Have You Lost Your Salvation Forever? The Difficult Verses Of Hebrews 6:4-6 Series

HAVE YOU LOST YOUR SALVATION FOREVER? THE DIFFICULT VERSES OF HEBREWS 6:4-6

[A]. THE TOPIC BEFORE US

This part of Hebrews chapter 6 is one passage that has such a multitude of interpretations, that it has become very confusing. I get asked about it. Wrong ideas are developed in this chapter relating to salvation and then they cause disputes. So many seem to have their own interpretation and are dogmatic about it. I have to be honest. I tend to be that way myself, but only after decades of examination and then trying to put it all together.

If you don’t agree with me, that will be okay, but only if you have every base covered and all scriptures confirming each other. No matter what topic we open up, or subject a passage to exegetical thought, we must not have stray scriptures that are not fitting in. All must be tidy and in place. Let us look at the three verses –

{{Hebrews 6:4-6 “For in the case of those who have once been ENLIGHTENED and have TASTED of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have FALLEN AWAY, it is IMPOSSIBLE TO RENEW them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame.”}}

This is an important passage and has to be properly understood. Keep in mind that it is addressing Jews in this letter to Hebrews, and that is vital, and is why so much of the Tabernacle and sacrifices are in this book. This letter to the Hebrews was written to Hebrew Christians, and to those Jews who were struggling with making any commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. It was a huge step moving from Judaism to faith in Jesus Christ as it often involved family exclusion and persecution. Some wavered and they are addressed in this letter.

It is essential to see that all the way through this letter, the Jewish application, the substance of which all the Hebrews knew, is very relevant. Now to lay the axe to the base of the tree. This passage from chapter 6 has NOTHING TO DO WITH PERSEVERANCE OF CHRISTIANS FOR SALVATION; or sinning and losing salvation, never to regain it. Those false doctrines are held and delivered to others. This passage must be explained only in context, but it needs explaining. It is so tragic that people have preached that a Christian can lose salvation on the basis of these verses in Hebrews 6. It is vital to know that “born-again Christians” are NOT in focus here.

Here we have the Hebrews passage that constantly causes concern and misunderstanding for those who do not understand it. It is not an easy passage to come to grips with, but we will give it careful consideration, and above all, see the background for these verses, for the background is fundamental in this passage.

It is absolutely vital to understand at the outset that the letter written to the Hebrews, (I absolutely believe by Paul) is a general epistle written to Jewish Christians and Jewish people to explain the development of the Christian faith from Judaism. I can well see those occasions when Paul entered a synagogue and addressed those there. The letter would contain some of the material Paul used in preaching.

This letter would explain that Christ is superior to the Law, and to angels, and to prophets, and the Levitical priesthood, and He fulfilled the types of the Jewish rituals in the Tabernacle/Temple. It is an apologetic for Christianity, written to win over the Jews (meaning, an explanation). It does not record the author’s name, and because Paul is not mentioned, then some dismiss Paul’s authorship, but to have his name in the opening verse would immediately cause Jews to reject the letter. Let’s look at these verses again.

{{Hebrews 6:4-6 “For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame.”}}

THE SETTING

Please bear with me while I attempt to explain what this passage is really saying. Again, it has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WHATEVER to do with a Christian losing salvation!! Jews of course really knew their history and were quite well acquainted with the Old Testament/Toreh so the stories there were well known to them. When the nation left Egypt at the Exodus a huge disaster occurred. It was just a matter of days into the exodus and the Jews sinned by making a golden calf to worship it. Many died as a result. God gave the manna and water but they grumbled and sinned. There was rebellion and idolatry.