The context of the letter does not change what I posted on Hebrews 6:4-6. In regard to Hebrews 2:3, this rhetorical question implies that there is no other means of escape from divine judgment if one neglects the salvation offered through Jesus Christ. In regard to
Hebrews 3:8-10, we read - do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works forty years. Therefore, I was angry with that generation, and said,
'They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.' Not descriptive of genuine believers. There is no loss of salvation here. Only a failure to receive it.
Verses 18-19 - And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So, we see that they could not enter in because of
unbelief. That explains the hardened heart. It took them in the opposite direction of God. Considered the truth for a time, then hardened heart and departing from God became their final answer. Now although the letter is addressed to "holy brethren" you can always find make believers mixed in with the group. Hence, evil heart of
unbelief, departed from the living God. *
Jude 1:5 - Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time
delivered his people (the Israelites) out of Egypt but later destroyed those who did not believe. NOT later destroyed those who stopped believing but
DID NOT BELIEVE.
Hebrews 3:14 - For we
have become partakers of Christ,
(demonstrative evidence) if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end. Notice that this is essentially a repeat of verse 6, in which we read: but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house -
whose house we are, (demonstrative evidence) if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.
The wording is not - "and you will become partakers of Christ (future indicative) if you (future indicative) hold fast." It is rather -
"you have been and now are a partaker of Christ" (demonstrative evidence) if in the future you hold fast the beginning of your confidence steadfast to the end."
Holding fast is proof of genuine conversion.
The point is that not all of these Hebrews have become partakers in Christ and the only ones in the end who will be identified as truly born-again Hebrews who have partaken in Christ, will have been those who have held fast the beginning of their confidence steadfast to the end. Now what about those faltering Hebrews who depart from God, yet begin with loud confidence and profession of loyalty? But then later?
Holding fast is proof of genuine conversion.
I already thoroughly covered Hebrews 6:4-6 in my post that you pinned but I will cover once again what you bolded. In regard to renew them again unto repentance, this does not specify whether the repentance was merely outward or genuine accompanied by saving faith. They have in some sense "repented," there may be sorrow for sins and an attempt to turn from them (moral self-reformation) that non-believers can experience. There is repentance that falls short of salvation, which is clear from
Hebrews 12:7 and the reference to Esau, as well as the repentance of Judas Iscariot in
Matthew 27:3. Paul refers to a repentance “without regret that leads to salvation,” which shows there is a repentance that does not lead to salvation.
As with “belief/faith”, so too with “repentance,” we must always distinguish between what is substantial and results in salvation and what is spurious. Renew them again "unto salvation" would be conclusive evidence for the argument of a loss of salvation.
In
Hebrews 6:7-8, we read - For 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; but if it bears thorns and briars, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned. In this metaphor relating to agriculture, those who receive final judgment are compared to land that bears no vegetation or useful fruit but rather bears thorns and thistles.
We see in scripture where good fruit is the evidence of spiritual life and a lack of good fruit is a sign of false believers (
Matthew 3:8-10;
7:15-20;
12:33-35) so we have an indication that the trustworthy evidence of one's spiritual condition is the fruit they bear (whether good or bad), suggesting that those who fell away in Hebrews 6 were not genuine believers.
*Again, verse 9 sums it up for me. The writer is speaking to those truly saved (refers to them as BELOVED). He says that even
though he speaks like this concerning THOSE types of people, He is convinced of better things concerning YOU. Things that ACCOMPANY SALVATION. Thorns and briars and falling away permanently
do not accompany salvation and are not fruits worthy of authentic repentance.
Only His saints/those who are born of God will persevere (Psalm 37:28; Romans 8:30; Ephesians 1:13-14; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 1:1) and only God infallibly knows who they are.
nice talking to you I learned so much!!! I would bow down but my knees don't do that well .