They Crucify Again for Themselves the Son of God

Let's suppose y'all died and stood before the Lord God and He said to you, "Why should I permit you into My sky?"  What would you lot say? What exercise you think you would say?

That question posed past Donald Barnhouse years ago probes to the depths of our relationship with God. Upon whom or what are you depending for salvation or eternal life?

The heart of Hebrews chapter six forces us to ask the question, do you have eternal life? Are y'all saved? You are either lost or saved. You either have eternal life or you do not. In whom or what are you trusting for eternal salvation?

The salvation Jesus procured for us is "eternal." Nosotros have "eternal redemption," "eternal inheritance," and "eternal covenant." What a great Savior!

The author of Hebrews will now stress the perseverance of the believer. We know a person is a true believer because he will persevere. The true believer volition continue trusting Christ. He volition go along to spiritual maturity in a growing human relationship with God in Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 6:1-half-dozen contains some of the severest linguistic communication in the Bible. The author of Hebrews has a manner of causing his readers to stop, look, and listen. He wants them to take a serious await and evaluate their personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He warns against simulated security and all forms of religious charade, especially religious experiences that practise not produce spiritual maturity and Christlikeness.

"Therefore leaving the uncomplicated instruction about the Christ, let united states press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And this we will practise, if God permits. 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 expert word of God and the powers of the historic period to come, and then take fallen abroad, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open up shame. For footing that drinks the pelting which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is likewise tilled, receives a blessing from God; just if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned" (Hebrews 6:i-8, NASB95). All Scriptures are from New American Standard Bible, 1995 Update unless otherwise noted).

Warning against consequences of apostasy (Heb. 6:4-eight)

The context demonstrates that someone in the congregation had great religious experiences, and so the aforementioned person falls away and re-crucifies Christ by putting Him to open shame, and that results in the impossibility to renew that person to repentance. When is repentance incommunicable? That is a virtually serious state of affairs.

This passage is not denying great blessings and highly religious experiences. And in spite of all these spiritual blessings and experiences this person falls away. He turns away from Christ, the Spirit and the powers of the age to come.

It is helpful to remember this is one of the most disputed passages in the New Attestation. There is no perfect interpretation of this passage considering we do non have all of the background on the offset readers of this letter. Every interpreter is influenced by his theological background. I take tried to approach this passage in its context without bias and in harmony with the educational activity of the whole Bible. There are basically iv dissimilar interpretations past Bible believing scholars.

Four interpretations

1.         Some scholars translate this passage as saved persons who later lose their conservancy. They view this passage as people who are born over again, but lose their salvation by deliberate betrayment. This view fails to adequately consider the context of the volume of Hebrews, and balance the Bible's teaching on election and eternal security (John 10:26-30; Rom. 8:28-thirty; Phil. one:3-5). The author offers no promise to the apostate. It definitely does not teach that salvation can be lost and regained many times. You are either saved or lost. You are a kid of God, or you are not.

two.         Another group interprets this passage equally saved persons who regress. They describe them as saved, but fall into sin and lose their rewards in sky. They suffer the "sin unto death" (one John 5:16), and stand at the judgment seat of Christ without rewards. The problem is these people cannot be reclaimed co-ordinate to this passage in Hebrews. They cannot outset over. There is no such thing as being saved a second time. You are either saved, or lost.

3.         Another popular view is a hypothetical case is being presented by the author to illustrate the recklessness of betrayment. These individuals are truly regenerated are under pressure to return to Judaism, but why would they always want to give upwards their perfect standing with God in Christ? To plow from Christ would only provide the evidence that they had never been built-in over again. B. F. Westcott observed, "There is nil to testify that the weather condition of fatal apostasy had been fulfilled, nonetheless less that they had been fulfilled in the case of whatever of these addressed." W. H Griffith-Thomas said, "The passage is evidently a supposed instance to right their incorrect ideas, and the argument seems to exist that if it were possible for those who have had the experiences of verses 4-6 to fall abroad, it would be impossible to renew them unless Christ died a second fourth dimension."

four.         Other scholars come across this passage every bit professing Christians who have never been saved. They are lost and unregenerate even though they have had great emotional religious experiences. They have been inoculated with a form of Christianity, but it is non the real thing. They have heard the bulletin of Good News, they take observed miracles, seen the work of the Holy Spirit in the congregation, have had emotional experiences, simply similar the seed of the sower planted on rocky ground accept never been regenerated. The apostasy referred to is the last rejection of Christ. They have rejected the substitutionary penal sacrifice of Jesus Christ for their sins. They were sympathizers to the Gospel, just never believed in their hearts and therefore never saved.

Tin can a person be a "partaker of the Holy Spirit" and non exist justified? Was this person who falls away similar this ever truly saved or justified or built-in again? Disquisitional to this whole context in Hebrews 6 is can you exist a partaker of the Holy Spirit and the word of God and the powers of the historic period to come and not be justified? Tin y'all lose your eternal position before God as a truly justified person and then be lost? Or is this passage teaching that yous can have these great religious emotional experiences as described in verses 4-5 and never exist justified or saved or born again?

The Bible teaches unequivocally the Divine preservation and the human perseverance of the saints (Heb. 6:13-xx; John v:24; 10:26-xxx; Rom. eight:28-39; Phil. 1:3-v). How do we reconcile these clear teachings with this passage? How exercise nosotros hold fast to the unerring integrity of the Scripture?

In Hebrews six:1-3 the author has been encouraging his readers to go on to maturity. Clearly he is addressing believers in the opening verses of this chapter. At present we see him changing his focus to requite a stern alarm to those who take to plow away from Christ.

"For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and accept tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and so accept fallen abroad, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and property him upwards to contempt" (Hebrews vi:iv-half-dozen, ESV).

The New American Standard Bible reads: "For in the instance of those who accept once been aware and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the skilful discussion of God and the powers of the age to come, and and then have fallen away, information technology is impossible to renew them over again to repentance, since they once more crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame" (Hebrews half dozen:4-6).

To whom is the author addressing when he says, "For it is incommunicable to restore over again to repentance those who were once enlightened"? The writer does not say, "u.s.a. who were once enlightened," nor "you," just "those who have once been enlightened." He draws a sharp contrast between "Beloved, nosotros are persuaded amend things of you lot," and this passage. It is true they enjoyed great privileges under Judaism, just they were not truthful Christians. They are not spoken of as God's elect, for whom Christ died, or equally those born of the Spirit of God. The passage does not speak of their beingness justified, forgiven, cleansed and accepted in the Beloved. Neither is anything said of their faith in Christ, nor obedience to Him. There is no indication that they were children of God.

A critical word in the interpretation of this passage is adunatos translated "incommunicable" in all of our accurate English language translations. It is too used in Hebrews 6:18 where the author tells us it is impossible for God to lie, In Hebrews x:4 it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take abroad sins, and in Hebrews eleven:6 we are told that without religion it is impossible to delight God. Here it reads, "For it is impossible . . . to renew them over again to repentance." The give-and-take "renew" must besides be taken with its full meaning. Repentance is the piece of work of the Holy Spirit on the middle of the individual. The Holy Spirit brings about this change in the listen that affects the whole person.

They had "once been enlightened"

"Enlightened" (photizo) "to give low-cal, to shine;" metaphorically means spiritual enlightenment. They had received spiritual low-cal or knowledge by teaching. They had been instructed in the teachings of the gospel to some extent. Does it fall short of the spiritual enlightenment which transforms and regenerates?  "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from celebrity to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18). In that location is a big difference betwixt beingness enlighten and regenerated. Where is the submission to the enlightenment they had received?

"Tasted of the heavenly gift"

They have to a sure degree understood the truths, but not gone on to appropriate them. Jesus said, "This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, and so that one may eat of it and not dice. I am the living bread that came downward out of sky; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the earth is My flesh." Then the Jews began to argue with one some other, maxim, "How can this man give united states His flesh to eat?" So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you consume the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His claret, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I volition raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him" (John half-dozen:l-56). His Jewish listeners took criminal offense at Him. They refused to appropriate Christ.

The "heavenly gift" refers either to Christ or the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is ministering on the world and in our hearts to glorify Christ and exalt Him. The Divine gift comes from heaven and leads u.s.a. to heaven. Therefore, I am inclined to think of this gift equally Christ. He is the Male parent's gift from heaven and His goal is to take united states of america to heaven to be with Him. The individuals in view had an associate with Christ, but had never made a commitment one time and for all to Him. Jesus said, "The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the give-and-take and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away" (Matthew 13:20-21).

 "Have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit"

The discussion for "partakers" or "accept shared" here is metochos and means "to have a share in" or only "companions."  John Brown wrote: "Information technology is highly likely that the inspired writer refers primarily to the miraculous gifts and operations of the Holy Spirit past which the primitive dispensation of Christianity was administered. These gifts were by no means bars to those who were 'transformed by the renewing of their minds.' . . . . At any rate they plainly show that their possession and an unregenerate state were by no means incompatible."  Several scholars annotation the word "partakers" does not mean to possess the Holy Spirit in the sense of His indwelling the believer. The idea of the permanent abiding presence of the Spirit is non included in the word for partake.

Simon Magus in Acts 8:8-18 is a skilful example of someone who "partakers" but in the following decades became detrimental to Biblical Christianity. He was not a true believer; he only used Christianity for his own personal gain.

"Have tasted the expert discussion of God"

They understood the promises regarding the coming of the Messiah. God has been faithful to His promise and they take enjoyed, so far every bit an unconverted person can savor the blessings and advantages that come from these promises existence fulfilled. A. West. Pinkish observed, these readers "could non say with Jeremiah, 'Your words were plant and I did eat them' (Jeremiah 15:16)." Of Herod it is written that he heard John the Baptist and "enjoyed listening to him" (Marking 6:20), but he did non apologize and even had John murdered.

"Powers of the age to come up"

The new dispensation ushered in by the Messiah according to the Erstwhile Testament prophesies has now arrived. They saw the miraculous ability of the mighty God at work in the person of Jesus Christ. The "age to come" was already upon them because Christ has come up. "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand" (Mark 1:xv). Not but has God spoken "in these last days" to us in His Son, only He has acted (Heb. one:two). The principles of this new age are active at the present time through the performance of the Holy Spirit. The Christian enjoys a 18-carat foretaste of the powers of the historic period to come, and volition to a more glorious magnitude at the consummation when Christ returns a second time. All the same, these unbelievers had witnessed personally the miracles of Christ, and the wonders of Pentecost. They were now without alibi. They saw all the evidence that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Son of God and refused to fully commit themselves to Him.

"And then fallen away"

This is a very stiff emphatic argument made by the author of Hebrews. The word used here is unlike from apostasia which was used earlier. It is parapipto and it ways literally "to fall aslope." It is a deliberate, consummate and final repudiation of Christ. There is no forgiveness for this sin. Information technology is a terminal rejection of Christ. Then it is incommunicable to renew them again to repentance. Their condition is beyond recovery. Since they have rejected the atoning sacrifice of Christ in that location is no other gospel to be preached. They take rejected the one cede that tin can salve from sin. It is a total abandonment of Christianity. Therefore, it is "impossible to renew them again unto repentance" those who have totally abandoned the gospel of Jesus Christ. The "impossibility" is used absolutely here, without any qualification. It is impossible to h2o it downwards. F. F. Bruce notes, "to say that they cannot be brought to repentance so long equally they persist in their renunciation of Christ would be a truism hardly worth putting into words." There is no possibility of their restoration "since they once again excruciate to themselves the son of God and put Him to open shame" (v. 7).

This is how serious this apostasy is. The event of falling away is to re-crucify Christ and put Him to open shame. When Christ went to the cantankerous and died as our substitute He died to brand us right with God. When we turn our backs on Him and return to the world we are saying the world is more worthy than the love of Christ. We are maxim in outcome that we concur with those who crucified Christ.

The writer is not describing recidivism Christians or believers who have fallen into sin. Even Peter who denied Christ three times was "renewed unto repentance." The sin described in this passage is not the sin of a laic, simply the open full renunciation of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Peter experienced the piece of work of the Holy Spirit in his middle because he was a true laic. The unbeliever does not experience this kind of change in the heart.

The Bible is emphatic that the grace and forgiveness of sins and cleansing in the blood of Christ is freely bachelor to every laic who sins and comes to Him confessing them (Heb. four:14-16; 10:xix-22; 1 John ane:7-10; 2:1-2).

John Chocolate-brown said: it is "in open, full, determined renunciation of all the elective principles of Christianity, and a return to a false organized religion, such as that of unbelieving Jews or heathens, or to open up adultery and open godlessness."

The context of this passage of Scripture shows the willful sin described here is deliberate betrayment. These individuals are in danger of renouncing Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, and are set up to openly expose Him to public scandal of the cross. They are willing to stand in judgment of Christ and with the oversupply shaking their fists and shouting, "Excruciate Him! Crucify Him!" If they had their chance, they would crucify Him over again. They have reached a decisive moment of commitment to apostasy. It is a betoken of no return. They take reached the point where they go on on crucifying the Son of God and holding Him in antipathy. In that location is no possible return.

John Calvin said, "The apostle is non hither talking near theft or perjury or murder or drunkenness or adultery. He is referring to a complete falling abroad from the gospel, in which the sinner has offended God non in some one respect just just has utterly renounced His grace."

To so refuse Jesus Christ is to be eternally damned. They arrive at a spiritual land where they tin can no longer repent "since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame." There is no 1 else to turn to for salvation.

"Information technology is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again excruciate to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame." This is a real warning against a real danger. It is true anytime in that location is a hardened center of unbelief.

It is possible for those who are described in the language of verses 4 and v to "fall away and not be renewed." The critical question is were they ever built-in once again? Were they ever saved?

They are non truthful Christians because they have never been regenerated past the Holy Spirit. They are like land that has received its pelting, but bears no good fruit. It is a state full of thorns and weeds. They take participated in worship services, the fellowship in the Christian community, but they are like seed sown on rocky ground. There was no spiritual root and they barbarous away. They audio like Christians, but something is severely missing. They are not saved, and if they are saved the author is presenting a hypothetical case for them to non render to the temple worship and therefore crucify Christ again.

Some scholars suggest if these Hebrews renounced their professed religion in Christ they would be going dorsum to the old covenant and would be irrevocably lost. Since there is no temple in Jerusalem today this sin cannot be committed today. In that location are no sacrifices or a organisation in which to return and then the sin involves abandoning the type for the fulfilled reality in Christ.

I return to my opening questions. If you died today and stood earlier the Lord God and He asked yous, "Why should I allow yous into My heaven? What would you say? How would you respond to Him? This whole passage of Scripture we are studying zeros in on this reality. What is your personal relationship with Jesus Christ? When the Holy Spirit applies the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ to depraved sinner the piece of work of conservancy cannot neglect. Those who are genuinely saved do not fall away; they grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Salvation is God'due south work; it is not man'southward piece of work. God'due south piece of work cannot fail to achieve its intended purpose. God never fails to complete His projection. Your conservancy is His project and He will bring it to its completion at the day of Christ (Phil. 1:iii-6).

Perseverance in faith in Christ proves that you take become a partaker in Christ. If you do not persevere in religion in Christ it proves you never became a partaker in Christ. You may be very religious, but are still lost. You may have had great religious experiences, but have never been justified.

Ultimately only the Lord knows who is saved.

In that location are individuals who distort this passage to teach that at that place is no repentance after baptism and no forgiveness for Christian sinners. This false educational activity completely distorts the residuum of the Scriptures such as 1 John 1:7-10. In that location is grace and forgiveness for every Christian who sins.  Cease and read carefully the following verses.

"If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Low-cal, we accept fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If nosotros say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in the states. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive u.s. our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that nosotros have not sinned, we brand Him a liar and His word is not in united states of america" (1 John 1:vii-x).

All who profess to receive the Gospel are not built-in once again.

Judas Iscariot is an excellent example of a person who was in the presence of Christ, observed and experienced the corking advantages of the Gospel, but never was regenerated. He had all the evidence, but obviously was never saved.

In our day we would say they had their names on the church building rolls, but were never saved. They partook of the Lord's Supper, were baptized, enjoyed fellowship dinners at church, enjoyed the social benefits and trappings of religion, simply were never regenerated by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said: "Listen to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow; as he was sowing, some seed fell abreast the road, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on the rocky ground where information technology did not have much soil; and immediately information technology sprang up because it had no depth of soil. And afterward the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, information technology withered abroad. Other seed fell amongst the thorns, and the thorns came upwards and choked it, and information technology yielded no ingather. Other seeds savage into the skillful soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced xxx, sixty, and a hundredfold. And He was saying, He who has ears to hear, allow him hear" (Marker 4:3-ix).

What kind of soil is represented in the heart of the true believer? What kind of soil is being described in our passage in Hebrews? But time reveals into what kind of soil the seed was planted. If it is good soil it will take an abundant harvest of good fruit. Information technology will bear Christ's likeness.

Some of the readers of the letter to the Hebrews never did vest to Christ; they were never spiritually regenerated. However, those who were true believers went on to spiritual maturity.

The Scriptures teach the perseverance of the saints.

Annotation carefully, it is the perseverance of the saints, non unregenerate professors. Jesus said, All that the Begetter gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out" (John 6:37). The campaigner Paul wrote, "The Lord knows those who are His" (2 Tim. ii:nineteen). Our conservancy is guaranteed through all eternity past the mystery of the divine election.

Nosotros are kept past the power of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Information technology is the work of the Holy Spirit energizing the truthful Christian. Abiding in Christ maintains us in the presence of God. Jesus said, "I in yous, and y'all in Me." Christ did not die in vain; He rose from the expressionless to bear witness it.

They take been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, partaken of the Holy Spirit, tasted the goodness of the word of God and seen the mighty works of the coming age. Where is the evidence that they take been regenerated? It is the continuance in Christ'southward word which proves that nosotros are His disciples. It is continuing in the faith which demonstrates the reality of our profession.

Faith dies when it is separated from its object.

The sole object of our organized religion is Jesus Christ, the writer and finisher of our salvation.

What is your personal relationship with Jesus Christ? "Believe on the Lord Jesus and y'all shall be saved" (Acts 16:31).

If yous need assistance in becoming a Christian hither is A Complimentary Gift for You.

Title: Hebrews 6:four-6 Warnings against Crucifying Christ Once again

Series:  Hebrews

	Web world wide web.AbideInChrist.com

burnettalmen1970.blogspot.com

Source: http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/heb6v4-6warningsagainstcrucifyingchristagain.html

Share this post