Kindly note: I came across the scriptures in Hebrews at a Bible study in a Baptist Church. I was totally shocked and decided to do research on the subject, “Once Saved, Always Saved.”
What I found changed my thinking in line what the Lord said to the writer of Hebrews. So, please do not get angry with me dropping this bombshell, because I was like you until….
All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, (2Ti 3:16 MKJV)
It begins in Hebrews 5:11.
Remember to always ask yourself:
Who is the writer talking to? Christians or Messianic Jews who are Christians. Ask yourself.
You said, Chris, “In that passage, the writer of Hebrews is speaking to the unsaved who have heard the truth and acknowledged it., but who have hesitated to embrace Christ.
Hebrews 6:4 is about the Perils of not Progressing, in light of what may happen if you do not search the scriptures, but that is not what the passage means.
You are right there is no going back & forth. I want to know where you got your information from. Because You are a babe and have to be careful of what you read. It needs to come straight from the true Bible. Chris, you do not fill that space. You naturally are going to be twisted and turned, but always go back and read what God is saying. Now let me break this apart for you for better understanding. No opinions are allowed, Scripture is from God, all of it
“For indeed because of the time, you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teaches you again what are the first principles of the oracles of God. And you have become in need of milk, and not of solid food. (Heb 5:12 MKJV)
“of whom we have much to say, and hard to be explained since you are dull of hearing. (Heb 5:11 MKJV)
God is chastising the ones that have not matured and have been attending Church for years, yet they know nothing. Not even what is right or wrong.
When you find something and do not agree with it, search and go to the ends of the earth until you get a good explanation.
Like I said, there are no opinions when you are reading Hebrews 6:4, only truth as it is very clear. Open your eyes to truth, forget your former teaching, look to the Bible.
“For everyone partaking of milk is unskillful in the Word of Righteousness, for he is an infant. (Heb 5:13 MKJV)
“But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, even those who because of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Heb 5:14 MKJV)
IF YOU STILL ACT LIKE A BABE IN CHRIST, HOW WILL YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE, BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL? WHEREAS, THE CHRISTIAN SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES KNOWS THE DIFFERENCE.
Then, Chapter 6 begins with “The Peril of Not Progressing.”
What could this be? It is one of the most puzzling parts of the Bible, but if you search the scriptures, you will get the answer.
“Therefore, having left the discourse, {sermon} of the beginning of Christ, let us go on to full growth, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, (Heb 6:1 MKJV)
The last thing we want to do is go backwards. As you will realize, it is imperative to move forward in our studies. This does look like a contradiction. But look up Reprobate and see what you find. Only go by the Bible, and Concordance. It is not an opinion, words from the Word,” are fact!
“of the baptisms, of doctrine, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (Heb 6:2 MKJV)
Going on…
“this we will do, if God permits. (Heb 6:3 MKJV)
Don’t even think for a minute that God is not in control.
However, take note of the next few scriptures.
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit” (Heb 6:4 MKJV)
“For it is impossible.”
Let me stop here. Impossible is taken from the original Greek word; “adunatos” which translates in Greek. “could not do, impotent, not possible.”
“Okay Chris, for those who were once
“enlightened,” from the Greek dictionary it says: “photizo” the understanding is “to brighten up, enlighten, illuminate, (bring to, give) light. And make to see.”
Open your eyes brother!
Have tasted the Heavenly Gift. “Of immortality.”
What do you think, Chris? It becomes clear …
And were made partakers of the Holy Spirit. It is obvious that they were saved, by that one scripture.
They were admonished, but were saved, impossible or using the Greek word for it “not possible” they were once enlightened, the Greek, meaning: “and to make see.”
The scripture is talking about the past because of the words used, such as “who were once,” and were partakers of the Holy Spirit. This means they took communion among other things.
“and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance.” Hebrews 6:6; “And they crucify him all over again.”
God rejected them and they were not allowed to be renewed again because they Grieved the Holy Spirit when they became apostates.
In Webster’s dictionary apostate” means: “renunciation of a religious faith, abandonment of a previous loyalty, and defection. The apostate person denounces Christ in public and turns away from the faith. God gives us free will and if we choose not to be part of and go to Satan, that’s why they have no coming back.
An Analogy: It would be like me (my choice under free will), denouncing Christ and going back to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, who do not believe in the Trinity, have changed the bible, and now this bible is their exclusive bible, to suit their beliefs. I can go on and on, only because I was a JW for fifteen years and left in 1990. They are most definitely apostates!
Read my book, “Heaven by Attrition” and you will see the whole story, including as it pertains to my traumatic life.
Again, read the scriptures, carefully.
For such ones are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. (2Co 11:13 MKJV)
Did not even Satan marvelously transform himself into an angel of light? (2Co 11:14 MKJV)
Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. (2Co 11:15 MKJV)
These are the scriptures you gave me in defense.
For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, (Rom 8:38 MKJV)
“nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:39 MKJV)
Again, you can take yourself away by rejecting Jesus and going the other way. Reprobate is the word they are called in the Bible.
“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ, (Php 1:6 MKJV)
yes, just like being saved. You can walk away anytime, but this doesn’t include the reprobates.
And it doesn’t defend once saved always saved.
1 Peter 1:4-5:
This is plainly the covenant God made
“to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and unfading, reserved in Heaven for you” (1Pe 1:4 MKJV)
by the power of God, having been kept through faith to a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time; (1Pe 1:5 MKJV)
there are more scriptures that back-up the fact that the apostates in Hebrews were not allowed to return. Also, the Bible doesn’t contradict itself.
I wrote a blog on the research of the subject called, “The Burning Question.
I will post that next.
What Do I Know? 