Hebrews 6:4-6 has been described by many as one of the Bible’s most difficult passages to interpret and, like others, we wrestled with it this morning.
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
One view is that the passage was written for Jews who believed in the accuracy of what they have heard but have not committed to Jesus as The Savior. Not only does this fit these almost converted Jews, it fits many Christians who regularly attend church and believe the gospel is true, but have not accepted Christ as their savior and repented for all their past sins.
Another view is that it is written for Christians, true believers, because it begins (at least in the King James Version) with “If they fall away…” and can therefore be viewed as a hypothetical statement. The problem with this view is that a true Christian can’t fall away. So we are left with the view that the letter is to those who have heard the word but have yet to commit and if they “fall away” after leaning about Christ, they won't get a second chance.
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