ARE YOU QUALIFIED FOR GOD’S REJECTION? — PART 6
ARE YOU QUALIFIED FOR GOD’S REJECTION? — PART 6
6. “TASTED THE GOOD WORD OF GOD”
What does the word “tasted” mean in Hebrews 6:5?
The word tasted comes from the Greek word geuomai, which can mean to taste, partake of, or experience something.
The word does not necessarily imply a superficial or incomplete
experience. We can see this in Hebrews 2:9:
“...that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”
Jesus did not merely have a superficial taste of death. He genuinely experienced death.
Therefore, when Hebrews 6:5 speaks of those who have “tasted the good word of God,” we should not automatically conclude that they had only a shallow encounter with God's Word.
The language describes an experience of the goodness of God's Word.
WHAT IS “THE GOOD WORD OF GOD”?
The expression refers to the goodness of God's message and the blessings associated with His revelation, particularly the good news of salvation through Christ.
Consider what people encounter when they hear the Gospel:
They hear the message of God's grace.
They learn about Christ and His finished work.
They hear about forgiveness and reconciliation with God.
They encounter the promises and blessings associated with salvation.
They may experience the transforming influence of God's Word within the Christian community.
The writer of Hebrews is not describing someone who merely passed a church building or casually heard a sermon. The passage describes people who experienced significant spiritual privileges.
COMPARE HEBREWS 6:5 WITH 1 PETER 2:2–3
Peter writes:
“If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” — 1 Peter 2:3
Here, tasting is connected with experiencing the graciousness of the Lord.
This helps us understand that the language of tasting can communicate a genuine experience of God's goodness.
We can therefore understand Hebrews 6:5 as describing people who have experienced the goodness of God's Word.
DOES THIS MEAN THEY WERE BORN AGAIN AND THEN LOST THEIR SALVATION?
This is one of the central questions raised by Hebrews 6:4–6.
We must be careful not to make the word tasted carry an argument that the word itself cannot establish. The same Greek word is used in Hebrews 2:9 for Christ's genuine experience of death.
At the same time, we should not claim that the word tasted, by itself, proves that these individuals were born again and subsequently lost their salvation.
The passage describes people who experienced remarkable spiritual realities and then presents a serious warning concerning falling away.
Christians differ in how they understand the identity of these people and the nature of the falling away described. Some understand the passage as a warning about genuine believers abandoning the faith; others understand it as describing people who experienced the blessings of the Christian community without reaching saving faith.
Whatever interpretation one adopts, the seriousness of the warning must not be ignored.
THE WORD OF GOD IS MORE THAN INFORMATION
Jesus said:
“The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” — John 6:63
God's Word is not merely information to be collected. It reveals Christ, communicates God's truth and calls people to respond to the Gospel.
However, we must distinguish between experiencing the blessings associated with God's Word and drawing a definite conclusion about someone's spiritual state. Hebrews 6 must be interpreted in its context and alongside the wider testimony of Scripture.
OUR CONCLUSION
The word tasted should not be used to minimize the spiritual experiences described in Hebrews 6:4–6. Neither should it be used, on its own, to settle the question of whether a person was born again and subsequently lost salvation.
The writer's warning is serious because the falling away under consideration is serious.
Our responsibility is to understand the passage faithfully, recognize the weight of its warning, and keep our eyes on Jesus Christ and the sufficiency of His finished work.
Amos Iguma
Salvation Ground Ministry Int'l