Cinder Fall Who Are You Again

April 04, 2022 Post a Comment

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

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

The eye of Hebrews chapter six forces us to ask the question, practise y'all have eternal life? Are you saved? Y'all are either lost or saved. You either have eternal life or you do non. In whom or what are you trusting for eternal salvation?

The salvation Jesus procured for usa 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. We know a person is a true believer considering he volition persevere. The true believer will go along trusting Christ. He will go on to spiritual maturity in a growing relationship with God in Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 6:i-6 contains some of the severest language in the Bible. The author of Hebrews has a style of causing his readers to terminate, look, and heed. He wants them to take a serious look and evaluate their personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He warns against false security and all forms of religious deception, especially religious experiences that do not produce spiritual maturity and Christlikeness.

"Therefore leaving the simple didactics most the Christ, let united states of america press on to maturity, not laying over again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of pedagogy about 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 case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the historic period to come, and and so have fallen away, information technology is impossible to renew them once more to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings along vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is as well tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if information technology yields thorns and thistles, information technology is worthless and close to existence cursed, and information technology ends up being burned" (Hebrews half dozen:1-eight, NASB95). All Scriptures are from New American Standard Bible, 1995 Update unless otherwise noted).

Alert against consequences of apostasy (Heb. 6:four-8)

The context demonstrates that someone in the congregation had great religious experiences, then the aforementioned person falls away and re-crucifies Christ past 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 not denying great blessings and highly religious experiences. And in spite of all these spiritual blessings and experiences this person falls away. He turns abroad from Christ, the Spirit and the powers of the age to come.

It is helpful to remember this is one of the virtually disputed passages in the New Testament. In that location is no perfect estimation of this passage because nosotros practice not have all of the background on the get-go readers of this letter. Every interpreter is influenced past his theological background. I take tried to approach this passage in its context without bias and in harmony with the teaching of the whole Bible. At that place are basically 4 different interpretations by Bible believing scholars.

Iv interpretations

i. Some scholars interpret this passage as saved persons who later lose their salvation. They view this passage every bit people who are born again, simply lose their conservancy by deliberate apostasy. This view fails to adequately consider the context of the book of Hebrews, and balance the Bible's teaching on ballot and eternal security (John x:26-xxx; Rom. eight:28-xxx; Phil. 1:3-v). The author offers no hope to the backslider. Information technology definitely does not teach that conservancy tin be lost and regained many times. You are either saved or lost. You are a kid of God, or you are not.

two. Another group interprets this passage as saved persons who backslide. They describe them as saved, but fall into sin and lose their rewards in heaven. They endure the "sin unto death" (1 John 5:16), and stand at the judgment seat of Christ without rewards. The trouble is these people cannot be reclaimed according to this passage in Hebrews. They cannot outset over. In that location is no such matter as being saved a 2nd time. Y'all are either saved, or lost.

3. Another popular view is a hypothetical case is being presented by the writer to illustrate the recklessness of apostasy. These individuals are truly regenerated are under force per unit area to return to Judaism, but why would they always desire to give up their perfect standing with God in Christ? To turn from Christ would merely provide the show that they had never been born again. B. F. Westcott observed, "At that place is nix to show that the atmospheric condition of fatal apostasy had been fulfilled, still less that they had been fulfilled in the example of whatsoever of these addressed." W. H Griffith-Thomas said, "The passage is apparently a supposed case to correct their wrong ideas, and the argument seems to be that if it were possible for those who have had the experiences of verses 4-6 to fall away, it would be impossible to renew them unless Christ died a second time."

4. Other scholars see this passage as professing Christians who accept never been saved. They are lost and unregenerate fifty-fifty though they take had keen emotional religious experiences. They have been inoculated with a form of Christianity, but it is not the real thing. They take heard the bulletin of Good News, they accept observed miracles, seen the piece of work of the Holy Spirit in the congregation, have had emotional experiences, but like the seed of the sower planted on rocky ground have never been regenerated. The apostasy referred to is the last rejection of Christ. They have rejected the substitutionary penal sacrifice of Jesus Christ for their sins. They were sympathizers to the Gospel, but never believed in their hearts and therefore never saved.

Can a person be a "partaker of the Holy Spirit" and not exist justified? Was this person who falls away like this ever truly saved or justified or born again? Critical to this whole context in Hebrews six is can y'all be a partaker of the Holy Spirit and the give-and-take of God and the powers of the historic period to come and not be justified? Can you lose your eternal position before God as a truly justified person and and then be lost? Or is this passage teaching that you can have these not bad religious emotional experiences as described in verses 4-five 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:xiii-20; John five:24; 10:26-30; Rom. 8:28-39; Phil. 1:3-5). How do we reconcile these clear teachings with this passage? How do we hold fast to the unerring integrity of the Scripture?

In Hebrews 6:1-3 the writer has been encouraging his readers to go on to maturity. Clearly he is addressing believers in the opening verses of this affiliate. Now we run across him irresolute his focus to requite a stern alarm to those who accept to turn abroad from Christ.

"For it is impossible, in the instance of those who have one time been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and take tasted the goodness of the give-and-take of God and the powers of the historic period to come, and then have 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 upward to antipathy" (Hebrews half dozen:four-6, ESV).

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

To whom is the writer addressing when he says, "For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who were in one case enlightened"? The author does not say, "us who were one time aware," nor "y'all," but "those who accept once been enlightened." He draws a sharp contrast between "Beloved, we are persuaded ameliorate things of you," and this passage. It is true they enjoyed swell privileges under Judaism, but they were not true Christians. They are not spoken of as God's elect, for whom Christ died, or as those born of the Spirit of God. The passage does not speak of their being justified, forgiven, cleansed and accepted in the Beloved. Neither is anything said of their faith in Christ, nor obedience to Him. There is no indication that they were children of God.

A critical word in the interpretation of this passage is adunatos translated "incommunicable" in all of our accurate English translations. It is also used in Hebrews 6:18 where the author tells united states it is impossible for God to lie, In Hebrews 10:4 it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins, and in Hebrews 11:6 nosotros are told that without organized religion it is impossible to delight God. Hither information technology reads, "For information technology is impossible . . . to renew them over again to repentance." The word "renew" must also be taken with its total pregnant. Repentance is the work of the Holy Spirit on the eye of the individual. The Holy Spirit brings nigh this change in the listen that affects the whole person.

They had "once been enlightened"

"Enlightened" (photizo) "to requite light, to smooth;" metaphorically means spiritual enlightenment. They had received spiritual light or noesis past teaching. They had been instructed in the teachings of the gospel to some extent. Does it fall brusque of the spiritual enlightenment which transforms and regenerates? "Only nosotros all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the celebrity of the Lord, are existence transformed into the aforementioned epitome from glory to celebrity, just as from the Lord, the Spirit" (ii Corinthians 3:18). There is a large deviation between being enlighten and regenerated. Where is the submission to the enlightenment they had received?

"Tasted of the heavenly gift"

They have to a sure degree understood the truths, simply not gone on to appropriate them. Jesus said, "This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, and so that 1 may consume of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down out of sky; if anyone eats of this bread, he will alive forever; and the staff of life also which I volition give for the life of the globe is My flesh." Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, "How tin can this man requite usa His flesh to swallow?" Then Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, 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 last twenty-four hour period. For My mankind is truthful nutrient, and My blood is true drinkable. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him" (John 6:fifty-56). His Jewish listeners took offense 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 souvenir comes from heaven and leads us to sky. Therefore, I am inclined to think of this gift as Christ. He is the Begetter'southward gift from heaven and His goal is to take usa to heaven to be with Him. The individuals in view had an acquaintance with Christ, but had never fabricated a commitment once and for all to Him. Jesus said, "The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the discussion and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is just temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away" (Matthew 13:20-21).

"Take been made partakers of the Holy Spirit"

The word for "partakers" or "have shared" here is metochos and means "to have a share in" or simply "companions." John Chocolate-brown wrote: "It is highly probable that the inspired author refers primarily to the miraculous gifts and operations of the Holy Spirit by which the primitive dispensation of Christianity was administered. These gifts were past no means confined to those who were 'transformed past the renewing of their minds.' . . . . At whatsoever rate they plainly evidence that their possession and an unregenerate state were by no means incompatible." Several scholars note the word "partakers" does not hateful to possess the Holy Spirit in the sense of His indwelling the laic. The thought of the permanent abiding presence of the Spirit is non included in the give-and-take for partake.

Simon Magus in Acts 8:8-xviii is a skillful example of someone who "partakers" but in the post-obit decades became detrimental to Biblical Christianity. He was non a true believer; he just used Christianity for his own personal gain.

"Accept tasted the good word of God"

They understood the promises regarding the coming of the Messiah. God has been faithful to His promise and they take enjoyed, so far as an unconverted person can enjoy the blessings and advantages that come from these promises being fulfilled. A. W. Pinkish observed, these readers "could non say with Jeremiah, 'Your words were establish and I did eat them' (Jeremiah 15:sixteen)." Of Herod information technology is written that he heard John the Baptist and "enjoyed listening to him" (Mark 6:20), but he did not repent and even had John murdered.

"Powers of the historic period to come"

The new dispensation ushered in by the Messiah according to the Erstwhile Testament prophesies has at present arrived. They saw the miraculous ability of the mighty God at work in the person of Jesus Christ. The "age to come" was already upon them because Christ has come up. "The fourth dimension is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at paw" (Mark i:15). Not only has God spoken "in these terminal days" to us in His Son, but He has acted (Heb. 1:2). The principles of this new age are agile at the present time through the functioning of the Holy Spirit. The Christian enjoys a genuine foretaste of the powers of the age to come, and will to a more than glorious magnitude at the consummation when Christ returns a second fourth dimension. Yet, these unbelievers had witnessed personally the miracles of Christ, and the wonders of Pentecost. They were now without excuse. They saw all the evidence that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Son of God and refused to fully commit themselves to Him.

"And then fallen abroad"

This is a very strong emphatic statement fabricated by the author of Hebrews. The word used here is unlike from apostasia which was used earlier. It is parapipto and it means literally "to autumn alongside." Information technology is a deliberate, complete and terminal repudiation of Christ. In that location is no forgiveness for this sin. It is a final rejection of Christ. Then it is incommunicable to renew them again to repentance. Their condition is beyond recovery. Since they accept rejected the atoning sacrifice of Christ in that location is no other gospel to exist preached. They have rejected the i sacrifice that tin save from sin. It is a total abandonment of Christianity. Therefore, it is "incommunicable to renew them again unto repentance" those who have totally abandoned the gospel of Jesus Christ. The "impossibility" is used absolutely here, without any qualification. It is impossible to water it downwardly. F. F. Bruce notes, "to say that they cannot be brought to repentance and then long as they persist in their renunciation of Christ would be a truism hardly worth putting into words." In that location is no possibility of their restoration "since they again excruciate to themselves the son of God and put Him to open shame" (v. seven).

This is how serious this apostasy is. The outcome of falling away 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 u.s.a. correct with God. When we turn our backs on Him and return to the world nosotros are saying the earth is more worthy than the love of Christ. We are saying in effect that we concur with those who crucified Christ.

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

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

John Brown said: information technology is "in open, total, determined renunciation of all the constituent principles of Christianity, and a return to a false religion, such every bit that of unbelieving Jews or heathens, or to open infidelity and open up godlessness."

The context of this passage of Scripture shows the willful sin described here is deliberate betrayment. 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 chance, they would excruciate Him once more. They have reached a decisive moment of delivery to apostasy. It is a point of no return. They take reached the point where they keep on crucifying the Son of God and property Him in antipathy. There is no possible render.

John Calvin said, "The apostle is non here talking well-nigh 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 1 respect simply but has utterly renounced His grace."

To and then turn down Jesus Christ is to exist eternally damned. They make it at a spiritual state where they can no longer repent "since they again excruciate to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame." There is no one else to turn to for salvation.

"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 existent warning against a real danger. It is truthful anytime there is a hardened center of unbelief.

It is possible for those who are described in the language of verses iv and v to "fall away and not be renewed." The critical question is were they always born over again? Were they e'er saved?

They are non true Christians considering they have never been regenerated past the Holy Spirit. They are similar country that has received its pelting, merely bears no skillful fruit. It is a country total of thorns and weeds. They accept participated in worship services, the fellowship in the Christian community, simply they are like seed sown on rocky basis. At that place was no spiritual root and they vicious away. They audio like Christians, but something is severely missing. They are not saved, and if they are saved the author is presenting a hypothetical case for them to non return to the temple worship and therefore crucify Christ again.

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

I return to my opening questions. If you lot died today and stood earlier the Lord God and He asked you, "Why should I let you into My heaven? What would you lot say? How would you respond to Him? This whole passage of Scripture we 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 do not fall away; they abound in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Salvation is God'south work; it is not man'south work. God's piece of work cannot fail to achieve its intended purpose. God never fails to complete His project. Your conservancy is His project and He will bring information technology to its completion at the mean solar day of Christ (Phil. i:iii-6).

Perseverance in religion in Christ proves that you have get a partaker in Christ. If you practice non persevere in faith in Christ it proves y'all never became a partaker in Christ. Yous may be very religious, but are still lost. You may accept had great religious experiences, but have never been justified.

Ultimately but the Lord knows who is saved.

In that location are individuals who distort this passage to teach that there is no repentance after baptism and no forgiveness for Christian sinners. This false teaching completely distorts the rest of the Scriptures such as ane John i:7-10. There is grace and forgiveness for every Christian who sins. Stop and read carefully the post-obit verses.

"If nosotros walk in the Calorie-free every bit He Himself is in the Low-cal, we have fellowship with ane another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses u.s. from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in usa. 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 make Him a liar and His give-and-take is non in us" (1 John 1:7-10).

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

Judas Iscariot is an excellent case 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 bear witness, but obviously was never saved.

In our twenty-four hours we would say they had their names on the church building rolls, but were never saved. They partook of the Lord's Supper, were baptized, enjoyed fellowship dinners at church building, enjoyed the social benefits and trappings of organized religion, simply were never regenerated by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said: "Mind to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow; as he was sowing, some seed fell abreast the road, and the birds came and ate information technology up. Other seed fell 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 subsequently the sun had risen, information technology was scorched; and because information technology had no root, it withered abroad. Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. Other seeds savage into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a ingather and produced 30, sixty, and a hundredfold. And He was proverb, He who has ears to hear, let him hear" (Marker 4:three-ix).

What kind of soil is represented in the centre of the true believer? What kind of soil is being described in our passage in Hebrews? Merely fourth dimension reveals into what kind of soil the seed was planted. If it is skilful soil it volition have an arable harvest of good fruit. It will bear Christ's likeness.

Some of the readers of the letter to the Hebrews never did belong 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.

Note advisedly, it is the perseverance of the saints, not unregenerate professors. Jesus said, All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I volition certainly non cast out" (John 6:37). The campaigner Paul wrote, "The Lord knows those who are His" (2 Tim. 2:19). Our salvation is guaranteed through all eternity by the mystery of the divine election.

We are kept by the power of God through faith in Christ Jesus. It is the work of the Holy Spirit energizing the true Christian. Abiding in Christ maintains the states in the presence of God. Jesus said, "I in you, and you in Me." Christ did not die in vain; He rose from the dead to prove it.

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 historic period. Where is the testify that they have been regenerated? It is the continuance in Christ's discussion which proves that nosotros are His disciples. Information technology is continuing in the religion which demonstrates the reality of our profession.

Faith dies when information technology is separated from its object.

The sole object of our organized religion 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 16:31).

If you need assist in becoming a Christian here is A Free Souvenir for Yous.

Title: Hebrews 6:4-six Warnings against Crucifying Christ Over again

Series: Hebrews