Hebrews 6:4-6 was a report to the Jerusalem church concerning the sad state of certain Jewish believers in Christ.
Instead of standing on the atonement of Christ?
They reverted to their old way of thinking which was under the Law of Moses.
They had come to know salvation.
"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..."
Yet, they had been Jews so strongly dedicated to following the law, that they had made the law into their god.
It says it is impossible to bring them back to repentance.
Not, impossible to bring them back to salvation.
Repentance means to have a change of mind.
To accept correction.
Those Jews, like Catholics who refuse to give up Mary worship, were refusing to accept the atonement of the Cross.
The animal sacrifices under the law had been teaching tools for Jews to learn the principles for atonement.
So, when the Cross finally came? It could become an easy change in thinking to see that what the animal sacrifices
taught about, but could not fulfill and put an end to their need as the Cross does.
In effect? Those Jews continuing in the animal sacrifices were making a mockery of the Cross of Jesus!
To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
Their stubbornness caused them to became spiritually retarded.
Like cutting oxegen off from the brain for too long.
Ever try reasoning with a retarded person who was doing something they did not want to stop doing?
It was impossible to achieve success at that stage.
So? Though these Jewish believers were saved?
They were going to fail in having God bestow His blessings upon them.
For, to become eligible for God's blessings that one needs to be walking in the Spirit and truth to receive.
That is why the writer of Hebrews told the readers to stop trying to change them, and to move on to the blessings that accompany salvation for the faithful believer.
Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. Hebrews 6:7-8
That burning does not refer to Hell. For this is speaking about those who entered salvation.
That burning they would face is to be seen in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15.
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay,
straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be
revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work
which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned,
he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
See it come together now?
Hebrews 6 was not about a loss of salvation.
But, a loss of rewards which will be revealed after their works were tested by fire!
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10
Their works will be burned! Not the person!
If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss (of reward);
but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
grace and peace ........
