Hebrews 6:4-6 – ‘It Is Impossible!’ :: By Mark A. Becker

A common question I have encountered from the body of Christ is that of Hebrews 6:4-6 and whether this passage suggests that Christians can lose their salvation.

The truth is, Eternal Security – “Once Saved, Always Saved” – is a Biblical doctrine and a blessing to those who truly believe in the finished work of Messiah Yeshua on the cross and accept Him as their Lord and Savior by grace through faith.

Here is our study passage.

“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.” – Hebrews 6:4-6

My short answer to those who have wondered if this passage is implying that Christians can lose their salvation, is usually as follows: Actually, this passage confirms the doctrine of Eternal Security. We need to take note of the word “impossible” at the beginning of the passage and understand that the thoughts behind the entire passage is, quite frankly, impossible for the twice-born, Spirit-filled believer in Jesus Christ.

I thought it would be beneficial for us to examine and scrutinize this passage together in more detail to help us understand what the writer of Hebrews was relaying to his readers in his own unique way.

We will start by dissecting the first half of this passage.

“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…”

Our priority observation is the word “if” in our passage.

The Text Analysis of this portion of our passage reads as follows:

[It is] impossible for to those once having been enlightened, having tasted then of the gift [definite article] heavenly, and partakers having become of [the] Spirit Holy, and [the] goodness having tasted of God’s word, [the] power also [of the] coming age – and then having fallen away…

This is very important in helping us better understand that the passage is to be joined together by the word “and” instead of the word “if,” as rendered by the King James Version translators.

This Greek conjunctive word is 2532 καί “kai” and is almost exclusively translated “and” throughout the New Testament, except in extremely rare occasions where it is rendered also, even, as, or, etc., due to grammatical context.

In fact, virtually every other translation translates this word in this verse as “and” – save the KJV and the NKJV.

The conjunction “and” is certainly the best contextual translation in our passage, as it connects those things the writer of Hebrews says are “impossible.”

In context, the writer of Hebrews is laying down the characteristics of someone who would have been enlightened, tasted of the heavenly gift, a partaker of the Holy Spirit, and understands the power of the coming age. This description can be none other than someone who is truly a born-again, Spirit-filled believer in Jesus Christ.

The writer then ties in the impossibility that this person would or could ever “fall away” from their Lord and Savior in his example of what is virtually “impossible.”

The Greek for “having fallen away” or “shall fall away” is παραπεσόντας “parapesontas” – used only this one time – from 3895 παραπίπτω “parapiptó” (from 3844/pará, “from close-beside,” and 4098/píptō, “to fall”) – properly, fall away, after being close-beside; to defect (abandon).

Again, the characteristics of this person that is established by the writer of Hebrews can be none other than a born-again, Spirit-filled Christian who can never, ever “fall away” from their Lord and Savior – ‘It Is Impossible!

Then, the writer goes on to address another impossibility.

“… to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”

The Text Analysis for this portion of our passage is as follows:

… again to restore [them] to repentance, crucifying in themselves the Son [definite article] of God and subjecting [Him] to open shame.

This impossible situation in which a hypothetically truly born-again, Spirit-filled believer could or would ever fall away and deny their Lord and Savior is now highlighted by the impossibility of ever renewing this hypothetically impossible situation for this person to come back to Christ. It just cannot happen – none of it – for ‘It Is Impossible!’

Another way to break down the passage – that might be a little easier to understand for the Bible student – using the Text Analysis, is the following:

[It is] impossible for to those once having been enlightened, having tasted then of the gift [definite article] heavenly, and partakers having become of [the] Spirit Holy, and [the] goodness having tasted of God’s word, [the] power also [of the] coming age –

Here, the attributes of a truly reborn Christian are established by the writer of Hebrews.

Then, the impossibility is summarized as follows:

– and then having fallen away, again to restore [them] to repentance, crucifying in themselves the Son [definite article] of God and subjecting [Him] to open shame.

Again, this entire hypothetical for a true Spirit-filled Christian is emphasized as an utterly impossible scenario. Just as it is impossible for anyone or anything to pluck a born-again, Spirit-filled believer from either our Lord’s hand or the Father’s hand!

“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

“My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

“I and my Father are one.” – John 10:28-30

‘It Is Impossible!’

Grieving and Quenching the Holy Spirit

Now, we understand from Scripture that a truly born-again, Spirit-filled Christian can, at times, grieve the Holy Spirit who indwells them. We should also recognize that the Holy Spirit that is given to believers by God at their legitimate conversion can never be taken away from any individual who is truly saved.

God does not make mistakes when He gives out His indwelling Holy Spirit to those who the sovereign God knows have come to His Son in true repentance and faith.

The following passage speaks of a believer’s ability to grieve the Holy Spirit.

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” – Ephesians 4:29-32

Though the Spirit-filled believer can, unfortunately, grieve the Holy Spirit by their actions, it is also that same indwelling Holy Spirit that was given to them at conversion that seals them “unto the day of redemption.” There are no exceptions.

A truly born-again, Spirit-filled Christian can also, unfortunately, quench the indwelling Holy Spirit.

“Quench not the Spirit.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:19

This regrettably occurs, of course, when a truly born-again, Spirit-filled Christian falls into sin and the Spirit becomes quenched within their lives until they make the necessary adjustments of contrite confession and perceptible repentance – but they will never fall away from their Lord and Savior, as this is just not possible for a believer with the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Sin, in the life of a true believer who has the indwelling Holy Spirit, will necessarily decrease in the life of a believer as the child of God comes to hate sin in all its various ugly forms in a developing manner as they mature in the Lord.

Moreover, the truly born-again, Spirit-filled Christian will never, ever depart from their faith or deny their Lord even when they find themselves in their early walk grieving or quenching the Holy Spirit. This just cannot happen.

What grieves the Holy Spirit will undoubtedly and exceedingly grieve the twice-born, Spirit-filled Christian as they mature in Christ, being conformed to His image. As they allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through them, they will find a progressive victory over their fleshly sin-nature by the Holy Spirit’s work in their life, which will be consummated upon their death or the rapture.

Putting Hebrews 6:4-6 Together with What We Have Learned

With what we have learned, we should look again at our study passage.

Here is the combined Text Analysis that we looked at above.

[It is] impossible for to those once having been enlightened, having tasted then of the gift [definite article] heavenly, and partakers having become of [the] Spirit Holy, and [the] goodness having tasted of God’s word, [the] power also [of the] coming age – and then having fallen away – again to restore [them] to repentance, crucifying in themselves the Son [definite article] of God and subjecting [Him] to open shame.

Translating the Greek word “kia” as the correct conjunction “and,” here is our study passage.

“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, and 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.” – Hebrews 6:4-6

This entire hypothetical proclamation can never happen – ‘It Is Impossible!’

Our Eternal Security is sealed by the “Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory” upon our individual conversions!

“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” – Ephesians 1:11-14

The promises of God for the Holy Spirit-filled believer – just as one of the Names of our Savior is – is Faithful and True (Revelation 19:11)!

“Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen!” – Revelation 7:12

***

May we all keep Answering the Call of The Great Commission, and giving an answer to every man and woman who so desperately needs Jesus and asks us, “Why Am I Here and What Is It All About?”

Love, grace, mercy, and shalom in Messiah Yeshua, and Maranatha!

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