and powerful passage of Scripture,
Hebrews 6, 4 through 6. 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. Now, a lot of people would say
that's a good and ample description of a wonderful and a true believer,
a child of God, a Christian one, that is in the grace of God. Well, we shall see in the course
of our study. Please, if you will, pardon a
little review. Let's just go back a little bit
that we might bring from our first study over and join together
the things that we wish to pursue in the study today. So there
are a couple of things that have its purpose in the writing of
this passage of Scripture. Number one, for those that had
heard not the first part of our study, I think it's well that
we might review. to bring them up to speed to
make the connection between chapter 5, verse 11 through 14, and what
is written here in chapter 6, to make the connection between
the two passages of Scripture. Remember, we said there should
not be a Scripture or chapter division in this particular place. that the one thought flows right
on through. It is not a new subject. It is
not a new paragraph. It flows right on through from
what he was talking about in the end of chapter 5. Now, another
reason that we might review a little bit is in order that we might
refresh our minds and bring it fresh before us and give us,
therefore, a connection of the passages and a continuity of
thought, that we might view it overall as a passage of the Word
of God. Now, we said last Sunday that
a digression begins at chapter 5 and verse 11, and that it continues
all the way to the end of the 6th chapter or to the 20th verse.
a diversion or a parenthesis, if you will, the apostle deemed
necessary with regard to the subject of the priesthood of
Melchizedek. And this digression being necessary
is the preparation for the opening up of that great and wonderful
doctrine of the heavenly priesthood of our Christ, and particularly
after this manner. That the priesthood of our Lord
is after the order. The priesthood of our Lord is
after the taxis. The priesthood of our Lord is
after the arrangement, or the order, or the fashion of Melchizedek. That our Lord's priesthood is
fashioned not after that of Aaron, but after the dignity and the
perpetuity of the priesthood of Melchizedek. Our Lord is a
priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. And this word
that we have, order or taxes here, is ten times in the New
Testament scripture. Ten times this particular word
appears in our New Testament. And all but three of them, which
is not surprising, is in reference to Christ and His priesthood
after the order of Melchizedek. And so they're found, naturally,
in the book of Hebrews. Now, the apostle says to them
that there were many wonderful things that he wanted to say
about this Melchizedek back in chapter 5, verse 10 and 11. that there was many wonderful
things he wanted to say and that they needed to know to put in
perspective the priesthood of our Savior. But the dullness
of their hearing prevented him at that time from laying open
the many wonderful things there were to say about Melchizedek. That their dullness of hearing
prevented them apprehending the wonderful truths of Melchizedek
and applying them to the Lord Jesus Christ. But the priesthood
of the Lord after the order of Melchizedek is very important
and it must be told. It must be told in connection
with the priesthood of Christ. That Christ is a priest. That
he is a priest at the right hand of God. that he is passed into
the heavens and has sat down at the right hand of God. But
that's not all. Christ is a priest after the
order, the taxes, or the arrangement of Melchizedek. Now, in chapter 6 and verse 1,
he makes two statements. Number one, let us leave. Number two, let us go on. Let us leave. and to let us go
on. And this is predicated upon the
third verse, and this we will or shall do, which in turn is
predicated upon if the Lord will, if the Lord grants it, if the
Lord enables it to be so. And leaving the principles of
the doctrine of Christ, first principles of the doctrine of
Christ, Let us go on unto perfection, or the word is maturity. And he mentions six things in
verse 1 and 2, the elementary things of Christ. Let us leave
them, let us go on unto maturity. In other words, he would not
re-instruct them at that time in the first principles of Christ
and of Christianity. He would not cover that ground
or that territory again, which he considered the basic fundamentals
of the Christian faith. These six things are indeed the
very bedrock of the Christian faith. These are the words of
the beginning. These are the first things we
learn in our introduction into the wonders of Christianity. And none ought to regard themselves
as Christians or believers in Christ who are ignorant of or
who are opposed to these six things that are laid out in Hebrews
6, verses 1 and 2. So that in the last part of verse
1 and all of verse 2, chapter 6, the apostle mentions six particulars
in all. six particulars that belong to
what he calls the beginning of the doctrine of Christ, the first
principles or the first foundation, which he would not deal with
with them at this particular time and place in this epistle. Now, coming to verse 4 through
verse 6, and noticing the opening word of verse 4, For these conjunctive
words, or connective words, throw up a flag as we read through
our scripture and draw our attention. For, for, he said in the opening
of verse four, we might ever and even go back to the beginning
or opening word of verse one. Therefore, wherefore, and see
how they relate one unto the other. Therefore, let us leave
And let us go on far, and the word far is what is called a
conjunction, and you know that, which is a word that is used
by an author to connect together sentences and join together various
clauses or phrases. And as John Owens wrote, it introduces
a reason for what he has just said. Let us leave, let us go
on far. And that's a very important connection. Let us leave. Let us go on. This will we do if God permits,
for or because. But it also stands between what
has been said and the consequences of acting against or contrary
to the first principle of the Christian faith. So looking at
the passage overall from verse 4 down through verse 6, and I'm
using now the idea that I garnered from John Brown as to the construction
of this particular passage of the Scripture. It says, Paul,
for the reason that I am about to give you, for the reason that
I am now about to tell you, instead of laying again, instead of refreshing
you or teaching you again the first principles of the things
of Christ, I will instruct you in further, deeper, and more
blessed truths concerning Christ. For, because it is impossible
to recover those who have apostatized after renouncing great evangelical
privileges which they have enjoyed in time past, we will not lay
back on their account. The apostle is saying unto his
reader, we must not be stuck here. We must go on to Melchizedek
and the order of the priesthood after that of Melchizedek. We will leave them here. We will
even leave them in their apostasy, and we will go on to other matters. Now, notice that they had enjoyed
great privileges in connection With the first principle in verse
5 and verse 6, things mentioned in the 4th and the 5th verse,
but having forsaken them, having once enjoyed them, having once
espoused them, but now having forsaken them. And the author
said, they are not candidates to be renewed to the former state
of repentance and knowledge and such like. It's described in
verse 4 and in verse 5. In fact, verse 6, it is impossible
to renew them again unto repentance. Now, the words are falling away,
having fallen away. It is impossible to renew them
again unto repentance. It is not the supposition if
they fall away, But the tense is, having fallen away. They had fallen away from those
first principles. Let us note their case and their
situation as illustrated then in verse 7 and verse 8, where
they are likened to what? The earth receives the rain that
falls upon it, a blessing from God to produce a good fruit. But notice that he likens them
to thorns and to briars, which are produced by the good rain
that falls upon the earth, which prevent the purpose of the rain,
the sun, and such like. And they produce that which is
but thorns and briars, and which is nigh unto cursing, and is
consigned to burning and destruction." This is the illustration of those
that he is speaking about, and we'll look at it next week, if
God permits. Now, let us consider the five-fold
impression that they had formerly been under. And I confess, if
you do not look carefully and take the context and overall
Scripture, you may think this is a description of the best
Christian that you might ever encounter. Notice they had formerly
been. In doing so, let us consider
A sobering comparison, and I found it in the distinction of the
works of Thomas Goodwin, reading the Puritan this week, which
he contrasted those in chapter 5, verse 11 through 14, with
those in chapter 6 and verse 4 through 6. And Goodwin, I think,
made a point. See if you think that it is valid. John Brown, excuse me. In chapter
5, verse 11 and 12, says the Puritan, the apostle speaks of
the lowest things that the Hebrews could attain and still be considered
true professors. Chapter 5, verse 11 through verse
14. Dull of hearing, they needed
milk instead of meat or solid food. They needed to be taught
again or have a refresher course in the first things of the principles
of the doctrines of Christ. Then, in chapter 6, verse 4 through
5, notice Goodwin said, he speaks of the heights that one can attain
under the gospel and not be a true believer, not an elect. not a Christian, not a true believer
at all. Now, if we judge quickly the
states of these two people that we have written up before us
here in the Scripture, if we judge without due deliberation,
if we judge without the overall context and the overall teaching
of the Scripture, if we judge on emotion alone, we should perhaps
conclude that those in 512 are the false professors, that those
of the latter of the two, that these professors may fall away. And secondly, let us consider
what is said of them in verse 4 and in verse 5. And whether
such ought to be reckoned, genuine believers, while they are in
the state, or were in the state, described by verse 4 and verse
5. While they were in that state,
of verse 4 and verse 5 were they true, genuine, intellect-regenerate
called children of God. Now, in pursuing the question,
let it be noted that two things are expressed concerning them
that really carry the text. The text is carried by these
two things that are said in regard unto them. Number one, without
question, They had made much progress in religion. They had made a lot of progress
in religion, and not just any religion, but the Christian religion,
and in conjunction with the gospel. Not in Judaism, and not in paganism,
but in the Christian religion, in gospel knowledge and experience. They had at one time been keenly
affected by the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, such as a. They had been enlightened, b. They had tasted of the heavenly
gifts, c. They were made for takers of
the Holy Ghost, d. They had tasted the good word
of God, and e. They had tasted the powers of
the world to come. They had made great strides and
progress in religion with regard to Christianity and the gospel. Secondly, we notice that they
had abandoned this gospel worship and profession. They had fallen
away. Having fallen away is really
the text that it ought to be expressed in out of the Greek. Then falling away. After all
of this, then falling away. after having made great advances
in the gospel worship, after the experiences that are listed
here in verse 4 and verse 5, then having fallen away. Now, it behooves us to consider
what was their former state as described in verse 4 and verse
5, and then to face the question honestly whether they were at
one time regenerate and converted or whether highly illuminated
without being savingly regenerated by the internal sovereign spirit
of God. So let's look at their state
as they are described here. They are said to have been in
five things. Number one, once enlightened. Verse four of the scripture,
illuminated. They were illuminated. They had
been illuminated. They had been enlightened. Enlightened
in what? Sociology? Psychology? No. They had been enlightened
by the gospel instruction that they had heard and that had been
preached among them. This gospel had made a deep impression
upon them. It had enlightened them. It had
given them an acquaintance with it. It had given them a knowledge
of the subject. And the thing that they were
enlightened on was Christianity and the Christian gospel, or,
as John Brown expressed it, the principles of Christianity. They were enlightened to the
principles of Christianity. This means that they espoused
Christianity above other religions, such as heathenism and Judaism,
because they were enlightened, they were instructed in the first
principles of Christianity, such as those mentioned in verse 1
and verse 2. Repentance, faith toward God,
baptism, laying on of hands, resurrection, and judgment. They were instructed in those
things. They were enlightened, is the
first thing said about them. They possessed not just a natural,
but they possessed advanced knowledge of Christianity. They were not
ignorant of the first principles, not ignorant of the Christian
gospel. On it and by it, they were to
a point illuminated, illuminated as described in the verses that
go before. John Owens in his volumus commentary
on the book of Hebrews, thicker than any other that I know about,
distinguishes that there are three kinds of knowledge or illumination
that is possible among men in the human family. Not secular,
but spiritual. That there are three areas of
degree of spiritual knowledge or enlightenment. Number one,
that which is purely, absolutely, and only natural, attained without
special revelation at all, such as the existence of God that
we looked at a couple of Sundays ago, natural revelation. God
has made known to Himself that there is a God. Men everywhere
we find them are not atheists. They are idolaters. They are
worshiping God. There has been an illumination
made unto them that there is a God. There is a persuasion
that there is a God. And yet, this does not deliver
them from sin and does not begat obedience in them to the principles
of Christian worship. who have only this degree of
light or of knowledge, that which we call natural. Secondly, that
which is intended, I believe, in this Hebrew text. There is
another form of enlightenment which is exalted above the natural
and is to a degree spiritual and is even called a work of
the Spirit. in verse 4 of this text, partakers
of the Holy Ghost. For consider, how does one rise
above? How does one rise higher than
the power of nature? How can this be except by a special
operation of the Holy Spirit? How can one be raised above nature
except by an operation or work of the Holy Spirit. Here's part
of what Owens wrote on the words, once enlightened, being a gift
of the Holy Spirit, eh? It makes nearer approaches unto
the light of spiritual things than does nature. In other words,
these that are so enlightened have nearer approaches to the
things of God and Christianity and the principles than do those
that are simply of nature, and then be, the spiritual illumination
gives the mind, having elevated it, some satisfaction with delight
and joy in the things that are known of God, the things they
know, the matter of the doctrine, the principles of Christianity. And then thirdly, are these two
areas of knowledge and revelation natural? Then God lifts them
above that into another realm where they understand and to
a state comprehend the things of the principles of the gospel.
But thirdly, there is saving, sanctifying illumination, that
which is worked in the by the Holy Spirit, who have been regenerate,
unlike the others. Though the second mode of illumination
rises higher than nature, yet it rises not as high as this
saving revelation that we speak of now, this third level of illumination
that God is able to work in His elect. Now, let's look at this
text and ask ourselves a question. What is to be made in this particular
text and place by the word, once? Look at the word, once, and let's
give it some consideration. Once, enlightened. Once, enlightened. Once and only once, might we
say. Whether it means one of these
two things. A, once for all, a perpetual
effect. Sometimes the word has that meaning
in the New Testament, once for all, once forever, once and forever,
perpetually, or be once and only once, as in Hebrews 9, 26, one
time and only one time is it appointed unto men to die, and
only one time does the Lord Jesus Christ need to die as a sacrifice
for sin. The word can have the meaning,
once or at one time. So is it perpetually, or is it
once and only once, or is it at one time? Paul uses it like
that in Romans 7 and verse 9, I was alive without the law once,
and then the law came, sin revived, and I died. I was alive without
the law once, or the word might be properly translated, then. I was alive without the law then. Now, some see the word once in
verse 4 as being a contrast with again in verse 6. Once, at one time being enlightened
and having fallen away from the profession of the Christian gospel,
it is therefore impossible to renew such again. Once enlightened, but not again. Once enlightened, but impossible
that it be so again. Another, a second time unto repentance. So these people were once enlightened. Notice the second thing that
is said about them. The second part of the description
is, they have tasted, or having tasted, the heavenly gift. Now, in the context, the revelation
of the gospel, it is, and to taste it is to have some personal
experience of it, to have some delight that it is good, to understand
it in a measure, to find a measure of delight and enjoyable pleasure. and sensations and emotions that
are produced by this tasting, to have experience of it, to
have an impact upon the life of that particular individual.
Enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift. Then thirdly,
we notice, they were made partakers of the Holy Ghost. This might
be the clincher for some people who say that we find here Christians
and only Christians. Some say sharers. of the Holy
Spirit or Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost has made a powerful
influence upon them, elevating their understanding above the
natural that they might see some beauty in principles of the gospel
of our Lord, and convincing them of the power the gifts of the
Holy Spirit, and no doubt they were convinced that the gifts
and miracles were the work of God that they saw in that age
and in that generation. A. W. Pink contends that the
word partaker is equal in meaning to companion, and became companions
of the Holy Ghost. But that also occurs, as Pink
said, because the Holy Spirit does as seem good unto the holy
three, elevate the natural faculties of men." And this is what we're
talking about in the second bunch, in the second group. Having once
enlightened, tasted of the heavenly gift, the Holy Spirit elevating
the natural faculties of people, not all but some, to a degree
not experienced by others. Such as 1 Samuel 11, 6. The Spirit
came upon Saul. Wicked, reprobate, ungodly Saul. And yet we read in Scripture
that the Spirit came upon him. Some consider him saved simply
because of that statement. But let's have another example.
Balaam in Numbers chapter 24 and verse 2, a great apostate,
a greedy man. a man who did his best to curse
Israel, that he might have a reward after that or for that. And yet,
the Spirit of God came upon him. And as described in Numbers 24,
3 through 5, and Pink had this to say, quote, Valaam had a vision
of the Almighty, and he perceived the blessed estate of his people,
Yet was he still unregenerate." The words of A. W. Pink on Balaam
and Saul. The Spirit of the Lord came upon
them. We even read that a spirit from
the Lord went out and made a lying spirit in the mouths of all of
the prophets of the king in 1 Kings chapter 22. Now when any man
rises higher than nature, that is when he has apprehensions
and knowledge Above what is ascribed to the natural man, in 1 Corinthians
2, verses 14 and 15, the natural man receiveth not the things
of the Spirit of God. He has to be elevated in his
faculties for that to occur. It cannot be attributed to the
power of his natural faculties. not to his understanding or will,
for these by nature have no power to rise up to apprehend the things
of God and to know them." But as A. W. Pink writes in his Hebrew
commentary in the chapter, The Twofold Working of the Spirit,
by the way, if you have access to A. W. Pink's commentary on
Hebrews, I recommend the chapter, The Twofold Working of the Holy
Spirit. It is a sobering and a serious
and an eye-opening chapter in that book. When he said this,
there are operations of the Spirit upon men's hearts which are above
nature, which are works of divine power, unquote. Well, in Balaam
and Saul, could we deny that that is so? This was not natural
ability in them. The Spirit of the Lord came on
Saul. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Balaam over in the
Old Testament. And by this sovereign operation
of the Holy Spirit of God, the faculties rise to heights of
spirituality and heights of apprehension that they could not otherwise
attain, left simply under the power of their natural ability
or to themselves. Fourthly, we notice something
else that is said of them. They tasted the good word of
God. Now, perhaps especially in relation
to the Messiah, they tasted this good word of God, for He was
preached among them. He was preached as their Messiah,
and the apostles went everywhere preaching Him as Messiah, and
all their sermons were confirmed by signs, miracles, and wonders,
and great power. The promises and the preaching
concerning Him they heard, the Word of God concerning the Incarnate
Word who was made flesh and dwelt among us, the good, true, trustworthy
Word of God Most High. They had tasted the good Word
of God, and by this elevation it had made a good impression
upon them. And then, fifthly, we notice
something else. The powers of the world are literally the age
to come. They tasted the powers of the
age to come, literally, and powerful deeds of a coming age they tasted,
is how we might render it. The age coming. I think they
err who apply this to the coming heavenly state for taking it
in its context It is instructing Jewish professors in this particular
place, and it is a reference to the age that is to come. The age was ushered in by the
appearance of Christ in the flesh with signs and miracles and wonders
and gifts of the Holy Spirit. The age to come was the new economy. It was the gospel economy. And
many Jews saw how it came with glory and with power. Many had been in it a long time. And many of these things, signs,
miracles, healings, wonders, as introductory manifestations
of the glory of the age that had arrived. Messiah came, He
died, He arose, He ascended and poured out His Spirit and they
tasted the goodness of this age that was to come. Now, in verse
6, the apostle completes the long statement begun way back
in verse 4. It is impossible for such as
are described in verse 4 and verse 5, having fallen away,
to be renewed again unto repentance. If you read the theology books
of the great expositors in the ranks of sovereign grace, you
will find that every one of them, Gil, Calvin, Matthew, Henry,
Spurgeon, believed these men, these people to be apostates,
believed them to be apostates from the faith, had once had
an enlightenment and once professed well, but then had fallen away. Now, let's look at this, however.
Impossible to renew them again. unto repentance. And in a moment,
I'll show you why falling out of grace is not a good position
to take on this position of the Scripture. Some of the old sects,
some of the older sects, use this as a proof text to teach
against readmitting any backsliders again into the churches. Once
they had backslidden out of Backslidden away, they used this text as
a proof text, never to admit them in again. The Nevatans Fellowship,
for example, refused membership to any who had denied the faith
under persecution. Any other number who denied the
faith when persecution came were not readmitted again into the
assembly based upon this text of the Scripture. The monotonous
likewise refused forgiveness to any that lay under church
discipline. Any that had been disciplined
out of the church, they never would take them back, based upon
this text of the Scripture. But let us closely consider the
particular sin, the particular sin which makes their recovery
impossible. It is the particular sin. that makes their recovery impossible,
for the reason for the impossibility is named right in the text, in
verse 6 and the last part. Notice, they crucify to themselves
the Son of God afresh and put Him to an open shame. This is their particular sin. And this is the ground upon which
it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance. It is a specific sin, a specific
sin against our Lord and our Christ. Just for clarification,
let's notice. It is not one who has fallen
into some particular sin. Name whatever sin you would.
It's not one who has fallen into some sin, for they can be recovered. David was and Peter was. David who committed adultery
and murder was restored to fellowship with God. Peter who denied the
Lord and cursed was returned to fellowship with our Lord. Their sins were adultery and
denying Christ. Nor is it the excommunication
for some sin For they too can be restored upon their repentance,
and bringing forth fruits meet for repentance. Some think that
2 Corinthians 2, 5 through 8 are instructions of the Corinthian
church to reinstate the man in 1 Corinthians 5 who was excommunicated
for his immorality. Now, the falling was not into
some sin of the flesh. It was not into some sudden,
powerful, temptation that overtook them or surprised them, caught
them off guard. This is not the sin that causes
them not to be renewed again unto repentance. As when Peter
denied the Lord, caught suddenly, immediately surprised into that
sin, and yet the Lord personally restored him. It was not a sin
that one might wake up to in one day. It was not a sin that
one might crawl off his bed and think, well, today I'll do this
or that. They had fallen away. Having fallen away. But away from what? Is the question. Suppose they fall away. Some have said this is a supposition. If they fall away. A supposition. Suppose they do
fall away. Others say it is hypothetical.
If they fall away, or how does a supposition or a hypothetical
hypothesis fit with a text? Let's ask ourselves that question.
A supposition or a hypothetical case, how does it fit with the
text and the overall scripture that we are studying? Now, if
any lay claim to this passage, as a proof text that true Christians
may fall out of grace and be lost again. And many do. Many
say, here's a proof text. They did all this, they had all
this, and they fell away. But if this is a proof text that
a true Christian may fall out of grace, then it must also be
admitted it teaches the finality of their apostasy. It is final. It teaches the finality of their
apostasy, that if these people were true Christians and then
fell away being a Christian, then one can only be a Christian
once if this is a proof text for falling out of grace. Never
again, never again can they be renewed unto repentance. Having
climbed so high, there is no other conclusion to reach here
on this text. But to those preaching falling
from grace teach that none can ever be recovered again. Is this
the doctrine of those who teach falling out of grace? I think
not. I think most of them hold that they can be renewed again.
But this text says they can never be renewed again unto repentance. So they must be consistent. It
is impossible. In vain shall any seek their
renewal. unto repentance. And this is
owing to the nature of the sin that they are guilty of. And
let's look at it again in closing. We'll come to it again next week.
A. To crucify him afresh, or again,
as it were. And then B. To put him unto an
open shame. These people have committed this
dual sin. They crucify to themselves the
Son of God again, and they put Him to an open shame. Next week,
we'll bring Hebrews 10 to bear, and in harmony with this. So,
we save this for our next study, but only let us say, the sin
of apostates is the worst. It's the worst sin, and it has
no remedy. You study the scriptures and
you'll find apostates, true, real apostates, are not recovered. Whether the angels that sin or
whatever, the Jews, true apostates are not recovered. It's a sin
that has no remedy. So, how fearful to learn much
of Christ and the gospel. How fearful to be enlightened
and have the faculties elevated. to profess the Christian faith
and then turn away from it and fall under a great apostasy. When someone falters among us,
the question always is, will ye also go away? When someone is on a serious
sickbed, it is a question whether they will live or not, whether
they will come back and be raised up again. When someone is digressing
and falling away and being cold towards the things of Christ,
is this to be the occasion of the manifestation of their confession
as false? Or will God recover them in the
marvel of His grace, strengthen them, bless them again and again? A serious text. I'm not through.
I hope you'll hear it out to the end as we look at the examples
in 7 and 8 next week, which I think confirm the view that we have
taken this morning. But if you have other ideas from
a serious study, I have no great quarrel with you, for it is a
difficult passage. Anyway, study it in the spirit
of grace. Let's stand to our feet, please,
to be dismissed from the services.