Hebrews 6:4-6

DISCOURSE: 2290
THE DANGER OF APOSTASY

Hebrews 6:4. 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.

IT is of great importance, in interpreting the Scriptures, to lay aside human systems, and to attend carefully to the connexion of any passage with the context; because a just view of the general scope of the passage will throw the best light upon any particular expressions contained in it. The words before us are confessedly difficult to be understood: but, if we adopt the mode of interpretation now proposed, we shall not err very materially in our explanation of their import. The Apostle has been reproving the Hebrews for the little progress which they had made in the divine life, considering the length of time since they were first initiated into the knowledge of the Gospel. He complains that, on account of their inability to comprehend him, he scarcely knows how to open to them the deeper mysteries of our religion [Note: Hebrews 5:11.]; which however he must do, for the benefit of those who could digest strong meat, and make a due improvement of the truths he should set before them [Note: Hebrews 6:1.]. But, in the meantime, he warns them, that the neglecting to advance in religion is the surest road to apostasy; and that apostasy, after such attainments as they had made, would in all human probability issue in their eternal ruin [Note: ver. 4–6.]. Then, illustrating that point by an apt simile [Note: ver. 7, 8.], he proceeds to exhort them to put away sloth, and with all diligence to follow those who through faith and patience were now inheriting their promised reward [Note: ver. 11, 12.]. Hence it appears, that the attainments mentioned in the text are such as were found in persons recently converted and of doubtful character; especially because they are contrasted with other attainments which accompany and manifest a state of salvation [Note: ver. 9, 10.].

In our further illustration of the text, we shall shew,

I. How far men may go in religion, and yet apostatize from it—

Confining ourselves to the words before us, we observe, that unstable persons may possess many enviable gifts—
[Their minds may be “enlightened” with the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus [Note: Compare Numbers 24:3. with Hebrews 10:26.]. There is not any thing which the most eminent saint can know, but it may be known by a hypocrite: the difference between them is not in the matter known, but in the manner of knowing it; the one assenting to it with his head; and the other feeling it in his heart.

Their affections may be moved by hearing and reading “the word of God,” and by considering the mysteries of the Christian dispensation, or the realities of “the invisible world [Note: “The world to come” may be taken in either of these senses. See Hebrews 2:5.].” Their hope, fear, joy, and sorrow may be called forth successively in a very powerful manner, according as they apprehend themselves to be interested in the promises of the Gospel, or obnoxious to its threatenings [Note: Ezekiel 33:31.Matthew 13:20. John 5:35.Mark 6:20; Acts 24:25.].

Their powers may be enlarged, as well for the discharging of duties which their unassisted nature would be unequal to perform, as for the working of miracles, to which no created power is competent. By “the heavenly gift,” or the gracious operations of the Holy Spirit, they may make some considerable advances in the divine life [Note: 2 Peter 2:20.]: and through his miraculous agency, “of which they may also be partakers,” they may do wonders that shall astonish all who behold them [Note: Matthew 7:22. with 1 Corinthians 12:11.].

It is observable, however, that the Apostle expresses himself in terms calculated to convey rather a low idea of the attainments of these persons: he speaks of their “tasting of the heavenly gift,” and “tasting of the good word of God;” designedly intimating thereby, that they never lived upon the word as the food of their souls, or made religion their great solace and support, but contented themselves with a slight, transient, and superficial taste of both.]

Such persons may certainly become apostates from the truth—
[That they may “fall away” from the practice of religion, is evident from the instances of David and others, who, after a long experience of “the power of godliness,” have grievously departed from the path of duty. But they may also apostatize from even the profession of the truth. How many are there who “for awhile believe, and, in a time of temptation, fall away [Note: Luke 8:13.].” The instance of Demas [Note: Colossians 4:14 and Philem. ver. 24. with 2 Timothy 4:10.], if there were no other, is very sufficient to prove, that men may possess, not only gifts, but graces too, and yet “return with the dog to his vomit,” and “draw back unto perdition [Note: 2 Peter 2:22.Hebrews 10:38.].”]

Miserable, indeed, will their situation then become, on account of,

II.

The extreme difficulty of renewing them again unto repentance—

To “renew them to repentance,” is a great and arduous work—
[If repentance were no more than a slight conviction of their folly in renouncing the truth, we might hope that a very little experience of the fatal change would bring them to it. But it implies a total renovation both of the heart and life — — — which is a work at all times difficult; but peculiarly so under their circumstances. It is said to be “impossible;” by which we are to understand, not that it is an absolute, but only a moral, impossibility. When our Lord declared that it was “easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven,” he explained himself by saying, “With man this is impossible; but with God all things are possible [Note: Matthew 19:24.].” Thus, the recovery of such apostates is quite contrary to all reasonable expectation; nor can any thing but a most extraordinary interposition of the Deity effect it.]

What reason is there to hope that it should ever be accomplished in them?
Consider,

1. The dishonour they do to Christ—

[They who renounce Christianity do, in fact, proclaim Christ an impostor: they declare their approbation of the Jews who crucified him; and thus, as far as in them lies, they “crucify him afresh.” But we must not confine this to avowed infidels: the same is true respecting those who decline from the ways of God, and return to a worldly and carnal life: “they put Christ to an open shame:” they proclaim to all around them, ‘I once thought that it was my highest interest and happiness to serve Christ: but I was quite mistaken: I made the experiment; I became his follower; I loved him, served him, glorified him; but I found, after all, that I had given up a greater good for a less: I now am assured that Christ cannot make us happy; and, therefore, I have again returned to the world, and chosen it as the better portion: and, whoever would be wise or happy, let him follow my example; let him renounce religion as a needless restraint, and despise it as an enthusiastic delusion: let him lend all his powers and faculties to the pursuits of time, and the enjoyments of sense; and let him cast off the yoke of Christ as an intolerable burthen.’
Who can suppose that a man, after having cast such dishonour upon Christ, should ever be brought again to embrace and honour him? While he continues to reject the Saviour, his restoration to repentance is absolutely impossible; because, there is no way to repent, but by returning to Christ [Note: Hebrews 10:26.]. And that he should return unfeignedly to Christ is morally impossible; because his way to Christ is barred up by shame, and fear, and almost every consideration that can influence the human mind — — —]

2. The despite they do to the Holy Spirit—

[This, though not adverted to in the text, is necessary to a just view of the subject, and is expressly mentioned in the same connexion in a subsequent part of this epistle [Note: ver. 28, 29.]. It is not possible but that such apostates must have experienced on many occasions “the strivings of the Holy Spirit” with them; they must have felt many secret checks and remonstrances of conscience; all of which they must have resisted, before they could prevail upon themselves to throw off their profession of religion, and to “make shipwreck of their faith.” In short, they must have altogether “quenched the Spirit,” and “seared their consciences as with a hot iron.” What prospect then is there that such persons should be renewed unto repentance? If they could not maintain their ground when they had the assistances of the Holy Spirit, how shall they recover it when he is departed from them? And what reason is there to hope that the Holy Spirit, whom they have so “grieved,” and “vexed,” by their misconduct, should again dwell in them, and increase his gracious communications in proportion as they have accumulated their transgressions? If the contempt which they pour upon this Divine Agent amount to what is called the sin against the Holy Ghost, their damnation is sure; it is decreed in heaven, and sealed by their own act and deed. And, though it fall short of this unpardonable sin, still is their case almost hopeless: they are like “the earth, which, bearing only thorns and briers, is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned [Note: ver. 8.].”]

This awful subject must not be concluded without a few words of advice—
1.

Guard against the means and occasions of apostasy—

[He that would not fall must take heed to his steps, and be careful on what ground he treads. Now we are told by God himself, that worldly cares, worldly pleasures, worldly company are the bane of religion; and that we must guard against them all, if we would be steadfast in the faith. We quite mistake, if we think that nothing but what is palpably sinful in itself is dangerous: almost all apostasy arises from secret neglects of duty, and from a want of necessary self-denial. By going to the utmost boundaries of what is lawful, we are easily and imperceptibly drawn into what is unlawful. Therefore watch: watch against error; watch against temptation; watch against the cares and pleasures of life; watch against secret declensions: in short, “let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.”]

2. Be not satisfied with low attainments—

[It was to enforce this idea that the warning in the text was introduced by the Apostle: and therefore it demands our peculiar attention. Persons who, like “babes,” are weak in the faith, are of course more liable to be turned from it: and if they do not grow towards an adult state, they will certainly decline. “Press forward then, forgetting what is behind, and reaching forth unto that which is before” — — —]

3. Under any backsliding, apply instantly to Christ for grace and mercy—

[The warning in the text is not to discourage the humble, but to alarm the careless, and quicken the remiss. The Apostle does not say that repenting sinners, however they may have apostatized, shall not be forgiven; the danger is, that they will not repent; and not that, if they repent, they shall not be pardoned. Let not any then say, “I have fallen away, and therefore cannot hope for mercy;” but rather, “I have departed, and must return instantly to God in his appointed way.” God himself addresses us, “Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings, and love you freely.” Let a hope of acceptance aid your fears of final apostasy: so shall the end of God’s warnings be best accomplished, and the fulfilment of his promises secured.]