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NASB | Hebrews 6:4 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, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Hebrews 6:4 For [it is impossible to restore to repentance] those who have once been enlightened [spiritually] and who have tasted and consciously experienced the heavenly gift and have shared in the Holy Spirit, |
Bible Question: In Heb:6:4-6 it states that it is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirt, 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. Please tell me what this means? does this mean if we fall that we canot go back to God? I would appreciate it if someone could help me with these verses. Please help me understand what this means. Thank you Angala |
Bible Answer: Angala, Hebrews 6:6 has been a constant theme throughout the entire Bible. At the end of chapter 5, the writer tells his readers to get back to the basics and know the foundations of the faith. “…you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again” (5:12). So in that context, the writer briefly goes over it again, “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death…” (6:1). The fact of the matter is, if you truly repent in your heart and turn back to God, He will always forgive you and save you. Repentance and salvation is the basic theme in the Old Testament and in the New Testament (look at Israel, how many times they’ve turned away but in the end God will save them (Rom 11:26). So Hebrews 6:4-6 is applied to those who have fallen away and will NOT repent and turn back to God. So concerning the subject of “falling away” (Hebrews 6:6), the Bible never says nor gives the impression that once saved you are "always" saved, and that you’ll never ever be able to turn away from God and lose your salvation. (Yes, of course once you are IN heaven, you will be "always saved" - that's true eternal security!). Let’s face it, the experienced mentioned in 6:4-5 describe a person completely saved. You don’t become “enlightened” or “taste of the heavenly gift” or “share in the Holy Spirit” and not be saved. That is what being saved is all about. Plus, this entire passage speaks nothing of “non-commitment.” No offense to JVH0212(I love you and bless you), but the scriptures he/she gave, in their context, do not support anything concerning once saved always saved. The experiences described were to show how stupid they are to turn away from God after having HAD experienced all that! Why do you think there are so many warnings for those who might fall away or have fallen away? In fact, the Bible explicitly speaks of those who will fall away. The writer of Hebrews himself even warns his readers of it in chapter 3! “See to it brother, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that TURNS AWAY from the living God. But encourage one another daily… so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Heb 3:12). Paul warns Timothy, “Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme (1Tim 1:18-20)…“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons (1Tim 4:1),” and then also again in 1Timothy 6:21. Paul again writes Timothy and warns of these who have “wandered away from the truth”, “Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from truth (2Tim 2:17-18).” Paul knows these people who were once working with him and were saved but have fallen away. “Do you best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica (2 Tim 4:9).” Peter (the one who denied Jesus three times) wrote, “If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are AGAIN entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning (2Peter2:20).” Why would Jesus warn us of false prophets and teachers who will try to deceive us if we weren’t able to possibly turn away? (Matt 7:15; 24:4). To make a long subject short, why would God bring you to Heaven if you don’t want to go? I myself, have known close friends who have turned away from God because they would rather have the things of this world and sin; they no longer want to live for God nor do they even want to believe in Him anymore. That’s how deceived they are, and they were once so saved. We can’t read scripture through rose-colored glasses. So many people are going to hell living their lives of sin and wickedness thinking they’re going to heaven because they can’t lose their salvation. I use to be one of them. I thank God that He brought me back to repentance again. Just keep loving Jesus and continue living for Him, keep your eyes on Him and cast off all the junk that might hinder you from doing that (Heb 12:1-2). Jesus Liberation, nameless |