Excellent message , Ken . Can't lose an Everlasting/Eternal/Forever Gift that is Free of any supplementation on Our part . It's all about His faithfulness . Not ours . If it depended on our Performance till death , then not One mere human would make it into His Kingdom . The Free and Never Deserving Gift itself - once received by childlike faith in Him FOR it - has No Expiration Date attached ...or it would have been called "Temporary/Conditional/Probationary"life" , payable upon "successful" completion of the Performance Contract (with Termas & Conditions withheld) . All works righteousness soteriology reduces to the utterly Ridiculous . Tops Out at complete impossibility , Logically and Exegetically . Contradicts John 3:16 & Ephesians 2:8-9 , and every conceivable Evangelistic/Everlasting Life/eternal Justification before God passage in the Bible .
So all we have to do is say I believe in Jesus's promise for eternal life and we can live no different than the world ? For Jesus to grant forgiveness of sins without repentance leading to a change of conduct would make the grace of God an accomplice to evil!
@@2Chronicles714_ Yes and no all you have to do is believe to be saved yet, 1 believe 1 John 3:6-10 and 1 John 5:18 is saying a Christian can't continue to live a habitual sinful lifestyle like they used to.
@@2Chronicles714_ Nope . You create a Straw Man misrepresentation: "say" . Nowhere in Tim Grady 's verifiable materials has he - or GES - ever stated what you just indicated . So , you're very obviously lying , yet again . Belief/faith in Him FOR His doubtless Guarantee of irrevocable Everlasting Life is their Objectively verifiable position . Either one is convinced/persuaded (faith/belief) at a moment in time , or remains persuaded otherwise . Faith is only as valid as the Object in which it is placed . Your Object of "faith" is your Unknowable level (%) of hopefully good enough behavioral performance (works) till death that earns/merits/is rewarded with/DESERVES the Unmerited and Never Deserving Gift (Ephesians 2:8-9 ; Romans 3:20-5:11,11:6,29 ; Titus 3:5 ; Philippians 3:9 ; book of Galatians) of Endless Everlasting Life , after death . So , Noone is born again with irreversible Everlasting Life - IN THIS LIFETIME - according to your works righteousness soteriology . So , your affirmation is a Textbook contradiction that Never Knows one's Everlasting destination based upon His Objective Guarantee, but instead considers one's Filthy Rags attempts to be the DECISIVE factor in one's Everlasting destination . That affirmation rejects His PERFECT work of Redemption having takes all sins away - Judicially - that His Free and Never Deserving Gift of Endless Everlasting Life can indeed be without Cost to its recipients . Instead , your affirmation is working till death to DESERVE this Free and Never Deserving Gift . How THAT can make sense to anyone truly invested in the pursuit of Objective Truth remains forever elusive . All who are unbelievers in Him FOR His doubtless Guarantee of Endless Life , are Forever Slaves of Sin , never having access to the regenerate New Nature that indeed has fellowship forgiveness (1 John 1:6-9) . Whereas , one must first be born again and eternally Justified before God (Romans 4:1-8) , having been imputed His PERFECT Righteousness incapable of sinning (Romans 7) . Whereas , all who instead follow the works righteousness doctrine of the Judaizers/unregenerate Scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23) , have No such access . Therefore under the Anathema (Galatians 1:6-9) .
@@HolySpiritIsSatanOfSinDethHell "Habitual" ? Define that Objectively , sir . Cannot be done , quite frankly . 1 John isn't written as a Behavioral Metric that determines one's Everlasting destination .
@@HolySpiritIsSatanOfSinDethHell Your position makes no sense . Purely subjective criteria . Thus Unknowable . Looking to your works never gives assurance of Everlasting Life . Only simple childlike faith in Him FOR His doubtless Guarantee of irreversible Everlasting Life sets the Anchor in the Water , forever .
I am a former living example of Hebrews 6:4-8 and John 15:2,6 which are both conceptually parallel passages. I lived in willful, blatant sin and rebellion against God for 9 long years until God chastised me to bring me back to fellowship with Him. This was over 30 years ago, but God has been gracious to me ever since. God chastises saved believers who fall away into apostasy, but He does not take away their salvation as so many false doctrines errantly teach and insist. God chastises, but He also restores. His chastisement is first punitive, then restorative - Job 5:17-18, Hebrews 12:5-11, Proverbs 3:11-12.
Have you ever humbled yourself to God acknowledged that you are a guilty sinner and change your mind [Repented of your sins] about your sinfulled life and turned to living for and serving Jesus as Lord and Savior?
Seems that the men in the documentary OSAS want to retain their free GIFT of salvation by their good deeds instead of relying on the simple promise of Jesus that anyone who believes in Him for eternal salvation is saved and secure. What a struggle these men go through.
Faith and repentance isn’t works. Works in the Bible means self effort. Or doing religious acts. We are called to stay in his rest always. Get out of rest we will be back in the flesh. So it’s impossible to attain by works bc once we get into self effort we are in the flesh. It’s impossible to produce fruit by self effort. Only by rest. Those who believe have entered into that rest. Evidence of Faith and trust = rest
Does OSAS mean once a sinner always a sinner? What is it? I’ve only heard ASAP. Which was if we sin or come in contact with evil…..repent ASAP. So are we saying when you for example do a sin, yell at wife. Get drunk. Etc. You just say to self “I’m all good, no worries” or do you repent? And do you think if you didn’t repent it makes no difference? Just lose some rewards. But Jesus is all good with us sinning and not caring about repenting or forgiving others?
OF COURSE YOU CAN'T LOSE YOUR SALVATION... because nobody has it yet! You Can't lose what you haven't got! Salvation is attained at the end. 🏁✔️ (Matthew 24:13) 😊
1Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH WILL I GIVE TO EAT OF THE TREE OF LIFE, WHICH IS IN THE MIDST OF THE PARADISE OF GOD.(That means if you don't overcome you will not go to heaven, you will go to hell) Message to the Church in Smyrna 8And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; 9I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. 10Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 11He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.(THE SECOND DEATH IS THE LAKE OF FIRE)
Are All Christians "Overcomers"? (1 John 5:4-5 and Revelation 2-3) - Bob Wilkin th-cam.com/video/DHnUnJz5Bvg/w-d-xo.html Bob Wilkin of the Grace Evangelical Society explains what is an overcomer and why is it that not all believers in Christ are overcomers.
Can't "Lose" the Unloseable . One sip of the Water of Life forever quenches the thirst for eternity , He clearly stated to the Woman at the Well (John 4:1-39) . "Never perish...never hunger or thirst...never die...has passed from death to life and shall not come into judgement... cannot be plucked from My or the Father's hand... Whoever comes to Me I shall in NO WISE cast out...I shall raise up on the last day...I shall Never leave you nor forsake you". His repeated Guarantees that Affirm His Endless Promise that gives the Free and Never Deserving Gift of irrevocable Life , simply by faith in Him FOR it ... Cuz He cannot lie to the little ones who come to Him with NOTHING to give , but only to receive. He IS Faithful to His doubtless Guarantee , even when we fail , miserably...which is quite often , if we're honest .
Hebrews 3:6-19 But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, (IF) indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.,7So as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, (IF) you hear his voice, 8do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, 9where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did. 10That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ 11So I declared on oath in my anger, [‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”] 👉12 See to it brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.👈 13But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14We have come to share in Christ, (IF] indeed we hold our original conviction firmly TO THE VERY END. 15As has just been said: “Today, (IF) you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” 16. Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did God swear that THEY WOULD NEVER ENTER HIS REST (IF) NOT TO THOSE WHO DISOBEYED? 19 So we see that THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO ENTER, BECAUSE OF THEIR UNBELIEF. [Note:disobedience is the equivalent to unbelief] Hebrews 4:1-11 1Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. 3Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declare on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ” And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” 5And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.” 6Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” 8For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. 11Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. Hebrews 10:38-39 The people God accepts will live because of their faith.But he isn't pleased with anyone who turns back.” 39We are not like those people who turn back and get destroyed. We will keep on having faith until we are saved.
Look at your NASB version! Ken's explanation didn't dive into the actual scripture at hand much in this video, which is why other commentors here have found the explanation to be weak, although overall the analysis still holds value. Dennis Rokser (also free grace dispensationalist) has the best explanation of this passage. First, notice that the passage never says a single word about loss of salvation. Bible teachers are implying this by the language about being enlightened and repentance, but this is more or less circular reasoning. The initial experience of salvation (repentance from dead works and faith toward God) is discussed, but not so any mention that salvation can be lost. Second, what is the repentance being referred to in verse 6? It's reasonable to conclude that it is the same repentance just mentioned in verse 2 - repentance from dead works. Third, the "since" in verse 6 can also be translated as "while" according to the NASB. Look at your footnotes. Conclusion: The author of Hebrews is declaring it to be impossible to be renewed to repentance from dead works WHILE at the same time engaging in dead works. The Jewish believers were returning to the defunct Jewish sacrificial system or at risk of doing so, and the author of Hebrews warns them against doing this here and throughout the entire book. He proves the superiority of Jesus and the gospel over and above the system of Law throughout the entire book. This interpretation is more consistent with the overall theme of the book at the specific passage in question.
Of Course You Can't Lose Your Salvation... 😊 Because nobody has salvation yet! (In this present life - biblically speaking). We Can't lose what we haven't got yet! But justification we do have ❤😊, by receiving the Holy Ghost Baptism 🕊️. Salvation itself is attained at the end. 🏁✔️ (Matthew 24:13) 😊
Listening to these old goat works salvationists makes you want to run from Scripture not to it:you can see their goal is to keep men in bondage. Theyre willfully clueless about dispensations as well.
Before we debate about once saved always saved lets go back to the first 3 verses of Hebrews 6 to see IF you are born again in the first place. Hebrews 6:1-3 So LET US STOP going over the BASIC TEACHINGS about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. SURELY WE DON’T NEED TO START AGAIN with the FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE OF REPENTING FROM EVIL DEEDS AND PLACING OUR FAITH in God. 2You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.
1 John 5 10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
Not once in Hebrews 6:1-3 is Everlasting/ Eternal/Forever/Endless Life Textually present as the result of - or as a constituent element - of repentance , or any other work . So , your "point" is clearly contradictory to Ephesians 2:8-9 ; Romans 3:20-5:11,11:6,29 ; Titus 3:5 ; Philippians 3:9 ; book of Galatians . In fact , you don't believe anyone has Endless Everlasting Life until they earn/are rewarded with/merit/ DESERVE the Free and Never Deserving Gift of Eternal Life/eternal Justification before God...by "successfully" completing the Performance Contract (with all its Terms and Conditions withheld) . Deserving the Never Deserving ? Earning Grace ? Working for a Free Gift ? ... THAT makes sense to you ?? So , your confusion is doubly Ridiculous . You're literally hoping for the impossible , while Never Knowing what sets the Anchor in the Water , forever . Your "gospel" is exactly what ? "I dunno...and I truly hope that I can convince YOU that you also CANNOT Know where you'll spend eternity". Soteriological Agnosticism Never makes sense , nor is it "good news" . Little children can easily see through such No Brainer absurdity .
@@GiftofGrace88 What does that have to do with Hebrews 6:1-3 saying we shouldn't have to go over the basics of how to be born again. The Author is simply repeating what Jesus Peter and Paul preached. Repent of sin Believe in Jesus as the Son of God. Be water baptized then Receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
@@ok-qt4kr Not once in any of the verses you used to try to combat the Author of Hebrews restating the basic teachings about Christ and being born again. Why you are so hardened against the reason God sent his Son to call on men to repent of their sins and believe the gospel. What does it mean to repent? In Greek it is defined as to change one's mind. It means more than we can conceive in our culture today. To understand the reference of mind in the Bible it connects with the heart as the very controlling center of the person. It is the control center of emotions our intellect,our decision making process. So what Jesus is saying when you have changed your mind, everything else will change especially your conduct along with it. John 3:16 The story of the woman at the well and Ephesians 2:8-9 are not passages that speak of repentance of sin, without which sins are not forgiven. These are what you need to be quoting for the forgiveness of sins leading to everlasting life. Luke 24:44-47 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, And REPENTANCE FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS will be preached in His name to ALL NATIONS Starting in Jerusalem. Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. Acts 26:18-20 To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive FORGIVENESS OF SINS and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ 19“So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should REPENT AND TURN TO GOD and (Repent and believe) DEMONSTRATE THEIR REPENTANCE by their deeds/works. Repentance leads to salvation and eternal life. Acts 11:18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.” 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 Yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because YOUR SORROW LED YOU TO REPENTANCE. For YOU BECAME SORROWFUL as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10GODLY SORROW BRINGS REPENTANCE THAT LEADS TO SALVATION and leaves no regret, but worldly SORROW BRINGS DEATH.
9Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 10And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13BUT HE THAT SHALL ENDURE UNTO THE END, THE SAME SHALL BE SAVED. 14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come
The context of Matt 24 is the Tribulation period. Compare it to Rev 6, and you'll see Jesus describe all 7 seal judgements of Rev 6 in Matt 24, in the exact same order! In Matt 24:22 it says "And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened". God is shortening that time period to 7 years so that His elect won't be all killed, and He's encouraging them that if THEY endure to the end of that time, they'll be rescued by Jesus Himself at His return! The Greek work "Sozo" means save/rescue/deliver, and you can be "sozo" saved from an enemy, danger, an illness, the demonic, death, etc. It can apply to salvation, but the context of the passage tells you what you're being saved from. In this case, it isn't being saved from hell but from total anhiliation in the tribulation itself.
It's there . In every conceivable Evangelistic/Everlasting Life/eternal Justification before God passage in Scripture . John 3:16 & Ephesians 2:8-9 are obvious to little children who know that they can't pay for their Birthday or Christmas Gifts . Jesus isn't playing "keep away" with His Free and Never Deserving Gift of Endless Everlasting Life: John 1:12-13,3:1-18,4:1-39,5:24,6:28-47,10,11:23-27,20:31 . Cuz He cannot lie to the little ones. No better news , ever .
John 15:5-6 I am the vine; you are the branches. [IF] you REMAIN IN ME and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6IF YOU DO NOT REMAIN IN ME, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, THROWN INTO THE FIRE AND BURNED.
Where does Romans 8 say its about rewards? Romans 8:1,4,6-9,13 There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION to them which are in Christ Jesus, WHO WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH, BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT. 4That the RIGHTEOUSNESS of the law might be FULFILLED IN us,WHO WALK NOT AFTER THE BUT, AFTER THE SPIRIT. 6For TO BE CARNALLY MINDED IS DEATH; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Without repenting of sin one cannot receive the Holy Spirit [Acts 2:38] 13For IF YE LIVE AFTER THE FLESH, YE SHALL DIE: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live
You people that think once saved always saved really need to read God's word and What Jesus actually said not just cherry pick certain scriptures and try to make a doctrine
I am a fan of this channel and if “Free Grace” but don’t think that you did a very good job of refuting their position. I struggle with my “salvation” based on my failure to make Him the Lord of my life - showing evidence of my salvation. Your lack of defense of “our” position left me concerned.
How Do I Know I Am Saved? - Bob Wilkin th-cam.com/video/HA2vG_r2bgg/w-d-xo.html How Can I Be Sure that I Will Spend Eternity with the Lord in HIs Kingdom? Condemnation? In this video Dr. Bob Wilkin explains where NOT to look for assurance of one's salvation and where to look for assurance of one's salvation.
→ NO SECOND REPENTANCE? - HEBREWS 6:4-8 No Second Repentance? - Hebrews 6:4-8 July 1, 1992 by Bob Wilkin in Grace in Focus Articles 4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. 7For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; 8but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned. What did the author of the Book of Hebrews mean when he wrote of the impossibility of renewing apostates to repentance? This passage has bothered many Christians for a long time. I remember how it greatly bothered me for a number of years. Actually the interpretation is rather straightforward and easy to explain if one’s theology allows the possibility of genuine believes falling away from the Lord. (If, however, one’s theology doesn’t allow for this possibility, then this passage poses a major problem.) Believers Are Under Consideration (vv 4-5) There can be no reasonable doubt that believers are in view. The five participial phrases in vv 4-5 cannot reasonably be understood any other way. Only believers can be said (1) to have been enlightened, (2) to have tasted the heavenly gift, (3) to have become partakes of the Holy Spirit, (4) to have tasted the good word of God, and (5) to have tasted the powers of the age to come. One commentator has noted that it would be exceedingly difficult to come up with a stronger way of identifying those in question as believers. Apostasy Is in View (v 6a) Verse 6 is clearly dealing with falling away from the faith. The Jewish Christians being addressed were considering a return to animal sacrifices (cf. 2:1-18; 3:12; 7:11-28; 10:1-18). They were being influenced to give up believing that the death of Jesus was enough to pay the penalty for their sins and provide eternal life to those who believe. Renewal to Repentance Is Impossible (v 6b) The person who commits doctrinal apostasy cannot be reasoned with. Once a person apostatizes it becomes humanly impossible to renew him or her to “repentance.” The word repentance here means a change of thinking. No human being can change the thinking of a believer who has fallen away from the faith. (Only God could possibly do that.) Many interpreters err here because they assume that the author is saying that such a person is eternally condemned. Actually the text doesn’t say anything even approaching that. All it is saying is that it is humanly impossible to change the thinking of a believer who falls away from the faith. This passage in no way questions eternal security. Once a person is saved he forever remains saved. However, a saved person may have a fiery experience here and now! Temporal Judgment Is at Stake (vv 7-8) Like any good preacher, the author of the Book of Hebrews gives a practical illustration to clarify his point. The illustration is the easiest way to explain vv 44. Thorns and briers-or thorns and thistles are a common OT motif going back to the Garden of Eden. God cursed the ground as a result of Adam’s sin and said that it would yield thorns and thistles (Gen 3:18). There is an obvious allusion here to that passage. Just as the curse resulted in thorns and thistles, so thorns and thistles will result in a curse. The ground-that is, the believer-that yields thorns and thistles is near to being cursed and indeed it will soon be burned. Burning is seen by some commentators to refer here to hell. However, there is no good reason to draw such a conclusion. Except where qualified by modifiers like eternal or unquenchable, fire and burning in Scripture most often picture temporal judgment (cf. Gen 19:24; Lev 10:2; Joshua 7:15; 2 Sam 22:9; 2 Kings 1:10ff.; Dan 3:22ff.; Amos 1:4,7,10,12,14; 2:2,5; Luke 9:54; John 15:6; 1 Cor 3:13-15; Heb 11:34; Jude 23). Such an understanding fits perfectly well here. The ground represents the believer. The thorns and thistles represent the worthless (Gk. adokimos-a term used of believers being disapproved for eternal rewards in 1 Cor 9:27!) and wicked production of his life similar to the wood, hay, and stubble of 1 Cor 3:12-15. When the ground is burned, the thorns and thistles are destroyed, not the ground. The ground remains. It was a common practice in the agriculture of the day to burn the worthless overgrowth of a field that it might be restored to productivity (see the reference in Elder Pliny, Historia Naturalis, XVII. 300. 72). The author of the Book of Hebrews apparently holds out the possibility that God might restore the apostate, via chastisement, without taking him home. (The impossibility of renewing apostates to repentance concerns a human impossibility prior to God’s chastising work. Fiery chastisement will certainly fall on the apostate. However, once this fire has done its work, it is conceivable that the apostate might come back to the faith. Compare 1 Tim 1:19-20.) Conclusion Our faith requires watering and care. We need a daily intake of God’s Word. Fellowship with other believers is vital to our spiritual health. Prayer and ongoing obedience are essential as well. It is a terrible mistake to assume that because we are clear on the Gospel today that we will always be. We must take care. Any of us can fall. My prayer is that we would stand firm in the faith and would produce works that are pleasing to the Lord.
I wonder if those teachers who say you can loose your status as God's children, if they'd deny their own children that way. Good points on rewards!
AMEN BROTHER, SAY IT LOUD, VERY WELL SAID. ONCE BORN ALWAYS BORN, ONCE CIRCUMCISED ALWAYS CIRCUMCISED. ONCE SAVED ALWAYS DAVED
✝️🩸💯🎁
Best current explanation .
Excellent message , Ken .
Can't lose an Everlasting/Eternal/Forever Gift that is Free of any supplementation on Our part .
It's all about His faithfulness . Not ours .
If it depended on our Performance till death , then not One mere human would make it into His Kingdom .
The Free and Never Deserving Gift itself - once received by childlike faith in Him FOR it - has No Expiration Date attached ...or it would have been called "Temporary/Conditional/Probationary"life" , payable upon "successful" completion of the Performance Contract (with Termas & Conditions withheld) .
All works righteousness soteriology reduces to the utterly Ridiculous .
Tops Out at complete impossibility , Logically and Exegetically .
Contradicts John 3:16 & Ephesians 2:8-9 , and every conceivable Evangelistic/Everlasting Life/eternal Justification before God passage in the Bible .
So all we have to do is say I believe in Jesus's promise for eternal life and we can live no different than the world ?
For Jesus to grant forgiveness of sins without repentance leading to a change of conduct would make the grace of God an accomplice to evil!
@@2Chronicles714_
Yes and no all you have to do is believe to be saved yet, 1 believe 1 John 3:6-10 and 1 John 5:18 is saying a Christian can't continue to live a habitual sinful lifestyle like they used to.
@@2Chronicles714_
Nope .
You create a Straw Man misrepresentation: "say" .
Nowhere in Tim Grady 's verifiable materials has he - or GES - ever stated what you just indicated .
So , you're very obviously lying , yet again .
Belief/faith in Him FOR His doubtless Guarantee of irrevocable Everlasting Life is their Objectively verifiable position .
Either one is convinced/persuaded (faith/belief) at a moment in time , or remains persuaded otherwise .
Faith is only as valid as the Object in which it is placed .
Your Object of "faith" is your Unknowable level (%) of hopefully good enough behavioral performance (works) till death that earns/merits/is rewarded with/DESERVES the Unmerited and Never Deserving Gift (Ephesians 2:8-9 ; Romans 3:20-5:11,11:6,29 ; Titus 3:5 ; Philippians 3:9 ; book of Galatians) of Endless Everlasting Life , after death .
So , Noone is born again with irreversible Everlasting Life - IN THIS LIFETIME - according to your works righteousness soteriology .
So , your affirmation is a Textbook contradiction that Never Knows one's Everlasting destination based upon His Objective Guarantee, but instead considers one's Filthy Rags attempts to be the DECISIVE factor in one's Everlasting destination .
That affirmation rejects His PERFECT work of Redemption having takes all sins away - Judicially - that His Free and Never Deserving Gift of Endless Everlasting Life can indeed be without Cost to its recipients .
Instead , your affirmation is working till death to DESERVE this Free and Never Deserving Gift .
How THAT can make sense to anyone truly invested in the pursuit of Objective Truth remains forever elusive .
All who are unbelievers in Him FOR His doubtless Guarantee of Endless Life , are Forever Slaves of Sin , never having access to the regenerate New Nature that indeed has fellowship forgiveness (1 John 1:6-9) .
Whereas , one must first be born again and eternally Justified before God (Romans 4:1-8) , having been imputed His PERFECT Righteousness incapable of sinning (Romans 7) .
Whereas , all who instead follow the works righteousness doctrine of the Judaizers/unregenerate Scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23) , have No such access . Therefore under the Anathema (Galatians 1:6-9) .
@@HolySpiritIsSatanOfSinDethHell
"Habitual" ?
Define that Objectively , sir .
Cannot be done , quite frankly .
1 John isn't written as a Behavioral Metric that determines one's Everlasting destination .
@@HolySpiritIsSatanOfSinDethHell
Your position makes no sense .
Purely subjective criteria . Thus Unknowable .
Looking to your works never gives assurance of Everlasting Life .
Only simple childlike faith in Him FOR His doubtless Guarantee of irreversible Everlasting Life sets the Anchor in the Water , forever .
I am a former living example of Hebrews 6:4-8 and John 15:2,6 which are both conceptually parallel passages. I lived in willful, blatant sin and rebellion against God for 9 long years until God chastised me to bring me back to fellowship with Him.
This was over 30 years ago, but God has been gracious to me ever since. God chastises saved believers who fall away into apostasy, but He does not take away their salvation as so many false doctrines errantly teach and insist.
God chastises, but He also restores. His chastisement is first punitive, then restorative - Job 5:17-18, Hebrews 12:5-11, Proverbs 3:11-12.
Have you ever humbled yourself to God acknowledged that you are a guilty sinner and change your mind [Repented of your sins] about your sinfulled life and turned to living for and serving Jesus as Lord and Savior?
Awesome explanation as always 👍🏻
Amen brother Ken
Seems that the men in the documentary OSAS want to retain their free GIFT of salvation by their good deeds instead of relying on the simple promise of Jesus that anyone who believes in Him for eternal salvation is saved and secure. What a struggle these men go through.
70% of Americans say they believe in Jesus so according to you they are all born again.
Faith and repentance isn’t works. Works in the Bible means self effort. Or doing religious acts.
We are called to stay in his rest always. Get out of rest we will be back in the flesh.
So it’s impossible to attain by works bc once we get into self effort we are in the flesh.
It’s impossible to produce fruit by self effort. Only by rest.
Those who believe have entered into that rest.
Evidence of Faith and trust = rest
Does OSAS mean once a sinner always a sinner? What is it?
I’ve only heard ASAP. Which was if we sin or come in contact with evil…..repent ASAP.
So are we saying when you for example do a sin, yell at wife. Get drunk. Etc. You just say to self “I’m all good, no worries” or do you repent? And do you think if you didn’t repent it makes no difference? Just lose some rewards. But Jesus is all good with us sinning and not caring about repenting or forgiving others?
OF COURSE YOU CAN'T LOSE YOUR SALVATION...
because nobody has it yet!
You Can't lose what you haven't got!
Salvation is attained at the end. 🏁✔️ (Matthew 24:13) 😊
CLEARLY EXPLAINED THANK YOU
1Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
2I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH WILL I GIVE TO EAT OF THE TREE OF LIFE, WHICH IS IN THE MIDST OF THE PARADISE OF GOD.(That means if you don't overcome you will not go to heaven, you will go to hell)
Message to the Church in Smyrna
8And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
9I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. 10Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 11He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.(THE SECOND DEATH IS THE LAKE OF FIRE)
Are All Christians "Overcomers"? (1 John 5:4-5 and Revelation 2-3) - Bob Wilkin
th-cam.com/video/DHnUnJz5Bvg/w-d-xo.html
Bob Wilkin of the Grace Evangelical Society explains what is an overcomer and why is it that not all believers in Christ are overcomers.
@@GESvids If you are born again , you are being saved. If you endure to the end you will be saved and go to heaven.
Can't "Lose" the Unloseable .
One sip of the Water of Life forever quenches the thirst for eternity , He clearly stated to the Woman at the Well (John 4:1-39) .
"Never perish...never hunger or thirst...never die...has passed from death to life and shall not come into judgement... cannot be plucked from My or the Father's hand... Whoever comes to Me I shall in NO WISE cast out...I shall raise up on the last day...I shall Never leave you nor forsake you".
His repeated Guarantees that Affirm His Endless Promise that gives the Free and Never Deserving Gift of irrevocable Life , simply by faith in Him FOR it ...
Cuz He cannot lie to the little ones who come to Him with NOTHING to give , but only to receive.
He IS Faithful to His doubtless Guarantee , even when we fail , miserably...which is quite often , if we're honest .
Hebrews 3:6-19
But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, (IF) indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.,7So as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, (IF) you hear his voice,
8do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion,
during the time of testing in the wilderness,
9where your ancestors tested and tried me,
though for forty years they saw what I did.
10That is why I was angry with that generation;
I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray,
and they have not known my ways.’
11So I declared on oath in my anger,
[‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”]
👉12 See to it brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living
God.👈 13But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14We have come to share in Christ, (IF] indeed we hold our original conviction firmly TO
THE VERY END. 15As has just been said:
“Today, (IF) you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion.”
16. Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did God swear that THEY WOULD NEVER ENTER HIS REST (IF) NOT TO THOSE WHO DISOBEYED?
19 So we see that THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO ENTER, BECAUSE OF THEIR UNBELIEF.
[Note:disobedience is the equivalent to unbelief]
Hebrews 4:1-11
1Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. 3Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,
“So I declare on oath in my anger,
‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”
And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” 5And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”
6Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he
spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted:
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.”
8For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.
11Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.
Hebrews 10:38-39
The people God accepts
will live because
of their faith.But he isn't pleased
with anyone
who turns back.”
39We are not like those people who turn back and get destroyed. We will keep on having faith until we are saved.
Look at your NASB version! Ken's explanation didn't dive into the actual scripture at hand much in this video, which is why other commentors here have found the explanation to be weak, although overall the analysis still holds value.
Dennis Rokser (also free grace dispensationalist) has the best explanation of this passage.
First, notice that the passage never says a single word about loss of salvation. Bible teachers are implying this by the language about being enlightened and repentance, but this is more or less circular reasoning. The initial experience of salvation (repentance from dead works and faith toward God) is discussed, but not so any mention that salvation can be lost.
Second, what is the repentance being referred to in verse 6? It's reasonable to conclude that it is the same repentance just mentioned in verse 2 - repentance from dead works.
Third, the "since" in verse 6 can also be translated as "while" according to the NASB. Look at your footnotes.
Conclusion: The author of Hebrews is declaring it to be impossible to be renewed to repentance from dead works WHILE at the same time engaging in dead works. The Jewish believers were returning to the defunct Jewish sacrificial system or at risk of doing so, and the author of Hebrews warns them against doing this here and throughout the entire book. He proves the superiority of Jesus and the gospel over and above the system of Law throughout the entire book. This interpretation is more consistent with the overall theme of the book at the specific passage in question.
It seems to me that Hebrews is all about the warnings.
Of Course You Can't Lose Your Salvation... 😊
Because nobody has salvation yet! (In this present life - biblically speaking).
We Can't lose what we haven't got yet!
But justification we do have ❤😊, by receiving the Holy Ghost Baptism 🕊️.
Salvation itself is attained at the end. 🏁✔️ (Matthew 24:13) 😊
Listening to these old goat works salvationists makes you want to run from Scripture not to it:you can see their goal is to keep men in bondage. Theyre willfully clueless about dispensations as well.
You sound like a real sweet and humble man.
Before we debate about once saved always saved lets go back to the first 3 verses of Hebrews 6 to see IF you are born again in the first place.
Hebrews 6:1-3
So LET US STOP going over the BASIC TEACHINGS about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. SURELY WE DON’T NEED TO START AGAIN with the FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE OF REPENTING FROM EVIL DEEDS AND PLACING OUR FAITH in God.
2You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
3And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.
1 John 5
10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
Not once in Hebrews 6:1-3 is Everlasting/ Eternal/Forever/Endless Life Textually present as the result of - or as a constituent element - of repentance , or any other work .
So , your "point" is clearly contradictory to Ephesians 2:8-9 ; Romans 3:20-5:11,11:6,29 ; Titus 3:5 ; Philippians 3:9 ; book of Galatians .
In fact , you don't believe anyone has Endless Everlasting Life until they earn/are rewarded with/merit/ DESERVE the Free and Never Deserving Gift of Eternal Life/eternal Justification before God...by "successfully" completing the Performance Contract (with all its Terms and Conditions withheld) .
Deserving the Never Deserving ?
Earning Grace ?
Working for a Free Gift ?
... THAT makes sense to you ??
So , your confusion is doubly Ridiculous .
You're literally hoping for the impossible , while Never Knowing what sets the Anchor in the Water , forever .
Your "gospel" is exactly what ?
"I dunno...and I truly hope that I can convince YOU that you also CANNOT Know where you'll spend eternity".
Soteriological Agnosticism Never makes sense , nor is it "good news" .
Little children can easily see through such No Brainer absurdity .
6:1-3 is not a verification of salvation-- it is not, and should never be, used to answer the question: _am I really saved?_
@@GiftofGrace88
What does that have to do with Hebrews 6:1-3 saying we shouldn't have to go over the basics of how to be born again.
The Author is simply repeating what Jesus Peter and Paul preached.
Repent of sin
Believe in Jesus as the Son of God.
Be water baptized then
Receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
@@ok-qt4kr
Not once in any of the verses you used to try to combat the Author of Hebrews restating the basic teachings about Christ and being born again.
Why you are so hardened against the reason God sent his Son to call on men to repent of their sins and believe the gospel.
What does it mean to repent? In Greek it is defined as to change one's mind.
It means more than we can conceive in our culture today. To understand the reference of mind in the Bible it connects with the heart as the very controlling center of the person.
It
is the control center of emotions our intellect,our decision making process.
So what Jesus is saying when you have changed your mind, everything else will change especially your conduct along with it.
John 3:16
The story of the woman at the well and Ephesians 2:8-9 are not passages that speak of repentance of sin, without which sins are not forgiven.
These are what you need to be quoting for the forgiveness of sins leading to everlasting life.
Luke 24:44-47
He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, And REPENTANCE FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS will be preached in His name to ALL NATIONS Starting in Jerusalem.
Acts 2:38
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 3:19
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.
Acts 26:18-20
To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive FORGIVENESS OF SINS and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19“So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should REPENT AND TURN TO GOD and
(Repent and believe) DEMONSTRATE THEIR REPENTANCE by their deeds/works.
Repentance leads to salvation and eternal life.
Acts 11:18
When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
2 Corinthians 7:9-10
Yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because YOUR SORROW LED YOU TO REPENTANCE. For YOU BECAME SORROWFUL as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us.
10GODLY SORROW BRINGS REPENTANCE THAT LEADS TO SALVATION and leaves no regret, but worldly SORROW BRINGS DEATH.
💯👍🏻💯
9Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 10And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13BUT HE THAT SHALL ENDURE UNTO THE END, THE SAME SHALL BE SAVED. 14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come
The context of Matt 24 is the Tribulation period. Compare it to Rev 6, and you'll see Jesus describe all 7 seal judgements of Rev 6 in Matt 24, in the exact same order! In Matt 24:22 it says "And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened". God is shortening that time period to 7 years so that His elect won't be all killed, and He's encouraging them that if THEY endure to the end of that time, they'll be rescued by Jesus Himself at His return! The Greek work "Sozo" means save/rescue/deliver, and you can be "sozo" saved from an enemy, danger, an illness, the demonic, death, etc. It can apply to salvation, but the context of the passage tells you what you're being saved from. In this case, it isn't being saved from hell but from total anhiliation in the tribulation itself.
Once saved, always saved is not in the Bible.
It's there .
In every conceivable Evangelistic/Everlasting Life/eternal Justification before God passage in Scripture .
John 3:16 & Ephesians 2:8-9 are obvious to little children who know that they can't pay for their Birthday or Christmas Gifts .
Jesus isn't playing "keep away" with His Free and Never Deserving Gift of Endless Everlasting Life:
John 1:12-13,3:1-18,4:1-39,5:24,6:28-47,10,11:23-27,20:31 .
Cuz He cannot lie to the little ones.
No better news , ever .
John 15:5-6
I am the vine; you are the branches. [IF] you REMAIN IN ME and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6IF YOU DO NOT REMAIN IN ME, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, THROWN INTO THE FIRE AND BURNED.
@@2Chronicles714_ People that say OSAS are really annoying 😂. They do it to wind you up. It's blatantly not true.
rewards, not salvation
Romans 8
Where does Romans 8 say its about rewards?
Romans 8:1,4,6-9,13
There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION to them which are in Christ Jesus, WHO WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH, BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT. 4That the RIGHTEOUSNESS of the law might be FULFILLED IN us,WHO WALK NOT AFTER THE BUT, AFTER THE SPIRIT. 6For TO BE CARNALLY MINDED IS DEATH; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Without repenting of sin one cannot receive the Holy Spirit
[Acts 2:38]
13For IF YE LIVE AFTER THE FLESH, YE SHALL DIE: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live
You people that think once saved always saved really need to read God's word and What Jesus actually said not just cherry pick certain scriptures and try to make a doctrine
I am a fan of this channel and if “Free Grace” but don’t think that you did a very good job of refuting their position. I struggle with my “salvation” based on my failure to make Him the Lord of my life - showing evidence of my salvation. Your lack of defense of “our” position left me concerned.
How Do I Know I Am Saved? - Bob Wilkin
th-cam.com/video/HA2vG_r2bgg/w-d-xo.html
How Can I Be Sure that I Will Spend Eternity with the Lord in HIs Kingdom?
Condemnation?
In this video Dr. Bob Wilkin explains where NOT to look for assurance of one's salvation and where to look for assurance of one's salvation.
→
NO SECOND REPENTANCE? - HEBREWS 6:4-8
No Second Repentance? - Hebrews 6:4-8
July 1, 1992 by Bob Wilkin in Grace in Focus Articles
4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. 7For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; 8but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.
What did the author of the Book of Hebrews mean when he wrote of the impossibility of renewing apostates to repentance?
This passage has bothered many Christians for a long time. I remember how it greatly bothered me for a number of years.
Actually the interpretation is rather straightforward and easy to explain if one’s theology allows the possibility of genuine believes falling away from the Lord. (If, however, one’s theology doesn’t allow for this possibility, then this passage poses a major problem.)
Believers Are Under Consideration (vv 4-5)
There can be no reasonable doubt that believers are in view. The five participial phrases in vv 4-5 cannot reasonably be understood any other way. Only believers can be said (1) to have been enlightened, (2) to have tasted the heavenly gift, (3) to have become partakes of the Holy Spirit, (4) to have tasted the good word of God, and (5) to have tasted the powers of the age to come. One commentator has noted that it would be exceedingly difficult to come up with a stronger way of identifying those in question as believers.
Apostasy Is in View (v 6a)
Verse 6 is clearly dealing with falling away from the faith. The Jewish Christians being addressed were considering a return to animal sacrifices (cf. 2:1-18; 3:12; 7:11-28; 10:1-18). They were being influenced to give up believing that the death of Jesus was enough to pay the penalty for their sins and provide eternal life to those who believe.
Renewal to Repentance Is Impossible (v 6b)
The person who commits doctrinal apostasy cannot be reasoned with. Once a person apostatizes it becomes humanly impossible to renew him or her to “repentance.”
The word repentance here means a change of thinking. No human being can change the thinking of a believer who has fallen away from the faith. (Only God could possibly do that.)
Many interpreters err here because they assume that the author is saying that such a person is eternally condemned. Actually the text doesn’t say anything even approaching that. All it is saying is that it is humanly impossible to change the thinking of a believer who falls away from the faith. This passage in no way questions eternal security. Once a person is saved he forever remains saved. However, a saved person may have a fiery experience here and now!
Temporal Judgment Is at Stake (vv 7-8)
Like any good preacher, the author of the Book of Hebrews gives a practical illustration to clarify his point. The illustration is the easiest way to explain vv 44.
Thorns and briers-or thorns and thistles are a common OT motif going back to the Garden of Eden. God cursed the ground as a result of Adam’s sin and said that it would yield thorns and thistles (Gen 3:18). There is an obvious allusion here to that passage. Just as the curse resulted in thorns and thistles, so thorns and thistles will result in a curse. The ground-that is, the believer-that yields thorns and thistles is near to being cursed and indeed it will soon be burned.
Burning is seen by some commentators to refer here to hell. However, there is no good reason to draw such a conclusion. Except where qualified by modifiers like eternal or unquenchable, fire and burning in Scripture most often picture temporal judgment (cf. Gen 19:24; Lev 10:2; Joshua 7:15; 2 Sam 22:9; 2 Kings 1:10ff.; Dan 3:22ff.; Amos 1:4,7,10,12,14; 2:2,5; Luke 9:54; John 15:6; 1 Cor 3:13-15; Heb 11:34; Jude 23). Such an understanding fits perfectly well here.
The ground represents the believer. The thorns and thistles represent the worthless (Gk. adokimos-a term used of believers being disapproved for eternal rewards in 1 Cor 9:27!) and wicked production of his life similar to the wood, hay, and stubble of 1 Cor 3:12-15. When the ground is burned, the thorns and thistles are destroyed, not the ground. The ground remains.
It was a common practice in the agriculture of the day to burn the worthless overgrowth of a field that it might be restored to productivity (see the reference in Elder Pliny, Historia Naturalis, XVII. 300. 72). The author of the Book of Hebrews apparently holds out the possibility that God might restore the apostate, via chastisement, without taking him home. (The impossibility of renewing apostates to repentance concerns a human impossibility prior to God’s chastising work. Fiery chastisement will certainly fall on the apostate. However, once this fire has done its work, it is conceivable that the apostate might come back to the faith. Compare 1 Tim 1:19-20.)
Conclusion
Our faith requires watering and care. We need a daily intake of God’s Word. Fellowship with other believers is vital to our spiritual health. Prayer and ongoing obedience are essential as well.
It is a terrible mistake to assume that because we are clear on the Gospel today that we will always be. We must take care. Any of us can fall. My prayer is that we would stand firm in the faith and would produce works that are pleasing to the Lord.