𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗜𝗘𝗗 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗚𝗢𝗗'𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗝𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡? – 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝟭𝟬
ARE YOU QUALIFIED FOR GOD'S REJECTION? – PART 10
Scripture: Hebrews 6:4–6 (KJV)
Hebrews 6:4 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,
Hebrews 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Hebrews 6:5 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.
DO NOT TURN HEBREWS 6 INTO A WEAPON OF CONDEMNATION
One of the greatest mistakes we can make when interpreting Hebrews 6:4–6 is to use this warning passage to terrify people who have stumbled, are repentant, and are seeking restoration in Christ.
Consider these questions people often ask:
"Pastor, I committed adultery. Have I lost my salvation?"
"I got angry and cursed. Am I now going to hell?"
"I stopped praying for several months. Has God rejected me?"
"I doubted God during a difficult period. Is there no hope for me?"
We should not automatically point such people to Hebrews 6 and pronounce them condemned or rejected by God.
Instead, we must direct their attention to Christ and help them understand the sufficiency of His finished work.
Notice what Hebrews 7:25 says:
Hebrews 7:25 (KJV): "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them."
Hebrews 7:25 (TPT) So He (God) is able to save fully from now throughout eternity, everyone who comes to God through Him, because He lives to pray continually for them
What a wonderful assurance!
Christ is able to save completely those who come to God through Jesus Christ. He ever lives to make intercession for them.
We must not allow a warning passage to make people lose sight of the One who is able to save them to the uttermost.
THE BELIEVER'S CONFIDENCE IS IN CHRIST
Our confidence is not:
"I have never made a mistake."
Our confidence is:
"Jesus Christ is my righteousness."
Look at what Romans 5:1 says:
Romans 5:1 (KJV): "Therefore being justified (righteous) by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Our peace with God is established through Jesus Christ, not through our ability to maintain a perfect record of behaviour.
Romans 8:1 further declares:
Romans 8:1 (KJV): "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus..."
And Romans 8:33 asks:
Romans 8:33 (KJV) "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth."
Romans 8:33 (TPT) Who then would dare to accuse those whom God has chosen in love to be His? God Himself is the judge who has issued His final verdict over them—“Not guilty!”
Do you see where our confidence lies?
It is in God's justification through Christ.
The finished work of Jesus Christ is the foundation of our assurance, not our personal performance.
WHAT SHOULD WE DO WHEN WE SIN?
We must never interpret grace as permission to live carelessly or pretend that sin does not matter.
Sin has consequences. It can damage relationships, destroy trust, make you sick and can terminate your life on earth, affect our fellowship with others and bring painful earthly consequences.
However, the answer to a believer's failure is not to tell that person:
"You have become unsaved. God has rejected you."
Rather, we should bring the person back to the truth of God's grace and encourage genuine repentance (change of mind), correction and restoration.
Consider 1 John 1:9:
1 John 1:9 (KJV): "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Confession is not about informing God of something He does not know.
It is about acknowledging our wrongdoing, agreeing with God concerning our sin and bringing it into the light rather than hiding or justifying it.
Grace does not teach us to defend our mistakes. It teaches us to embrace the truth and walk in the reality of what Christ has accomplished for us.
AN IMPORTANT EXAMPLE
Imagine a Christian man who genuinely received Christ but, during a period of serious marital problems, became angry, committed adultery and stopped attending church for six months.
Someone approaches him and says:
"You have lost your salvation. You are now on your way to hell because you did not confess your sin immediately."
What do you think such a message will accomplish in the life of someone who is already struggling?
It can drive him further into despair instead of helping him understand the grace of God.
What should we tell him?
"What you did was wrong. Do not excuse it or justify it. Acknowledge your wrongdoing, repent (change your mind), make things right where possible and take responsibility for the consequences. But do not run away from Christ. Run to Christ!"
Why?
Because Jesus Christ is our Advocate.
Look at 1 John 2:1:
1 John 2:1 (KJV): "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."
Notice the balance in this scripture.
John says, "These things write I unto you, that ye sin not."
He does not encourage sin.
But he immediately provides assurance for the person who does sin:
"And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."
Our Advocate is Jesus Christ the righteous!
This is why we must distinguish between a believer who has stumbled and someone who deliberately abandons and repudiates Christ.
Hebrews 6 is a serious warning about falling away; it should not be carelessly applied to every believer who has committed a sin.
MY CONCLUSION
The answer to failure is not to run away from Jesus Christ.
The answer is to run to Jesus.
Do not allow condemnation to make you forget the sufficiency of His finished work.
Do not use grace to excuse wrongdoing, but do not use wrongdoing to deny the believer the assurance that is found in Christ.
JESUS CHRIST IS OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, OUR ADVOCATE AND OUR COMPLETE SOURCE OF SALVATION.
Remember:
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT IN YOUR PERFORMANCE TO TRUST IN THE PERFECTION OF CHRIST'S FINISHED WORK.
Amos Iguma
Evangelist | Salvation Ground Ministry Int'l