Hebrews 6: 4-8

From a recent study I did. Please let me know your thoughts...

Hebrews 6: 4-8

"It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned."

In this text, it appears as if someone can fall away, lose their salvation, and never be restored. Certainly there are those who would read this part of scripture and see it this way. In order to prove or discredit this summary of the scripture quoted, we need to look more closely at who is falling away, and in to what sort of apostasy.

Who: In his book, Hebrews, Phillips presents what he calls 3 commonly held theories about who is described in this text of scripture. Thankfully, he makes an early distinction that Paul (if indeed it is Paul who authored this epistle) is not specifically describing the intended readers of his letter to the Hebrews, but instead makes a clear distinction between “us”, “you”, and some other persons who he describes as falling away. Some biblical translations use the word “if” to hypothesize a falling away as if it may or may not really happen. However, the most reliable Greek versions do not use “if”, suggesting that this is not a hypothetical issue at all, but a very real danger. Three possible theories exist about who these people are. Here they are in brief: 1) These are real individuals who have converted and possess a faith in Christ. Paul describes them as “those who have once been enlightened”. 2) These are real individuals who participate in the sacramental life of the church, but perhaps don’t yet have a true saving faith. In this case, it is theorized that “enlightened” refers to baptism into the church, the sharing of communion, the laying on of hands, preaching, and even signs and wonders performed in the name of Jesus. 3) As if to blend the above two theories, these are real individuals who appear to have converted and possess a real faith in Christ, who have true knowledge of the scripture, and who participate within the church; yet fall away quickly under trials. These people benefit from participation in the church, knowledge of God and his saving works, and even benefit peripherally from the spiritual power exhibited within the church body. However, like the Israelites, these people fall quickly away into rebellion and judgment under hardship. This last theory is Phillips main view. He contends that this passage describes “Professors of faith who are within the church community – church members as we would say today – who experience the benefits of God’s blessing in the church without ever personally committing themselves to faith in Christ.”

Apostasy: The horrible allegation of this passage in Hebrews is that it is possible for people in the church to fall away and reject Christ. Further, the passage implies that these people can never again be restored to Christ since this is a decisive break… a real decision against God. The rejection is so severe, that the state of mind is similar to those who called for Christ’s crucifixion in the first place. It is not a failure of faith. Instead, the indication here is that a hardening of the heart occurs so that the person thoroughly and completely rejects Christ. It is Peter vs. Judas.

Implication: The implication here is that a mere knowledge of the gospel is not enough. Understanding and intellectually affirming Christian teaching is insufficient for salvation. As important as doctrine and knowledge of scripture is, its personal knowledge of and trust in Christ alone that constitutes saving faith.

How can we know if we or someone else is saved? For one thing, we must admit that we can never truly read people’s hearts. However, we can judge the fruit. If you are content with merely drinking in the rain, but not concerned to honor God in your life … if you are unable or unwilling to hold fast to God in your life, to praise his name even in times of trouble … then that is a very alarming sign that should cause each of us to carefully consider the spiritual implications.

What does this say about “eternal security”? Perhaps a better way to describe such a notion is as “perseverance of the saints”. For indeed, a true reflection of a saving faith is not dependent upon our own actions or circumstances, but instead on an honest and deep reliance on the saving power and very grace of God, even in our darkest of times. Assurance comes from knowledge of God and his promises. Its result is an exercising of faith. Security, then, comes from trusting in Christ no matter what the circumstance as we “press onward in faith”, which is the way of perseverance and the route to hope and joy in the Lord. If we stumble or fall, we call out to the Lord who is rich in mercy. He will lift us up. Phillips describes this as the best way to give thanks to God for his great gift of salvation, the way to honor him before the eyes of this world and to make our lives worthwhile as we bear fruit – real fruit that will last forever and be a blessing to many.