The Warning Against Apostasy Series

2/10/20

Tom Lowe

Lesson #20 [ID3c] The Warning against Apostasy (Hebrews 6:4-8)

Scripture: Hebrews 6:4-8 (NIV)

4. It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,

5. 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.

7. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God.

8. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

Introduction:

Under heavy pressure from intimidation and threats of violence, the Christians who sought a relationship with Jesus Christ were considering escaping their suffering by repudiating their faith in Jesus. Therefore, the writer reminds them of what they have at stake. He speaks of five things which have happened to those who are considering turning their backs on Jesus:

1) First, they have been enlightened (v. 4). There was an ancient saying, "When Jesus comes, the shadows depart." Their darkness had been shattered, and the everlasting light had shown on them.

2) They have tasted, which means they had experienced the heavenly gift. God had given Himself to them in His Son (vv. 4-5).

3) Furthermore, they have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, without which no one can be born from above (John 3:5).

4) They have tasted the goodness of the Word of God. They had discovered the truth in the Word of God (v. 4, 5).

5) They had experienced a foretaste of what it is to live in eternity. They had tasted the powers of the coming age.

Could people who had experienced such things ever desert the Redeemer?

Commentary

(6:4) It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,

(6:5) who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age

(6:6) 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.

To begin with, it must be clear that discerning and devout students of Scripture will not always arrive at the same answer to this question, depending on how they relate the warning of Hebrews to their whole view of the Gospel. Each person is obligated to seek the solution which best harmonizes with his understanding of God's grace in Christ and the freedom and relationship involved in Christian salvation.

To come back to the question raised, “Could people who had experienced such things ever desert the Redeemer?” There can be no doubt that they were considering it; therefore, this writer warns them of what would happen if this took place. If they deserted Jesus, they would crucify Him again. They would be reopening His wounds. They would be casting their lot with those who said, "He deserves death" (Matt. 26:66). Therefore, they would hold Him up to contempt, to let the mocking laughter of those who railed at Him on the cross ring out again. In effect, they would be saying, "We have tried Him and found Him false. He did not do what He promised."

Let me call to your attention that the writer is not discussing the question of salvation at all in this passage. I believe he is describing saved people. They have been enlightened, have tasted the heavenly gift2, have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come.

The whole gist of the text reveals that he is speaking of rewards, which result from salvation. In verse 6, he says, those who “have fallen away, are to be brought back to repentance” -not to salvation, but repentance. Repentance is something God has asked believers to do. For example, read the seven letters to the seven churches in Asia, as recorded in Revelations 2 and 3. He says to every one of those churches, “Repent.”

Given these facts, I have concluded that the people addressed were true believers (Jewish believers of the first century), not mere professors. They need to have milk because they are babes. An unsaved person doesn’t need milk; he needs life. He needs to be born again. He is dead in trespasses and sins. After he is born again, a little milk will help him. Therefore, I believe the writer to the Hebrews is addressing baby Christians, and he is urging them to go on to maturity. Furthermore, how could unsaved people ever disgrace Jesus Christ and put Him to open shame?