They Put Him to Public Shame All Over Again

Let's suppose you died and stood before the Lord God and He said to you, "Why should I allow you into My heaven?"  What would yous say? What do y'all think you would say?

That question posed by Donald Barnhouse years agone probes to the depths of our relationship with God. Upon whom or what are you depending for salvation or eternal life?

The centre of Hebrews chapter six forces usa to enquire the question, exercise you have eternal life? Are you saved? You lot are either lost or saved. You either have eternal life or you do not. In whom or what are yous trusting for eternal conservancy?

The salvation Jesus procured for us is "eternal." We have "eternal redemption," "eternal inheritance," and "eternal covenant." What a slap-up Savior!

The author of Hebrews volition now stress the perseverance of the laic. We know a person is a truthful believer considering he volition persevere. The truthful believer volition continue trusting Christ. He volition continue to spiritual maturity in a growing relationship with God in Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 6:1-6 contains some of the severest language in the Bible. The author of Hebrews has a way of causing his readers to stop, look, and listen. He wants them to accept a serious look and evaluate their personal human relationship with Jesus Christ. He warns confronting fake security and all forms of religious deception, particularly religious experiences that do not produce spiritual maturity and Christlikeness.

"Therefore leaving the uncomplicated teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction nigh washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And this nosotros volition do, if God permits. 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 up, and so have fallen away, information technology is impossible to renew them once more to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. For basis that drinks the rain which oftentimes falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a approval from God; only if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and information technology ends up being burned" (Hebrews 6:1-8, NASB95). All Scriptures are from New American Standard Bible, 1995 Update unless otherwise noted).

Alert against consequences of apostasy (Heb. half dozen:iv-8)

The context demonstrates that someone in the congregation had great religious experiences, and and so the same person falls away and re-crucifies Christ by putting Him to open shame, and that results in the impossibility to renew that person to repentance. When is repentance impossible? That is a most serious situation.

This passage is not denying peachy blessings and highly religious experiences. And in spite of all these spiritual blessings and experiences this person falls away. He turns away from Christ, the Spirit and the powers of the age to come up.

It is helpful to remember this is 1 of the near disputed passages in the New Testament. In that location is no perfect interpretation of this passage because we do not accept all of the background on the commencement readers of this letter. Every interpreter is influenced by his theological groundwork. I have tried to approach this passage in its context without bias and in harmony with the educational activity of the whole Bible. There are basically four different interpretations by Bible assertive scholars.

Four interpretations

1.         Some scholars interpret this passage equally saved persons who after lose their conservancy. They view this passage as people who are born again, only lose their salvation by deliberate apostasy. This view fails to adequately consider the context of the volume of Hebrews, and rest the Bible'south teaching on ballot and eternal security (John x:26-30; Rom. 8:28-30; Phil. i:3-5). The author offers no hope to the apostate. It definitely does not teach that salvation can be lost and regained many times. You are either saved or lost. You are a child of God, or y'all are not.

2.         Another group interprets this passage every bit saved persons who backslide. They describe them as saved, just fall into sin and lose their rewards in heaven. They suffer the "sin unto death" (1 John v:sixteen), and stand at the judgment seat of Christ without rewards. The problem is these people cannot be reclaimed co-ordinate to this passage in Hebrews. They cannot offset over. There is no such thing every bit being saved a second fourth dimension. Yous are either saved, or lost.

3.         Another popular view is a hypothetical case is existence presented by the author to illustrate the recklessness of apostasy. These individuals are truly regenerated are under pressure to return to Judaism, but why would they ever desire to give up their perfect continuing with God in Christ? To turn from Christ would just provide the evidence that they had never been built-in again. B. F. Westcott observed, "At that place is zilch to prove that the atmospheric condition of fatal betrayment had been fulfilled, still less that they had been fulfilled in the instance of any of these addressed." Due west. H Griffith-Thomas said, "The passage is apparently a supposed case to correct their wrong ideas, and the argument seems to be that if it were possible for those who accept had the experiences of verses iv-6 to fall abroad, it would be impossible to renew them unless Christ died a second time."

four.         Other scholars see this passage every bit professing Christians who accept never been saved. They are lost and unregenerate even though they have had great emotional religious experiences. They have been inoculated with a grade of Christianity, only it is not the real affair. They have heard the bulletin of Good News, they have observed miracles, seen the piece of work of the Holy Spirit in the congregation, have had emotional experiences, but like the seed of the sower planted on rocky ground have never been regenerated. The apostasy referred to is the final rejection of Christ. They have rejected the substitutionary penal cede of Jesus Christ for their sins. They were sympathizers to the Gospel, simply never believed in their hearts and therefore never saved.

Can a person be a "partaker of the Holy Spirit" and not exist justified? Was this person who falls away like this always truly saved or justified or born once more? Disquisitional to this whole context in Hebrews six is can y'all exist a partaker of the Holy Spirit and the give-and-take of God and the powers of the age to come and not be justified? Can you lose your eternal position before God as a truly justified person and then exist lost? Or is this passage teaching that you tin accept these cracking religious emotional experiences every bit described in verses 4-5 and never be justified or saved or born over again?

The Bible teaches unequivocally the Divine preservation and the homo perseverance of the saints (Heb. 6:thirteen-20; John 5:24; 10:26-30; Rom. 8:28-39; Phil. 1:3-v). How exercise nosotros reconcile these clear teachings with this passage? How do we hold fast to the unerring integrity of the Scripture?

In Hebrews half dozen:i-3 the author has been encouraging his readers to go along to maturity. Clearly he is addressing believers in the opening verses of this chapter. Now we see him changing his focus to requite a stern warning to those who have to turn abroad from Christ.

"For it is incommunicable, in the case of those who take once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly souvenir, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them over again to repentance, since they are crucifying once once more the Son of God to their own harm and holding him upwards to contempt" (Hebrews half dozen:4-6, ESV).

The New American Standard Bible reads: "For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and accept been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and and so have fallen abroad, it is incommunicable to renew them again to repentance, since they again excruciate to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame" (Hebrews 6:4-half dozen).

To whom is the author addressing when he says, "For it is impossible to restore once more to repentance those who were once enlightened"? The writer does not say, "us who were once enlightened," nor "you," but "those who have once been enlightened." He draws a sharp dissimilarity betwixt "Beloved, we are persuaded meliorate things of yous," and this passage. It is true they enjoyed corking privileges under Judaism, but they were non true Christians. They are not spoken of every bit God's elect, for whom Christ died, or equally those built-in of the Spirit of God. The passage does not speak of their being justified, forgiven, cleansed and accustomed in the Dearest. Neither is anything said of their faith in Christ, nor obedience to Him. There is no indication that they were children of God.

A disquisitional word in the interpretation of this passage is adunatos translated "impossible" in all of our accurate English translations. It is also used in Hebrews half-dozen:18 where the writer tells u.s. it is impossible for God to lie, In Hebrews ten:4 information technology is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to accept away sins, and in Hebrews eleven:6 we are told that without faith it is impossible to please God. Here it reads, "For it is impossible . . . to renew them again to repentance." The word "renew" must as well be taken with its full meaning. Repentance is the work of the Holy Spirit on the middle of the individual. The Holy Spirit brings about this change in the mind that affects the whole person.

They had "one time been enlightened"

"Enlightened" (photizo) "to give low-cal, to shine;" metaphorically means spiritual enlightenment. They had received spiritual calorie-free or knowledge by teaching. They had been instructed in the teachings of the gospel to some extent. Does it autumn short of the spiritual enlightenment which transforms and regenerates?  "But we all, with unveiled face up, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to celebrity, just as from the Lord, the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18). At that place is a large difference between existence enlighten and regenerated. Where is the submission to the enlightenment they had received?

"Tasted of the heavenly gift"

They take to a sure degree understood the truths, but not gone on to advisable them. Jesus said, "This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that i may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came downwards out of heaven; if anyone eats of this staff of life, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the globe is My mankind." And then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, "How can this man give us His flesh to eat?" So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you take no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last twenty-four hours. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is truthful drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him" (John half dozen:50-56). His Jewish listeners took offense at Him. They refused to appropriate Christ.

The "heavenly gift" refers either to Christ or the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is ministering on the earth and in our hearts to glorify Christ and exalt Him. The Divine gift comes from heaven and leads us to heaven. Therefore, I am inclined to recollect of this gift as Christ. He is the Father'southward gift from heaven and His goal is to have us to sky to be with Him. The individuals in view had an acquaintance with Christ, just had never fabricated a delivery once and for all to Him. Jesus said, "The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the discussion and immediately receives information technology with joy; however he has no firm root in himself, but is just temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the discussion, immediately he falls abroad" (Matthew thirteen:20-21).

 "Have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit"

The word for "partakers" or "accept shared" here is metochos and means "to have a share in" or simply "companions."  John Dark-brown wrote: "Information technology is highly probable that the inspired writer refers primarily to the miraculous gifts and operations of the Holy Spirit by which the primitive dispensation of Christianity was administered. These gifts were by no means confined to those who were 'transformed by the renewing of their minds.' . . . . At any rate they patently show that their possession and an unregenerate state were by no means incompatible."  Several scholars note the word "partakers" does not mean to possess the Holy Spirit in the sense of His indwelling the believer. The idea of the permanent constant presence of the Spirit is non included in the word for partake.

Simon Magus in Acts 8:8-eighteen is a good example of someone who "partakers" merely in the post-obit decades became detrimental to Biblical Christianity. He was not a true believer; he only used Christianity for his own personal gain.

"Have tasted the good discussion of God"

They understood the promises regarding the coming of the Messiah. God has been faithful to His promise and they have enjoyed, so far as an unconverted person can enjoy the blessings and advantages that come up from these promises beingness fulfilled. A. Westward. Pinkish observed, these readers "could not say with Jeremiah, 'Your words were found and I did eat them' (Jeremiah 15:16)." Of Herod it is written that he heard John the Baptist and "enjoyed listening to him" (Mark 6:xx), merely he did not repent and even had John murdered.

"Powers of the age to come"

The new dispensation ushered in by the Messiah according to the Sometime Testament prophesies has now arrived. They saw the miraculous power of the mighty God at work in the person of Jesus Christ. The "historic period to come" was already upon them because Christ has come. "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at manus" (Mark i:xv). Not only has God spoken "in these last days" to us in His Son, but He has acted (Heb. 1:ii). The principles of this new age are active at the present time through the operation of the Holy Spirit. The Christian enjoys a genuine foretaste of the powers of the historic period to come, and will to a more glorious magnitude at the consummation when Christ returns a second time. However, these unbelievers had witnessed personally the miracles of Christ, and the wonders of Pentecost. They were now without excuse. They saw all the evidence that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Son of God and refused to fully commit themselves to Him.

"And then fallen abroad"

This is a very strong emphatic argument fabricated past the author of Hebrews. The discussion used here is unlike from apostasia which was used earlier. Information technology is parapipto and it ways literally "to autumn aslope." It is a deliberate, consummate and final repudiation of Christ. There is no forgiveness for this sin. Information technology is a final rejection of Christ. So it is incommunicable to renew them again to repentance. Their condition is beyond recovery. Since they have rejected the atoning sacrifice of Christ there is no other gospel to be preached. They have rejected the 1 sacrifice that tin can save from sin. Information technology is a total abandonment of Christianity. Therefore, information technology is "impossible to renew them again unto repentance" those who have totally abandoned the gospel of Jesus Christ. The "impossibility" is used absolutely here, without whatsoever qualification. It is impossible to h2o it downwards. F. F. Bruce notes, "to say that they cannot be brought to repentance then long as they persist in their renunciation of Christ would exist a truism hardly worth putting into words." There is no possibility of their restoration "since they once more crucify to themselves the son of God and put Him to open shame" (five. 7).

This is how serious this betrayment is. The effect of falling away is to re-excruciate Christ and put Him to open shame. When Christ went to the cantankerous and died as our substitute He died to brand us correct with God. When we turn our backs on Him and return to the world we are maxim the world is more worthy than the beloved of Christ. We are saying in upshot that we concur with those who crucified Christ.

The author is not describing recidivism Christians or believers who have fallen into sin. Even Peter who denied Christ three times was "renewed unto repentance." The sin described in this passage is non the sin of a believer, only the open total renunciation of the person and piece of work of Jesus Christ. Peter experienced the work of the Holy Spirit in his eye because he was a true believer. The unbeliever does not experience this kind of modify in the middle.

The Bible is emphatic that the grace and forgiveness of sins and cleansing in the claret of Christ is freely available to every laic who sins and comes to Him confessing them (Heb. 4:14-sixteen; x:19-22; 1 John 1:7-ten; 2:one-ii).

John Brownish said: it is "in open, total, determined renunciation of all the elective principles of Christianity, and a render to a fake organized religion, such as that of unbelieving Jews or heathens, or to open adultery and open godlessness."

The context of this passage of Scripture shows the willful sin described here is deliberate apostasy. These individuals are in danger of renouncing Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, and are ready to openly expose Him to public scandal of the cross. They are willing to stand up in judgment of Christ and with the oversupply shaking their fists and shouting, "Crucify Him! Excruciate Him!" If they had their take a chance, they would crucify Him again. They accept reached a decisive moment of commitment to betrayment. It is a point of no return. They accept reached the point where they go along on crucifying the Son of God and holding Him in antipathy. There is no possible return.

John Calvin said, "The campaigner is not here talking virtually theft or perjury or murder or drunkenness or infidelity. He is referring to a complete falling away from the gospel, in which the sinner has offended God not in some 1 respect only but has utterly renounced His grace."

To and so reject Jesus Christ is to be eternally damned. They make it at a spiritual country where they tin can no longer repent "since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame." There is no i else to turn to for salvation.

"It is impossible to renew them once more to repentance, since they again excruciate to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame." This is a existent warning against a real danger. It is true someday there is a hardened centre of unbelief.

Information technology is possible for those who are described in the language of verses 4 and 5 to "fall away and not be renewed." The critical question is were they ever born once more? Were they ever saved?

They are not true Christians because they have never been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. They are like land that has received its rain, but bears no practiced fruit. It is a land total of thorns and weeds. They have participated in worship services, the fellowship in the Christian community, but they are similar seed sown on rocky basis. There was no spiritual root and they fell abroad. They audio like Christians, but something is severely missing. They are not saved, and if they are saved the author is presenting a hypothetical example for them to non return to the temple worship and therefore crucify Christ again.

Some scholars suggest if these Hebrews renounced their professed organized religion in Christ they would be going back to the old covenant and would exist irrevocably lost. Since there is no temple in Jerusalem today this sin cannot be committed today. There are no sacrifices or a system in which to return then the sin involves abandoning the type for the fulfilled reality in Christ.

I return to my opening questions. If you died today and stood earlier the Lord God and He asked you, "Why should I allow y'all into My sky? What would you say? How would you respond to Him? This whole passage of Scripture we are studying zeros in on this reality. What is your personal relationship with Jesus Christ? When the Holy Spirit applies the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ to depraved sinner the piece of work of salvation cannot fail. Those who are genuinely saved practice not autumn away; they grow in the grace and cognition of Jesus Christ. Salvation is God's work; it is not man's work. God'southward work cannot fail to accomplish its intended purpose. God never fails to consummate His projection. Your salvation is His projection and He will bring it to its completion at the day of Christ (Phil. 1:3-six).

Perseverance in religion in Christ proves that you have become a partaker in Christ. If you lot do not persevere in faith in Christ it proves you never became a partaker in Christ. You may be very religious, just are notwithstanding lost. You may accept had great religious experiences, but accept never been justified.

Ultimately simply the Lord knows who is saved.

There are individuals who distort this passage to teach that there is no repentance after baptism and no forgiveness for Christian sinners. This false teaching completely distorts the rest of the Scriptures such every bit 1 John i:7-ten. In that location is grace and forgiveness for every Christian who sins.  Stop and read advisedly the following verses.

"If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with 1 some other, and the claret of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in u.s.. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive united states our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, nosotros brand Him a liar and His word is non in us" (1 John 1:7-ten).

All who profess to receive the Gospel are not born again.

Judas Iscariot is an excellent example of a person who was in the presence of Christ, observed and experienced the great advantages of the Gospel, but never was regenerated. He had all the show, but obviously was never saved.

In our day we would say they had their names on the church building rolls, but were never saved. They partook of the Lord's Supper, were baptized, enjoyed fellowship dinners at church building, enjoyed the social benefits and trappings of religion, but were never regenerated by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said: "Heed to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow; as he was sowing, some seed fell abreast the route, and the birds came and ate it upward. Other seed fell on the rocky basis where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil. And after the sunday had risen, information technology was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. Other seed brutal among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. Other seeds fell into the good soil, and every bit they grew upward and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold. And He was saying, He who has ears to hear, allow him hear" (Mark iv:iii-nine).

What kind of soil is represented in the middle of the true laic? What kind of soil is being described in our passage in Hebrews? Only fourth dimension reveals into what kind of soil the seed was planted. If it is skilful soil it will have an abundant harvest of good fruit. It volition bear Christ'south likeness.

Some of the readers of the letter to the Hebrews never did belong to Christ; they were never spiritually regenerated. Notwithstanding, those who were true believers went on to spiritual maturity.

The Scriptures teach the perseverance of the saints.

Annotation carefully, information technology is the perseverance of the saints, non unregenerate professors. Jesus said, All that the Father gives Me will come up to Me, and the ane who comes to Me I will certainly not bandage out" (John vi:37). The apostle Paul wrote, "The Lord knows those who are His" (2 Tim. 2:xix). Our salvation is guaranteed through all eternity by the mystery of the divine election.

Nosotros are kept by the ability of God through faith in Christ Jesus. It is the piece of work of the Holy Spirit energizing the true Christian. Abiding in Christ maintains us in the presence of God. Jesus said, "I in you, and yous in Me." Christ did non dice in vain; He rose from the dead to show information technology.

They have been enlightened, tasted the heavenly souvenir, partaken of the Holy Spirit, tasted the goodness of the word of God and seen the mighty works of the coming age. Where is the evidence that they have been regenerated? It is the continuance in Christ's word which proves that we are His disciples. It is standing in the faith which demonstrates the reality of our profession.

Faith dies when it is separated from its object.

The sole object of our organized religion is Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our salvation.

What is your personal human relationship with Jesus Christ? "Believe on the Lord Jesus and you lot shall exist saved" (Acts xvi:31).

If you need help in becoming a Christian here is A Free Souvenir for You.

Title: Hebrews 6:4-6 Warnings confronting Crucifying Christ Once more

Series:  Hebrews

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