Hebrews 6:4-6

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,

⁵ And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

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.

The words highlighted in red are the key to understanding this challenging portion of Scripture.  The word “impossible” is saying that the person who so sins, will find it impossible to repent again.

Once again, we will first cover what the Scripture does NOT mean, so that we can fully expose what it DOES mean.

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!!!THIS PASSAGE – HEBREWS 6:4-6 – IS NOT ABOUT A BACKSLIDDEN CHRISTIAN!!!

1. Simon Peter backslid. . . Matt. 26:69-75 , repented, John 21:3-17, and was restored to fellowship with the Lord.  King David sinned, 2 Sam. 11:1–27, repented, Psalm 51:1-19, and was restored to fellowship with the Lord . . . 2 Sam. 12:13.

ANY BACKSLIDDEN CHRISTIAN CAN REPENT AND BE RESTORED TO FELLOWSHIP WITH THE LORD.  ALTHOUGH THERE ARE REPERCUSSIONS TO BACKSLIDING, SUCH AS LOSS OF POSITION IN THE CASE OF A FALLEN PASTOR,  FELLOWSHIP WITH THE LORD CAN STILL BE FULLY RESTORED. 

Lamentations 3:22

 It is of the Lord‘s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.

2. So if Hebrews 6:4-6 is not about backsliding, what does it mean?  It is about religiousness.  This Scripture is proof that being religious does not save anyone.  Profession and confession without internal conversion – means no eternal life.  By all outward appearances, they appear to be, and are called – Christians. 

But Jesus said –

Matthew 7:21-23

²¹ Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.

²² Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works?

²³ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.

Esau so sinned against the Lord when he sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of pottage. . .  Gen. 25:27-3.  Later he tried to repent, but found it impossible to do so!  His repentance was not genuine, in that he lamented over what he had lost, not in what he had done!  He wanted the blessing – but he wanted it on his terms – not God’s.

Hebrews 12:16-17

¹⁶ Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

¹⁷ For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

At the Great White Throne Judgment – only the wicked dead will be judged.  They too, like Esau, will try to repent, but will find it impossible. . .

Revelation 20:11-15

¹¹ And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from Whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

¹² And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

¹³ And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

¹⁴ And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

¹⁵ And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.