Hebrews 6:4-8

We’re in the 3rd of 5 Warning Passages in the Book of Hebrews

This Warning Passage Spans From Hebrews 5:11-6:12

The Author is Warning Against Spiritual Laziness and Immaturity

They Ought to Be Teachers By this Point…

But They Still Need to Be Retaught the Basics of Christianity

They are Like Infants Who Only Drink Milk Instead of Eating Solid Food

Last Week, We Focused On Hebrews 6:1-3

In that Passage is Listed Off 6 Foundational/Elementary Teachings of Christianity

All Christians Must Believe/Practice These Things

They are the Foundational Teachings that Everything Else is Built Upon

And Now We are Going to Get into, Some Have Argued, the Most Difficult Passage in the NT

But First, Let’s Read Verses 1-8

Hebrews 6:1–8 (NLT)

So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.

For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come—and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.

When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it.

Hebrews 6:4–6 (NASB95)

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.

Many Consider this the Most Difficult Passage to Interpret in the Entire Book of Hebrews

There are Also Many Who Consider it the Most Difficult in the Entire NT

F.F. Bruce Said, “This warning has both been unduly minimized and unduly exaggerated”

Some Minimize this Passage Because They Believe it is Impossible for a Person to Be Lost After Being Saved

And Some Exaggerate this Passage to the Point of Saying that No Sin of a Christian Can Be Repented of

That’s a Terrifying Interpretation, Because We Have All Sinned Since Becoming Christians

Let’s Break This Passage Down and See if We Can Figure it Out

1st, Who is the Author Talking About?

Hebrews 6:4–6 (NASB95)

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.

“Enlightened” = To Shine or Give Light to Something; To Understand Something On a Deep Level

This is More or Less the Same Way We Use the Word Today

To Be Enlightened About Something is to Come to the Knowledge and Understanding of that Thing

The Author Uses this Word Again in Chapter 10 to Refer to Becoming a Christian:

Hebrews 10:32–34 (NASB95)

But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.

Those Who Were Enlightened Were Those Who Endured Great Sufferings…

Because They Knew They Something Better and Lasting to Come

Hebrews 6:4–6 (NASB95)

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.

“Tasted” = To Experience Something

Earlier in Hebrews, the Author Used this Word to Refer to How Jesus Experienced Death

Hebrews 2:9 (NASB95)

But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

If There’s Anything the Hebrews Author Wants Us to Know Up to this Point…

It’s that Jesus Experienced Humanity and Death to the Fullest Extent

Hebrews 6:4–6 (NASB95)

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.

So What was it that this Audience Came to the Understanding of and Experienced Fully?

Hebrews 6:4–6 (NASB95)

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.

In My Opinion, This Could Refer to the Spiritual Gifts Christians Enjoy in Jesus

Or it Could Be Referring to What the Author Mentions Next

Hebrews 6:4–6 (NASB95)

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.

It Could Refer to the Gift of the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit that All Christians are Partakers/Sharers of

So Let’s Ask Our Question Again:

Who is the Author Talking About?

Those Who Have Come to an Understanding of the Heavenly Gift

Those Who Have Experienced the Heavenly Gift

Those Who Share in the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

So Far, I Think We Can Agree…

This Can Only Refer to Christians

Let’s Keep Going

Hebrews 6:4–6 (NASB95)

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.

Again, We See the Word “Tasted/Experienced”

This Time, They Experienced the Goodness/Blessings of Hearing God’s Spoken Word/Message

Hebrews 6:4–6 (NASB95)

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.

They Experienced Also the Powers of the Coming Age that Accompanied the Preaching of the Gospel

They Saw/Experienced the Wonders and Signs

We are Looking at People Who Have Heard and Experienced the Gospel

Taking Everything We Know So Far…

The Author is Talking About Christians

Let’s Paraphrase the Passage to Make it Easier to Comprehend

“For in the Case of Those Who Became Christians, and Then Have Fallen Away, It is Impossible to Renew Them Again to Repentance”

So Our Next Question Has to Be:

What Does the Author Mean By “Fallen Away”?

Hebrews 6:4–6 (NASB95)

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 the Only Time in the NT this Word is Used

“Fallen Away” = To Fail to Follow Through on a Commitment

When a Person Becomes a Christian, They Make a Commitment to God

They Join Him in a Covenant Relationship

To “Fall Away” is to Not Follow Through with that Commitment

It is to Reject Jesus and His Gospel

Let’s Update Our Paraphrase of the Passage:

“For in the Case of Those Who Became Christians, and Then Abandoned Their Commitment to Jesus, It is Impossible to Renew Them Again to Repentance”

Falling Away in this Context Does Not Mean:

Committing or Living in Sin

It is Referring to Rejected Jesus and Any Allegiance to Him

Our Next Question Will Be:

What Does the Author Mean By “Impossible”?

Hebrews 6:4–6 (NASB95)

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.

He Means Exactly What We Think He Means

“Not Possible”

He Uses this Word 3 Other Times in this Book

By Looking at the Other Ways He Uses this Word…

It Becomes Clear Exactly What He Means When He Says it is Impossible

Hebrews 6:18 (NASB95)

so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.

Hebrews 10:4 (NASB95)

For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Hebrews 11:6 (NASB95)

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

It’s Absolutely Impossible for God to Lie

It’s Absolutely Impossible for Animal Blood to Take Away Sins

It’s Absolutely Impossible to Please God Without Faith

And it’s Absolutely Impossible for Those Who Abandon Their Commitment to Christ…

To Be Renewed Again to/in Repentance

But, What Does the Author Mean By “Renew Them Again to Repentance”?

Hebrews 6:4–6 (NASB95)

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.

“Renew” Means Pretty Much What We Would Expect:

To Restore Something to a Previously Better State

This Passage is Telling Us:

If a Christian Chooses to Abandon Their Commitment to Jesus…

It is Impossible for Them to Be Reconciled to God in Repentance

The Only Way to Fully Understand this Passage is to Keep it Connected to the Purpose of This Book

The Book of Hebrews was Dealing with People Who Were Considering Leaving Christianity…

And Returning to Judaism

Here’s the Key to Understanding this Passage:

These Hebrews Wanted to Continue Having a Relationship with God

But They No Longer Wanted that Relationship to Involve Jesus

The Author Tells Them, “There’s No Other Way to Have a Relationship with God, Except Through Jesus.”

“If You Abandon Your Commitment to Jesus, There is No Way for You to Be Restored to God Through Repentance”

“Being Committed to Jesus is the Only Way to Be Renewed/Restored to God”

Hebrews 6:4–6 (NASB95)

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.

Those Who Abandon Their Commitment to Jesus are:

(Present Tense) Crucifying Again the Son of God and are (Present Tense) Publicly Disgracing Him

They are Agreeing with His Crucifixion

They are Disgracing Him By Damaging His Reputation

Again, We are Not Talking About a Christians Who Occasionally Sins

We Aren’t Even Talking About a Christian Who Practices a Sinful Lifestyle

Both of These Could Be Renewed Through Repentance

We are Talking About a Christian Who Decides They No Longer Want to Be Associated with Jesus

They are Cutting Ties with Him and No Longer Want Anything to Do with Him

Those are the People Who Have No Hope of a Relationship with God…

Because Only Through Jesus Can a Relationship with God Be Enjoyed

This Also Doesn’t Mean that a Person Can Recommit Themselves to Jesus and Be Reconciled to God

It Simply Means that if a Person Continues to Reject Jesus…

There’s No Other Option of Hope for Them

Hebrews 6:7–8 (NASB95)

For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.

Here the Author Gives a Short Parable Similar to Several of Jesus’ Parables

This Parable is Directly Connected to the Passage We Just Studied

Ground that Receives Rain From Heaven and Brings Produce to its Owner is Blessed By the Owner

Ground that Receives Rain From Heaven But Doesn’t Produce Anything for it’s Owner is Soon to Be Cursed and Burned

The Rain Represents What We Read in Verses 4-5

Rain = Coming to the Knowledge of and Experiencing the Blessings of God, Sharing in His Holy Spirit, and Experiencing the Blessings and Power of the Gospel

The Field that Produces Vegetables for its Master…

Are Christians Who Continue Faithfully Living Their Lives for Jesus

The Field that Doesn’t Produce Vegetables for it’s Master…

Are Christians Who Abandon Their Commitment to Jesus and Refuse to Live for Him

The Faithful Will Be Blessed

The Worthless will Be Burned

Invitation

The Context of James Chapter 1 So Far has Been Focused On Trials

Christians are to “Consider it all joy” When We Experience Trials

Because Enduring Faithfully Through Trials Makes Us Stronger and More Like Jesus

And God Helps Us in Our Trials When We Ask for it with Faith

James 1:12 (NASB95)

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.