Through Again

Permit's suppose you died and stood before the Lord God and He said to you, "Why should I let yous into My heaven?"  What would you say? What do you think y'all would say?

That question posed by Donald Barnhouse years ago probes to the depths of our human relationship with God. Upon whom or what are you depending for salvation or eternal life?

The center of Hebrews chapter six forces usa to ask the question, do you take eternal life? Are you saved? Y'all are either lost or saved. You either have eternal life or you do not. In whom or what are you lot trusting for eternal salvation?

The salvation Jesus procured for united states of america is "eternal." We have "eternal redemption," "eternal inheritance," and "eternal covenant." What a corking Savior!

The author of Hebrews will at present stress the perseverance of the believer. Nosotros know a person is a true laic considering he will persevere. The truthful believer will continue trusting Christ. He volition get on to spiritual maturity in a growing human relationship with God in Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 6:1-6 contains some of the severest language in the Bible. The author of Hebrews has a manner of causing his readers to stop, look, and mind. He wants them to have a serious look and evaluate their personal human relationship with Jesus Christ. He warns against false security and all forms of religious deception, especially religious experiences that practise non produce spiritual maturity and Christlikeness.

"Therefore leaving the unproblematic teaching nigh the Christ, allow us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction virtually washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And this we will do, if God permits. For in the example of those who take once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and accept tasted the good word of God and the powers of the historic period to come, and so accept fallen away, information technology is impossible to renew them over again to repentance, since they again excruciate to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. For footing that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is likewise tilled, receives a approving from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and information technology ends up being burned" (Hebrews vi:1-8, NASB95). All Scriptures are from New American Standard Bible, 1995 Update unless otherwise noted).

Warning against consequences of apostasy (Heb. 6:iv-8)

The context demonstrates that someone in the congregation had great religious experiences, and and then the aforementioned person falls away and re-crucifies Christ by putting Him to open shame, and that results in the impossibility to renew that person to repentance. When is repentance impossible? That is a most serious situation.

This passage is non denying bully blessings and highly religious experiences. And in spite of all these spiritual blessings and experiences this person falls away. He turns away from Christ, the Spirit and the powers of the age to come.

Information technology is helpful to remember this is i of the near disputed passages in the New Testament. There is no perfect interpretation of this passage because we practise non accept all of the background on the first readers of this letter of the alphabet. Every interpreter is influenced past his theological background. I have tried to approach this passage in its context without bias and in harmony with the pedagogy of the whole Bible. In that location are basically four dissimilar interpretations past Bible assertive scholars.

4 interpretations

1.         Some scholars translate this passage equally saved persons who later lose their salvation. They view this passage as people who are born again, merely lose their conservancy by deliberate betrayment. This view fails to adequately consider the context of the book of Hebrews, and residuum the Bible'south teaching on election and eternal security (John x:26-thirty; Rom. viii:28-30; Phil. 1:three-5). The author offers no promise to the apostate. It definitely does not teach that salvation can be lost and regained many times. You are either saved or lost. Y'all are a child of God, or you are not.

two.         Another group interprets this passage every bit saved persons who regress. They depict them as saved, just fall into sin and lose their rewards in heaven. They suffer the "sin unto death" (ane John v:16), and stand at the judgment seat of Christ without rewards. The problem is these people cannot be reclaimed according to this passage in Hebrews. They cannot start over. There is no such matter equally beingness saved a second time. Yous are either saved, or lost.

3.         Another pop view is a hypothetical case is being presented by the author to illustrate the recklessness of apostasy. These individuals are truly regenerated are under pressure to return to Judaism, but why would they e'er want to surrender their perfect standing with God in Christ? To plough from Christ would only provide the show that they had never been born again. B. F. Westcott observed, "There is nothing to bear witness that the conditions of fatal apostasy had been fulfilled, nevertheless less that they had been fulfilled in the example of whatsoever of these addressed." West. H Griffith-Thomas said, "The passage is apparently a supposed case to correct their incorrect ideas, and the argument seems to exist that if it were possible for those who have had the experiences of verses 4-half-dozen to autumn away, information technology would be impossible to renew them unless Christ died a second time."

four.         Other scholars see this passage every bit professing Christians who have never been saved. They are lost and unregenerate even though they have had peachy emotional religious experiences. They have been inoculated with a class of Christianity, merely information technology is non the real thing. They have heard the message of Good News, they have observed miracles, seen the work of the Holy Spirit in the congregation, have had emotional experiences, just similar the seed of the sower planted on rocky basis accept never been regenerated. The apostasy referred to is the final rejection of Christ. They take rejected the substitutionary penal sacrifice of Jesus Christ for their sins. They were sympathizers to the Gospel, simply never believed in their hearts and therefore never saved.

Can a person be a "partaker of the Holy Spirit" and not be justified? Was this person who falls away like this ever truly saved or justified or born again? Critical to this whole context in Hebrews 6 is can you exist a partaker of the Holy Spirit and the word of God and the powers of the age to come and non be justified? Can you lose your eternal position before God as a truly justified person then be lost? Or is this passage teaching that you can have these groovy religious emotional experiences as described in verses 4-5 and never be justified or saved or born again?

The Bible teaches unequivocally the Divine preservation and the human perseverance of the saints (Heb. 6:13-20; John 5:24; 10:26-xxx; Rom. 8:28-39; Phil. i:3-5). How exercise we reconcile these clear teachings with this passage? How practise we hold fast to the unerring integrity of the Scripture?

In Hebrews 6:i-3 the writer has been encouraging his readers to go on to maturity. Clearly he is addressing believers in the opening verses of this chapter. Now we encounter him changing his focus to give a stern warning to those who accept to turn away from Christ.

"For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly souvenir, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the discussion of God and the powers of the historic period to come up, and and so accept fallen away, to restore them once more to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him upwards to antipathy" (Hebrews 6:4-half dozen, ESV).

The New American Standard Bible reads: "For in the example of those who take once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and accept tasted the good give-and-take of God and the powers of the age to come up, and then have fallen abroad, it is impossible to renew them over again to repentance, since they once more crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame" (Hebrews 6:4-6).

To whom is the author addressing when he says, "For it is incommunicable to restore again to repentance those who were one time enlightened"? The author does non say, "us who were once enlightened," nor "you," but "those who have once been enlightened." He draws a sharp contrast between "Dear, we are persuaded better things of you," and this passage. Information technology is true they enjoyed great privileges under Judaism, but they were not truthful Christians. They are non spoken of as God'southward elect, for whom Christ died, or as those born of the Spirit of God. The passage does not speak of their existence justified, forgiven, apple-pie and accepted in the Beloved. Neither is annihilation said of their religion in Christ, nor obedience to Him. There is no indication that they were children of God.

A critical discussion in the estimation of this passage is adunatos translated "incommunicable" in all of our accurate English translations. Information technology is also used in Hebrews 6:eighteen where the writer tells usa information technology is impossible for God to lie, In Hebrews x:4 it is impossible for the claret of bulls and goats to accept away sins, and in Hebrews 11:half dozen we are told that without faith it is impossible to please God. Here it reads, "For it is impossible . . . to renew them over again to repentance." The give-and-take "renew" must also be taken with its full meaning. Repentance is the work of the Holy Spirit on the heart of the individual. The Holy Spirit brings nearly this change in the heed that affects the whole person.

They had "once been aware"

"Enlightened" (photizo) "to give light, to smoothen;" metaphorically means spiritual enlightenment. They had received spiritual light or knowledge past teaching. They had been instructed in the teachings of the gospel to some extent. Does it fall short of the spiritual enlightenment which transforms and regenerates?  "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are beingness transformed into the same image from glory to glory, simply as from the Lord, the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18). There is a big departure betwixt being enlighten and regenerated. Where is the submission to the enlightenment they had received?

"Tasted of the heavenly gift"

They take to a certain degree understood the truths, but not gone on to advisable them. Jesus said, "This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, then that one may swallow of information technology and not die. I am the living bread that came downward out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he volition live forever; and the staff of life also which I volition give for the life of the earth is My flesh." Then the Jews began to contend with one some other, saying, "How can this homo give us His flesh to eat?" Then Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to y'all, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will heighten him up on the concluding 24-hour interval. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him" (John half-dozen:50-56). His Jewish listeners took law-breaking at Him. They refused to appropriate Christ.

The "heavenly gift" refers either to Christ or the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is ministering on the earth and in our hearts to glorify Christ and exalt Him. The Divine gift comes from heaven and leads us to heaven. Therefore, I am inclined to think of this souvenir as Christ. He is the Begetter's souvenir from heaven and His goal is to take u.s.a. to heaven to be with Him. The individuals in view had an associate with Christ, but had never made a commitment once and for all to Him. Jesus said, "The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the homo who hears the discussion and immediately receives information technology with joy; yet he has no business firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when illness or persecution arises considering of the word, immediately he falls away" (Matthew xiii:xx-21).

 "Have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit"

The word for "partakers" or "have shared" hither is metochos and means "to have a share in" or but "companions."  John Brownish wrote: "It is highly probable that the inspired writer refers primarily to the miraculous gifts and operations of the Holy Spirit past which the primitive impunity of Christianity was administered. These gifts were past no means confined to those who were 'transformed by the renewing of their minds.' . . . . At whatsoever charge per unit they plainly evidence that their possession and an unregenerate state were by no means incompatible."  Several scholars annotation the word "partakers" does not mean to possess the Holy Spirit in the sense of His indwelling the believer. The thought of the permanent abiding presence of the Spirit is not included in the discussion for partake.

Simon Magus in Acts eight:8-eighteen is a good instance of someone who "partakers" but in the post-obit decades became detrimental to Biblical Christianity. He was not a truthful laic; he only used Christianity for his ain personal gain.

"Have tasted the proficient word of God"

They understood the promises regarding the coming of the Messiah. God has been faithful to His hope and they accept enjoyed, so far every bit an unconverted person tin can savor the blessings and advantages that come up from these promises existence fulfilled. A. W. Pink observed, these readers "could not say with Jeremiah, 'Your words were found and I did eat them' (Jeremiah xv:xvi)." Of Herod it is written that he heard John the Baptist and "enjoyed listening to him" (Marking half dozen:20), just he did not repent and even had John murdered.

"Powers of the age to come up"

The new dispensation ushered in past the Messiah according to the Old Testament prophesies has now arrived. They saw the miraculous power of the mighty God at work in the person of Jesus Christ. The "historic period to come" was already upon them because Christ has come up. "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand" (Marker 1:15). Non only has God spoken "in these last days" to u.s. in His Son, but He has acted (Heb. one:ii). The principles of this new age are active at the present time through the operation of the Holy Spirit. The Christian enjoys a genuine foretaste of the powers of the historic period to come, and volition to a more than glorious magnitude at the consummation when Christ returns a second fourth dimension. However, these unbelievers had witnessed personally the miracles of Christ, and the wonders of Pentecost. They were at present without excuse. They saw all the bear witness that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Son of God and refused to fully commit themselves to Him.

"And and so fallen away"

This is a very potent emphatic statement made by the author of Hebrews. The give-and-take used here is unlike from apostasia which was used earlier. It is parapipto and it ways literally "to fall alongside." It is a deliberate, complete and final repudiation of Christ. There is no forgiveness for this sin. Information technology is a last rejection of Christ. So it is incommunicable to renew them again to repentance. Their status is beyond recovery. Since they have rejected the atoning sacrifice of Christ in that location is no other gospel to be preached. They have rejected the one sacrifice that can save from sin. It is a total abandonment of Christianity. Therefore, it is "impossible to renew them again unto repentance" those who take totally abandoned the gospel of Jesus Christ. The "impossibility" is used absolutely hither, without whatsoever qualification. It is impossible to water it downwards. F. F. Bruce notes, "to say that they cannot be brought to repentance so long as they persist in their renunciation of Christ would be a truism hardly worth putting into words." There is no possibility of their restoration "since they over again crucify to themselves the son of God and put Him to open shame" (five. vii).

This is how serious this betrayment is. The effect of falling abroad is to re-crucify Christ and put Him to open shame. When Christ went to the cross and died as our substitute He died to make us right with God. When nosotros turn our backs on Him and return to the world we are saying the globe is more worthy than the beloved of Christ. We are proverb in effect that we concur with those who crucified Christ.

The writer is not describing recidivism Christians or believers who have fallen into sin. Fifty-fifty Peter who denied Christ three times was "renewed unto repentance." The sin described in this passage is not the sin of a believer, but the open total renunciation of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Peter experienced the work of the Holy Spirit in his heart because he was a true believer. The unbeliever does non feel this kind of change in the center.

The Bible is emphatic that the grace and forgiveness of sins and cleansing in the blood of Christ is freely available to every believer who sins and comes to Him confessing them (Heb. 4:14-sixteen; 10:19-22; 1 John ane:7-ten; two:1-2).

John Chocolate-brown said: it is "in open, total, determined renunciation of all the constituent principles of Christianity, and a return to a false religion, such as that of unbelieving Jews or heathens, or to open up infidelity and open godlessness."

The context of this passage of Scripture shows the willful sin described here is deliberate apostasy. These individuals are in danger of renouncing Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, and are ready to openly expose Him to public scandal of the cross. They are willing to stand in judgment of Christ and with the crowd shaking their fists and shouting, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" If they had their take a chance, they would crucify Him again. They accept reached a decisive moment of commitment to apostasy. Information technology is a point of no return. They accept reached the point where they keep on crucifying the Son of God and holding Him in contempt. There is no possible render.

John Calvin said, "The campaigner is not hither talking about theft or perjury or murder or drunkenness or adultery. He is referring to a complete falling away from the gospel, in which the sinner has offended God not in some one respect only simply has utterly renounced His grace."

To so decline Jesus Christ is to be eternally damned. They arrive at a spiritual country where they tin can no longer repent "since they once again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open up shame." In that location is no one else to turn to for conservancy.

"It is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame." This is a real warning confronting a real danger. It is true anytime there is a hardened heart of unbelief.

It is possible for those who are described in the language of verses iv and v to "fall abroad and not be renewed." The disquisitional question is were they ever built-in again? Were they ever saved?

They are not truthful Christians considering they have never been regenerated past the Holy Spirit. They are like land that has received its rain, merely bears no good fruit. Information technology is a land full of thorns and weeds. They have participated in worship services, the fellowship in the Christian community, just they are similar seed sown on rocky footing. At that place was no spiritual root and they savage away. They audio like Christians, simply something is severely missing. They are not saved, and if they are saved the author is presenting a hypothetical case for them to not return to the temple worship and therefore crucify Christ again.

Some scholars suggest if these Hebrews renounced their professed religion in Christ they would be going back to the old covenant and would exist irrevocably lost. Since in that location is no temple in Jerusalem today this sin cannot be committed today. There are no sacrifices or a system in which to return and then the sin involves abandoning the blazon for the fulfilled reality in Christ.

I return to my opening questions. If yous died today and stood before the Lord God and He asked you, "Why should I allow you into My heaven? What would you say? How would you reply to Him? This whole passage of Scripture nosotros are studying zeros in on this reality. What is your personal relationship with Jesus Christ? When the Holy Spirit applies the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ to depraved sinner the work of salvation cannot neglect. Those who are genuinely saved practice not fall away; they grow in the grace and noesis of Jesus Christ. Conservancy is God's piece of work; it is not man's work. God's work cannot fail to achieve its intended purpose. God never fails to complete His projection. Your salvation is His project and He will bring it to its completion at the twenty-four hour period of Christ (Phil. 1:three-6).

Perseverance in faith in Christ proves that yous have become a partaker in Christ. If you do not persevere in faith in Christ it proves yous never became a partaker in Christ. Yous may be very religious, but are withal lost. You may accept had great religious experiences, but have never been justified.

Ultimately simply the Lord knows who is saved.

There are individuals who misconstrue this passage to teach that in that location is no repentance after baptism and no forgiveness for Christian sinners. This faux teaching completely distorts the rest of the Scriptures such as 1 John 1:7-10. There is grace and forgiveness for every Christian who sins.  Stop and read carefully the following verses.

"If nosotros walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Calorie-free, we have fellowship with one another, and the claret of Jesus His Son cleanses u.s.a. from all sin. If we say that we take no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is non in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive u.s. our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we brand Him a liar and His word is non in the states" (i John 1:vii-10).

All who profess to receive the Gospel are non born again.

Judas Iscariot is an fantabulous example of a person who was in the presence of Christ, observed and experienced the great advantages of the Gospel, but never was regenerated. He had all the testify, simply evidently was never saved.

In our day nosotros would say they had their names on the church building rolls, but were never saved. They partook of the Lord'southward Supper, were baptized, enjoyed fellowship dinners at church, enjoyed the social benefits and trappings of religion, but were never regenerated past the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said: "Heed to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow; as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the route, and the birds came and ate information technology up. Other seed barbarous on the rocky ground where it did not accept much soil; and immediately information technology sprang up because it had no depth of soil. And after the lord's day had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell amidst the thorns, and the thorns came upward and choked it, and it yielded no ingather. Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, 60, and a hundredfold. And He was saying, He who has ears to hear, allow him hear" (Marking iv:3-9).

What kind of soil is represented in the eye of the true laic? What kind of soil is beingness described in our passage in Hebrews? Merely time reveals into what kind of soil the seed was planted. If it is expert soil it volition have an abundant harvest of good fruit. It volition bear Christ'southward likeness.

Some of the readers of the alphabetic character to the Hebrews never did vest to Christ; they were never spiritually regenerated. However, those who were truthful believers went on to spiritual maturity.

The Scriptures teach the perseverance of the saints.

Annotation advisedly, information technology is the perseverance of the saints, not unregenerate professors. Jesus said, All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the 1 who comes to Me I will certainly not bandage out" (John 6:37). The campaigner Paul wrote, "The Lord knows those who are His" (two Tim. 2:xix). Our salvation is guaranteed through all eternity by the mystery of the divine ballot.

Nosotros are kept by the power of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Information technology is the work of the Holy Spirit energizing the truthful Christian. Abiding in Christ maintains us in the presence of God. Jesus said, "I in yous, and yous in Me." Christ did not die in vain; He rose from the dead to show information technology.

They take been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, partaken of the Holy Spirit, tasted the goodness of the word of God and seen the mighty works of the coming age. Where is the evidence that they have been regenerated? It is the continuance in Christ'due south discussion which proves that we are His disciples. Information technology is continuing in the organized religion which demonstrates the reality of our profession.

Faith dies when it is separated from its object.

The sole object of our faith is Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our salvation.

What is your personal relationship with Jesus Christ? "Believe on the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved" (Acts sixteen:31).

If you need help in becoming a Christian hither is A Free Souvenir for You.

Title: Hebrews 6:4-vi Warnings against Crucifying Christ Again

Series:  Hebrews

	Web www.AbideInChrist.com

ruizvally1993.blogspot.com

Source: http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/heb6v4-6warningsagainstcrucifyingchristagain.html

Share this post