Bible Question: How can you believe there is no way of losing your salvation when reading Hebrews 6:4-6? It would seem to me that you can at least fall away? |
Bible Answer: Hello Zecharia7! Good Question! I will see if I can give you some ideas on how to "digest" this seeming difficult passage. First, let's take a look at the person who fits the criterium of this passage (I use NASB, NIV works too): v.4 1. who have once been enlightened 2. have tasted of the heavenly gift 3. partakers of the Holy Spirit v.5 4. tasted the good word of God 5. [have tasted] the powers of the age to come 6 have[ing] fallen away My primary arguement would be for these 6 situations is in the form of a question: Which of these experiences are defined as Salvation? Enlightenment? tasted of the Heavenly Gift? Partakers in [the work of] the Holy Spirit? Tasted the Good Word of God? Tasted the powers of the age to come? I think that there may be a stronger connection with people who go to church, but have never made the connection with their heart. They get very comfortable and people just associate the with being Christian. If this person then falls away, how can they come back? To what would they come back to? Can they repent to Jesus whom they never truely accepted in the first place? No, instead because they have called themselves Christians and have fallen away, they put the name of Christ to shame. It reminds me that all Christians should be sure of thier salvation as Paul says: Philippians 2:12: "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling," (NIV) I was not raised as a Christian but accepted Christ When I was 22 yrs old. I wonder how many people, who consider themselves Christians, have worked out thier salvation critically. Now, what I am NOT saying is that we should all doubt our salvation. Insted, critically take a look at our lives and ask ourselves if we really have that living growing dynamic relationship with Christ. If not. Why? Have you worked it out with God? With fear and trembling in the presence of God? I have been there (Not the pentecostal tremors). I have thought of what it means to follow Jesus and just how unworthy I am to get this salvation and I stand in AWE! Chief of sinners I come before God. Don't we all? Shouldn't we? Another arguement against this particular theology has to do with judgement. The Bible speaks many times to restore our brother. If the person is unrepententent, continue to reach them, then remove them from the fellowship of believers if they continue to remain in sin. Then it says to treat them as you would a non-christian. How then do we do that anyway? As an evangelical Christian should... with he Gospel. I do not know how this would fit into the faling away theology. In the falling away theology, the person loses thier salvation and are Damned to go to Hell forever, without the hope of salvation. Whew, what a judgement call! Jesus said we will be judged according to the measuring stick to which we measure others. When it comes to judging others as one who has "fallen away", i'm not touching it. I prefer to my choice over Judging the soul of another who once proclaimed Christ. I look forward to your reply. God's Blessings! Lewis. |