Neither is a lie
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The Hebrews 6:4-6 verses can certainly be misunderstood if read out of context of the entire letter to the Hebrews (as with Hebrews 10:26-27).
The whole of Hebrews is written to communicate to Hebrews - both to Hebrew believers and Hebrews who have heard the Gospel and have not yet decided to believe in the Work of Christ - of the superiority of the New Covenant in Christ. A New Covenant which is based on better promises and mediated by a better High Priest.
The Old Covenant was one of going in and out of covenant with God based on one's actions; the New Covenant is one of security and adoption into God's family based on Christ's actions:
His Work of the Cross, the Resurrection, the Ascension, and His Perfect, Permanent High Priesthood.
Once we believe in the Work of Christ, we receive the gifts of forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life. When we sin (and we all do, hopefully less and less as we become more and more secure in our identity in Christ),
Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. (from Heb. 7)
Back to Hebrews 6.
There are two views which I find to be acceptable and still not contradict either the John 10 passage, the Hebrews 7 passage, or any of the other passages which clearly communicate our security in Christ:
- The first view is that because we are so secure in Christ, it's impossible for the believer to be brought back to repentance unto salvation.
It's important to remember that the Biblical definition of repentance is to 'change one's mind and heart' - which is completely necessary for the unbeliever to become a believer in Christ - they must change their mind and heart about Who Christ is and what He has done for them as well as change their mind and heart about who they are and their inability to achieve their own righteousness (see Romans 3, 5, and 10).
Looking at the context of Hebrews 6:4-6, let's look at the verses preceding:
Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.3 And this we will do if God permits.
Reading carefully, and keeping in mind the exhortations in chapter 5 (13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.), we can see that righteousness, in the New Covenant, comes as a gift.
The elementary doctrines of Christ before the Cross were the teachings of the Law - magnified to not only include outward actions, but also inward intentions. Jesus preached the Law to those under the Law - BEFORE the Cross. Repentance from dead works (rabbinical rules), faith in God, instructions about washings (mikvah), the laying on of hands (the transferring of one's sins by the priest to a sacrifice), resurrection of the dead (a big source of contention between the Pharisees and Sadducees), and eternal judgment -
Those are all teachings in the Old Covenant. Some do carry over into the New Covenant, but note this: They are NOT the word of righteousness in the New Covenant.
The word of righteousness in the New Covenant is believe in the Work of Christ and you are forgiven, given God's righteousness, sealed with the Holy Spirit, and given eternal life. On top of that, you have a Perfect, Permanent High Priest who always lives to intercede for you.
That is the word of righteousness in the New Covenant! And that is the word that the Hebrews were having a hard time grasping and why the letter to the Hebrews was penned.
In short, our security is based not on what we do or do not do, but on our faith in Who Christ is and what He has done and continues to do on our behalf.
So to repeat: It's impossible for the believer to be brought back to repentance because we are so secure in Christ. Because our salvation is secure and cannot be lost, it's impossible to come to Christ again - He never leaves us. To say that one must repent to come back to Christ is to say that some of their sins were not forgiven, and that puts Christ to open shame, because to be forgiven, blood must be shed, and Christ already did the Work of the Cross. Again, to say that what Christ did wasn't enough is to put Him to open shame. It's to say that He must be crucified all over again to provide for further forgiveness. And one thing that the letter to the Hebrews is VERY clear about is that Jesus' sacrifice was FINAL and ONCE for ALL sins (see Hebrews 10).
- The second view that I think is compatible with John 10 and other passages citing eternal security is that the Hebrews 6 passage is speaking of Hebrews who have heard the Gospel - they've tasted, considered, toyed with, but have not fully taken in and received the Gospel of the Work of Christ. They continue on in Moses, the Temple still in place, and those Hebrews, even though they had heard and considered the Gospel, did not really believe and put their faith in Christ.
Again, it would be impossible for them to be brought back to repentance (a change of mind and heart) because they had never repented unto salvation in the first place!
They are also unskilled in the word of righteousness; they are relying on the Temple practices to keep them 'right' with God instead of the Work of Christ, the Gospel, which, as explained above, is the TRUE word of righteousness after the Cross.
My preference is the first interpretation, but I can see how either can apply.
There are two teachers who communicate each of the above views beautifully:
- Hebrews 6:4-6 Can You Lose Your Salvation?
(View 1 - from more of a charismatic stream of faith. If the more conservative of you can get past the first few minutes, the very theologically solid teaching begins around minute 13.)
- a. The Solid Food of Righteousness
b. Oaths and Anchors
(View 2 - from more of an evangelical view, also theologically sound.)
Grace and peace to you,
-JGIG