“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, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 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.”
(Hebrews 6:4-6)
The warning of Hebrews 6 is meant to awaken those who only profess Christianity and progress them forward in the faith. The danger described in this text is not simply falling into sin or a temporary lapse in faith caused from weakness or fear. Instead, this concerns a deliberate and complete apostasy from the known truth of Christ after substantial illumination and experience of spiritual things. The passage therefore places before the church the terrible possibility that a man may come very far in outward Christianity and yet never possess the inward saving grace that unites the soul permanently to Christ.
Indeed, this passage does not teach that a truly regenerate child of God may finally fall away and perish. This fact becomes clear when these verses are compared with what follows. Here the writer of Hebrews speaks of illumination, tasting, gifts, and participation in benefits distributed by the Holy Ghost within the visible church. Later in the chapter he references “better things,” things that accompany salvation: faith working by love, fleeing to Christ for refuge, and hope anchored within the veil. The apostle generally warns those who profess Christianity while expressing confidence concerning true believers in particular.
The warning is searching because common operations of the Spirit may be remarkably extensive. A natural and unrenewed man may recognize the blessedness of the church, reform his outward behavior, submit externally to Christ’s ordinances, possess impressive knowledge of Scripture, and even exercise gifts useful for the edification of others. He may speak well, pray impressively, understand difficult doctrines, and appear blameless before men, while only professing outward belief.
Such a person may also “taste” heavenly things. He may believe the historical truth of the gospel, enjoy studying biblical doctrines, feel something of the sweetness of the Word, admire the mercy offered to sinners, and even desire heaven. Yet such experiences exist without the heart surrendering its love of the world, riches, praise, ease, or sinful pleasure. The stony-ground hearer may receive the Word with joy and afterward fall away when truth becomes costly.
The difference lies between tasting and feeding.[1] Common gifts and temporary feelings may touch the understanding and affections without establishing a living root of grace in the soul. They may be impressive and even useful to others, while never producing enduring spiritual obedience. Saving grace, by contrast, nourishes spiritual life. It leads the soul toward Christ, strengthens obedience, mortifies sin, and bears lasting fruit.
The danger, therefore, is not in possessing illumination, gifts, or spiritual experiences. These things should not be despised. The danger is in resting in them as though they were themselves infallible evidence of salvation.
Knowledge, experience, usefulness, emotion, and reputation can easily become substitutes for dependence on God. Hebrews 6 tears away that false refuge and calls for sober self-examination, humility, and continued pursuit of Christ.
Contemplations:
- When I Mistake Light for Life. You have allowed me to know many truths, understand doctrines, and see things in Scripture. Yet knowledge itself cannot be my refuge. A mind filled with truth may still conceal a heart that is not submitted to that truth. Make the light You have given me penetrate beyond understanding into repentance, faith, love, obedience, and a deeper communion with Christ.
- When Sweet Experiences Become My Evidence. I can remember times when Your Word seemed sweet and spiritual truths moved my heart. Forgive me if I have rested on those experiences instead of pressing nearer to Christ. Because I know that even a desire for heaven can coexist with an unwillingness to abandon known sin. Keep me rooted in the realities of Your Word, the fruits of Your Spirit, and the evidences of Your grace.
- When Usefulness Feeds My Security. You may permit a person to speak truth, encourage others, understand difficult matters, and exercise gifts within Your church while his own heart remains cold. The ability to help another does not excuse me from examining whether I am truly feeding on Christ. Keep me from confusing gifts with grace, being a benefit to others with inward holiness, or outward reputation with Your approving grace in the heart.
- Do Not Let Me Stop at Tasting. I do not want to just taste what You have provided. Draw me into truly feeding on Christ. Make spiritual truth sustain life within me, mortify my lusts, strengthen my obedience, and produce lasting love. And make me unwilling to stand still in the things of God. Let every light received become a reason to seek greater light, every taste a reason to hunger more deeply, and every grace already given a reason to pursue closer communion with You.
Prayer (Confession):
Merciful Father, I confess how easily my heart can make a refuge out of spiritual privileges that were meant to lead me onward.
Forgive me for every time I have rested in knowledge rather than seeking the transforming power of truth. I may understand much, speak accurately, remember Scripture, and recognize spiritual realities, yet none of these things gives me permission to become secure in myself.
Times of sweetness, strong impressions, joy under the Word, or desires after heavenly things can become memories I lean on instead of reasons to seek Christ more earnestly.
Do not allow me to just taste spiritual things. Make me feed upon Christ. Let grace take deeper root, faith work by love, hope anchor within the veil, and obedience increasingly flow from inward renewal.
Preserve me from apostasy by keeping me in continual progress. Make me press toward nearer communion, greater mortification, stronger faith, and more fruitful love.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References:
Heb. 10:32; 1 Peter 2:3; Heb. 10:29; John 4:10
[1] David Dickson, An Exposition of All St. Paul’s Epistles, (London: R.I. for Francis Eglesfield .., 1659), 235-236.
