Hebrews 6 is one of the most controversial chapters in the Bible. It contains stark language on the issue of whether one can lose salvation.
Today I'm going to take a look at this passage from a different angle. Although I'm not generally sympathetic to "covenant theology", I think it might be helpful in this case. After the blunt discussion of apostates not being able to return to repentance, the author of Hebrews returns to a discussion of the Hebrew people--the people of promise. Clearly, throughout history, many of the Hebrew people, who had a promise as God's chosen people, abandoned the faith and did not return. This may be partially what Paul refers to in Romans when he speaks of Jews who are no longer Jews. They had extra opportunities and left their birthright. This may be what the author of Hebrews is saying--those who were so involved in the Church as to actually taste the Holy Spirit, but left. (Of course, I freely admit even more than usual to the possibility of being wrong here.)
I think of more practical value is the discussion of the evidence of having left. Chapter 6 makes special emphasis (after encouraging readers that he expects better things of them than apostasy) of endurance and what Paul called "fruit". I think our emphasis in this chapter should not be fear of losing our salvation, but rather perseverance in living the Christian life.
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