Today’s text has been a text of much debate among Christian theologians because it seems to threaten the doctrine of the security of the believer. But in fact, it does not. It does, however, threaten the security of the apostate. In the next few Sundays, we will do our best to rightly divide the word of God and get a proper understanding of this hotly debated text.
TODAY’S TEXT…
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.” (Heb 6:4–6)
We will begin this Sunday by laying a foundation of how to properly understand the warnings and the promises of God in the light of context. We will examine some of the popular assurance texts as well as the feared warning texts to discover that they are all true and not to be rejected. Never attempt to explain away a text of scripture because it threatens your beliefs. Instead seek to discover how all scripture is true and inspired.
Two more texts we will study today …
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”” (John 10:27–30)
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” (John 15:1–6)
BOTTOM LINE: Those who believe in and embrace Christ are soundly saved. Those who reject Christ are lost. Faith in Christ is the key. Those who are in Christ are secure. Those who reject Christ are lost.
Pastor Mike