The Warning of Apostasy
December 14, 2020
Commentary
If we are going to grow as a Christian, we have to leave the elementary teachings of Christ behind and go forward in Spiritual growth (vv. 1-3). This next passage is perhaps one of the most difficult and controversial passages in the entire Bible (vv. 4-6). The issue centers around whether or not a born-again believer can lose his salvation. The four most common views of this passage given by Bible scholars are as follows:
Refers to the saved who have fallen from salvation.Refers to those who profess to know Christ but are not truly saved.Refers to the saved who fall into sin and have become castaways to God’s service.Refers only to a situation of what would happen to a saved person if he could fall away. I personally do not believe the first view because it is not consistent with other Scripture such as John 10:27-30 which states that salvation is a work of God that cannot be reversed. However, I do not believe we can be dogmatic in our teaching of any of the last three views. There are many good men of God who differ on these. The author could have had any one of these views in mind as he penned these words, and certainly we can make application to all three. Regardless of the view held, we can see from these verses (vv 4-5) how these Hebrews being addressed here had at least five great advantages: (1) They had been enlightened, (2) tasted of the heavenly gift, (3) partaken of the Holy Spirit, (4) tasted the Word of God, and (5) tasted the powers of the age to come. The farming illustration (vv. 7-8) further describes the argument presented in the passage above.
Application
If I am saved it is impossible to lose my salvation. Those who are lost can be saved for all eternity if they simply admit they are a sinner, tell the Lord they are sorry for their sin and invite the Lord Jesus to save them. Just as in real life once I am born I can not get unborn.
Hebrews 6:1– 8 (NET)
1 Therefore we must progress beyond the elementary instructions about Christ and move on to maturity, not laying this foundation again: repentance from dead works and faith in God, 2 teaching about ritual washings, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this is what we intend to do, if God permits. 4 For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 tasted the good word of God and the miracles of the coming age, 6 and then have committed apostasy, to renew them again to repentance, since they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves all over again and holding him up to contempt. 7 For the ground that has soaked up the rain that frequently falls on it and yields useful vegetation for those who tend it receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is useless and about to be cursed; its fate is to be burned.
Illustration: GE Frosting Bulbs on The Inside
Years ago new engineers of General Electric were assigned, the impossible task of frosting bulbs on the inside. Eventually, however, an undaunted newcomer named Marvin Pipkin not only found a way to frost bulbs on the inside, but developed an etching acid that gave minutely rounded pits instead of sharp depressions. This materially strengthened each bulb. Fortunately, no one had told him it couldn’t be done, so he did it. (Bits and Pieces, December, 1989, pp. 20-21).