Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Tough Texts - Hebrews 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.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is a special passage for me. This first hit home with me when I was reading Pilgrims Progress. It was an eye opener to say the least. I bet skewed religions were started from some zelot who failed to put these verses in context with the whole Gospel. On the opposite, It can be easy to disregard this passage and move on with out much thought and take the Gospel for granted (dangerous). I was always taken to the parable of the different soils. I take courage that the Gospel provides me with eternal security in Christ (As long as I persevere ?) OK, so maybe I haven't got this all the way nailed down. I do know this; that Christ is the great " I Am" and is all together Holy and comfortingly (Is this a word) Sovereign. Praise God!!!

Anonymous said...

This passage must be read in light of Jesus' previous words, "And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you....Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come" (matt 12:27-32). I believe what Jesus was speaking about in Matthew and the author of Hebrews was speaking to us about was a focus of the demonstrateable works of the Holy Spirit. If we who had been lost, had expereienced the manifestations of the Holy Spirit (though we were lost) and falling on our knees in submission to an almighty God, rather rejected God in them, then we would have been lost indeed, and there would have been nothing left for us (or for anyone that does the same). "He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead'" (Luke 16:31).