Your point is a good one, and valid. I admit I do not have all the answers--I just read Scripture. I am still struggling with the *apparent* conflict between the Hebrews 6 passage and the Prodigal Son. DutchBoy's interpretation makes some sense, and I will study it some more.
I am aware that the general view nowadays is that the author is not Paul. I have read those arguments and reject them as weak and unfounded. There are compelling internal arguments which point directly to Paul. I won’t set those out, as that is not the issue here. But, suffice to say, from my perspective Paul is the writer (God is the author).
The real issue before us now is what is the writer getting at? And, the fact of the matter is that some of the texts in the Scripture (like the letter to the Hebrews) are not addressed to us Gentiles. Sometimes this is due to the passage of time. For example, when Jesus tells the Canaanite woman that He could not help her (a Gentile) because He sent, “...only to the lost sheep of Israel.” this fact should arrest our attention. When, pray tell, were we Gentiles included? Eph. 2 tells us that when the blood was shed, we were grafted in.
Thus, most of the Gospels text contain words of Jesus BEFORE his death, burial & resurrection and are about His description of the Mosaic Law requirements to the Jews. There was no trusting in His death before His death! There was only Law. Notice the so-called Golden Rule (Sermon on the Mount Matt. 7:12) actually tells the audience that Jesus is teaching the Law and the Prophets...not the Gospel of grace. The entire Sermon is about “If you want to be saved based upon your righteousness, this is what it looks like.”
However, the RCC has morphed the Gospels into “Christian Living” message, not what Jesus actually said. He said, “You are to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Anyone want to try to meet this standard? The Gospel of grace announced after the death, burial, resurrection is that Jesus will do FOR you, what you cannot do for yourself. Paul’s letter to the Romans. And, Gentiles are now included (we violated the Law of our Consciences, not the Law of Moses). Notice the progression as the story unfolds.
So, the question about Hebrews is, “If this is in fact addressed to (now) believing Jews, how does a Gentile (who did not involve themselves with sacrifices) read this ‘over the shoulder’ of a Jew without skewing the words to immediately fit themselves?”
Good for you for at least considering this hermeneutical matter a bit further. There is an enormous amount of bad theology out there due to many folks reading the Scriptures “flat” or “encyclopedia like”. They do not allow the story to unfold as the years go by. The story is actually a consistent, non-conflicting message if allowed. Otherwise, it becomes this push-pull “religion” of “grace as long as you obey”, and “forgiveness as long as you forgive” (the so-called “Lord’s prayer”, incidentally). Is this all really the Gospel which lightens our load? Is this really “unmerited favor”? Or is it Catholic Religion?