LAUGH 'N LEARN

An Encouragement Ministry of Verde Valley Christian Church Of Cottonwood Arizona
http://www.vvchristianchurch.net/

Issue # 358    January 11,  2010

LAUGH

LEARN

Jim's Manuscript

January 10, 2010

"Anchored...Drifting...Lost, But Not You"

"Better In Every Way"-- Hebrews (Part 6)

Text:  Hebrews 6

Intro:  Video:  Dog Rescued From the Sea

The video you just saw serves as a visual parable.  It illustrates what we are about to study.  The rescue operation comes from above.  The security comes from the line attached from above.  There is a savior that dropped down and risked himself to save us.  There are some other parallels that you may note as we go. 

Today, we are studying Hebrews 6.  Hebrews 6 begins with a dark warning, it is about as dark as you can possibly imagine.  It is frighteningly dark. 

Hebrews 6 is one of the most controversial passages of the New Testament.  Divergent theological presuppositions cause a raging controversy over this passage.  The controversy is about the question of Apostasy.  Apostasy is the technical term that refers to the idea that a person can fall away or reject the faith.  An apostate is someone who has previously embraced the faith but falls away and currently rejects their former position, and as a result no longer believes Jesus Christ to be the savior.  The very idea raises the following controversial questions:  Can a person become a Christian, then drift so far from Christianity, that he ultimately rejects Christianity?  Depending on your theology you answer this question either yes, or no.  Was the Apostate ever truly a Christian to begin with?  Depending on your theology, you will answer such questions differently. 

The Title of my message this morning is "Anchored...Drifting...Lost, But Not You".  The three prominent words of the title, Anchored, Drifting, Lost describe various spiritual conditions described in Hebrews.  My purpose for describing these spiritual states this morning is to make sure that you do whatever it takes, regardless of your theological perspective, to be Anchored, and secure rather than drifting or lost. 

Focus:  Make sure you are anchored securely to Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 6 begins with a dark warning and ends with solid encouragement. 

I.        A Dark Warning

Hebrews 6:4-6 (NIV) ⁴ It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, ⁶ if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

However, Hebrews 6 ends on a brighter note. 

II.       A Bright Encouragement (Hebrews 6:9, 19)

Hebrews 6:9 (NIV) Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case--things that accompany salvation.

Hebrews 6:19 (NIV) We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,

The dark warning of point 1 in Hebrews 6:4-6 sounds like it is possible to lose one's salvation, and yet Hebrews 6:19 sounds off the brightest note about eternal security you will ever find in one sentence. 

Hebrews 6:19 (NIV) We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,

So, we venture into a difficult subject.  Is one eternally secure or not?  This question is made difficult not by these contrasting words by themselves, but by the theological presuppositions that cause divergent interpretations about what these words actually mean. 

We are a non denominational church.  We don't have a party line, or denominational perspective we have to agree to.  If I step on your toes this morning when I teach, remember, we hold that the Word of God is our authority, not my interpretation.  It is our goal to help you figure out what God's Word says.  Let me say it again, Verde Valley Christian Church's authority is God's Word, not the teaching of Jim Hammond, or the teaching of any particular denomination.  We unite around the central truths of God's word.  We may not even have agreement on non essential doctrines and still enjoy unity on central and essential beliefs and function well, united as brothers and sisters in Christ attempting to live humbly under God's authority, and accomplish his purposes as his church.  I welcome you to interact with God's word and take me to task if it seems to you that I do not understand the Biblical text correctly.  I understand Sunday morning is a difficult setting for subjects like this because the teaching is a monologue rather than a dialogue.  For that reason I sometimes will present alternative interpretations or  viewpoints to have that sense of dialogue. 

III.       Three Conditions Described

These 3 conditions also represent 3 groups of people.

          A.      Anchored (6:19)

Hebrews 6:19 (NIV) We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,

          B.      Drifting (2:1-3)

Hebrews 2:1-3 (NIV) ¹ We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. ² For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, ³ how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.

          C.      Lost (6:4-6; 10:26-31)

Hebrews 6:4-6 (NIV) ⁴ It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, ⁶ if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

To their loss, the lost group that fell away cannot in this state be brought back to repentance.  We will consider difficult questions about this group next.

IV.      Difficult Questions

A.  Is It possible to "fall away"?

Those who say it is not possible to lose one's salvation once you are saved, interpret this passage about those who "fell away" in one of 2 ways.  Either

1)     They say those who "fell away" is not about losing salvation but about falling away from the opportunity to be saved (for the first time), or

2)     They say the phrase "if they fall away" is only a hypothetical "if" of the "seemingly Christian" who weren't ever truly Christian to begin with..

Others interpret this passage to mean a person CAN lose one's salvation by rejecting it and walking away from it.  They believe the phrase "If they fall away" shows that it is possible to lose one's salvation.  First of all, they point out that the translation "if" is misleading.  The word "if" is not in the text.  A more literal rendering reads this way:

"And having fallen away..."

Hebrews 6:6 (NASB95) 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.

The technical term for a Christian falling away from the faith is Apostasy.  Apostasy is very different from backsliding, or drifting, but it is most certainly always a result of these.  You certainly cannot get from condition A to condition C without going through condition B.  You don't go from Anchored to Lost without first being in the group called "drifting".   So the question revolves around this "drifting" group.  Can a drifting Christian fall away? 

B.  Were these who fell away Christian?

"those who have once been enlightened" (6:4)

"who have tasted the heavenly gift" 6:4)

"Who have shared in the Holy Spirit" (6:4)

who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, (6:5)

Some say this isn't describing their salvation but how close they came to it.  They were "enlightened" by the preaching, receiving knowledge about salvation, but they never fully accepted what they knew they should accept.  They tasted (as in only sampled) but refused to eat and feast.  They experienced, or shared in experiences in the presence of the Holy Spirit but never fully received the Holy Spirit's himself in regeneration.  They Tasted (or sampled) the goodness of the word, and saw some miracles, but refused to repent and fully enter into the full experience of salvation.  People who interpret these phrases this way say that if you turn from the opportunity to repent when you have experienced all this, you will have successfully immunized yourself, and repentance later will be impossible.  What more can God do when you have sampled, been enlightened, know the truth, and turn away.  You turn away now, and you will turn away every time.  That's how some interpret this.

Others say this describes their prior Christian condition as a fact.  Tasting, experiencing, sharing in the Holy Spirit, all describing the Christian experience. 

Enlightened

"those who have once been enlightened" (4:4)

The term "enlightened" seems to refer to the Christian when it is used by the writer of Hebrews.  It is also used in 10:32.

Hebrews 10:32 (ESV) But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings,

Tasted

"who have tasted the heavenly gift" (4:4)

who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, (5:5)

Those who say, "Tasting" is distinct from swallowing or digesting and therefore does not mean they were Christian need to look again at the use of the same phrase earlier in 2:9 as applied to Christ.

Hebrews 2:9 (NIV) But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

Certainly here, the author uses "taste" in the sense of FULLY EXPERIENCE.  Just as Christ fully experienced death, so these fully experienced "the heavenly gift"

Hebrews 6:4-5 (NIV) ⁴ It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age,

If you reduce the meaning of "tasting: in 6:4 and 5, to be consistent you must reduce the meaning of "tasting" in 2:9, and the scholars will not do that.  Jesus' death was the full experience.  So, the weight of the evidence falls in favor of seeing this description as a description of the full experience of being fully Christian. 

Partakers/ "those who share"

"Who have shared in the Holy Spirit" (4:4)

And although some would weaken the phrase "partakers"/those "who have shared" as something external rather than internal, and not the full experience, the evidence of "partakers" as the full experience is the author's use of the same phrase in 3:1. 

Hebrews 3:1 (NIV) Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.

He will again use the same word in 12:8 (translated "participated") in relationship to legitimate versus illegitimate sons.  Just as in 3:1 it is the "holy brothers" who "share".  In 12:8, "participation" is the line of demarcation again. 

Hebrews 12:8 (ESV) If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

But the real kicker is the use of this word in 2:14 when it is used of Christ.

Hebrews 2:14 (NIV) Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil--

Again, if we reduce "shared" to those outside the full experience of Christianity, as if it is not fully experienced, then the use of "shared" in 2:14 about Jesus experience in his incarnation must also be reduced, which no orthodox theologian will do.  Every orthodox theological camp teaches that Jesus who was fully God became fully human also in his incarnation.   So, "shared" is used to express the full experience, not some partial experience.

Based on this evidence it seems clear to me that the intended recipients of this warning are those who are truly Christians, though drifting Christians, who are in danger of Apostasy in the face of persecution.  The writer to the Hebrews is trying to move those in the "drifting state" back to the "anchored state" while he still can!

What is driving the vastly different interpretations is the theological lens of the interpreter. 

Let's look at another question.

C.  Under what condition is it impossible to repent?

Hebrews 6:4-6 (NIV) ⁴ It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, ⁶ if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

Some say once a person comes this close to salvation, tasting, experiencing, hearing, seeing the work of God, and drawing back refusing to repent, this speaks about the impossibility of repenting later, because they have become immunized.  What else can God do? 

Others say that once you are saved and then later reject your salvation, what else possibly can God do to turn you back around?

Perhaps that is going too far also.  We have friends and family members who have grown up in the faith and are no longer professing that faith, does that mean there is no hope for them? 

I do not think the text forces us to see it that harshly.  The NIV translation "because" in 6:6 is interpretive, and could also be translated "so long as".  Which means that repenting is impossible not "because" they fell away, but "so long as" they continue to reject Christ.  Here is one commentary on the matter.

... lest we adopt too extreme a posture in regard to those whom we deem to have so "fallen away," we should also consider what is precisely said to be "impossible." It is neither their forgiveness or salvation which is said to be impossible but their own decision, in their present condition, to repent. The NIV offers an interpretive rendering of the Greek syntax which, unfortunately, creates confusion. The word because (v. 6) does not represent the presence of such a conjunction in the Greek text but a decision on the part of the translators to interpret the relationship between two adverbial participles ("crucifying" and "exposing to public ridicule") and the main verb of the sentence ("it is impossible") as one of cause. However, the participles are in the present tense form which indicates a coordinate time relationship between these activities and the impossibility of their repentance (whereas the aorist tense is more commonly used for actions that precede the verb). In other words, we could read the text as saying, "so long as they are crucifying and subjecting," which would admit the ultimate possibility of restoration should such a person ever decide to stop these activities and repent.

-- College Press New Testament Commentary

Under what conditions is it impossible to repent?

• This is not speaking about merely "drifting", or "backsliding".  The drifting Christian is not the issue here.  That is clear from MANY passages.  Here's just one.

James 5:19-20 (NLT) ¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, ²⁰ you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.

• The context is "apostasy" or a blatant state of "rejection" of Christ.  The apostate has severed the line of hope when he rejects Christ.  He is a hostile dog toward the reaching rescuing believer, and the reaching rescuing Christ.  He bites the rescuer maliciously until he is forced to drop him, and "to his loss" he takes the role of executioner of Christ. 
• Please keep in mind that the temptation to apostasy is greater during times of great persecution.
• There is a grave danger here.
• It is impossible to repent while in the state of rejecting Christ.

The Issue:  The Nature of the New Covenant

The reason some believe losing one's salvation is not being addressed here is that, they see the New Covenant as a Unilateral covenant, much as the Abrahamic Covenant was Unilateral (one sided).  Others believe that whereas the Abrahamic Covenant is Unilateral (one sided), The New Covenant Is Bilateral (or two sided).

This is how I see it.  The teachings of the New Testament indicate that The New Covenant is Bi-Lateral.  There is the saving action of God, but this must also be coupled with the receiving action of Man's faith.  Without the receiving, there is no saving.  Picture our first video parable again, the saving action of God on the line lifting "the dog" from the waters of certain death.   Now, imagine that video was different.  Imagine the dog snarling, biting, rejecting the hand that grasped him, and he literally, willfully bites and wriggles free.  That is certainly a sad video.  It could have worked out that way.  It appears to me that this passage speaks to that possibility.  But how could that be?  The Hebrew writer speaks about the danger of that dangerous state he calls "drifting."  It first starts with apathy, and ignoring this great salvation, it moves into drifting, which moves a person further still.  This puts people in range of the possibility of Apostasy.  Within that range, one can keep drifting passed the line, even the line of rejecting Christ due to hardness of heart. 

Others disagree.  They see God as one who won't let this happen.  They don't see the covenant as bilateral.  They explain all such rejections as those who never really had it to begin with. 

However please consider what Jesus says about another bilateral covenant. 

Matthew 19:6 (NLT) Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together." 

Is it possible for the covenant partner separate what God joins together?  Yes.  The argument coming from one camp of theology with regard to covenant states that what God joins together, man cannot separate, once saved, always saved, what God joins, man cannot separate.  But what Jesus indicates as it relates to the marriage covenant is that man can, and does separate what God joins together.  Divorce happens.  Why?  Sin.  And sin separates.   So this is possible for a Covenant God puts together.

Furthermore, I submit to you, that that the "once saved always saved" theoretical position is no help to the one who is drifting.  The condition of such a one is no less dangerous just because we say they were never a Christian to begin with.  The safer understanding is to recognize the dangers involved in choices that we who think we are saved make when we neglect our salvation.  This is a real warning to believers, or at the very least to those who think they are saved.  If we don't see this as a real warning, then we are in danger!

I believe the New Covenant is a Bilateral covenant.  God wishes that no man should perish (2 Peter 3:9), but men do perish outside of God's will.  He does not save unilaterally, but in cooperation with our faith, reaching out to him to be saved.  If we bite the hand of the rescuer who is hanging by the line of rescue secured in heaven, and we reject the hand of the rescuer, we are in a very dangerous position, regardless which theological camp we fall into.[1]  In the first theological camp, the fallen soul was never saved.  In the second theological camp, the fallen soul was saved, but now he or she is in a dangerous state that is in active rebellion, and while in the state of active rejection, they are in a spiritual state that cannot repent.  Left to this state they will not be saved. 

In either case, whether the person thought they were saved but never really were saved then rejected their salvation, or if they really had tasted, shared, and entered covenant, then later rejected Christ, the end result is the SAME for that lost soul.  If he or she expires, it is into the jaws of hell that such a lost soul has drifted.  Both camps agree here.  Therefore the dark warning is a real one!

This is not a comforting thought. 

So how do you apply this warning?  If you are not sure you are saved, apply the warning to make sure you don't turn away now.  You've heard too much.  You are in danger if you turn away from it now;  in danger of becoming harder rather than softer.  Don't allow yourself to be immunized and inoculated against the truth coming your way.  I've met many who know the truth, but they are immune to it.  It just doesn't affect their lives.  They continue doing their own thing.

If you think you have already accepted Christ, but you know you have been drifting, you need to heed the warning, and heed it now.  There is nothing that says you are NOT in any danger.  There is much in scripture that says, fear God, you are in a dangerous place.  Don't linger where you have been lingering.  Do whatever it takes, and do it now.  Stop the drift! 

Hebrews gives a dark warning to those who think they are saved, but their actions deny their confession.  Jesus said:  You will know them by their fruit!  (Matthew 7)

Hebrews 6 says the same.

⁷ Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. ⁸ But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

V.       Get Out Of The Questionable Range

¹⁸ God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.

We Who Have Fled, Take Hold of the Sure Hope

Fled From What?  Fled from the sinking ship!  The sinking ship in the video parable was named "Tormentor".  Flee from your tormentor.  It is taking you down.

¹⁹ We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain

We Have This Hope As An Anchor For the Soul, Firm and Secure

Eternal Security is the Anchor line that is anchored behind the veil, where Jesus went before us!

²⁰ where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

I definitely believe in Biblical Eternal Security; it is found in anchoring our faith in Christ!

(C) Jim Hammond

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