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| Q: | Why does Hebrews 6:4-6 say that it is impossible for a Christian who falls away to be brought back to repentance? | ||||||
| A: | In order to understand what God is saying to us in this passage, it's good to see it in the general context of the letter to the Hebrews, and also to compare it to other Scripture passages that speak of the same subject. The Jewish Christians to whom this letter was originally addressed were not necessarily new Christians but, then again, they were not necessarily mature Christians either. Note how the inspired author expected them to be more advanced in their Christian walk than they were (cf. 5:11-12). The author was concerned about them turning their back on Christ, especially as those Jewish Christians faced the very real possibility of physical persecution (cf. 10:32-34) that was bound to get worse (cf. 12:4). The verses you ask about fall in a section where the author is warning his readers about the dire consequences of falling away from the Christian faith. He wants to impress upon them that if you're not advancing in your faith, you may very well be sliding back into a dangerous spiritual position. He is inspired to use a Greek verb form in v. 6 that may be translated "because ... they are crucifying" as the NIV does. That would make the person described in these verses one who has committed the sin against the Holy Spirit (cf. Matthew 12:31-32), that is, the willful, against-better-knowledge rejection of Christ's gospel from which one never repents. However, that same verbal may be translated "while ... they are crucifying" as the NIV footnote says. That would make the person in these verses not someone who has permanently fallen away, but one who is currently rejecting Christ as Savior (as those ancient Hebrew Christians were tempted to do). While such a sin is terrible, there would still be room for repentance and coming back to the faith in such a case. So, we have a true exegetical question in these verses. Fine biblical scholars have understood the Greek in both of the ways mentioned above. And both scenarios are supported by other Scriptures. There truly is a sin against the Holy Spirit from which one never repents, and these verses may be describing it. On the other hand, there truly are cases in the Bible of people who have turned their back on the one true God for a time only to repent of that sin and be restored (e.g. David, Peter), and these verses may be describing that. | ||||||
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