A few disclaimers: (1) I don’t believe in once saved always saved and then go out and live a life of debauchery and so on. (2) I don’t believe a person can be truly saved and go in and our of salvation because of some sin committed. (3) But I do believe that once saved a believer is kept by the power of God through faith (1 Pet 1:5; Jude 1, 20-21, 24). Now to Hebrews 6:4-6:
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. (TNIV)
Whatever we make of these verses, the writer of these verses adds a disclaimer:
Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. (v. 9, TNIV)
So he was not speaking about the Christians to whom he was writing. Believers don’t go in and out of salvation—today they’re in, but tomorrow they’re out.
You made that crystal clear. I agree 100%.
Where you are going to run into problems with your interpretation is that these people are described as having shared in the Holy Spirit. Now I don’t know what your pneumatology is like but mine says that really the Holy Spirit is THE guarantee that we are saved. It is the down payment/guarantee of what is to come. If we can’t trust that then what can we trust? Now admittedly my pneumatology is rather Pauline and I’m not sure it’s completely compatible with the pneumatology of Hebrews but still the inclusion of the sharing of the Holy Spirit in this passage makes it really difficult for me to come to the conclusion that these people who might have fallen away weren’t at one time considered true believers… even by God.
Way to keep up the controversial topics ; )
Bryan
Stan, I’m depending on the text of Scripture here.
Bryan, my pneumatology is also Pauline, but I really don’t see a biblical fallout between the Hebrew writer and Paul. We have a disclaimer to work with (v.9).
Now in Pauline thought the Holy Spirit is the believer’s seal, showing ownership, authentication, and protection. Now that’s hard to undo.
“I really don’t see a biblical fallout between the Hebrew writer and Paul.”
I don’t either. I believe they both thought that someone could fall off the path of salvation and lose the prize and as long as they were on that path they would be considered believers or saved but once they no longer were running the race then they were no longer believers or saved.
Now that’s hard to undo
“Hard” is not impossible : )
Bryan
Bryan L, I believe we have a clash of our understanding of soteriololy and pneumatology going on here. I don’t believe Paul teaches that a true believer can lose their salvation. And the Hebrew writer adds a disclaimer to 6:4-6 in v. 9.
If you don’t mind, but where does Paul teach that a believer can be lost.
I’m staying out of this one other than to say that I agree with TC.
But just for some fodder here is a list I have for persevering in the faith:
Rom 11:22
Gal 5:2-4
1 Cor 15:1-2
That last one is sketchy.
Jeff
TC: He presupposes they can fail to complete the race of salvation by the warnings and admonitions that he gives (sorry I don’t have the time to look them up and list them although I trust you are familiar with many if not most of them).
BTW I don’t think it’s helpful to use language such as “lost” or “lose” since these don’t seem to be words the NT authors employ in talking about salvation (i.e. lose your salvation). To do so imports other theological baggage and presuppositions into the discussion that causes confusion… I think.
A problem I see is that in arguing that people who clearly seem to be believers and who even experienced the marks of being in the people of God (the gift of the Holy Spirit) were never saved in the first place because they didn’t continue in the faith then you risk taking away any confidence we may have for knowing we in Chrirst saved since there is no evidence we can point to.
Also I don’t see how v. 9 really supports what you are saying. He just seems to be saying that he’s more hopeful that the “Hebrews” will persevere in their faith. Although I haven’t cracked any commentaries open so who knows.
Bryan
I’ll jump in this one!
I like to believe that Paul did write Hebrews, but even if he didn’t, I don’t think this passage supports an “in today, out tomorrow” soteriology, or a “never saved to begin with” soteriology either. It’s talking about apostates. Apostates don’t return to the faith, that’s why they’re apostate! The writer (Paul 
) has better hopes for his audience, not because they’re Christians and the apostates weren’t, but because they “still do” (RSV) work and show love in serving the saints for his sake (vs. 10).
Jeff, you’re already in with those Scripture references.
Bryan L, I understand what you’re saying about those baggage words, if you will.
Well, the warnings and admonitions could point in two directions: (1) because he believes believers could lose their salvation, or (2) because he believes believers could lose rewards and discredit themselves from useful service in the the kingdom. I’m of the latter position.
Heb 6:9 seems to be saying more than what you’re saying. He mentions nothing about persevering in their faith in that verse.
Besides, “we are convinced” represents a perfect tense, conveying a prior conviction of the writer about his readers. I take it as an editorial “we.”
Nick, I’m glad you jumped in. Let’s make a deal to ask Paul about who wrote Hebrews.
Let’s say Paul wrote Hebrews. It seems like he would be contradicting what he already says about one’s salvation in Romans 8, that no one or nothing shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
But let’s say also that Paul teaches that a believer can become unsaved (Bryan L, would that work?), then he’s also saying that such a person could never regain their salvation.
I’m basically of the opinion that the author of Hebrews is offering real warnings, and that true believers cannot lose their salvation. I can’t get around the fact that the situation the author of Hebrews is imagining is that of those who have been “enlightened” and have “tasted of the heavenly gift” and “shared in the holy spirit.” I take this, then to be a real warning: Don’t fall away!
I don’t think this goes against the idea of the perseverance of the saints- mainly because God always has a means to achieve the ends. The elect just don’t come to faith- their must be a means, i.e. the Gospel. The warning passages seem to me to be a means to an end: the glorification of the foreknown and predestined elect. The warnings convict us and move us to persevere in other words.
This doesn’t endanger the disclaimer, because the author knows that those who are truly saved will heed his warning and persevere. I think it is even more apparent in Chapter 10, where he warns those who ‘received the light’ (v. 32, which is linked to the warning before it) to persevere in light of the warnings (v. 35-36).
I’m basically of the opinion that the author of Hebrews is offering real warnings, and that true believers cannot lose their salvation.
I don’t understand how these can be real warnings directed at believers, knowing that they cannot lose their salvation. If real, then they have a smoke screen affect.
But I cannot ignore your use of Heb 10:32, 35-36.
As I said, it seems to be a means by which true believers won’t lose their salvation. The holy spirit can use these warnings to convict us of when we are not walking in obedience.
The situation seems to be the reverse for me. If they aren’t used as a means by which the true believers persevere (and note, of course, that it perseverance!), then I don’t see what the inclusion of the warnings would be for. It certainly doesn’t edify believers if its not meant for them, and seems to have no place in the scriptures. Either way, it seems to be a bit of a smoke screen- we just have to decide which side of the screen we want to view it from: real or hypothetical warnings
TC: There’s two ways to address that:
(1) ἀνασταυροῦντας and παραδειγματίζοντας are both present active participles, so it is impossible to renew the person to repentance for as long as they continue in ‘crucifying’ the Son of God and ‘publicly disgracing’ him, but theoretically it might be possible that they could stop such actions. If that were the case then repentence would be possible.
(2) It really is impossible to renew an apostate to repentence and they can never regain the salvation that they forfeited.
Personally, I go with option #2. That seems to be the plain sense reading of the passage, and it’s not something I have a problem with. Like I said in the original comment, I don’t think this passage supports an “in today, out tomorrow [back in the day after that]” theology. I couldn’t imagine an apostate even seeking forgiveness and repentence.
Yeah my view is closer to Nicks that what is being spoken of is of apostasy. There is no “losing” going on here as much as it is willfully abandoning.
See Nick there are other things we agree on ; )
Bryan
Nick and Bryan L, I understand your point on the present participle. Now if these verses are teaching that true believers can fall away, then it must be in light of 1 Cor 9:27, being disqualified for further service.
Hi TC,
I must confess that I don’t really find these ‘ivory tower’ debates to be helpful, and please don’t take that as a personal criticism!
I find it helpful to look at Hebrews 3-6 and 1 Corinthians 10. If you are baptised then you are within the covenant community, you have been baptised into Christ. Being within the covenant means that you now have covenantal obligations.
Now think back to Israel; at the feast of Tabernacles a covenant renewal ceremony took place wherein Israel was reminded of the covenant Yahweh established with them and they were exhorted to walk in faithfulness to it. At this ceremony they sung Psalm 81 and Psalm 95 (have a quick read of them now!). It is also likely that the Torah psalms originated from this, e.g. Psalm 78:5-8:
“For He established a testimony in Jacob,
And appointed a law in Israel,
Which He commanded our fathers,
That they should make them known to their children;
That the generation to come might know them,
The children who would be born,
That they may arise and declare them to their children,
That they may set their hope in God,
And not forget the works of God,
But keep His commandments;
And may not be like their fathers,
A stubborn and rebellious generation,
A generation that did not set its heart aright,
And whose spirit was not faithful to God.”
Now read Deuteronomy 7:7-11,
“The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. “Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments; and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face. Therefore you shall keep the commandment, the statutes, and the judgments which I command you today, to observe them.”
Now as Paul writes, “our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.” That is, they were all within the covenant community, they had all been redeemed from Israel and they were all under the obligation to walk in faithful obedience to the commands of YHWH.
Yet Paul goes on to say, “Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.” We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
This shows that apostacy is very real, so what is our response. Is it to argue over the perseverence of the saints? No, it is to exhort on another to love and to good works. It is to celebrate Holy Communion, the covenant renewal ceremony of the Church, each week wherein we should be reminded of the covenant and law of God and be exhorted to faithful obedience to it.
We need to be reminded of our duty, and that God will work in us to do of his good pleasure. Moreover we need to recall the words of Peter,
“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
God bless!
Enns, Peter E. (1993) “Creation and Re-Creation: Psalm 95 and its Interpretation in Hebrews 3:1-4:13,” Westminster Theological Journal 55 pp.255-80.
Mathewson, D. (1999) “Reading Heb 6:4-6 in Light of the Old Testament”, Westminster Theological Journal 61 pp. 209-25.
I’m confused Richard at what is “Ivory Tower” about this debate? What is unhelpful about this particularly “Ivory Tower” debate and why if debates like this one are unhelpful in the manner they were being carried out before you entered it (in an Ivory Tower fashion) did you leave the longest comment with a short bibliography?
Bryan
Bryan,
It may be because we move in different Christian circles but in conservative British evangelicalism these types of discussions boil down to the old Arminianism v. Calvinism debates which I have seen divide congregations, yes indeed Arminians berating the minister who dared preach a Calvinist sermon etc. All very unhelpful, indeed.
Hence debates that degenerate into the old Arminianism v. Calvinism are very unhelpful because it is just one ism verses another, hence ivory tower. If we move from the intellectual sphere to what does Hebrews mean ‘in what I do’ then both Arminians and Calvinists will agree with one another. We are to live holy lives. That is what the writer of Hebrews was writing to exhort his readers to do.
If we focus on the practical implications of the verses then we can all unite, rather than divide when we look at the verses from our systematic theology.
Richard, at some point we have to debate some texts of Scripture. A person’s presuppositions about a particular text are unavoidable. I respect that.
First, allow me to say that I agree with TC and his understanding of Hebrews 6:4-6.
Second, I don’t believe verses 4-5 are addressed to true believers in Christ. These verses describe the person who knows the truth and who comes to the door of salvation and then willfully turns away. A person can be enlightened (etc) and not be truly saved. The “test” of true salvation is final perseverance (Heb 10:39). In fact I would argue that final perseverance as evidence of true salvation is one of the main points the writer of Hebrews, who cannot be Paul btw, makes (Heb 2:1-4, 3:5-6, 3:14, 4:11, 6:1-12, 10:19-39, 12:1-3, 12:14-29).
I think that is what makes the warning passages in Hebrews so frightening. Just because we profess to be saved does not mean we are and there will be plenty of people surprised when they are turned away at the day of judgment (Matt 7:21-23). The Christian life is not, contrary to what many popular teachers claim, a bed of roses on which we can lay down, kick up our feet, and do nothing. We have rest in our relationship with the Lord and if our relationship with the Lord is real we will persevere to the end. If our relationship with the Lord is not real, if we are fooling ourselves and others, then we will fall away at some point and/or be turned away on judgment day. People who think we are “once saved, always saved” and that they can “get saved” and live in sin are deceived (Eph 5:3-7) and their place will be in hell (Rev 21:8).
In Christ,
Martin.
Thanks, Martin. “Perseverance is the test of faith.” I don’t believe if we read Hebrews we can disagree with you on that.
Acknowledging that, is not the best course of action to exhort one another to obedience. Whether a true believer can fall or not is somewhat besides the point, we desire no-one to fall so let’s exhort all to believe and once they profess to believe, exhort them to keep believing!!
[Try chapter 4 of this]
Well, I believe we need to let the text of Hebrews address these issues.
TC, you wrote in comment 3 “I’m depending on the text of Scripture here.” But actually you seem to be depending on the text of TNIV. Now TNIV is usually a great translation, but like any translation it has to make judgment calls e.g. about what the meaning is of a participle. You discussed one such example a few days ago. This is another one.
Here TNIV interprets the present participle in verse 6 as a separate sentence, starting oddly with “To their loss”. But as Nick suggests in comment 14, these participles can quite easily be understood as attendant circumstances to what comes before – remembering that Greek phrase ordering can be very different from what we expect in English. So here are two modified TNIV renderings of verse 6 which might get us closer to the meaning:
The first suggestion implies that this verse is not about ordinary falling away but about a very deliberate and public rejection of Jesus. The second suggests that restoration is possible but only after a real change of behaviour.
TC, with respect, you say that “we need to let the text of Hebrews address these issues” yet you prefix your discussion by stating three “disclaimers” which means you then are limiting your exegesis by these disclaimers.
Which is one of the big reasons that, as I argue, we should just simply step back from the text, ignore the systematics, and obey its warning.
The debate is whether a true believer can fall away, but the true believer is made known by his not falling away, so we need to be exhorting all believers not to fall away. That was Paul’s practice.
Paul did not say; “Well chaps, even though we both know that you can’t fall away I really should tell you to be careful that you don’t fall away, even though you can’t anyway”.
May be I am missing something.
I totally missed some of what Nick was arguing for in comment #14.
The TNIV did correct the NIV’s conditional take on the participle parapesontas, but you think they have messed up on anastaurountas.
With your first option, anastaurountas is seen as a participle of means, while your second option takes it as temporal. Now those options are possible.
But the TNIV’s rendering could actually be correct when we take the sole article tous into consideration, for it governs a series of five participles, which I think should be treated as substantival participles.
Richard, but we cannot ignore presuppositons when approaching such a debated text. I had to add the disclaimers. I see the issue as one of those tensions in Scripture.
Thanks, TC. I don’t say that TNIV is wrong, just that there are alternatives which need to be considered.
I had not compared TNIV with NIV, which shows interesting changes. NIV links the last sentence of verse 6 with what precedes with “because”, with a footnote alternative “while”. I guess the TNIV translators sought to retain this ambiguity by making a separate sentence, but unfortunately ended up leaving it as no more than a disconnected comment.
TC, what is the practical application of Hebrews 6:4-6?
Thanks for the clarification, Peter. I think I missed some of what you were actually saying.
Yeah, the disconnect is there. But how can TNIV translators honor the substantival participle without such disconnect?
You’re correct about “to their loss.” It’s quite interpretive.
Richard, I see the section as a call to perseverance in the faith. I believe a few of the commenters made that point. I agree with them.
TC, I’m not sure if your question was meant to be rhetorical, but here is a possible answer although it does make the sentence long and ungainly:
Peter, that’s a possibility, but your take on the participle seems ambiguous. Should it be understood as temporal, “while”?
Here’s my take:
I’m taking the participle as grounds/cause.
I see the section as a call to perseverance in the faith
With that in mind, does it matter whether Heb 6:4-6 is or is not about true believers? You see, we would disagree over that but we both agree on the practical implications.
That is good, Richard.
This whole discussion is the jist of a major discussion/conversation in presbyterianism today called the Federal Vision. A good bit of NT Wright involved here as well.
We maybe should not be so focused on our personal salvation (being in or out at a particular time) but be focused on persevering if that makes sense.
Hebrews 6:4-6
1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits.4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. (Hebrews 6:1-6)
This is a weighty topic and it is not easily explained in few words. I want you to understand the meaning of this passage, so think with me here. Before we begin, the primary intended readers of the book of Hebrews were Jews. The basic theme of the book is the superiority of Christianity over Judaism. You see that theme all throughout the book. The point of the book of Hebrews is the superiority of Christ over all things. All throughout the book you see the writer emphasizing this. At the beginning of the book Jesus is superior to Angels. Then it talks about how He’s superior to the prophets: Moses, Joshua, Aaron, the sacrifices, the priesthood of Aaron. Jesus is superior to everything. That is the theme of the book.
In this passage the point is whether you are a Jew still holding to Judaism, or a Jew who has embraced Christianity. It is not talking about losing salvation. This passage is clearly talking about Jewish people who are not saved. Look at the very beginning of verse 1: “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity.” That word “maturity” also translated as “perfection” is always used in the book of Hebrews to speak of salvation. It is never used to mean spiritual maturity, always salvation. Let’s take a look and see:
Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise. (Hebrews 7:11)
What does this verse mean? It means that if salvation were attainable through the Old Covenant priesthood, there would be no need for Jesus. It is speaking of salvation. Look at verse 19:
18 For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. (Hebrews 7:18-19)
Again, the Old Testament Covenant is set aside because by it, no one was saved. The Old Testament law was merely a picture of the Lamb of God who would actually save His people. Here’s another:
For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14)
This verse is saying that by His death, Jesus Christ perfected forever those who are being sanctified. Sanctification is the process in which we become more like Jesus. It is our constant progression toward spiritual maturity. We see here that the word “perfected” is not referring to spiritual maturity. Christ perfected (or saved) those who are growing in spiritual maturity. Were you spiritually mature the instant you trusted Christ? Absolutely not. This is another instance where the word translated “maturity” or “perfection” is referring to salvation. You will find that such is always the case in Hebrews.
So, let’s return to our text. In the beginning of verse 1 we have, “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity.” The writer of Hebrews is saying, “Leave the teachings of Christ and get saved!” I know, this raises an interesting question. How in the world does one leave the doctrine of Christ and move on to salvation? Isn’t the doctrine of Christ the basic foundation of salvation? For the Gentile believer, yes. But for the Jew, absolutely not. You see, the word “Christ” is not a reference to Jesus. In the Hebrew langauage the word Christ literally means “Messiah.” The writer of Hebrews says here, “Leave the elementary teachings of the Messiah and come to perfection in Jesus!” This statement would never be made to a Christian, therefore we know that this passage is not intended for Christians! The writer is speaking to Jews who have been around the gospel so long that they should be teachers of it (Hebrews 5:12), yet they are so caught up in the tradition of the Old Tesament Covenant that they have not converted to Christianity.
Continue with the rest of verse 1 and through verse 2:
“Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. “
Repentance from dead works is not referring to salvation. Repentance is to turn away from something. That is an Old Testament concept. Old Testament repentance is turning away from sin, or dead works. New Testament salvation is turning away from sin and turning to Jesus Christ. This is not a reference to salvation. It is referring to turning away from the Old Testament concept of repentance. It’s like a half-way repentance. Turning from sin is not enough, you must turn to Jesus!
Next is faith toward God. It is not enough to believe in God. Is anyone saved because they believe in God? Absolutely not. In order to be saved you must believe in God, manifested in the flesh. This is the fundamental problem with Judaism. They believe in God, they just don’t accept Jesus as the Son of God. It’s like a half-way belief. Believing in God is not enough, you must believe in Jesus!
The next thing is the teachings about washings. Jewish tradition had all kinds of ceremonies of washings. The writer of Hebrews is saying to leave those teachings. It’s like a half-way washing. Ceremonial washings are not enough, you must be washed in Jesus!
Next is the laying on of hands. Because of the Jewish context, this is not a reference to the New Testament laying on of hands as a symbol of ordination. Instead, it is a reference to the Old Covenant sacrificial system found in Leviticus.
He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. (Leviticus 1:4)
And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and kill it at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall throw the blood against the sides of the altar. (Leviticus 3:2)
7 If he offers a lamb for his offering, then he shall offer it before the LORD, 8 lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it in front of the tent of meeting; and Aaron’s sons shall throw its blood against the sides of the altar. (Leviticus 3:7-8)
12 “If his offering is a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD 13 and lay his hand on its head and kill it in front of the tent of meeting, and the sons of Aaron shall throw its blood against the sides of the altar. (Leviticus 3:12-13)
He shall bring the bull to the entrance of the tent of meeting before the LORD and lay his hand on the head of the bull and kill the bull before the LORD. (Leviticus 4:4)
And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the LORD, and the bull shall be killed before the LORD. (Leviticus 4:15)
22 “When a leader sins, doing unintentionally any one of all the things that by the commandments of the LORD his God ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt, 23 or the sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring as his offering a goat, a male without blemish, 24 and shall lay his hand on the head of the goat and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the LORD; it is a sin offering. (Leviticus 4:22-24)
And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and kill the sin offering in the place of burnt offering. (Leviticus 4:29)
32 “If he brings a lamb as his offering for a sin offering, he shall bring a female without blemish 33 and lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and kill it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering. (Leviticus 4:32-33)
And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness. (Leviticus 16:21)
Before Old Testament sacrifices were made, the priest had to lay his hands on the sacrifice, identifying that animal with the sins that were being atoned for. This is the laying on of hands that is referred to in Hebrews 6:2.
Do you see what the writer is doing in these verses? He is saying, “Leave the half-way repentance of the Old Testament and turn to Jesus, leave the half-way belief in God and believe in His Son Jesus, leave the half-way ceremonial washings and be cleansed by Jesus, leave the half-way Old Testament sacrificial system and be joined to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus! The writer of Hebrews is telling these Jews to leave the ways of the Old Covenant and commit the the New Covenant in Jesus! Again we see the superiority of Jesus as the theme. This is not directed to Christians, this is a call of Jews to become Christians! Now let’s see how that applies to our “problem text”:
4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. (Hebrews 6:4-6)
Some will say that this means a believer can lose their salvation. If anyone says that is true, just point out to them that according to verse 6, they can never be saved again! If this is talking about a Christian, it says that once they have fallen away it is impossible to restore them to repentance. If this passage is talking about Christians, which it is not, once you lose your salvation you can never regain it. Nobody, not even those who believe you can lose your salvation, would allow for that.
But for us, we have seen that this passage is not talking to Christians. It is the writer of Hebrews persuading Jews to become Christians. It is written to unbelievers.
The Jews in this passage have received the full revelation of God. They “have been enlightened” (verse 4). This refers to the light through knowledge and teaching. The natural knowledge acquired through the senses. They have heard the gospel many times and they understood it fully. They comprehended it intellectually and were on the edge of decision. They knew it completely, yet they had not committed themselves to it.
They “have tasted the heavenly gift and have shared in the Holy Spirit” (verse 4). They saw first hand the miracles done by the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 2:4).
They “have tasted the goodness of the Word of God and the powers of the age to come” (verse 5). They had been around long enough that they should be teachers (Hebrews 5:12). They had the privilege of sitting under the Word of God on a consistent basis. They knew God’s word and understood it intellectually. They had the head knowledge, but had not committed themselves to it.
Here is the picture the writer of Hebrews is painting. These are Jewish unbelievers who have received the full revelation of God. They have known and understood the gospel, they have seen the work of the Holy Spirit first hand, they have been under the sound teaching of God’s word and understand it comprehensively. There is no further revelation for them to know. They have heard everything there is to hear about the gospel message. At this point, if they turn away from Jesus, back to their Old Testament traditions, it will be impossible for them to be brought to a condition of genuine repentance because they have rejected all the truth that there is! There is no more revelation to be seen, no more truth to be proclaimed. They have seen it all and comprehended it, yet they reject it and refuse to commit themselves to it. Therefore, they are hopeless and will never return to the edge of conversion.
The writer of Hebrews summarizes this section with an illustration:
7 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned. (Hebrews 6:7-8)
And so we see that the rain of God’s complete revelation has fallen on these people. In some it produces an abundant crop of genuine repentance and faith in Jesus. In others it produces the rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. Those who reject God’s revelation of His Son are cursed and thrown into the fire of Hell. This is not a warning to Christians about losing their salvation. This is a call for Jews to turn to Jesus and become Christians themselves!
By His Grace – For His Glory
Brandon