Presented, Sunday, May 4, 2008 am
WHEN WE DON’T PROGRESS
Hebrews 6:4-6
In our lesson this morning we want to look at what is to me a challenging text. What makes it challenging is the word impossible. Verse 4 speaks of the impossibility of renewing one to repentance. At face value that tells us there are circumstances where one can sin to the point where there is no longer any hope for that person and there is nothing that can be done to change that person and provide them a hope of salvation. More to the point, is it saying that one can sin to the point where they cannot be forgiven ever again and thus they are lost without any hope of reconciliation. Is that what the text is saying?
In our lesson this morning we want to look at this text. We want to notice who it is talking about. Why is it true? What can we do about it to make sure that we don’t fall into this condition?
I. I. The Text
a. It describes one who WAS a faithful Christian.
i.
They were once
enlightened – the word enlightened means to have “light to shine upon some
object” (Louw and Nida). Ephesians 1:18 speaks of one whose eyes of
understanding are being enlightened. Ephesians 3:9, Paul’s goal was “to
make all men see what is the fellowship of the
mystery...”
The person described in our text is one who had come to the light and understood
what he/she needed to do.
ii. They had tasted the heavenly gift – salvation. Not only did they understand, they had acted. They had obeyed the gospel and received the forgiveness of their sins. They had been baptized – Acts 22:16, 1 Peter 3:21.
iii.
They had become
partakers of the Holy Spirit – Acts 2:38. Whatever is meant by the gift of the
Holy Spirit in Acts 2:38 it applied to them. One of the blessing of
Christianity is the influence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. While this is
misunderstood by many (being given a miraculous or supernatural influence) we
cannot deny that Christians have the Holy Spirit in their lives. His primary
influence is found in the word of God.
However, in our text, because of the time, this expression could also mean some
even had supernatural abilities as the Holy Spirit gave back then.
iv. They had tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come – they had been taught the truth. These were not just people that were baptized and then went on their way never to hear another word about God again. They continued to be taught the truth and they had “tasted” or experienced many of its fruits. They had hope of heaven (the powers of the age to come).
v. This has to be describing one who was a faithful Christian at some point. It was not someone who was just going through the motions, trying to impress friends, etc. This one was living the Christian life!
b. They fell away!
i. One CAN fall away! That is clearly taught in this text! See also Heb. 10:26-31, 2 Peter 2:20-22, Galatians 5:4, etc.
ii. The expression “they fall away” is a verb in the aorist test meaning it is a past occurrence with existing results. In other words, at some point in the past there was a point where they walked away from God.
iii. What have they fallen away from? Their previous saved state. Again this teaches it is possible.
c. It is impossible … to renew them to repentance.
i.
The word
impossible means something that it is not possible to do or something that we
have no power to change. Another way of saying this is that it is something
that is NOT going to happen.
The word is used 10 times in the N.T. including: Matthew 19:26 which says,
“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Also Hebrews 6:18 which says “it was impossible for God to lie”,
Heb. 10:4, “for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats
should take away sins”
11:6 which says, “But without faith it is impossible to please God.”
The state of these fallen brethren was impossible. But to do what?
ii. To renew them again to repentance – that is to bring them back into a state where they are right with God.
1.
When a Christian
sins, one thing he MUST do to be reconciled to God is repent –
2 Corinthians 7:10, Acts 8:22, etc.
2. The one in our text has reached a point where he WILL NOT repent. One source described this person as having reached a state where “they are beyond rescue” (Mark Copeland).
3. This is one who has abandoned God to the point that there is NOTHING anyone can do to bring that person back.
4. Why? Because they continue to live in sin with no intention of stopping. This person is described as:
a.
Crucifying again
for themselves the Son of God. The point is the attitude that those who
crucified Jesus had against Him. As you study the gospels you find that the
Jewish leaders who crucified Jesus knew what they were doing. Their rejection
of Jesus was willful and malicious and self-serving.
When, as Christians, we keep on sinning – in essence we keep crucifying our
Lord. Not literally – but because His blood is required for the forgiveness of
every sin, when we sin it is as we are saying, “Crucify Him!” again. It is one
thing to do that in weakness or ignorance. But what if it is done willingly and
with full knowledge?
b.
Putting Him to
an open shame, i.e. living in total rebellion.
His heart has been hardened through the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. 3:12-13).
Hebrews 10:29 describes this person. He has, “trampled the Son of God
underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common
thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace.”
c.
NOTE: The verbs
in both of these phrases are present tense meaning ongoing action.
This is not simply describing one who as a Christian sins from time to time. We
all sin from time to time – 1 John 1:8. In addition to doing things we ought
not to do, we leave undone or neglect things we ought to be doing and thus we
sin. The person in our text is living in A STATE of continual sin with no
intention of stopping.
5. The challenge: When does one reach this point? While we may not be exact, we know it is a place that one can go.
d. The state of such a person (6:7-8)
i. The Hebrew writer makes a contrast between the earth as it is blessed by God and thus producing herbs and fruit AND a barren and useless land which only produces thorns and briars (e.g. a barren wilderness). The end of such is to be burned.
ii. Burning is often descriptive of the eternal punishment that awaits the lost. Such is the case in our text. This one who has fallen away is destined to an eternity in Hell.
1. John 15:6 speaks of the unproductive branches that are gathered and thrown into the fire and burned.
2. Revelation 21:8 speaks of the lake which burns with fire which is the eternal destiny of those who are ungodly.
3. Matthew 25:41 describes the cursed as being sent to “the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
iii. Make no mistake about it – when one has reached the point of no return in his life all that awaits him is eternal destruction in hell.
II. II. Lessons:
a.
What led
to this state?
Consider the context – they had become dull of hearing. The apostasy
follows an admonition to maturity. We frequently quote Hebrews 5:12-14 (By this
time you ought to be teachers…). These brethren had failed to move forward as
they ought to – both in learning and application.
One of the characteristics of the book of Hebrews is continued warnings against
drifting away –
i. Heb. 2:1 – Give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard lest we drift away.
ii. Heb. 3:12 – Beware, lest there be in us an evil heart leading to departing from the living God.
iii. Heb. 4:1 – Let us fear lest any of you seem to come short
iv. Heb. 4:11 – be diligent to enter “that rest” lest we fall
b.
Can we
reach a point where this context applies to us? YES!
If we let down our guard as Christians and neglect our responsibilities.
c. How do we prevent this condition? We have to continue to grow. Don’t become too comfortable where you are at right now!
i. We must give the more earnest heed to what we have heard , i.e. – apply what we learn (Matt. 28:20).
ii. Beware – 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant…”
iii. Fear God – Matthew 10:28
iv. Live with due diligence in our lives – put forth effort. 2 Peter 1:10, “Be even more diligent to make your calling and election sure…”
v. DON’T become dull of hearing – 2 Timothy 2:15 – study so that you can rightly divide the word of truth.
d.
Don’t
forget that what is impossible with man is possible with God.
As I understand this text, the point is that one because of neglect and willful
sin (usually in that order) has totally abandoned God (and his brethren). He is
now in such a state that there is nothing ANYONE can do to bring him out of that
state. You might say than any efforts to restore such a one is like casting
pearl before swine.
BUT is there ever any hope for him? One point worthy of bringing out is that
while we might not be able to do anything for this person, perhaps in time he
will come to his own senses and return to God. But he has to make that choice.
And until he does, there is no hope.
Also, never forget that God can change hearts and lives. But only if one is
willing to change himself.
When we are guilty of sin, we need to repent. To neglect repentance puts us one step closer to the one we have been discussing in our text. If we keep refusing to repent how long will it be? Is there anything you need to repent of?