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Here is the passage:

Heb 6:4-6
"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 good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame."

JM

Thanks for posting Hebrews. This made me think of the parable of the prodigal son. I wonder ... if this son had died while out squandering his inheritance, what would have been his final destination? But he did return and repent for his sins. His father accepted him home again and yadda yadda yadda ... we all know the rest of this one.

Isn't this an example of our Lord welcoming us home after falling away? Is this a contradiction to Hebrews 6:4-6?

Hi, Johnny!

Here is the passage:
Heb 6:4-6: "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 good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame."

When will we all learn to read passages from the scriptures in their context? I know, I have the tendency to not do so myself.....But we MUST learn this lesson, or our knowledge of what God is saying through Paul and others will be errrrrrroneous!!!!

To whom is this epistle addressed? Converted Jews...brought up under the Law with it's [physical, material] sacrificial system. In receiving Christ, they forsook the old ways of dealing with sin and embraced the GRACE of God in the death of the perfect sacrificial LAMB of God, Jesus the Christ (see ch. 1-5). But they have become "dull of hearing," though by this time, they should all be able to teach others! Some have been drawn away from the true teachings about the GRACE of God and are headed back to the old way---the works of the Law. This is apostacy (literal meaning- to fall away). From what are they falling away? GRACE. To what are they falling away? *Law & Works*.

When Paul says they are re-crucifying the Son of God, he means in *in essence*---by the use of goats and lambs for sacrificial offerings which had been used as a foreshadow of the perfect Lamb who would come to take away the sin of the world.

I don't think this passage could be applied to anyone today who is still trusting *only* in Christ for the remission of sins. If a "believer" decides to reject the GRACE of God and return to a system of WORKS to gain God's favor, this would be *apostacy.*

Perhaps my wording isn't the best, but keeping the passage in situational context of that day, it's the only explanation I know of that is not at odds with the big picture of truth---the Scriptures.