Sermon Tone Analysis

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”?