Can a Christian Permanently Fall Away? Hebrews pt.4 (6:1-12 & 10:26-39)

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Can a Christian fall away?

It is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit,
tasted the good word of God and the miracles of the coming age,
and then have fallen away, to renew them again to repentance, since they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves all over again and holding him up to contempt.

On the surface this seems to teach that you can become a Christian and fall away
- Even worse, that once you have fallen away, you can no longer be forgiven
- Let’s look at whom this is talking about”
received light «– what this really means
tasted supernatural power
were involved with the Holy Spirit
- It’s possible to have the power of the Holy Spirit on you and not be truly saved
- Jesus said “did we not cast out demons in your name...” “I never knew you”
- I think this is talking about people like Judas
- The Spirit came on King Saul, prophesied but we know his heart was never changed
- Supernatural works of the Spirit was never a test in the N.T. church. —do they have love!
saw “heaven come down” in miracles
- but rejected it
“Eschatological Intrusion” (The age to come, breaking into this age)

Matt 12:31–32 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
Luke 12:10 “And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.”

When someone has seen the most explicit supernatural power of the Spirit in front of their very eyes
And they turn their back on it
There’s nothing more because they’ve quenched the Spirit
It’s not that they can’t come back, it’s that the Spirit has already done everything for them that he’s going to do

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will 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 the Father’s hand.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And have mercy on those who waver;
save others by snatching them out of the fire…
Now to the one who is able to keep you from falling, and to cause you to stand, rejoicing, without blemish before his glorious presence,
to the only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen.

For the ground that has soaked up the rain that frequently falls on it and yields useful vegetation for those who tend it receives a blessing from God.
But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is useless and about to be cursed; its fate is to be burned.

From God’s perspective, the ones he has saved cannot ever fall away
From our perspective we see people who look like Christians, but they do fall away

But in your case, dear friends, even though we speak like this, we are convinced of better things relating to your salvation.
For God is not unrighteous so as to ignore your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name, in having served and continuing to serve the saints
But we passionately want each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfilment of your hope until the end,
so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherit the promises.

Those who’s salvation is secure
- have demonstrated love for one another
- but need to be eager, not sluggish
- What is needed: persevering faith in the promises
Sometimes Christians go through long periods of very deep backsliding, when it looks from every appearance that they are not saved.
- But then God brings them back to himself before they die.

People who have severe depression frequently believe that they have committed the “unforgivable sin”.
However, the very fact that they are even concerned about it is proof that they cannot have committed it:
- the Spirit stops working in such a person
- they therefore lose all spiritual concern
So what is the purpose of this passage?
1. To be a wake-up call for people who are good at acting like a Christian, but whose hearts are not renewed
  - If you are at all concerned about whether you are a Christian, please come and talk with me.
2. To help us know where the edge is to keep away from it

For if we deliberately keep on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins is left for us,
but only a certain fearful expectation of judgment…

The focus in the surrounding passage is not on your weakness, but his power
The danger is not that you sin too many times, and eventually Jesus will turn you away and stop forgiving you
No, it’s about turning your back on Jesus, and saying all you have seen of his supernatural power is just a delusion
For them it was trusting Old Testament rituals
In the last 2,000 years we have made up so many rituals to please God!
- KJV
- Eating together “exclusive brethren”
- Sabbath regulations
- Conviction of sin “preparationism” Indoor Skydiving
Two points for next week:
1. The person who is truly saved but is a deep backslider
2. The Christian walking in darkness, and thinking it’s because of sin
How about you?
- Do you need encouragement not to give up?
- Even here, there may be some who will turn away

Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.

“Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no longer.”
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰by the new and living way he made for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,
and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²²let us draw near with a sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings, because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.
And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy.