Impossible

It is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened —those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come —and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame. Hebrews 6:4-6

THIS PASSAGE can be very disconcerting —especially for parents whose children seemed at one point to love the things of Christ but now appear to be walking away from faith. If we’re not careful, we can read into these verses that a person with real faith can lose it and then be barred from restoration. But that is not what these verses are saying. Those who are genuinely joined to Christ can never be separated from him. Those who have been adopted by him can never be disowned by him. Those who have been made alive in Christ can never lose that life.

It is possible to “taste the heavenly gift” (6:4, ESV) and “the goodness of the word of God” and to be “enlightened” by the light of Christ that spills into one’s life —and even to benefit from the work of the Holy Spirit in this world —but never consume, swallow, or commit to the gospel message. It is possible to nibble at the edges of life in Christ and decide, I don’t really like this. It is not for me. It’s not worth it. I don’t want it. This is the person this passage is talking about. The Holy Spirit will give us a taste of the richness of Christ, but he will not make us eat.

This passage is not describing believers who are in danger of losing their salvation. It is about unbelievers who are in danger of losing their opportunity to receive salvation. It is talking about those who see who Jesus is and what he offers up close, those who experience personally some of the joy, hope, and blessings that he gives and decide they don’t want Christ. Salvation is forever out of their reach, not because God withdraws the offer, but because they have hardened their hearts and rejected it.

Lord, ________ has seen who you are and what you offer up close. You have allowed ________ to experience the joy and blessing and hope you give. Please don’t let ________ taste and then refuse to fully take hold of you. Don’t let ________ reject your generous offer of yourself.