| Thoughts on Hebrews 6:4 |
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For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, who 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 6:4,5
Cross Ref 2 Peter 2:20
"For if, AFTER they have escaped the pollution's of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the are again entangled in them and OVERCOME, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than HAVING KNOWN it, to TURN from the holy commandment delivered to them."
I have been reviewing these Scriptures and I have amended my own theological understanding from one where I thought that eternal salvation is ALWAYS secured, to "salvation is secured to those "who endure to the end" as Jesus said in Matthew 24:13.
I think that in my own mind, there has been a distortion and false sense of security that I can never be lost, and that excuses any future decisions that I make about my walk with God. There is a personal responsibility to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling". We have to walk in the faith that we have proclaimed. There has to be a turning AWAY from those things in our lives that does not line up with God's word and His will for us as His children.
Admittedly when I came to Christ there was a great turning in my life. But like everyone else, I have made some poor decisions along the way that have caused me to fall away in my own heart and mind and experience. However, there has been a great pressing in and a turning from those things which I know are inconsistent and contrary to God's word, to a turning TO God, and this gives me great hope as I persevere to be more Christ like in my life and to allow His salvation, freedom and deliverance to be outworked through my faith and obedience.
There is no perfection in this flesh, in our life or experience, and that is why we need the Holy Spirit to help us in our weaknesses, but there is a renewed desire to walk before Him in holiness. But this desire is not independent of Him, nor is it in my our strength, but in total and utter dependency upon Him, and through the common fellowship and strength and safety that also comes from living in a community of believers who are also filled with the Spirit of Christ.
So why write about this at this time? Because God is purging me. He is purging the contamination of my own life, of my compromise in my own walk, and bringing me back to a pure life with Him as my dependency. This is not a dependency on man, nor is it based on seeking man's approval, because I am convinced, that I alone will stand before the judgement seat of Christ, to receive in my life, those things done for Him, "whether good or evil". And so will you!
As this purging takes place, something else becomes obvious. The great sifting has begun. The great dividing. God now stands, and says, "choose this day whom you will serve!". A separation has begun that will show those who are God's sons and daughters, and those who have rejected Christ, or fallen away without any desire whatsoever to repent or turn back to Him.
This is a great sign to the Church. It is the APOSTASY. The great falling away as prophesied in the Scriptures. (2 Thessalonians 2:3.) To some degree, it is preordained and forewarned - those who choose not to repent, will face eternal separation from God, in eternal darkness, where there will "be weeping and gnashing of teeth." I for one, don't want to be there! I urge those who think they are on that road...to turn. Turn Now before it is too late!!!
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