J.R. wrote:

"I believe that the Bible says that we are to "watch" (see to it that we do not fall into sin) so that we will not "fall away" because if we do that after we have been enlightened and been made partakers of the Holy Ghost, it will be impossible for us to "renew unto repentance" by crucifying the Son of God again.

Or do you have a different understanding of what Heb 6:4-8 (KJV) means?

4 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,

5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

6 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.

7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:

8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
Heb 6:4-8 (KJV)

Yours in Christ

J.R.

First this from Owen's Commentary on Hebrews:

When Christ promised �the bread of life,� � that is, himself, � John 6, how many were instantly affected with it, and carried out to strong desires of it! �Lord,� say they, �evermore give us this bread,� verse 34. They like it, they desire it, at that season; their affections are taken with it: but yet they were but proskairoi, �temporary,� not true believers; for after a season �they went back, and walked no more with Christ,� verse 66. Those �who have a taste of the heavenly gift,� Hebrews 6:4, do you not think they like the taste, and are affected with it? There are, indeed, innumerable deceits in this business. I might show on how many false and corrupt accounts, on what sandy foundations, many men�s affections may be exceedingly taken with the word of promise, preached or considered; so that there is no concluding of believing to lie in any such thing. When affections go before believing, they are little worth; but when they follow it, they are exceeding acceptable and precious in the sight of God."

(So far Owen)

All of these things mentioned in 4- 8 (except the repentance) are things that do -not- strictly have to do with salvation. How do we know this? The apostle admits as much in the very next verse (9) ("things that accompany salvation"). If the things of verse 9 accompany salvation, then by the grammatical context, and by the writers very logic, the things in 4- 8 are something else. Enlightenment, tasting and partaking are not the same as justification, sanctification or adoption. They (enlightenment, tasting, partaking) may -seem- to the persons spoken of as being salvation-related, hence their presumption and hardening.

This passage in Hebrews is not a caution against Christians, but against those who -think- they are Christians but have no desire to walk the walk. The Apostle as much as says so in verse 9 (which very often goes unquoted). A new creature cannot become un-new. Old things do not pass away (2nd Cor. 5:17) only to come back and overcome a Christian. You know why? Because our new life does not just consist of new behavior, but of a new Residency: The Holy Spirit intimately leads us into all truth. God does not just clean up our act, He makes us quit acting. He gives us a new "principle within" (as the old hymn says). We have the spring of living waters inside of us. This is why we do not fall away. Once you possess -any- of these blessings of the new life, you do not lose them. And God does not lose you.

When we became new Christians we are remagnetized with a Christward affinity: The things above have a certain pull on us. Owen says it very well:

"The hearts of believers are like the needle touched by the loadstone, which cannot rest until it comes to the point whereunto, by the secret virtue of it, it is directed. For being once touched by the love of Christ, receiving therein an impression of secret ineffable virtue, they will ever be in motion, and restless, until they come unto him, and behold his glory. That soul which can be satisfied without it, � that cannot be eternally satisfied with it, � is not partaker of the efficacy of his intercession [recorded in John 17]."

�Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.�
2 Corinthians 5:17.

Someone wrote this as well (I lost the attribution!):

"And this change is not made by altering and rectifying the disorders of the life only, leaving the temper and frame of the heart still carnal; but by implanting a supernatural permanent principle in the soul. It shall be in him a well of water. John 4:14 Principles are to a course of action, as fountains or springs to the streams and rivers that flow from them; and hence the constancy of renewed souls in the course of godliness."

Hebrews seems to be one of the most misapplied of the New Testament books. The misapplication of Hebrews 6 arises from a misunderstanding of the nature of new creaturehood. The "faith" that is imagined as lose-able in Hebrews 6 is not really lost at all - it was never there to begin with. As sure as God is faithful to His promises, true faith will always have a succesful final outcome.

Heb. 4:2 - Circumstance and promise must meet together in the forge of faith. And this is the cause of the failure of much of the "faith" of many. It is not a real faith, so it does not have a real victory. There are many today who are being promised "peace, peace" who are still not even aware of the nature of the war. Christ-lite is promised in many seeker-sensitive churches, but not the Christ of the Bible. Then this idol, this dashboard Jesus, is given the seal of approval by such heterodox teachers such as Zane Hodges, saying that we do not, we must not, look for signs of new creaturehood in any who mouthed The Prayer. To do so would be "adding to salvation". Yet Scripture admonishes that our assurance is to be based on our walk, and not just chapter and verse (2nd Peter 1, 2nd Cor).

Bottom line: Hebrews 6 is not speaking of Christians, but of those who presume to be such, yet not desiring any of those "things accompanying salvation". It is not without reason that this passage often comes alive to many Christians who fear losing their salvation. I believe it is God's means of waking up those whose walk has been very worldly, to get them to examine themselves whether they really are in the faith. The passage also shows very dramatically the futility of returning to the Judaistic system. Either way, there is no teaching here that Christians can lose their salvation.