Hebrews 6:4-6 Refers To The Unsaved

Hebrews 6:4-6, “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.”

I have received numerous e-mails lately from worried web visitors, who are struggling to understand our text passage, which I'd like to clear up for you now. 

These Scriptures are speaking about unbelievers, who have heard the Gospel, have experienced the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, and have had the opportunity to get saved; but have deliberately rejected Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Carefully notice that the Bible says they were once “enlightened” not saved. To be enlightened means that they saw the truth of the Gospel and comprehended it. They have “tasted” of the heavenly gift, but they did not consume it.

They have “tasted the good word of God,” but they fell away from faith, that is, like the seeds that fell upon the stony ground in the parable of the seeds in Luke 8:11-15, they didn't get saved. Luke 8:11-12, “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.” Luke 8:11-12 explains Hebrews 6:4-6. 

It is improper to claim that these Scriptures in Hebrews 6:4-6 apply to believers, because the Bible uses the word “impossible” in Hebrews 6:4. Is it “possible” for believers to repent of their sins and get right with God? Certainly, yes, it IS POSSIBLE! Did not Peter repent after denying and cursing the name of Jesus? Yes, he did. Did not king David repent after impregnating Bathsheba in an adulterous affair, and then murdered her husband Uriah? Yes, he did. 1st John 1:9 promises that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” So, clearly, Hebrews 6:4-6 is speaking about the unsaved. A person who rejects the Savior is hellbound, and there is no other hope for them apart from faith alone in Jesus Christ.

This is exactly what the Holy Bible means in Galatians 5:4, “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” Carefully notice that the Bible doesn't say that a believer falls away from grace because of sin; but rather, a person is “fallen from grace” because they are trying to be justified by keeping the Old Testament LAW! That is very important to see. 'For By The LAW Is The Knowledge Of Sin.' Understanding LAW versus GRACE will help you greatly grasp the great doctrine of salvation. 

A born-again believer falls IN GRACE, never FROM GRACE. Romans 5:20b teaches that whenever we sin as believers, “GRACE DID MUCH MORE ABOUND.” What a beautiful Bible passage!!! Romans 5:20-21, “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” 

The only way to “FALL FROM GRACE” is to miss it completely by trying to earn your way to Heaven, which was the big mistake of the rich young ruler in Mark chapter ten. The young man boasted to Jesus that he had kept God's law perfectly since his youth. Mark 10:20, “And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.” When the Lord burst his bubble of pride, showing him that he was still covetous (by asking him to go sell everything he owned and give it to the poor), the young man went away very sad the Bible says, because he had much wealth. You see, Jesus was using the LAW the way it was intended to be used, as a measuring stick by which when compared, all men fall short of the glory of God (which is absolute 100% perfection - Romans 3:23). The Old Testament LAW brings us to GRACE, which came through the cross upon which Christ became the sacrifice for our sins (Galatians 3:24-26). 'REDEEMED FROM THE LAW' (an MP3 sermon smorgasbord of  sound Bible doctrine by Pastor Harry A. Ironside).

There can be no faith without hearing the Word of God. Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” It is the Holy Spirit who draws (convicts) all mankind to the Gospel to be saved. John 12:32, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” This is what it means in Hebrews 6:4-6 when it speaks of 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 means you had better get saved when the Holy Spirit convicts your heart about doing so, because if you reject the Gospel, there is no other way to be saved (Acts 4:10-12).

If you reject Jesus Christ, you might as well be crucifying the Lord all over again, putting Him to open shame. Anyone who refuses to get saved by believing the Gospel is playing with hellfire. To say “no” to the Gospel (i.e., the 'Good News' of Christ crucified on the cross, buried and physically risen the third day) is the same thing as spitting on Jesus yourself and shouting to Pilate, “Crucify Him!”

“Now you say, 'Brother Hyles, you make an issue.' You dead sure better know I'll make an issue!” —'BATTLE OF THE AGES' (MP3, Dr. Jack Hyles, “The King James Bible crowd is going to come out on top!”)