The Peril of Not Progressing – Part 5
HEBREWS 6:4-8
NAS Hebrews 6:4-8 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, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 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. 7 For ground that drinks the rain which often falls upon it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.
AS I HAVE BEEN DOING EACH WEEK IN PARTS 1-4, I AM INCLUDING THIS PARAGRAPH FROM THE BIBLE KNOWLEDGE COMMENTARY AS BOTH AN INTRODUCTION TO THE CURRENT BLOG AND A REVIEW…
6:4–6. This passage has been interpreted in four ways: (1) that the danger of a Christian losing his salvation is described, a view rejected because of biblical assurances that salvation is a work of God which cannot be reversed; (2) that the warning is against mere profession of faith short of salvation, or tasting but not really partaking of salvation (The New Scofield Reference Bible, p. 1315); (3) that hypothetically if a Christian could lose his salvation, there is no provision for repentance (The Ryrie Study Bible, p. 1736); (4) that a warning is given of the danger of a Christian moving from a position of true faith and life to the extent of becoming disqualified for further service (1 Cor. 9:27) and for inheriting millennial glory. The latter is the interpretation adopted here. The entirety of these verses constitutes a single sentence in Greek as well as in the English of the NIV. The central assertion is: It is impossible for those who have … to be brought back to repentance. Following the words “those who” is a description of the persons whom the writer affirmed cannot possibly be brought back to a state of repentance. The description he gave shows that he had Christians in mind. – The Bible Knowledge Commentary
“THE THIRD DISTINCTIVE, ‘WHO HAVE SHARED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT,’ SEEMS AT FIRST GLANCE ALMOST CONCLUSIVE THAT THESE ARE TRUE CHRISTIANS. Paul’s admonition in Romans 8 marks the presence of the Spirit as the seal of a regenerated life…
NAS Romans 8:9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
“BUT THERE ARE OTHER MINISTRIES OF THE SPIRIT THAT PRECEDE THOSE OF INDWELLING. One can become a sharer in or a partaker of the Spirit by responding for a time to His drawing power intended to lead one ultimately to Christ. The translation ‘shared’ implies something done in the company with others, and may well be linked with the ‘laying on of hands’ referred to in 6:2. This would envision a group response to the gospel, as we see in many evangelistic rallies today, but it does not mean that all who so respond exercise saving faith. Since enlightenment and tasting are also ministries of the Spirit, they join the others as true of those who have traveled for a ways on their own journey to faith, but who have not necessarily arrived.” – Steadman
MACARTHUR AGREES…
“PARTAKERS (μέτοχος [Greek, me-ta-chos]) HAS TO DO WITH ASSOCIATION, NOT POSSESSION. THESE JEWS HAD NEVER POSSESSED THE HOLY SPIRIT, THEY SIMPLY WERE AROUND WHEN HE WAS AROUND. THIS GREEK WORD IS USED OF FELLOW FISHERMEN IN LUKE 5:7…
NAS Luke 5:7 and they signaled to their partners (μέτοχος [Greek, me-ta-chos]) in the other boat, for them to come and help them. And they came, and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink.
“AND OF CHRIST IN RELATION TO THE ANGELS IN HEBREWS 1:9…
NAS Hebrews 1:9 “Thou hast loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee With the oil of gladness above Thy companions (μέτοχος [Greek, me-ta-chos]).”
“IT HAS TO DO WITH SHARING IN COMMON ASSOCIATIONS AND EVENTS. IN THE CONTEXT OF HEBREWS 6:4, IT REFERS TO ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN WHERE THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS BEEN MINISTERING. IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE AN ASSOCIATION WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, TO SHARE IN WHAT HE DOES, AND NOT BE SAVED. As we have seen (2:4) these Jews had heard the word and had seen and even participating in numerous signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit. They were actually involved in some of His work.
“THE BIBLE NEVER SPEAKS OF CHRISTIANS BEING ASSOCIATED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. IT SPEAKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BEING WITHIN THEM.
“HERE, HOWEVER, ARE SOME PERSONS WHO ARE SIMPLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. Like perhaps most of the multitudes whom Jesus miraculously healed and fed, they partook of the Holy Spirit’s power and blessings, but they did not have His indwelling.
NAS John 14:17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you.
“THESE JEWS DID NOT POSSESS THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOR DID THE HOLY SPIRIT POSSESS THEM.” – MacArthur
AS MAY BE EXPECTED AT THIS POINT IN OUR STUDY, NOT ALL AGREE. HERE, FOR EXAMPLE, IS SCHREINER’S OPPOSING VIEW…
“THIRD, THE AUTHOR DESCRIBES THOSE WHO ‘HAVE SHARED IN’ (ESV, NIV) OR ‘BECOME PARTAKERS’ (NET) OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. The HCSB rendering is off target here: ‘companions with the Holy Spirit.’ This seems to suggest that believers are friends of the Holy Spirit, but the point is that they have partaker or shared in the Spirit, not that they are His companions or partners or friends. Does the word ‘shared’ suggest experiences with the Spirit that fell short of a saving experience with the Spirit? The story of Simon the sorcerer in Acts 8:9-24 fits such a pattern. This interpretation should be rejected, however, for the word ‘shared in’ (μέτοχος [Greek, me-ta-chos]) denotes full participation. The use of the word group in Hebrews makes this clear. In 3:1 believing human beings share a heavenly calling, while in 3:14 they are truly sharers of Christ if they persevere to the end…
NAS Hebrews 3:1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession.
NAS Hebrews 3:14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end;
“THE AUTHOR TELLS US THAT THOSE WHO ARE TRULY SONS SHARE IN DISCIPLINE…
NAS Hebrews 12:8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
“THE VERB ‘SHARE’ OR ‘PARTAKE’ (μέτοχος [Greek, me-ta-chos]) IS USED TO SAY THAT JESUS SHARED FLESH AND BLOOD WITH HUMAN BEINGS…
NAS Hebrews 2:14 Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil;
“THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT JESUS FULLY SHARED FLESH AND BLOOD, I.E., HUMANITY, WITH US. The closest reference is 5:13, where the readers partake of milk…
NAS Hebrews 5:13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.
“Again they were ingesting milk instead of solid food. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER THAT THE WORD REFERS TO A PARTIAL SHARING OE PARTAKING.
“THE POINT BEING MADE IS SIMPLE: THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE CLEAREST INDICATION IN THE NT THAT ONE IS A CHRISTIAN, SO FOR THE AUTHOR TO SAY THAT THE READERS WERE SHARERS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT DEMONSTRATES THAT HE IS SAYING THEY WERE CHRISTIANS. IN FACT, IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE A CLEARER WAY OF SAYING THAT THEY WERE BELIEVERS.
“NOW THIS IS NOT TO DENY THAT THE CONGREGATION HAD SOME FALSE BELIEVERS IN IT. Doubtless, the congregation was mixed in this sense. Surely some were not authentically Christian. But it is crucial to make an important distinction here. THE WRITER SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSES BELIEVERS IN THE WARNING. The terms he uses don’t suggest inadequate or partial belief. Indeed, he uses only expressions that designate Christian believers in the fullest sense of the word.” – Schreiner
OBSERVATION – IF YOU’VE BEEN READING CAREFULLY, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE NOTICED WITH ME AN INTERESTING FACT: NEITHER SIDE OF THE ARGUMENT EVER DEALS SQUARELY AND EXHAUSTIVELY WITH THE STRONGEST POINTS THE OTHER MAKES. CONSEQUENTLY, NEITHER SIDE EVER REALLY WINS THE DEBATE. THE RESULT IS A STANDOFF, A BRILLIANT, BIBLICALLY SOUND, WELL-INTENTIONED, AND INDECISIVE STANDOFF.
SO, WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT? I SUGGEST WE MEDITATE ON THE ENTIRE EXPERIENCE OF THE STUDY, THANKING GOD FOR THE FACTS, AND YES, FOR THE QUESTIONS THAT FILL OUR MINDS IN THE AFTERMATH. THINKING ABOUT THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF EACH SIDE OF THE DISCUSSION, DEBATING WITHIN OURSELVES EVERY POINT WE CHOOSE TO REMEMBER, ALL THE WHILE HUMBLY ASKING GOD TO TEACH US THE LESSONS WE NEED TO LEARN IN ORDER TO GROW IN WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING. BIBLE STUDY IS NEVER FUTILE. SOONER OR LATER, SOMETIMES IN UNEXPECTED WAYS THAT ARE EXQUISITELY EDUCATIONAL, IS REWARDING…
NAS Psalm 119:12 Blessed art Thou, O LORD; Teach me Thy statutes.
WHETHER THE WRITER TO THE HEBREWS HAD IN MIND CHRISTIANS OR SEEKERS AS HIS SPECIFIC AUDIENCE, IT REALLY DOESN’T MATTER IF THIS IS OUR MINDSET…
NAS Psalm 51:6 Behold, Thou dost desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part Thou wilt make me know wisdom.
– Professor Thomas A. Rohm
