Ok, here it goes, an attempt to concisely (this is my longest post ever) and clearly explain what I believe is the clear teaching of Hebrews 6:4-9. I think there are 3 major interpretations of this text. Each of the interpretations has their nuanced varieties of course, so I will be guilty of reductionism. Also there are the wacko cousins, those oddball interpretations that few if any other than their progenitors want to claim, I will leave them alone. Option number one I will simply reject and move on. Option number two I find tolerable but not probable, thus I will work to break it into pieces, and by doing so establish option 3. Option number three I will seek to defend.
Number One:
Some hold this text to be speaking of actual Christians who have committed a sin or sins so serious the deal is off. Not only do they lose their salvation, they can never get it back. Umm…NO! (Though you may feel like I’m yelling at you though your computer, I don’t care; bold, underline, all caps, and exclamation are all justified here.)
Number Two:
Some hold this text to be speaking hypothetically. They make much of the “if” in verse six, taking it in the sense of “if you fell off this building, though it’s impossible because of all the precautionary measures, what would happen to you.” They then interpret this passage to be saying that you can’t lose your salvation, but if you could, you could never get it back.
Here are my major problems with this interpretation:
1) It doesn’t fit the author’s pattern. Proponents of this view often say that this text is then meant to build our assurance of salvation. Because this is a hypothetical impossibility we need not fear it. But the author of Hebrews will constantly transition from building comfort/assurance to concern/rebuke.
1 – comfort 2:1-4 – concern
2:14-18 – comfort 3:6-13 – concern
4:14-5:10 – comfort 5:11-6:8 – concern
6:9ff – comfort
The point of this paragraph is meant to generate concern, not comfort; thus the hypothetical position violates the intention of the paragraph. And if one who takes this passage to be speaking hypothetically interprets this text as a warning he tears down any force the warning might have by making it a hypothetical impossibility.
2) It doesn’t fit the immediate context. After exhorting them to press on to maturity he tells them they will do this “if God permits” (v. 3). Verses 4-9 function as an exposition of verse 3 giving us a case where God will not permit. Also there are two cases being developed here as illustrated by verses 7-8. There is land that has been cultivated and received natural irrigation. If such a field produces fruit it is blessed by God, but if it bears thorns it is cursed. The fruit is indicative of how the rain was received. If the rain is received, it will produce fruit. (Cf. Isaiah 5:1-7 and Matthew 13:1-30) In verse 9 the author turns to comfort telling them that he is sure of better things concerning them, things that belong to salvation. The implication being that the action of apostasy just mentioned above does not belong to salvation. In other word they are not those who bear thorns, but fruit.
3) It doesn’t fit the overall context of Hebrews. He wants them to persevere, remain faithful, not in order to gain salvation but to prove their salvation. Falling away is a real threat, and he does not want them to do so proving that they were never Christ’s (I John 2:19).
Hebrews 2:1-4 – Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
Hebrews 3:12 – “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.”
Hebrews 4:11 – “Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.”
Hebrews 10:26-31 – “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
Hebrews 12:25 – “See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.”
The issue is not one of falling away and losing your salvation, but of never really having had it. Here is one that has enjoyed great spiritual privileges yet has proved to have a hard unbelieving heart.
Some objections might be:
1) “This violates the language of verses 4-5 which clearly indicates that these persons must be saved.” This is an example of forcing a preconceived meaning onto terms rather than letting the context determine the meaning of the terms. For example some might look at ever instance of “righteousness” in scriptures and import the meaning of “imputed righteousness” (that foreign righteousness of Christ that is declared to be ours) rather than “practical righteousness” (that which comes as a result of regeneration and sanctification). Another instance is looking at every instance of “sanctification” as referring to the progress that we make after salvation, when in some instances “sanctification” is to be interpreted as “positional sanctification” (being set apart as holy) something that happens once upon salvation. Too often we read our systematic theological categories into the text, forcing our system onto the text rather than allowing the text to fill out and refine our system.
All the terms here can be taken to speak of someone who dwells among God’s covenant people, makes a profession of faith, enjoys many spiritual privileges, and then violently rejects Christianity. We all know “professors” are not always “possessors”. They can be enlightened, that is come to see the truths of the gospel. They can taste of the heavenly gift, this could be directly related to enlightened or a reference to communion. They can share in the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit may convict them, may use them while they are still unrepentant to teach and lead other to Christ and even gift them. Spiritual gifts are no final indication that you are Christ’s (Matthew 7:21-23). They can taste of the goodness of the Word of God; they can love its truths, see the goodness therein, and yet ultimately reject Christ. They can taste of the powers of the age to come, in the church as when Jesus we present in flesh the presence of the future can be seen and tasted. The immediate context is illustrating this heard unbelieving heart using the children of Israel in the wilderness (chapters 3,4); and all these things can be said of them, and of Judas as well.
2) Some will take the phrase “restore to repentance” and insist that they had truly repented. But scripture does speaking of a repentance, a turning that is not saving. 2 Peter 2 is a great example of this, pay particular attention to verses 20-22.
Number 3:
Although much can be implied concerning the option I hold from the mess above, here it is explicitly and briefly. These are persons who have heard the gospel, professed Christ, enjoyed great spiritual privileges by being a part of God’s covenant people, His church, and then violently abandon the faith proving ultimately to have a hard unbelieving heart.
This is not simply an agnostic attitude toward Christianity. It is not mere doubt. Nor is it atheism. Atheism is simply unbelief. This text goes further than that. Also it is not equivalent to someone who leaves the Christian faith for a time and lives in sin. It is a persistent, intense, resolute, violent action of standing with the crucifiers of Christ and holding Christ in contempt and shame, rather than trusting Him.
This is not to say there may be a person who repents but God will not save them. This is a case where someone will not be saved because they have such a hard heart that repentance is not a viable option. Repentance has become an impossibility due to the hardness of their heart.
WHEW! (Again another instance where the emphasis is justified) That was almost as exhausting as preaching it. I’m going to quit and go get a glass of water now.
No Other Boast 