Hebrews 6:4-8: Those Who Were Once Enlightened
2022-11-26
Hebrews 6:4-5
Previously, we saw that God may not permit the apostle to teach on the fundamentals again because they were not ready. However, it may also be that it is a waste of time because they were not responding to the teaching. Once hardened against the Gospel, there is no repenting back to Christ again.
This passage we discussed in brief when discussing 1 Timothy 4:1-2.
Once enlightened. People who were enlightened were once in the dark. They did not understand the Gospel, why Jesus had to come to die, and that He rose again. But there came a day when they understood, on an intellectual level, some these things. They could elucidate right answers back to you if you asked them to varying degrees.
Tasted of the heavenly gift. They received a preview of spiritual things and the goodness of God. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 2:2-3). If they taste of the Lord’s goodness, they should continue to receive (“drink”) from His Word.
Partakers of the Holy Ghost. They would have seen the miracles, the spiritual gifts, and the changed lives, all which came from the Holy Spirit. Think of all the Pharisees and religious leaders who saw the miracles. They were a part of this experience of undeniable proofs that Jesus was the Messiah and Son of God, but still rejected Him. This is what was meant by “blasphemy against the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 12:31).
Tasted the good word of God. The word “taste” appears here again. They had a preview of the word of God. They heard the preaching of the Gospel, the good news. The Word of God is what brings people to faith, together with the Holy Spirit. They had a taste of the promises that were written in the Word of God, including eternal life. However, that Word never took any root in them.
... and the powers of the world to come. They had a “taste” of the resurrection life. They saw it in believers, and they had some understanding of what this entails. They understood, to some degree, the hope of eternal life.
Hebrews 6:6
Having all those experiences with an enlightened understanding, if they turn from all that, they cannot be renewed to repentance. This is what is meant by reprobation. Hebrews 6:4 says, “it is impossible.” Someone hardened against the Gospel and the things of God will remain hardened. They are never coming back. They were never saved in the first place.
Consider the following: “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things” (1 John 2:18-20). Note the difference. Those who suddenly departed from church and all godliness, whether to a false religion or a life filled with debauchery, these are likely examples of these. They once appeared to be humble yet powerful servants for the Lord, doing good works, preaching and sharing the Gospel, and the like, but abandon it and never return, these are the reprobates we speak of. The truly saved “have an unction from the Holy One.” They will continue with the apostles and their teachings.
These who turn from their alleged hope were “seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” I am not sure of what all this entails, but I can explain what I do know. Our Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins once, a literal, historical event.
Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. (Romans 6:9-10)
For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. (Hebrews 7:26-27)
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. (Hebrews 9:12)
By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10)
There is an emphasis on this word “once.” Jesus did not die repeatedly; He died once for all. We were born again in Him once. If there is no place for them the first time, there is no place for them. Saying that Jesus’s suffering was not enough, there is no second time. After He died and rose again, He will never die again. To say otherwise is to bring shame on the Lord Jesus.
This discussion of the latter part of this verse is incomplete, I know. I will need to return to this at another time.
Hebrews 6:7-8
Here, the Spirit illustrates what was meant by the previous verses. It is reminiscent of the parable of the wheat and tares in Matthew 13:24-43. We have discussed this before.
The ground with much rain brings forth vegetables, which are beneficial to those who grew them, and a blessing. The ground that brings forth a bunch of thorns is worthless. Thorns are only fit for the fire. Same ground, same rain, but with different fruit.
Thorns are rejected. They serve no purpose. If you plant a bunch of seeds and expect vegetables but only get thorns, well, yeah, there is going to be a lot of cursing.
The expectation of the Lord and of His servants, when planting the seed of the Word of God, is that there is going to be Christians with abiding fruit. Those who have heard the Gospel but do not abide in it will see the same fate.