I think you would also like to talk about Hebrews 6, here is my view:
Heb 6:4 For
it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put
him to an open shame.
Heb 6:7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed,
receiveth blessing from God:
Heb 6:8 But that which beareth thorns and briers
is rejected, and
is nigh unto cursing; whose end
is to be burned.
Heb 6:9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and
things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
Heb 6:10 For God
is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
Heb 6:11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
Heb 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Base on the context, a real believer could not do the falling away. Hebrews 6 speaks rather of impossibility than possibility. There’s no way a real born again (saved by the grace of God) will again be born again. There is no such thing as born again and again and again. The relationship has been firmly grounded in Christ. What the believer received from Christ then no one is able to pluck them out of his Father’s hand especially when it has been sealed by the Holy Spirit. The real believers are saved, secured and sure serving Christ. Context in Hebrews speaks of receiving blessing from God and things that accompany salvation (v.7), this is referred to the good works or labor of love shown toward the brethren but this ministry may be lose and be rejected but then again
it does not say about the losing of salvation. It is rather a of a
losing of rewards to those who fall back into this ministry and be held accountable during the Judgement Seat of Christ (JSOC) where our works good or bad will be tested by fire. So, it is the desire of the writer of the Hebrews, if not Apostle Paul to shew the full assurance of hope until by patience receives the blessings. (vv. 10-12).
2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things
done in
his body, according to that he hath done, whether
it be good or bad.
Rom 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
Rom 14:11 For it is written,
As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Now in regards to the situation, I know that it is not a guarantee to say because one is a preacher, minister, pastor would deny the faith even to the point of denying God’s existence and I believe there are several factors or reasons why they deny the faith. Probably are the following.
- He or she in the first place is not saved.
- He or she is a weak in faith and devoured by the enemy.
- Embraces wrong teaching by listening to or reading from their books.
- Hiding sin to justify wrong and continuous prohibited actions. (Vices, immorality etc,)
- Simply became puffed up of gained knowledge etc.
God sees the heart and not the stature. Your example is either the pastor is saved or not and God only knows the heart of the person for our heart is deceitful above all things and who can know it? So I can't tell you the persons salvation only God knows and I think the analogy is not applicable to Hebrews 6 IMO. What is clear, the saved is secure and sure serving Christ even to the end of his life or until Christ returns no matter what happens. Though the idea of backsliding is well supported in the Bible.
Jer_17:9 The heart
is deceitful above all
things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.