Wednesday, November 01st, 2006 | Author: Jami Leigh
Please read this and this and tell me what it says to you. . .
Hebrews 6:4-6
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 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.
Category: What we're reading
Wednesday, 1. November 2006
In some concordances and study Bibles it says that in the Greek that last part of the sentence changes to the present tense so it would say more that thier behavior is ongoing and thier hearts are not going to repent, because they do not want to change.
Thursday, 2. November 2006
It depends on what “fall away” means. I do not think it is merely sin. Everyone sins. I think it is the act of turning away from God and denying Christ. “Fall” gives the impression that it is a sudden changing of ones heart. As if one grows angry with God and vows in his heart that he will not follow Him. I suspect that it is more likely an apathy toward God that lets one slowly drift away to the point where God no longer has any part in their life.
Some would have us believe this is speaking of those who have only professed to be Christian, but who have not truely accepted Christ. Yet it says “who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit”. Can a person who hasn’t accepted Christ share in the Holy Spirit? Would such a person be discribed as enlightened?
Thursday, 2. November 2006
I guess it’s just hard for me to accept that someone would be “unredeemable”. I have always been of the belief that it is never too late for someone until they take thier last breath……
It’s a thought provoking passage…I will definately think on this….
Friday, 3. November 2006
Debbie,
I too have believed that it is never too late for someone to turn around and come back to Christ. Have we believed that way because of God’s word or because that is the way we would like it to be?
In a recent discussion on this very matter, most agreed that as long as a person has a desire to return to Christ; they are still being called by Him. But if a person turns away from God and lets his heart grow hard; he will no longer have the desire to return.
Friday, 3. November 2006
I do agree with that, Jack. That there are people with hardened hearts, and maybe that is what the passage is referring to. Thanks for the good discussion.