Replies

Doctrinally, the Hebrews 6:4-6 passage seems to make much more sense when it applies to initial efficacious grace.

An unbeliever, who first hears the Gospel and understands it, is initially called by God the Father. At that time, the unbeliever may experience action by God the Holy Spirit, but if He refuses to believe and rejects the grace, then it might be the case that he doesn’t receive that again.

Key words in the passage are :
once enlightened: PHOTIZO means illuminated or to have light rays or shed light on,...once refers to HAPAX, one time or a single time. A believer who has anytime with God after salvation has received light everytime he studies the Word.

Tasted: GEUOMAI : figuratively to experience or taste or eat; same figurative speech is made in the Tabernacle of intake of the Word with the Loaves of Shewbread, each representing a Tribe of Israel.

Heavenly: EPOURANIUS : pertaining to the heavens as in the abode of God the Father. This would be consistent with the gift coming from God the Father, vice God the Holy Spirit who indwells us.

Gift: DOREA: Gift/Gratuity Could apply to initial efficacious grace or later.

word: RHEMA: and utterance,..note LOGOS was not used here. This may lend more weight on an actual utterance from God the Father to the unbeliever about to receive the Gospel.

Power: DUNAMIS: specifically force, might, specifically miraculous power (usually by implication a miracle itself); Initial saving grace from God would provide this.

world to come: AION: Note COSMOS is not used here as “world” but rather a term for Age or period in the future

MELLO: to come; a stengthened form of MELO or “of interest” with intent to happen.

Fall away: PARAPIPTO; fall aside

Renew: ANAKAINIZO again make fresh KAINOS is to freshen, while a new with respect to age is NEOS

Again: PALIN : once more as in oscillatory repetition

repentance: METANOIA : change of mind or thinking

open shame: PARADEIGMATIZO Expose to infamy.

Heb 6:4-6
(4) For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened(shined upon once), and have tasted of the heavenly gift (from God the Father), and were made partakers(sharers) of the Holy Ghost,
(5) And have tasted the good word(utterance) of God, and the powers of the world(age) to come (intended),
(6) If they shall fall away(fall aside), to renew(again freshen) them again unto repentance (change of thinking); seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame (expose to infamy).

If we think this applies to believers with salvation, then we are led down a road of qualifying which sins are extreme enough to remove salvation. This approach fails to recognize the meaning of the Cross and what was provided to all mankind by the work of Christ on the Cross.

It is consistent to understand this as a condemnation of those who have received efficacious grace, who do not have a living human spirit in which to understand the Gospel, but by His grace are shown it’s meaning, as Peter was shown in Matt 16:17. As a counterargument for those who believe we can lose our salvation as believers, this would also apply to Peter. While He accepted the gift, he later denied Christ three times. The recent interpretations of the Hebrew verse, if applicable to believers, would also have to account for Peter in his 3-time denial of Christ.

Some think the passage applies to believers and the falling away refers to an apostasy. Note APOSTASIA or separative divorce is not used here, rather a word for falling aside. If so, then Peter’s denial would be far more applicable to Hebrews 6:4-6. IMHO, it only applies to those who are initially given efficacious grace by God the Father and shared the experience of God the Holy SPirit, and then fall away, instead of accepting Him. The reason is not in regards to forgiveness, but instead the glory of Christ would be held in infamy.

On the contrary, when we are sealed, even if we fall away, if we change our mind and return to Him and confess to Him, He is sure and just to forgive us our sins.

IMHO, the passage is applicable to unbelievers only when they are directly given an utterance from God the Father and reject it.

Note also, an unbeliever might hear the WORD of God (LOGOS) many times and reject it, and still have an opportunity at salvation, but when God the Father who knows all things, utters it to the unbeliever, and the unbeliever remains fallen, then I understand how this would apply.

Perhaps it is more applicable than I understand, but this seems much more consistent to me that any indication a believer may lose their salvation, once he is saved.

I haven’t fully addressed context yet, so feel free to comment.

bump to boatbums

This passage, I think, can also be seen in the light of a believer who may "fall away" (for a time) and who, even though he is out of fellowship with Christ, still remains saved since the grace of God saves to the uttermost. The fallen away believer cannot re-experience his initial repentance nor can he get saved again since Christ cannot be re-sacrificed - putting Him again to open shame. Christ's once-for-all sacrifice for sin is not repeated but His blood makes propitiation for all sin - even the sin a believer commits who falls aside. To me, this passage has always seemed to lean more on the side of eternal security than that an unbeliever only gets one chance to respond to God's call.

>>>I haven’t fully addressed context yet, so feel free to comment.<<<

That is a very good exegetical analysis.

One point I question is your implication that DUNAMIS (doo’-nam-is) means anything other that miraculous power, particularly in light of the immediate context “of the world (age) to come.” Another might be PARAPIPTO (par-ap-ip’-to), which can also mean “to apostatize,” also in light of the context.

In any case, my points are highly subjective.

Thanks,

Philip