If God Lives Then We Shall Live Again

April 04, 2022 Post a Comment

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

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

The heart of Hebrews affiliate six forces us to ask the question, practise you take eternal life? Are you saved? You are either lost or saved. You either have eternal life or you do not. In whom or what are you trusting for eternal salvation?

The salvation Jesus procured for u.s. is "eternal." We take "eternal redemption," "eternal inheritance," and "eternal covenant." What a great Savior!

The writer of Hebrews will now stress the perseverance of the laic. Nosotros know a person is a true laic considering he will persevere. The true believer will continue trusting Christ. He will get on to spiritual maturity in a growing relationship with God in Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 6:1-half-dozen contains some of the severest linguistic communication in the Bible. The author of Hebrews has a way of causing his readers to stop, wait, and listen. He wants them to take a serious look and evaluate their personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He warns against false security and all forms of religious deception, peculiarly religious experiences that practise not produce spiritual maturity and Christlikeness.

"Therefore leaving the unproblematic teaching near the Christ, let the states press on to maturity, not laying once again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of organized religion toward God, of educational activity about washings and laying on of easily, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And this nosotros will practice, if God permits. For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and take tasted of the heavenly gift and take been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the proficient word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them over again 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 information technology is also tilled, receives a approving from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned" (Hebrews 6:i-8, NASB95). All Scriptures are from New American Standard Bible, 1995 Update unless otherwise noted).

Warning against consequences of betrayment (Heb. 6:4-8)

The context demonstrates that someone in the congregation had great religious experiences, 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 great blessings and highly religious experiences. And in spite of all these spiritual blessings and experiences this person falls abroad. He turns away from Christ, the Spirit and the powers of the age to come.

It is helpful to call up this is one of the most disputed passages in the New Testament. There is no perfect interpretation of this passage because we do not accept all of the background on the first readers of this alphabetic character. Every interpreter is influenced past his theological background. I have tried to arroyo this passage in its context without bias and in harmony with the didactics of the whole Bible. There are basically four different interpretations past Bible believing scholars.

Iv interpretations

one. Some scholars interpret this passage equally saved persons who afterward lose their conservancy. They view this passage as people who are born again, but lose their conservancy by deliberate betrayment. This view fails to adequately consider the context of the volume of Hebrews, and residuum the Bible'southward instruction on election and eternal security (John 10:26-30; Rom. 8:28-30; Phil. 1:iii-5). The writer offers no hope to the apostate. It definitely does not teach that salvation tin can be lost and regained many times. You are either saved or lost. You are a child of God, or you are not.

2. Some other group interprets this passage equally saved persons who backslide. They describe them equally saved, but fall into sin and lose their rewards in sky. They suffer the "sin unto death" (one John v:sixteen), and stand at the judgment seat of Christ without rewards. The problem is these people cannot exist reclaimed according to this passage in Hebrews. They cannot start over. There is no such matter every bit being saved a second fourth dimension. You are either saved, or lost.

3. Another pop view is a hypothetical instance is beingness presented by the author to illustrate the recklessness of betrayment. These individuals are truly regenerated are nether pressure to return to Judaism, only why would they always desire to give up their perfect continuing with God in Christ? To turn from Christ would simply provide the testify that they had never been born once more. B. F. Westcott observed, "There is naught to show that the conditions of fatal apostasy had been fulfilled, even so less that they had been fulfilled in the case of any of these addressed." W. H Griffith-Thomas said, "The passage is plainly a supposed instance to right their wrong ideas, and the argument seems to exist that if it were possible for those who accept had the experiences of verses 4-6 to autumn abroad, it would be incommunicable to renew them unless Christ died a second time."

4. Other scholars see this passage as professing Christians who take never been saved. They are lost and unregenerate even though they have had great emotional religious experiences. They take been inoculated with a form of Christianity, merely information technology is not the real thing. They have heard the bulletin of Proficient News, they have observed miracles, seen the work of the Holy Spirit in the congregation, have had emotional experiences, but like the seed of the sower planted on rocky ground accept never been regenerated. The betrayment referred to is the terminal rejection of Christ. They have rejected the substitutionary penal sacrifice of Jesus Christ for their sins. They were sympathizers to the Gospel, but never believed in their hearts and therefore never saved.

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

The Bible teaches unequivocally the Divine preservation and the human perseverance of the saints (Heb. 6:13-20; John five:24; 10:26-30; Rom. eight:28-39; Phil. i:three-five). How practise we reconcile these clear teachings with this passage? How practice we concur fast to the unerring integrity of the Scripture?

In Hebrews 6:i-3 the author has been encouraging his readers to get on to maturity. Clearly he is addressing believers in the opening verses of this chapter. Now we see him irresolute his focus to give a stern warning to those who take to turn abroad from Christ.

"For it is impossible, in the case of those who accept one time been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the historic period to come, and and so have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying one time over again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt" (Hebrews 6:iv-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 have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and take tasted the good discussion of God and the powers of the historic period to come, so have fallen abroad, information technology is impossible to renew them once again to repentance, since they over again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame" (Hebrews half dozen:4-half-dozen).

To whom is the author addressing when he says, "For information technology is impossible to restore over again to repentance those who were in one case enlightened"? The writer does not say, "us who were in one case enlightened," nor "you," only "those who accept once been enlightened." He draws a abrupt contrast between "Beloved, we are persuaded better things of you," and this passage. Information technology is truthful they enjoyed great privileges under Judaism, but they were not true Christians. They are non spoken of every bit God's elect, for whom Christ died, or as those built-in of the Spirit of God. The passage does not speak of their being justified, forgiven, cleansed and accepted in the Honey. Neither is annihilation 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 language translations. It is also used in Hebrews half dozen:18 where the author tells the states it is impossible for God to lie, In Hebrews 10:4 it is impossible for the claret of bulls and goats to take abroad sins, and in Hebrews 11:half dozen we are told that without religion it is incommunicable to please God. Here it reads, "For it is impossible . . . to renew them again to repentance." The discussion "renew" must likewise be taken with its full meaning. Repentance is the piece of work of the Holy Spirit on the heart of the individual. The Holy Spirit brings about this change in the heed that affects the whole person.

They had "once been enlightened"

"Enlightened" (photizo) "to give light, to shine;" metaphorically ways spiritual enlightenment. They had received spiritual light or knowledge past teaching. They had been instructed in the teachings of the gospel to some extent. Does it fall short of the spiritual enlightenment which transforms and regenerates? "Just we all, with unveiled confront, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are existence transformed into the aforementioned image from glory to glory, but equally from the Lord, the Spirit" (two Corinthians iii:eighteen). There is a big difference betwixt existence enlighten and regenerated. Where is the submission to the enlightenment they had received?

"Tasted of the heavenly gift"

They have to a certain degree understood the truths, just not gone on to advisable them. Jesus said, "This is the bread which comes downwardly out of sky, so that ane may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will alive forever; and the breadstuff too which I volition requite for the life of the globe is My mankind." So the Jews began to fence with one some other, saying, "How tin can this homo give usa His flesh to eat?" So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you lot, unless you lot 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 volition heighten him upwardly on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is truthful potable. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him" (John 6:50-56). His Jewish listeners took offense at Him. They refused to advisable 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 sky and leads us to sky. Therefore, I am inclined to call up of this souvenir equally Christ. He is the Father's gift from sky and His goal is to take us to sky to be with Him. The individuals in view had an acquaintance with Christ, merely had never fabricated a commitment 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 word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no business firm root in himself, simply is simply temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the discussion, immediately he falls away" (Matthew 13:twenty-21).

"Accept been fabricated partakers of the Holy Spirit"

The discussion for "partakers" or "take shared" hither is metochos and means "to take a share in" or only "companions." John Dark-brown wrote: "It is highly probable that the inspired writer refers primarily to the miraculous gifts and operations of the Holy Spirit past which the primitive impunity of Christianity was administered. These gifts were past no means confined to those who were 'transformed by the renewing of their minds.' . . . . At any rate they plainly bear witness that their possession and an unregenerate country were by no ways incompatible." Several scholars note the word "partakers" does non mean to possess the Holy Spirit in the sense of His indwelling the believer. The thought of the permanent abiding presence of the Spirit is not included in the give-and-take for partake.

Simon Magus in Acts 8:viii-18 is a good example of someone who "partakers" just in the following decades became detrimental to Biblical Christianity. He was not a true believer; he but used Christianity for his own personal proceeds.

"Have tasted the practiced discussion of God"

They understood the promises regarding the coming of the Messiah. God has been faithful to His hope and they have enjoyed, so far as an unconverted person can savor the blessings and advantages that come from these promises being fulfilled. A. W. Pink observed, these readers "could not say with Jeremiah, 'Your words were found and I did eat them' (Jeremiah xv:16)." Of Herod it is written that he heard John the Baptist and "enjoyed listening to him" (Marker 6:20), simply he did not repent and even had John murdered.

"Powers of the historic period to come"

The new dispensation ushered in by the Messiah co-ordinate to the Old Attestation prophesies has now arrived. They saw the miraculous power of the mighty God at work in the person of Jesus Christ. The "age to come" was already upon them because Christ has come. "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at paw" (Mark i:15). Not only has God spoken "in these terminal days" to usa in His Son, merely He has acted (Heb. 1:2). The principles of this new age are active at the nowadays fourth dimension through the operation of the Holy Spirit. The Christian enjoys a 18-carat foretaste of the powers of the age to come up, and will to a more glorious magnitude at the consummation when Christ returns a second fourth dimension. Even so, 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 and so fallen away"

This is a very strong emphatic statement made by the writer of Hebrews. The word used hither is different from apostasia which was used before. Information technology is parapipto and it means literally "to fall alongside." Information technology is a deliberate, complete and final repudiation of Christ. In that location is no forgiveness for this sin. It is a final rejection of Christ. So information technology is impossible to renew them once 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 accept rejected the one sacrifice that can salvage from sin. It is a total abandonment of Christianity. Therefore, it is "impossible to renew them again unto repentance" those who have totally abased the gospel of Jesus Christ. The "impossibility" is used absolutely here, without any qualification. It is incommunicable to water it down. F. F. Bruce notes, "to say that they cannot be brought to repentance so long every bit they persist in their renunciation of Christ would be a truism hardly worth putting into words." There is no possibility of their restoration "since they again excruciate to themselves the son of God and put Him to open up shame" (v. seven).

This is how serious this betrayment is. The effect of falling away is to re-crucify Christ and put Him to open shame. When Christ went to the cross and died as our substitute He died to make us right with God. When we turn our backs on Him and return to the world we are maxim the world is more than worthy than the love of Christ. We are maxim in effect that nosotros agree with those who crucified Christ.

The author is not describing backsliding Christians or believers who accept fallen into sin. Even Peter who denied Christ 3 times was "renewed unto repentance." The sin described in this passage is not the sin of a believer, just the open total renunciation of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Peter experienced the work of the Holy Spirit in his heart because he was a true believer. The unbeliever does non experience this kind of change in the center.

The Bible is emphatic that the grace and forgiveness of sins and cleansing in the claret of Christ is freely available to every believer who sins and comes to Him confessing them (Heb. 4:14-sixteen; 10:19-22; 1 John 1:7-10; 2:ane-ii).

John Brown said: it is "in open, full, determined renunciation of all the constituent principles of Christianity, and a return to a false religion, such as that of unbelieving Jews or heathens, or to open infidelity and open up 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 in judgment of Christ and with the crowd shaking their fists and shouting, "Excruciate Him! Crucify Him!" If they had their risk, they would excruciate Him again. They have reached a decisive moment of commitment to apostasy. It is a point of no render. They have reached the point where they proceed on crucifying the Son of God and holding Him in contempt. There is no possible render.

John Calvin said, "The apostle is not hither talking virtually theft or perjury or murder or drunkenness or adultery. He is referring to a complete falling away from the gospel, in which the sinner has offended God non in some one respect only just has utterly renounced His grace."

To and then pass up Jesus Christ is to be eternally damned. They arrive at a spiritual state where they 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 plow to for conservancy.

"It is incommunicable to renew them again to repentance, since they once again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open up shame." This is a real warning against a real danger. It is true anytime at that place is a hardened heart of unbelief.

It is possible for those who are described in the language of verses 4 and 5 to "fall away and non be renewed." The critical question is were they e'er built-in again? Were they ever saved?

They are not true Christians because they have never been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. They are similar land that has received its rain, only bears no skilful fruit. It is a land full of thorns and weeds. They have participated in worship services, the fellowship in the Christian customs, simply they are like seed sown on rocky ground. There was no spiritual root and they brutal away. They audio like Christians, simply something is severely missing. They are not saved, and if they are saved the author is presenting a hypothetical case for them to non return to the temple worship and therefore crucify Christ once again.

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

I return to my opening questions. If you died today and stood before the Lord God and He asked you, "Why should I allow you lot into My heaven? What would you say? How would you respond to Him? This whole passage of Scripture nosotros 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 work of salvation cannot neglect. Those who are genuinely saved do non fall away; they grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Salvation is God's piece of work; it is not human's work. God's work cannot fail to achieve its intended purpose. God never fails to complete His projection. Your salvation is His project and He will bring it to its completion at the twenty-four hours of Christ (Phil. i:three-six).

Perseverance in faith in Christ proves that y'all have become a partaker in Christ. If you lot practise not persevere in faith in Christ it proves you never became a partaker in Christ. You may be very religious, but are withal lost. Yous may have had great religious experiences, only have never been justified.

Ultimately only the Lord knows who is saved.

At that place are individuals who misconstrue this passage to teach that there is no repentance subsequently baptism and no forgiveness for Christian sinners. This fake teaching completely distorts the rest of the Scriptures such every bit 1 John 1:7-x. There is grace and forgiveness for every Christian who sins. Stop and read carefully the following verses.

"If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, nosotros accept fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses united states of america from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse united states of america from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us" (i John 1:seven-x).

All who profess to receive the Gospel are not built-in once more.

Judas Iscariot is an first-class example of a person who was in the presence of Christ, observed and experienced the slap-up advantages of the Gospel, but never was regenerated. He had all the evidence, simply patently was never saved.

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

Jesus said: "Listen to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow; equally he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed cruel on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil. And after the sun 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 information technology, and it yielded no crop. Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a ingather and produced thirty, lx, and a hundredfold. And He was saying, He who has ears to hear, let him hear" (Mark 4:three-9).

What kind of soil is represented in the heart of the true laic? What kind of soil is beingness described in our passage in Hebrews? Only fourth dimension reveals into what kind of soil the seed was planted. If information technology is good soil it will take an arable harvest of skilful fruit. Information technology volition deport Christ's likeness.

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

The Scriptures teach the perseverance of the saints.

Notation carefully, information technology is the perseverance of the saints, not unregenerate professors. Jesus said, All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the 1 who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out" (John six:37). The campaigner Paul wrote, "The Lord knows those who are His" (2 Tim. two:19). Our salvation is guaranteed through all eternity by the mystery of the divine election.

We are kept by the power of God through faith in Christ Jesus. It is the work of the Holy Spirit energizing the true Christian. Constant in Christ maintains us in the presence of God. Jesus said, "I in you lot, and you in Me." Christ did non dice in vain; He rose from the dead to prove it.

They have been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, 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 accept been regenerated? It is the continuance in Christ'due south word which proves that we are His disciples. It is continuing in the faith which demonstrates the reality of our profession.

Faith dies when it is separated from its object.

The sole object of our faith 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 shall be saved" (Acts 16:31).

If you need help in condign a Christian here is A Gratuitous Gift for You.

Title: Hebrews vi:4-6 Warnings against Crucifying Christ Once more

Series: Hebrews