Some random thoughts on Hebrews 6:4-6, from mid-2020…
I started this morning at Hebrews 6 and on the first read found it a bit rambling but, verses 4-6 did stick out. So, I reread the chapter and then read the Study section of the New Living Translation Application Study Bible.
4 For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— 6 and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.
At first, this seemed to contradict Luke 15:11-32 – Parable of the Lost Son/Parodical son so I read the study notes
- In the first century, some pagans turned to Christianity and then went back to paganism
- An obvious break.
- There were also Jews who turned to Christianity and went back to Judaism
- Not as noticeable of a break, they blended in so well.
- In this section, Paul appears to be concerned about believers turning back to Judaism
- Either way – neither the Jews nor pagans were saved because they had rejected Christ.
- In essence, they are putting the old way above Christ.
- Rejecting Christ seems to be the issue of verses 4- 6 since is no other way to be saved
Fast forward to today – What is rejecting Christ?
- Many in eh church ‘appear’ Christians but are more like the Jews –
- legalistic, Judgmental, prideful, live by works, and they don’t sin very much,
- The ‘Jewish’ Christians often sin less than the real ones.
- Appear perfect in outside appearance but inside are not necessarily so clean inside (Kenneth Hagen occasionally mentions this)
- Turn to science and medicine FIRST, then to God almost as insurance or an afterthought.
- Is not fear (Listening to the enemy), worry, doubt, or putting man’s voice or the voice of the enemy, over God, not a form of rejecting Christ?
- (no need to list those verses)
- The ‘Jewish’ Christians often sin less than the real ones.
- legalistic, Judgmental, prideful, live by works, and they don’t sin very much,
- Now fast forward to our current troubling times.
- Many Christians are fearful – turning to the government for protection.
- Many Christians are online arguing about things based on ‘science’.
- Many Christians are acting based on ‘science’, the news, and fear.
- Many Christians are unknown unknowingly putting the news and social media influences first
- They pick one side and will not listen to the other and argue with the other
- God is rarely brought into the discussion,
- and if he is, even the ‘Christians‘ will downplay God or mock the person who brought him up (I’ve seen it on FB)
- Many Christians don’t really believe God can protect them or will protect them
- After all, it boils down to simple science, doesn’t it?
- Or political party A must defeat political party B.
- They have seen others protected, but don’t believe they will be.
- They go by sight, not by faith.
- God is rarely brought into the discussion,
Isn’t that a form of rejecting Christ? And don’t we ALL do it from time to time?