falling away

“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” (Hebrews 6:4-6).

Throughout scripture, Christianity is presented as a life that can never remain status quo: either one is moving forward or he is regressing. That is the case with the Hebrew Christians in this wonderful book.

The writer has promoted the concept of growing in the first part of this chapter, pointing out that these Christians should move forward and build on the foundation they have laid rather than abdicating their faith and returning to their former way of life and worship under the Law of Moses.

 “For,” he says, if they abdicate after experiencing the joys and benefits of being a child of God—if they turn their back on Jesus—they can reach a state where they will never be willing to return. So, the writer is warning them against carrying through with their inclination to forsake Jesus.

This poignant warning has rung down to every generation since the time it was written. If we ever contemplate forsaking Jesus and returning to the ways of the world, we are well warned that we can reach a point that we don’t want to return.