The warning of all warnings! It has led to so many debates on whether we can lose our salvation or whether we were ever saved in the first place. It is a shocker. Maybe that was the intent.
“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.” (Hebrews 6 v 4-8)
So who are these people?
They have once been enlightened. They were once in darkness but now have stepped into the light.
They have tasted the heavenly gift. They have experienced and participated in all that God has given, His Son and His Spirit.
They have tasted the goodness of the Word of God. Their leader has so far used various Bible references to support his teaching to them; they are people who hold to their Scriptures and also the gospel that has saved them.
They have tasted the powers of the coming age. They have shared in the Holy Spirit (v4) because they have already entered post-Pentecost and there is more to come.
So these people are true disciples, like you and me. However!
Though ‘it is impossible’ v4 seems actually to be so. These real disciples are at risk of being people ‘who have fallen away’ v6. Of course the book shelves are full of eminent theologians who have answers to this verse. For me, I know pastorally I have at times hung someone over a picture of total destruction if they went ahead with a moment of madness they were pursuing for themselves. I didn’t do that with everyone. But I did do it as a last resort because I loved them enough to try and describe the hell on earth that they would enter in to if they didn’t turn around. Is this what this Pastor is doing? Is this akin to their ancestors who failed to enter into the rest/ the Promised Land?
Where am I today with this? At times in my life I have been really fearful of losing my salvation and so have been at the many church altars getting saved all over again just in case. I think actually God wants me to live with confidence that I am saved even though I sin and come back for forgiveness etc. There have also been times in my life when I have just coasted along with little passion and drive for God and I needed a powerful sermon or a friend to shake me up to get me back on track again.
The parables of the land are simply to back up the thinking of this leader who loves these believers. He wants the very best of them. They are being tempted to go back to Judaism that is clear in the letter. The persecution is too tough, they need to hang on to Jesus and the faith. This a reminder that if they abandon all that they know and have experienced then who is their Saviour? Who will die on a cross for them? And if they walk away then all that they have testified about the power of the cross then loses its power. The cross of love and beauty becomes what everyone thought as they looked at it, just a public disgrace.
So today. Once again don’t give up. Don’t walk away. If you have to dangle real true Christians who are being cruelly tempted and are in the severest of battles then say what you can to stop them making the worst decision of their life after making the best one.
Missions Paul 