Hebrews 6

Therefore leaving the basic matters of the teaching concerning Christ, let us go on to perfection, and not lay again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do, if God permits.

4 For this is something impossible: those who were once enlightened, and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 if they fall away, they cannot be renewed again to repentance because they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

6:4-6 These verses, too, are not easy to interpret, and there have been great differences of opinion among scholars about the meaning of them. There are four principal interpretations of these verses.

First, they describe real believers in Christ and teach that they can fall away from Christ and lose their salvation.

Second, they describe believers, but if they fall away they do not lose their salvation but only the rewards they might have obtained by faithful service.

Third, they describe real believers who are warned against falling away because there is real danger of it, but actually they will not fall away.

Fourth, they do not describe real believers at all – the things listed in these verses are true of believers, but may be true also of Christians who have never been real believers.

The author of these notes rejects the first two interpretations. He believes the Bible clearly teaches that real believers in Christ do not fall away or commit the other sins connected with final apostasy (note at 2:1-4). See Heb 10:39; John 10:27; 1 John 3:9; 5:18. Compare also John 5:24; 6:37-40; 10:27-29; 17:11-12; Rom 5:9-10; 8:28-39; Phil 1:6; 1 Pet 1:5. We should never use obscure and difficult Scriptures (like the ones here in Hebrews) to overthrow clear ones. These verses in Hebrews do not clearly state that true believers in Christ may fall away and be lost. In fact, faith in Christ is not mentioned in these verses at all.

The third interpretation given above seems more in harmony with the teachings of the New Testament as a whole. Satan tries to get believers to fall away, and they are in danger of it. But being in danger of it does not mean they will actually do it. They might do it if it were not for the Word of God, God’s keeping power, and the prayers of Christ for them (compare Luke 22:31-32; John 17:11-12; 1 Pet 1:5). But because of these they are kept from falling away. And the warnings against falling away themselves are helps to keep them from falling away when the danger arises.

But the fourth interpretation given above may possibly be the true one. Verses 4-6 may be a description of those who know the truth, have been much influenced by it, have come very close to the kingdom of God, and yet have not actually entered it. Those who are not God’s children, yet profess to be, can appear for a time as if they were (compare Matt 13:18-23, 24-30; 25:1-12; 2 Cor 11:14-15). All the things said in vs 4-6 are true of believers, but possibly they may also be true of those who are not believers but only seem to be.⚜

7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes on it, and brings forth plants suitable for those who till it, receives blessing from God. 8 But that which bears thorns and briars is rejected, and is ready to be cursed. And its end is to be burned.

6:7-8 The writer gives this illustration to make his meaning clear. The land that produces a crop signifies believers (see Matt 13:23). Land that does not produce a crop signifies unbelievers or apostates. They produce no fruit for God (compare Matt 13:19-22; Luke 13:6-9). Both kinds of land may receive rain (rain here signifies God’s truth and the influence of the Holy Spirit), but both do not produce fruit for God. What a person’s life produces reveals whether or not Christ is in Him. The thorns and thistles of apostasy are evidence that Christ was never in such people (compare 1 John 2:19). See Matt 3:8; 7:16-20.⚜

The writer’s confidence

9 But, dear brethren, we are persuaded better things about you, and things that go along with salvation, though we speak like this. 10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which you have shown toward his name in the service you have performed to the saints, and are still performing.

6:9-10 Evidently he wanted to remove any unnecessary alarm his words might have caused them (compare Heb 4:1; Rom 8:15). The reason why he is confident that they will not “fall away”, be “cursed” or “burned” is simply this: spiritual fruit had appeared in their lives. They loved God, worked for God, and helped the people of God (see Heb 10:32-34). If things like this do not appear in a Christian’s life where is the evidence that he is a believer? Even if all of vs 4,5 is true of him, if no fruit for God is seen in his life it is all in vain. He is only like land that brings forth thorns and thistles.⚜

11 And we want every one of you to show the same zeal to the full assurance of hope to the end, 12 that you be not lazy, but followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

6:11-12 Here is the lesson he wanted them to learn from the warning he gave in vs 4-8. It would do them (or us) no good to speculate about the meaning of all that, if they are not earnest about moving forward in the Christian life. The important thing is to go on believing in Christ and serving Him to the end of our time on earth. If we do this we will not become apostates and will not need to fear we will.⚜

God’s faithfulness to His promises

13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself, 14 and said, Surely in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply you.

15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

6:13-15 Abraham was the ancestor of all the Hebrews. Also he is the spiritual father of all who believe (Rom 4:11, 16). The faith of Abraham is described in Heb 11:18-19. He is a great example of faith and patience.⚜

16 For men certainly swear by those greater than themselves, and an oath given for confirmation is to them an end of the whole dispute. 17 So God, willing more fully to show to the heirs of promise the unchangeability of his purpose, confirmed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us might have strong encouragement.

6:16-18 If men swear to tell the truth what more can be demanded? Indeed, what more than that can men demand of God? Men after such an oath may lie, but God certainly will not (Titus 1:2). If He swears to do something we may be sure He will do it. The “two unchangeable things” (v 18) are God’s promise and His oath. He gave them both that believers might have “strong encouragement”, that they may be encouraged to believe and go on believing to the end. Believers have “fled for refuge” – fled from sin, and God’s anger against it, from the fallen world, from all that would keep them from salvation (compare Num 35:9-29). They have laid hold of God’s promise of eternal salvation.⚜

19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and firm. It enters the inner place behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, Jesus himself, who has become high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

6:13-20 Here the writer concludes this section of exhortation (begun at Heb 5:11) and brings us back to the subject of Christ as high priest (v 20). He has spoken of diligence, faith and patience in vs 11,12. Now he gives an example of one in the past who practiced these, and applies it all to believers now.⚜

6:19-20 The kind of hope the Bible speaks of is not some weak and wavering thing. It is like a strong and secure anchor. It will never fail (compare Rom 5:2-5). An anchor holds a ship steady in one place in the sea. Hope holds believers steady to one place – to the “inner place behind the veil” (heaven, where Jesus is). They will not be wrecked by any storm of apostasy.⚜