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Hebrews 6:4-6
This passage of Hebrews 6:4-6 is of particular controversy as the question arises of, “Is it possible for one, who has believed, to fall away from God, and then, a second time, return to God as a believer?” Some say, “yes”, and some say, “no”. But we must also keep in mind that this decision is not for us to decide for ourselves, but to look to the Scriptures to find the answer, and then imply that answer to our doctrine as it is not ours but Gods. Yes, I understand that the controversy is over the individual’s interpretation of the text. But we must dissect the text to gain the best possible understanding of the text, not to overlook the importance of the rhetoric of the author of the text. Or more simply put; analyze the words chosen by the author of the text to communicate the message. From Hebrews 6:4-5 (NKJV) we find the following:
It is impossible for those who (vs. 4)
- were once enlightened (vs. 4)
- have tasted the heavenly gift (vs. 4)
- become partakers of the Holy Spirit (vs. 4)
- have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come (vs. 5)
And from Hebrews 6:6 we learn:
if they fall away (vs.6)
- to renew them again to repentance (vs.6)
- since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God (vs.6)
- and put Him to an open shame (vs.6).
The key to what I believe is a proper understanding of this text is found in Hebrews 6:6 and states, “if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” More directly, the words “fall away” and what is meant by falling away from God. We must first realize that we live in a sinful world and that even as Christians, we are prone to sin in our physical bodies. As Christians, we don’t willfully commit sin, but we still make mistakes and we say, do, and think things that are sin. The difference between a Christian committing sin and a non-Christian committing sin is that the Christian is striving to please God and live a life that is pleasing to God in obedience to their salvation in Christ Jesus in being a representative of Christ Jesus in this physical world. A non-Christian committing sin is willfully living in sin with no regard for the wrongdoings that they are committing – they are not striving to please God, but to please themselves over what God would have of them. The point here is that we all commit sin, but as Christians/believers we are remorseful/sorry for the wrongdoings that we fall to/tricked by Satan to fall into, and God’s Holy Spirit, that He has given to live within us, convicts us to a sincere repentant heart to ask of forgiveness. We still believe in God and we are still striving to please Him – we are still within the outlines 1-4 of verses 4-5 listed above.
The proper context of falling away as listed in Hebrews 6:6 is that of one who has “tasted” salvation and then turned away from God completely. To turn one’s back to God and not believe in God from that moment forward. As the text states, “since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame (Hebrews 6:6b). This is referring to those who separate themselves from the saving grace of God. This is referring to those who continue on this path with no convictions of their turning from God as if to seek another way to salvation other than through Christ Jesus.
This raises another controversy in that Jesus has stated that none will be taken from Him that God has given Him. Jesus states in John 6:39, “this is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all he has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.” We also know from John 6:65 that it is in God’s will for all who come to salvation in Christ Jesus. So if the promise is firm, how can one fall away?
Some have interpreted this passage to show the unchanging declarations of the deity of God in that He has made a way to salvation through His one and only Son, that all who will believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). He is not changeable due to our earthly desires in that we would find another way or believe that there is another way to eternal life in God’s grace. The Bible declares in John 14:6 (ESV), “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”
The possibility also arises that this passage of Hebrews 6:4-6 is intended by the author of Hebrews to be a warning as he has been speaking of the disobedience of the Israelites of the Exodus and their not being allowed to enter into the promised land because of their disobedience. The warning is then to those who read the letter to take heed lest they fall to the same fate. The author of Hebrews declares in Hebrews 2:1-4 (NIV), “We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.”
This is a promise and a warning to all who refuse salvation in Christ Jesus.
I must confess that this passage has a personal interest to my salvation. I hope my testimony will help give some clarity to this controversy of the intended meaning of “falling away” from God and the importance of the warning that shows us of God’s ultimate, unchangeable authority and decision making.
I accepted Jesus into my heart as a young teenager. I sincerely opened my heart to Jesus and asked of His forgiveness – even to the point of having a desire for Jesus to cleanse me as white as snow. And I meant every word of it. I grew up in Church and Sunday School, even the Sunday night Bible study and youth group on Wednesday night. If the doors were opened for service, my mother was sure to have me there. By this point in my life (as a young teenager) I was aware of the importance of having Jesus in your heart to help throughout the life that was ahead, and I believed it. But I didn’t understand it. I knew that later in my life I would need Jesus to protect me, guide me, and help me through this sinful world. But I thought that I was the decision-maker; that I made the choices and because I believed in God that He would do what I needed Him to do. I didn’t get it. I didn’t get that it was about giving up what was important to me in this world to seek and put first above me, God, and His plans for my life that He could only reveal to me once I matured to an understanding of that. It took another thirty years before God would bring me to that turning point in my life, and I have related that thirty years to wandering in the wilderness as did the Israelites who disobeyed God. But I never quit believing in God. I always knew that He was there looking after my well-being, even, and most during the times when I had drifted furthest away from Him. This was not what the author of Hebrews is speaking of in “falling away” from God. But being caught up in the confusion of sin in this world, and falling to the temptation of it, I was still yet lost in a false conversion because I did not understand that I had to put God first in my life and take my place of submission to Him. It was the day I realized that God’s way is the best way and that I have to see His will for my life when everything changed and true conversion began to fill my heart. God is patient and has a purpose for us all, even if we’re so hard-headed that it takes thirty or more years to realize it. God loves you and so deeply desires for you to realize it today so that He may open the door to the plan that He has for you and share life, true life with you – in Christ.
Dear LORD,
We know that Your great plan of salvation in calling all You will to salvation in Your one and only Son Christ Jesus is without fault and is forever held tight in Your word. Please help us to heed the warning and see the importance of sincerely believing in Jesus and that He has paid our price for sin that we may be saved through what He has done for us on the cross and His resurrection from the grave. Please help us to see that opening our hearts to Jesus is a step of obedience to You in sincere faith in You, that we would give up our earthly desires for Your desires for us that we would bring You glory through our lives. Thank You LORD for being patient with us that You would save even me from sin. In Jesus name I pray, amen.