardening of their hearts against all efforts to win them back, not to Christian conversion, but to Christian commitment. (Hodges, Z. C. (1985). Hebrews. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, pp. 794–795). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
This progress does not affect salvation (vv. 4–6). These verses, along with the exhortation in Hebrews 10:26–39, have given people cause for worry and concern, mainly because these verses have been misunderstood and misapplied. I have received long-distance phone calls from upset people who have misread this passage and convinced themselves (or been convinced by Satan) that they were hopelessly lost and had committed some unpardonable sin. While I do not want to give a false assurance to any professed Christian who is not truly born again, neither do I want to cause some true believer to stumble and miss God’s best.
Bible students over the years have come up with several approaches to this serious passage. One view is that the writer is warning us against the sin of apostasy, willfully turning one’s back on Jesus Christ and returning to the old life. According to them, such a person would be lost forever. I have several problems with this interpretation. To begin with, the Greek word apostasia is not used in this passage. The verb for “fall away” (Heb. 6:6) is parapipto, which literally means “to fall alongside.” Second, we always interpret the obscure by the obvious. There are many verses in Scripture that assure the true believer that he can never be lost. In fact, one of the greatest arguments for security is the last section of this chapter! (Heb. 6:13–20; see also John 5:24; 10:26–30; Rom. 8:28–39)
Those who teach that we can lose our salvation also teach that such a person can be restored. But this passage (Heb. 6:4–6) teaches just the opposite! If you omit the intervening clauses, the statement reads: “For it is impossible … to renew them again to repentance.” In other words, if this refers to apostasy, once a saved person turns his back on Christ, he cannot be restored to salvation. He is lost forever.
Others claim that the people addressed were not true believers. They had cooperated with the Holy Spirit up to a point, but were not actually born again. Well, let’s examine the description of these people and see if they possessed true salvation.
They were “enlightened” (Heb. 6:4). The “once” means “enlightened once and for all.” The way this same verb is used in Hebrews 10:32 indicates an experience of true salvation (see 2 Cor. 4:4–6).
They “tasted of the heavenly gift” (Heb. 6:4b), and “tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the world [age] to come” (Heb. 6:5). To claim that these people “tasted but did not eat” is to base interpretation on one meaning of an English word. God permitted His Son to “taste death for every man” (Heb. 2:9). Surely Jesus Christ did not simply sample death on the cross! “Taste” carries the idea of “experience.” These Hebrew believers had experienced the gift of salvation, the Word of God, and the power of God. Doesn’t this describe authentic salvation?
They “were made partakers of the Holy Spirit” (Heb. 6:4c). To suggest that they only went along with the Holy Spirit to a certain extent is to ignore the simple meaning of the verb. It means “to become sharers.” These same people were not only “sharers of the Holy Spirit,” but also “sharers of the heavenly calling” (Heb. 3:1) and “sharers of Christ” (Heb. 3:14).
In view of these facts, I have concluded that the people addressed were true believers, not mere professors. Furthermore, how could unsaved people ever disgrace Jesus Christ and put Him to open shame?
A third view is that this sin (whatever it is) could be committed only by Hebrew Christians in the first century, while the temple services were still going on. If so, then why did the writer connect this exhortation with the heavenly priesthood of our Lord and the importance of spiritual maturity? If what he wrote about cannot happen today, what is the motivation behind the exhortation? It all seems futile to me if we limit these verses to first-century Jewish believers.
Then what is the writer trying to say to us? It is probable that he is describing a hypothetical case to prove his point that a true believer cannot lose his salvation. His statement in Hebrews 6:9 seems to support this interpretation: “Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case” (niv). His argument runs like this:
“Let’s suppose that you do not go on to maturity. Does this mean that you will go back to condemnation, that you will lose your salvation? Impossible! If you could lose your salvation, it would be impossible to get it back again; and this would disgrace Jesus Christ. He would have to be crucified again for you, and this could never happen.”
In Hebrews 6:4, the writer changed the pronouns from “we” and “us” to “those.” This change also suggests that he had a hypothetical case in mind.
However, there is another possible interpretation that does not require a hypothetical case. You should note that the words “crucify” and “put” in Hebrews 6:6 are, in the Greek, present participles: “while they are crucifying … and while they are putting Him to an open shame.” The writer did not say that these people could never be brought to repentance. He said that they could not be brought to repentance while they were treating Jesus Christ in such a shameful way. Once they stop disgracing Jesus Christ in this way, they can be brought to repentance and renew their fellowship with God.
Whatever approach you take, please keep in mind that the writer’s purpose was not to frighten the readers but to assure them. If he had wanted to frighten them, he would have named whatever sin (or sins) would have caused them to disgrace Jesus Christ; but he did not do so. In fact, he avoided the word apostasy and used instead “to fall by the wayside” (see Gal. 6:1 for a similar word).
Christians can “sin unto death” (1 Cor. 11:30–32; 1 John 5:16–17). This is God’s chastening, a theme the writer of Hebrews will take up in Hebrews 12. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 296–297). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
6:6 fallen away. This Gr. term occurs only here in the NT. In the LXX, it was used to translate terms for severe unfaithfulness and apostasy (cf. Eze 14:13; 18:24; 20:27). It is equivalent to the apostasy in 3:12. The seriousness of this unfaithfulness is seen in the severe description of rejection within this verse: they re-crucify Christ and treat Him contemptuously (see also the strong descriptions in 10:29). Those who sinned against Christ in such a way had no hope of restoration or forgiveness (cf. 2:2, 3; 10:26, 27; 12:25). The reason is that they had rejected Him with full knowledge and conscious experience (as described in the features of vv. 5, 6). With full revelation they rejected the truth, concluding the opposite of the truth about Christ, and thus had no hope of being saved. They can never have more knowledge than they had when they rejected it. They have concluded that Jesus should have been crucified, and they stand with his enemies. There is no possibility of these verses referring to losing salvation. Many Scripture passages make unmistakably clear that salvation is eternal (cf. Jn 10:27–29; Ro 8:35, 38, 39; Php 1:6; 1Pe 1:4, 5). Those who want to make this verse mean that believers can lose salvation will have to admit that it would then also say that one could never get it back again. See Introduction: Interpretive Challenges. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Heb 6:6). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Ver. 6. If they shall fall away, &c.] This is not supposed of true believers, as appears from ver. 9 nor is it to be supposed of them that they may fall totally and finally; they may indeed fall, not only into afflictions and temptations, but into sin; and from a lively and comfortable exercise of grace, and from a degree of steadfastness in the Gospel; but not irrecoverably: for they are held and secured by a three-fold cord, which can never be broken; by God the Father, who has loved them with an everlasting love, has chosen them in Christ, secured them in the covenant of grace, keeps them by his power, has given them grace, and will give them glory; and by the Son, who has undertook for them, redeemed and purchased them, prays and makes preparations in heaven for them, they are built on him, united to him, and are his jewels, whom he will preserve; and by the Holy Ghost, whose grace is incorruptible, whose personal in-dwelling is for ever, who himself is the earnest and seal of the heavenly inheritance, and who having begun, will finish the good work of grace: but falling away, so as to perish, may be supposed, and is true of many professors of religion; who may fall from the profession of the Gospel they have made, and from the truth of it, and into an open denial of it; yea, into an hatred and persecution of what they once received the external knowledge of; and so shall fall short of heaven, and into condemnation: for, to renew them again unto repentance, is a thing impossible: by repentance is meant, not baptism of repentance; nor admission to a solemn form of public repentance in the church; nor a legal repentance, but an evangelical one: and so to be renewed unto it is not to be baptized again, or to be restored anew to the church by repentance, and absolution; but must be understood either of renovation of the soul, in order to repentance; or of the reforming of the outward conversation, as an evidence of it; or of a renewing of the exercise of the grace of repentance: and to be renewed again to repentance does not suppose that persons may have true repentance and lose it; for though truly penitent persons may lose the exercise of this grace for a time, yet the grace itself can never be lost: moreover, these apostates before described had only a shew of repentance, a counterfeit one; such as Cain, Pharaoh, and Judas had; and consequently, the renewing of them again to repentance, is to that which they only seemed to have, and to make pretensions unto; now to renew them to a true repentance, which they once made a profession of, the apostle says, is a thing impossible: the meaning of which is not only that it is difficult; or that it is rare and unusual; or that it is unsuitable and improper; but it is absolutely impossible: it is impossible to these men to renew themselves to repentance; renovation is the work of the Holy Ghost, and not of man; and repentance is God’s gift, and not in man’s power; and it is impossible for ministers to renew them, to restore and bring them back, by true repentance; yea, it is impossible to God himself, not through any impotence in him, but from the nature of the sin these men are guilty of; for by the high, though outward attainments they arrive unto, according to the description of them, their sin is the sin against the Holy Ghost, for which no sacrifice can be offered up, and of which there is no remission, and so no repentance; for these two go together, and for which prayer is not to be made; see Matt. 12:32; Heb. 10:26, 27; 1 John 5:16 and chiefly because to renew such persons to repentance, is repugnant to the determined will of God, who cannot go against his own purposes and resolutions; and so the Jews speak of repentance being withheld by God from Pharaoh, and from the people of Israel; of which they understand Exod. 9:16; Isa. 6:10; 2 Chron. 36:16 and say, that when the holy blessed God withholds repentance from a sinner, אינו יכול לשוב, he cannot repent; but must die in his wickedness which he first committed of his own will; and they further observe, that he that profanes the name of God has it not in his power to depend on repentance, nor can his iniquity be expiated on the day of atonement, or be removed by chastisement: seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh; who is truly and properly God, begotten of the Father, and of the same nature with him, in whom he greatly delights; this is Christ’s highest name and title; and it was for asserting himself to be the Son of God that he was crucified; and his being so puts an infinite virtue in his sufferings and death; and it heightens the sin of the Jews, and of these apostates, in crucifying him. He was once crucified, and it is both impossible and unnecessary that he should be, properly speaking, crucified afresh, or again; it is impossible, because he is risen from the dead, and will never die more; it is unnecessary, because he has finished and completed what he suffered the death of the cross for; but men may be said to crucify him again, when, by denying him to be the son of God, they justify the crucifixion of him on that account; and when they lessen and vilify the virtue of his blood and sacrifice; and when both by errors and immoralities they cause him to be blasphemed, and evil-spoken of; and when they persecute him ill his members: and this may be said to be clone to themselves afresh; not that Christ was crucified for them before, but that they now crucify him again, as much as in them lies; or with themselves, in their own breasts and minds, and to their own destruction. Now this being the case, it makes their renewal to repentance impossible; because, as before observed, the sin they commit is unpardonable; it is a denial of Christ, who gives repentance; and such who sin it must arrive to such hardness of heart as to admit of no repentance; and it is just with God to give up such to a final impenitence, as those, who knowingly and out of malice and envy crucified Christ, had neither pardon nor repentance; and besides, this sin of denying Christ to be the son of God, and Saviour of men, after so much light and knowledge, precludes the way of salvation, unless Christ was to be crucified again, which is impossible; for so the Syriac version connects this clause with the word impossible, as well as a foregoing one, rendering it, it is impossible to crucify the son of God again, and to put him to shame; and so the Arabic version. Christ was put to open shame at the time of his apprehension, prosecution, and crucifixion; and so he is by such apostates, who, was he on earth, would treat him in the same manner the Jews did; and who do traduce him as an impostor and a deceiver, and give the lie to his doctrines, and expose him by their lives, and persecute him in his saints. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 3, pp. 406–407). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
In Heb. 6:1, where the word is rendered “first principles,” the original has “let us leave the word of the beginning of Christ,” i.e., the doctrine of the elementary principles relating to Christ. (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of the Old and New Testament Words)
Our confidence for action in the midst of confusion does not come from our education, training, or knowledge; it comes from the awareness that God will give us wisdom needed to respond to the situation in a way that corresponds to HIS will (Matt. 10: 19-20;James 1:5).
(p. 75, Developing Leaders for the Small Church by Glenn C. Daman)
THE CROSS AND RECONCILIATION
God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses against them…2 Corinthians 5:19
On the cross our Lord was reconciling us to God. “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.” Christ had to pay this penalty. The law had to have its way, and He has borne the punishment. And because of that, if we believe in Him we are free from the punishment and free of the condemnation.
We are reconciled to God, and the power of God takes over and delivers us from the devil and his cohorts and transfers us into the kingdom of God. That is why the apostle puts it like this in Colossians 1:13: “who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” That is how it happens. That is what was happening on the cross. The devil thought he was defeating Christ, but Christ was reconciling us to God, defeating the devil and delivering us out of his clutches. He does it by paying the penalty and putting us right with God. The power of God comes into us, and we are born again, receiving new natures and becoming new people. The Holy Spirit is put within us, and Christ’s presence is ever at hand to help us.
That is why John was able to say, “and the whole world lieth in wickedness,” but “that wicked one toucheth him not” (1 John 5:18-19). The enemy not only touches the world—he embraces it, and the world cannot get out of his clutches. But Christ takes us out of his clutches and puts us into His own kingdom, and the devil cannot touch us. He can frighten us perhaps, he can shout at us, but he cannot touch us. He thought he was finishing Christ. He was really bringing about his own defeat. Christ has conquered him.
A Thought to Ponder: Christ takes us out of the devil’s clutches and puts us into His own kingdom, and the devil cannot touch us.
(From The Cross, pp. 126-127, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Jesus encounters a Samaritan woman.
INSIGHT
The supreme activity of a Christian is worship. As Jesus talks with the Samaritan woman about a location of worship, He proclaims that God is spirit and that those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth.
For worship, God is indifferent to places, nationalities, and methods. We may worship Him on a mound of dirt or in a cathedral. But we must worship Him in truth. When our body sits in a worship service but our mind is elsewhere, we are not worshiping.
Worship is an act of the will. You can decide to worship. Enter into the songs that are sung, the prayers that are prayed, and the Scripture that is read. Offer Him spiritual sacrifices, and you will experience worship. (Quiet Walk)
It’s inspiring to watch people’s passion and dedication in pursuing their dreams. A young woman I know recently graduated from college in just three years—a task that took total commitment. A friend wanted a particular car, so he worked diligently baking and selling cakes until he reached his goal. Another person who’s in sales seeks to meet one hundred new people every week.
While it can be good to earnestly seek something of earthly value, there’s a more important kind of seeking that we must consider.
In desperation, struggling in a desert, King David wrote, “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you” (Psalm 63:1). As David cried out to Him, God drew close to the weary king. David’s deep spiritual thirst for God could only be satisfied in His presence.
The king remembered meeting with God in His “sanctuary” (v. 2), experiencing His all-conquering love (v. 3), and praising Him day after day—finding true satisfaction in Him that’s not unlike enjoying a full and satisfying meal (vv. 4-5). Even during the night he contemplated God’s greatness, recognizing His help and protection (vv. 6-7).
Today the Holy Spirit convicts us to earnestly seek after God. As we cling to Him, in power and love God holds us up with His strong right hand. By the leading of the Spirit, may we draw close to the Maker of all good things.
(By Dave Branon, Our Daily Bread)
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