ARE YOU QUALIFIED FOR GOD'S REJECTION? — PART 2
ARE YOU QUALIFIED FOR GOD'S REJECTION? — PART 2
Hebrews 6:4–6 Is Talking About Something Much More Serious Than an Ordinary Failure
There is a difference between falling into sin and deliberately turning away from Christ after experiencing the profound realities of the Christian faith.
The Bible says:
“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
— 1 John 2:1 (KJV)
Notice the language John uses:
“And if any man sin.”
John was writing to believers. His desire was that they should not sin, but he also acknowledged the possibility that a believer might fall into sin. He therefore pointed them to Jesus Christ, our Advocate with the Father.
Notice what John did not say: he did not say that whenever a believer commits a sin, that believer automatically ceases to be a child of God.
Instead, he directed believers to Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, who is our Advocate with the Father.
This is important because the biblical response to a believer's sin is not to declare that the believer has automatically lost salvation, but to recognize the seriousness of sin and the provision God has made through Jesus Christ.
However, this truth must not be used as an excuse to live carelessly or persist in sin without repentance.
Hebrews 6:4–6 Describes a Much More Serious Situation
Before anyone concludes that they have become reprobate or have permanently lost their salvation, Hebrews 6:4–6 must be examined carefully in its context.
The passage speaks of people who have experienced profound spiritual realities and subsequently fall away. The language used is far more serious than a description of an ordinary failure, a moment of weakness, or a believer's temporary struggle with sin.
Hebrews 6:4–6 reads:
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”
— Hebrews 6:4–6 (KJV)
Notice the spiritual experiences described in these verses. The writer does not use casual language. He presents a series of expressions that must be taken seriously and interpreted in their proper context.
The Progression in Hebrews 6:4–6
The passage identifies five descriptions:
Enlightened — They had received spiritual enlightenment concerning the truth.
Tasted of the heavenly gift — They had experienced something associated with God's heavenly provision.
Made partakers of the Holy Ghost — They had participated in or shared in an experience associated with the Holy Spirit.
Tasted the good Word of God — They had experienced the goodness and truth of God's Word.
Tasted the powers of the world to come — They had experienced something of the powers associated with the coming age.
These descriptions should not be dismissed as though they refer to people who merely heard a sermon or attended a church service.
At the same time, we must be careful not to assume that every expression automatically settles the question of whether the people described were regenerate believers or people who had experienced the blessings of the Christian community without possessing saving faith. Christians interpret this passage differently, and a responsible study must examine those interpretations in the wider context of Hebrews.
The central issue is this: What kind of falling away is the writer describing, and why is it presented as so serious?
That is the question we must answer before applying this warning to ourselves or to other believers.
In the next part, we will examine the expression “if they shall fall away” and consider why the writer connects this falling away with crucifying the Son of God afresh and putting Him to open shame.
May the Lord grant us understanding as we study His Word carefully.
Amos Iguma
Salvation Ground Ministry Int'l