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.
These few verses mentioned above have been a source of confusion for many. To explain these verses a story would be given.
Kofi, Kwame and Kwaku were seated in an afternoon Sunday bible class. Their bible study teacher read Hebrews 6:4-6 and asked each of them to explain the verses. Kofi informed the teacher and his friends that he was sure a person who believed in Christ could not lose his salvation.He further explained that although he believed Christ had taken the punishment for sin, he continued to wrestle with certain biblical passages. His doubts were not about salvation or eternal security; rather, he found it difficult to explain verses such as "renew them again unto repentance" and "if they shall fall away".
Kwame read the same verses and concluded that a believer could lose his salvation, basing his view on the passage: "who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost." He admitted that he lived in constant fear about losing his salvation.
Kwaku read the same Scriptures and agreed with Kofi that salvation cannot be lost. However, he argued that the phrases "if they shall fall away" and "to renew them again unto repentance" indicate that the people described in the passage were never truly saved.
After hearing their views on the matter, the bible teacher took his time to explain the Scriptures.From the Scriptures we can be certain that those who believe in God have everlasting life and cannot come into condemnation. (John 5:24). Therefore, we can conclude that ‘were once enlightened’ cannot refer to someone who has lost his salvation. A person cannot lose his salvation. The Scriptures clearly provide that no one can pluck a saved person out of God’s hand ( John 10:28). It also cannot be referring to someone who has rejected the salvation message because the author refers to those who were "once enlightened". If a person never believed in the first place, he cannot be described as having been ‘once enlightened’.
The Bible teacher proceeded to explain "were made partakers of the Holy Ghost". Anyone who believes in Christ is sealed with the Holy Spirit until redemption (Ephesians 1: 13-14). Likewise, the Scriptures teach that anyone who believes in God will never perish and no one can pluck that person out of God’s hand. (John 10:28-29). Therefore, this passage cannot be a person who once possessed the Holy Ghost and subsequently lost it through his sin or unbelief.
The Bible teacher further explained to Kwaku and his friends that the Epistle to the Hebrews was written to believers. "How do we know this?" he asked. Throughout the epistle, the author addresses his readers as 'brethren.' For example, in Hebrews 3:1 he refers to them as "holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling". Similarly, in Hebrews 3:12 he writes, 'Take heed, brethren,' and in Hebrews 10:19 he begins, "Having therefore, brethren." These repeated references show that the author was addressing fellow believers.
Kwame raised his hand and asked, “What does ‘if they fall away’ mean if it has nothing to do with the loss of salvation?” The Bible teacher began his explanation. "Falling away" is not referring to a loss of salvation, but about people who were feeling discouraged and wanted to give up on the walk of faith. This becomes clearer from the remainder of Hebrews 6.
The author of Hebrews informed his Jewish audience about the “things that accompany salvation.” (verse 9). At first glance, these verses may appear to suggest that the author of Hebrews is speaking about working toward salvation because he refers to “things accompanying salvation.” However, the word “accompany” means to go along with, to be associated with, or to be found together with something else. It does not mean to cause or to produce. For instance smoke accompanies fire, but smoke is not the cause of the fire. Likewise, fruit accompanies a healthy tree, but the fruit does not make the tree alive. From this we can determine that the author is speaking about what occurs after salvation. He reminded them that “God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love,” and encouraged them that every one of them should show “the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end.” He also exhorted them not to be “slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” We have already established that salvation is not obtained by works but by believing in God. We have also established that salvation cannot be lost. Therefore, “the full assurance of hope unto the end” and the exhortation not to be “slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises” cannot be referring to obtaining or maintaining salvation, since righteousness is imputed to the believer the moment he believes. Instead, these verses indicate that the Jewish believers were becoming discouraged. They were on the verge of abandoning, or had already neglected, their work of labour and love, and they were becoming slothful. The author of Hebrews was reminding them to remain patient so that they would inherit the promises of God. To illustrate this point, he used Abraham as an example. God promised Abraham, “Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.” This refers to God's promise in Genesis 15:4–5 that Abraham would have an heir from his own body. This shows that the author is not speaking about salvation but about God's promise to Abraham that he would have a son. By using Abraham as an example, the author is teaching the Jewish believers that they should patiently wait to receive God's promises, just as Abraham patiently believed that God would give him a child. The passage is not that believers lose their salvation when they fall away. It about faithfully waiting for God's promises to be fulfilled
The Bible teacher proceeded to explain “to renew them again unto repentance”. He first turned to Romans 4:4–5 and read: “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness”. He explained that salvation is received by faith and not earned through works. He then directed their attention to Hebrews 10:18, which states, "Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin." The Bible teacher explained that Christ's sacrifice was offered once for all and is completely sufficient for the forgiveness of sins. Therefore, the phrase 'to renew them again unto repentance' cannot mean that a believer must receive salvation a second time. If salvation had to be received afresh, it would imply that Christ's once-for-all sacrifice was insufficient and that He must be crucified again. Yet Scripture teaches that Christ was offered once for all.
After the Bible teacher had finished his explanation, Kwaku, who believed that salvation could be lost, raised his hand and asked, "What about Hebrews 3:14, which states, 'For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end'?" The bible teacher replied. When reading chapters and verses in the Bible, it is important to understand the intent of the author and the author’s audience. The author was writing to Jewish believers. Hebrews 3:14 is not referring to salvation but an event that happened during the time of Moses when several Israelites could not enter the Promise Land (Canaan) because of unbelief(Numbers 13-14). Much of Hebrews 3 draws upon Psalms 95:7-11 where David reflects on that wilderness rebellion during Moses time and warns his own generation. Thus Hebrews 3 is an encouragement to believers to live a faithful life trusting in the promises of God. It is not a passage about the loss of salvation.
In conclusion the Book of Hebrews 6:4-6 is not about the loss of salvation. The warning is not that believers lose their salvation when they fall away. Rather, they were becoming discouraged and abandoning a faithful walk with God. The phrase 'to renew them again unto repentance' does not mean that they could receive salvation a second time, because salvation rests upon Christ's once-for-all sacrifice. If a second repentance unto salvation were necessary, it would imply that Christ's sacrifice was insufficient and that He must be crucified again. That is why the author immediately adds that they would be 'crucifying the Son of God afresh.
In other words, falling away does not mean that a person needs to receive salvation again. Since Christ's sacrifice was offered once for all, salvation cannot be received afresh. Therefore, the warning cannot be that believers lose their salvation and must obtain it again. Rather, 'falling away' refers to abandoning a faithful walk with God.