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NASB | Hebrews 6:9 ¶ But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Hebrews 6:9 ¶ But, beloved, even though we speak to you in this way, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and of things that accompany salvation. |
Bible Question:
Hebrews 6:4-6 has always been a problem text for a lot of people - myself included. There are two aspects that I ponder. The first is in relation to the concept that "it is impossible.....to renew them again to repentance" if they "fall away". I seek comments and opinions as to whether this means that those who renounce Christ or turn their backs on Him once they have been saved - can never again come to the cross in repentance. The second aspect is that if we sin, we "crucify again for themselves (ourselves) the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame". Does this mean that each time we sin Jesus must be re-crucified in order for us to come back to him? What degree of sin must we commit in order to make Christ suffer his death again each time we fall? Or is this simply a reminder that our sin hurts God deeply? I realize that this is one of the sore points between the Arminian and Calvinist views of salvation and it is a difficult passage, however I am currently in a Bible discussion group that is pondering this passage right now and I would appreciate any thoughts that anyone (Arminian or Calvinist) has on the passage. God Bless. |
Bible Answer: My dear friends. I want to thank all of you for your thoughtful comments. Even though many of them were made from a "theological" perspective involving interpretation of words and intent of phrases. I had hoped that the discussion would have been much deeper and richer from the heart than that and so I want to lay out my heart so that you can see where I am coming from on this issue. For me, this passage puts a lot of life's sorrows into proper perspective. When I think that I have a God who loves me with a perfect father love, who came into the experience of mankind and gave His life - make no mistake, this Jesus was God dying on the cross - so that He might love me with a perfect love and have a relationship with me (and us). There are times that He is hurt deeply - if you love deeply you can be hurt deeply, that's life - so deeply, in fact that it must seem like death to Him. As a race we are prone to our arrogance, sin and pride. We need little instruction about how to hurt someone close to us, let alone the Lord of our lives. How petty my own hurts become in that realization! But what moves me more than all is THAT HE DIED TO DRAW ME CLOSE TO HIMSELF AND HE WOULD BE WILLING TO DO IT AGAIN if it was necessary - if I cried out to Him. That love staggers me. I cannot imagine any gift in life as great as this love that God shows towards me. Yet I am the worst and most unlikely candidate to deserve that love. In the 50 or so years I have been aware that God loves me, the realization of the greatness of that love grows each day. I have received gifts I didn't deserve. I have been corrected by a Father who loves me deeply. I have lived my life in His shadow - in the shadow of the cross, knowing that He would do it all again to draw me to Him. When I read Hebrews 6:4-6, my tears flow. What a wonderful Savior, Father and friend He is to me. I tell Him every morning that I cannot live without Him and that I humbly accept the love He has for me. That is my interpretation of this passage. |