Free Bible Commentary
“Hebrews 6:1-8”
Categories: Hebrews“Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.” (NKJV)
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When the author stresses the importance of “leaving” the discussion of elementary principles, and moving “on to perfection,” he is not suggesting that the “first principles” of Christ should never be revisited and refortified in our minds. He is merely telling us that those “bedrock” aspects of Christianity have already been laid as the “foundation” of our new life in Christ Jesus, and we should be continually building upon that. The alphabet is still an important part of our vocabulary even after we have learned and mastered the use of it.
“Repentance” from the “dead works” of sin and “faith in God” are perfect compliments and basic prerequisites for anyone to be born into the infancy of a life in Christ. Repentance is turning away from our former life of sinfulness, and faith involves turning toward a life of love for, trust in and obedience to God. Baptism is for the forgiveness of sins and, there and then, we are “plunged” into our new life in the Lord. Perhaps “baptisms” is used in the plural because it was vital to teach these early, Hebrew Christians the differences between the various, Jewish, ceremonial washings, the baptism of John, and the “one” baptism that remains binding in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 4:5).
No matter how much we agonize over the loss of a once-faithful Christian who turns His back on the Lord and returns back to the world, “it is impossible” for us “to renew them again to repentance” (verses 4-6). When a person has been “enlightened” by the word, and has personally “partaken” of and “tasted the heavenly gift” of salvation, and then they “fall away,” they reject the Lord who purchased them, and in essence “crucify” Him to themselves all over again. They are like a plot of ground that “drinks in” the good rains from heaven above, but only to produce useless and harmful “thorns and briers” instead “useful” herbs and fruits (verses 7-8).
Notice that these useless plots of earth are “rejected” but are only “near to being cursed” and in the “end” will be “burned” up. With reference to the fallen child of God who has rejected the Lord and cast all His good gifts aside, this still leaves out hope that he can still turn and be saved before it is too late. But, like the Prodigal Son in the famous parable of our Lord, he must “come to his senses” and return to his Father and beg His forgiveness (Luke 15:17-19).
When a “once enlightened” Christian has willfully and disdainfully rejected God’s salvation and good graces, there is nothing that we can tell them that they do not already know. We can’t renew them to repentance, but sometimes they can fall to such deplorable depths that their circumstances can. That is the “benefit” and hope of delivering “such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Corinthians 5:5).
Please read Hebrews 6:9-12 for tomorrow.
Have a blessed day!
- Louie Taylor
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