Hebrews 6 and apostasy.
Satan has used good people to stretch scripture and torment others. One of his favorite verses is Heb 6:6.
What caused such a problem with this verse? It was the ambiguous King James version. There is no " if " in Hebrews 6:6. This is a proven fact. The authentic Greek manuscripts have proven this. The King James version makes it sound as if it is a warning, but the text actually reads, "and have fallen away". It is describing a present tense action of those who have fallen away, as a present reality, not a warning.
The context here, is the return to animal sacrifices and the law for the remission of sins. It is about repentance, not salvation. So, what was it that prohibited their repentance for restoration and what made it impossible? The answer is animal sacrifice!
Those who were seeking to have their sins restored by repenting in this manner, would be doing so by using an annulled, obsolete and powerless system. Animal sacrifices. It would be impossible to be restored or renewed by seeking such repentance through a system that was rendered obsolete.
To fall away, in Hebrews, was to fall back in the Law and it's Levitical sacrificial system. People should read the entire book of Hebrews and it's entire context to see this confirmation!
"Now where there is forgiveness of these sins, there is no longer any offering for sin" Heb 10:18
Hebrews 6 actually begins mentioning this sort of obsolete repenting, as a repentance from dead works. The dead works are what the priests were doing with animals for the remission of sins. That system was rendered "dead" by the one time offering that Jesus had given us. "But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, "he sat down at the right hand of God" Heb 10:12
As the Amplified bible brings forth in Hebrews 6:1, repentance from "dead formalism". The old system was dead and powerless.
"Day after day every priest stands and repeatedly offers the same sacrifices that can never take away sins" Heb 10:11
"In burnt offerings and sin offerings you never took delight" Heb 10:6
The reason why their restoration unto their repentance was impossible is explained in the same book within it's context, they fell back into the obsolete Levitical sacrificial system. "for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins" Heb 10:4
Therefore, it is impossible to be restored unto repentance by killing an animal and falling back into this "dead" obsolete system. "Repentance from "dead works (formalism). Heb 6:1). " that can never take away sins" Heb 10:11
Does it say anywhere that God prohibited such a return to the one time sacrifice? Nowhere does it say that. By Christians using this dead, obsolete system, it was making a statement in itself by implication that even Christians believed that they needed an animal for the remission of sins, rather than Christ's atoning blood. If Christians didn't believe the work at the cross was good enough for the remission of sins, who will? By doing such, was putting the work of Christ at Calvary to "open shame" by implication, and they were aligning themselves with those who crucified him. By doing so, it displayed a re-crucifixion, as well as his work at Calvary, to open shame and ridicule (Heb 6:6) and putting the blood of Christ as common as that of an animal (Heb 10:29).
This was willful sin. They knew Christ as their saviour, and still believed so, but under pressure of the Juadizers, performed in animal sacrifices for the remission of sin. This is not such a case as someone falling into disbelief by embracing evolution. This was about Christians forsaking, or not solely relying on, the one time sacrifice which they knew was real. Not about people who lose their faith by a false teacher or false doctrine. To fall away by embracing another belief system and really believing it is true, is a sin of ignorance and one of error. In such a case, a Christian is required to restore a person to Christ, "BRETHREN, IF any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual [who are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit] should set him right and restore and reinstate him" Gal 6:1
"[My] brethren, if anyone among you strays from the Truth and falls into error and another [person] brings him back [to God], Let the [latter] one be sure that whoever turns a sinner from his evil course will save [that one's] soul from death" James 5:19-20
But this is not the case in Hebrews, these people did such things that they KNEW they should not have been doing, out of fear of losing their jobs property etc. There were those who gave up their property to the Juadizers for Christ's sake, as seen in Hebrews, "For you sympathized with the prisoners and cheerfully submitted to the violent seizure of your property, because you know that you have a better and more permanent possession". Heb 10:34 So the message here was when Juadizers pressure you and threaten you, be like those who lost their property and "know that you have a better and more permanent possession". Heb 10:34
So again this was not sinning or falling into disbelief out of ignorance, it was giving in to false system they knew was annulled, and if some weren't sure it was annulled, this entire letter of Hebrews was making it clear that repenting through animal sacrifice would result in an impossible restoration.
This from By Witness Lee, Living Stream Ministry describes it well.
"We should not misinterpret Hebrews 10:26, thinking that if we sin willfully after being saved our sins cannot be forgiven because there is no more sacrifice for sin. The willful sin mentioned in this verse is forsaking the church and shrinking back to the old covenant after knowing that God had annulled it and established a new one."
See "KNOWING", so this is doing something they knew they should not have been doing, this is not a sin of ignorance.
"For if we choose to go on sinning after we have received the full knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins" Heb. 10:26
Why is there no longer any sacrifice remaining? Because if you don't go through the one time sacrifice for sin, there is no other offering that had the power to restore you to repentance. The old system NO LONGER REMAINS, so there is no other sacrifice outside of Christ; if you don't turn to Jesus, don't think you're going to find restoration for your sin anywhere else, as in this case, the Jewish sacrificial system.
However, the author of Hebrews switches to present tense participles in verse 6:6 to explain what they were doing, which made restoration impossible, anastaurountas (crucifying) and paradeigmatizontas (publicly ridiculing). If a person stops it, and those actions become past tense, then the impossibility for restoration no longer applies, because it would no longer be a present tense activity, relating to the word "impossible". So, if they were to stop what they were persistently doing and return to the one time sacrifice that Christ offered (Heb 10:12), ("Therefore, my brothers, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus" Heb 10:19) Restoration to repentance than occurs.
This was a present tense action, not a completed one. If it were a completed sin, the author would have continued using aorist (past tense) participles. But he quickly switches to present tense participles to describe that it was what they were currently doing that made repentance impossible, which was seeking repentance from an obsolete and dead system. We see the confirmation of the present tense continual action directly in it's context.
"But if [that same soil] persistently bears thorns and thistles, it is considered worthless and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned." Heb 6:8
"Persistently" Means it must continue. The continual present tense action applied in the immediate context confirms a continual present tense action.
Hebrews 10:26 is also a present tense participle "For if we choose to go on". One must choose to go on doing it, proves it is a continual present tense sin. If they were to stop going on doing it, the continual sin would cease, true restoration can occur once again (but impossible through animal sacrifice).
The context here, was a return to animal sacrifices and the law for the remission of sins. There is no need to go outside of the context of Hebrews because the word "impossible" explains itself, "for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins" Heb 10:4 Everyone should see that this book was explaining the difference between the old Jewish system and the one time sacrifice offered by Christ. When Christians sin, their restoration for the remission of that sin was covered by the blood of Christ, the one time sacrifice explained in the same book. So when you sin, the confession to Jesus restores you to repentance.
Genuine repentance will result in genuine restoration. This is why Esau is used as an example in Hebrews. Esau did not want to change his action. He was crying in rage about losing what he thought was his. So instead of accepting responsibility for his error and being sorry for it, he pointed the finger at Jacob and vowed to kill him when their father died. This is an example of a repentance that is not genuine, in the same manner of animal sacrifice. Esau would not agree to God's terms in the same way these Jewish Christians would not repent under God's terms, the one time sacrifice.
The new system
There is a new system in place. True repentance will result in true restoration, the obsolete system of bulls and goats was not true repentance, so restoration in that manner would not be valid and would make such repentance impossible unto restoration in the eyes of the Lord. What is this new system? See it within it's context! "Therefore, my brothers, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus" Heb 10:19 "See the difference? "For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins" Heb 10:4 "Day after day every priest stands and repeatedly offers the same sacrifices that can never take away sins." Heb 10:11
"Now where there is forgiveness of these sins there is no longer any offering for sin. How We Should Live. Therefore, my brothers, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)" Heb. 10:18-20
But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, "he sat down at the right hand of God Heb.10:12
So as long as they were repenting by way of animals (instead of through Christ), as they were presently doing, the restoration of their sins was impossible. This is what they fell back into, and by doing such put the work of Christ to shame & ridicule. If they were to stop using the obsolete system the (as they were presently doing) and go back to the new & living way, the impossibility which was related to the present tense actions, is removed, restoration for their repentance than occurs. This is why knowing the present tense participles relating to the word impossible is so important.
Mr. Marvin Rosenthal, a Jewish Christian, stated something to the effect that if a person had never heard of Jesus, but was living rightfully under the law the day before Christ resurrection, would such a person be doomed to hell if one died a day or two after the resurrection never hearing about the gospel of Jesus? Rosenthal stated something to the effect that God handled both economies for 40 years so the gospel could be preached to those that never heard of him. The name Jesus, was not a household name at that time. Temple sacrifices continued for around 40 years until God had felt it was time for the destruction of the temple.
This is why verse 6 was addressed to those who were already (past tense) bought by the blood of the new covenant, those WHO KNEW BETTER. They had already given their life to Christ, and under persecution of losing their jobs and property, converted back to the animal sacrifices for the remission of sins under the pressure of the Juadizers.
In it's context, the falling away in Hebrews meant to fall back into the obsolete rituals of the law and animal sacrifice, and repentance, in that manner, would be invalid. Such repentance would be impossible to result in restoration, in the eyes of God. For it was not "the new and living way" (Heb 10:20) Such a person would remain in their sins if they continued to repent by way of an obsolete system. You can seek repentance from your computer screen or from Buddha, but you will not be restored because neither have the power to do so, neither did the blood of animals (Heb 10:4). The old system of animal sacrifice was rendered obsolete once Christians were bought by the blood of our Lord Jesus!
By the way, it is important to note that more modern versions that were a revision of the King James version, came to realize how ambiguous it was, in regards to Hebrews 6:6. The NASB, NIV, ASV, ESV, all explain in the text itself or in a footnote, the "while they continue" in this transgression in Hebrews 6:6.
It was the King James version that added the "if". That was proven to be false and not in the original manuscripts. Yes, just one added word can cause such confusion. It was the Amplified Bible that brought out the true meaning of the text from the start. The translation committee of the Amplified Bible was a qualified group of Hebrew and Greek scholars.
Sin in progressAnastaurountas (crucifying) is the present active participle of anastauroo
paradeigmatizontas (publicly ridiculing).
This was a sin in progress. You can not be forgiven from a sin in progress. Try to imagine it this way, if you premeditate that you are going to kill one hundred people, and during the seventh murder, you ask for repentance knowing you are going to kill 93 more people, how can you be forgiven for a sin that you are in the progress of committing? This was the case here. This is why Hebrews 10:26 says if we CONTINUE. As long as they were in that place and publicly displaying that they needed an animal for remission, that was a sin in itself, so how can they restored when they were in progress of a sin?
They needed to repent, from, seeking repentance through the blood shed of an animal. So as long as they continued in this on-going sin, their restoration was impossible. It displayed the current hardening of the hearts towards the redeeming power of Calvary.
A good example of this, is the illustration of the man who said he would not change his religion and turn to Christ because he was doing it for so long. Could he get to heaven staying on the road he was on?
The example given was, a man in Boston sets out for Maine, after a day of travel, he stops and gets gas and tells the attendant he's going to Maine, he says he didn't think it was this far down 95 south, the attendant tells him, you have to turn around and go north, the man says, I been traveling this way for 28 hours, I'm not going to stop now. The attendant says, well I recon you can do that, but it's impossible for you to get Maine.
It did not mean it was impossible for the man to turn around and go north, the impossibility was attached the mans present active on-going route traveling south. The action of him traveling south is present active. As long as he is on that road, it is impossible to get to Maine.
The same in Hebrews, the present active tense meant as long as they were in the temple and actively saying that they needed an animal for repentance, their restoration was impossible during the action.
ISV
What makes the ISV so special is like doctors, Bible scholars know more now than they did 400 years ago. The ISV DID NOT revise the King James version. They looked at the original manuscripts and translated it to English, as if they were translating the Bible for the very first time. They have the most prestigious and modern team of Bible scholars above and beyond any previous biblical committee. This is why it is taking over 12 years to create, it is not a revision, but a fresh look at the original manuscripts from the most advanced, modern, and most qualified group of scholars to date. Also to note, it is in agreement with the Amplified Bible and others on the issue of Hebrews 6. So there is no private interpretation here.
People who see this differently do so by reading the ambiguous King James version, isolate the scripture of it's context and paint it on what they wish to, by using a broad brush, and relating it to passages that are outside of the book of Hebrews and present a false meaning of the passage. Some are also are die hards to the heretical view of Jacobus Arminius, who like many, misinterpreted the ambiguous verse. Such false teachers were foretold in the Bible, beware of them. Wesley parted ways with Jacobus Arminius on this issue and founded the United Methodist Churches. Remember, Satan used scripture against Jesus in the wilderness, how much more will he use false teachers against you?
Bring em back to God today!
[My] brethren, if anyone among you strays from the Truth and falls into error and another [person] brings him back [to God],
Let the [latter] one be sure that whoever turns a sinner from his evil course will save [that one's] soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins [[a]procure the pardon of the many sins committed by the convert].
James 5:19-20 (Amplified Bible)
What about common sense?
Did anyone ever notice that most people that support the heretical view of extreme arminianism, do so by gluing together other scriptures outside of Hebrews? Some have even referenced non biblical books. The letter to the Hebrews, was a letter to the Hebrews. The intended recipients knew exactly what the author of the letter was talking about. The letter not was meant to be ambiguous to it's immediate audience, or was it meant for them to look at other sources to try to figure out what the letter meant. Especially epistles, letters and books of the Bible that weren't even written yet! Many that hold to extreme arminianism do such in an attempt to stress their heretical view of the text.
When I explained the topic of Hebrews six (above), it was done so by the scriptures in the very letter of Hebrews. Not by going all over the world using scriptures that were at the time, not even written yet. Therefore do not look anywhere else, other than qualified experts like the ISV, who are trained to render ambiguities from the "authentic" Greek manuscripts.
What happened was these people didn't even consider the tense of the actions. Part of it was because King James was ambiguous is doing this, and that the present tense participles are mentioned at the very end (in verse six) of the long sentence that begins in verse 4.
So they see the word impossible related to the fallen before the tense of it brought out in verse six, and an opinion of it is formed before they get to the present active tense of the sentence. Again, the King James version as said by Robert Dean Luginbill, Ph.D, (Lecturer in Classics, Associate Professor of Classics) "The King James, creatively ambiguous here as it often is, preserves the hint necessary to translate correctly".
Christians or not, I have seen very few people change their views when new light is shed on a topic. They feel offended they were wrong and will defend the words they have taught.
Now as we know, there is no such thing this as a private interpretation. "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation" - 2 Peter 1:20
So do we have such confirmation? Can the fallen be restored? If you take the words of Jesus, the answer is obvious.
"Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God's will) and do the works you did previously " Rev 2:5How can people believe Jesus says the fallen can be repent here, and believe that the fallen can not be restored in Hebrews 6? You have to accept a contradiction. As you will see, the same situation applies with Hebrews and the words spoken by Jeusus.
Jeusus said "Repent (change the inner man to meet God's will) and do the works you did previously " Rev 2:5 Amplified bible
Repentance by itself was not enough to prevent Jesus from removing their candlestick. They had to repent and change the present tense situation they were in, they had to do the works they did previously!
They could not be restored unto repentance by repentance alone, they had to change their present actions! Their current actions, if continued, would prevent the restoration of such repentance.
Same in Hebrews, they could not be restored by repentance because of their present actions, which is the crucifying and publicly ridiculing (anastaurountas and paradeigmatizontas) present active tense. So there you have the harmony of both passages.
That should be enough right there! But there is more.
"BRETHREN, IF any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual [who are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit] should set him right and restore and reinstate him, without any sense of superiority and with all gentleness, keeping an attentive eye on yourself, lest you should be tempted also" Galatians 6:1 (Amplified Bible)
[My] brethren, if anyone among you strays from the Truth and falls into error and another [person] brings him back [to God],
Let the [latter] one be sure that whoever turns a sinner from his evil course will save [that one's] soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins [[a]procure the pardon of the many sins committed by the convert].
James 5:19-20 (Amplified Bible)
To sum up, the impossibility continues during the present state of crucifying and the present state of ridiculing. The grammar of the passage connotes that the main verb of the sentence (i.e., the verb "to be") and its descriptive aorist participles that modify it in verses 4-5 are all limited and defined by the present tense of the participles in verse six. That is, the actions described by the aorist participles occur during the time of the crucifying to themselves and the public ridiculing.
After the person stops these two actions, at which time these behaviors become past tense activities as soon as they are ceased, the impossibility of renewal or restoration no longer applies, since they no longer are present tense activities relating to the word "impossible".
"and who have fallen away, as long as they continue to crucify to themselves the Son of God and to expose him to public ridicule." Heb 6:6 (ISV Bible)
"The ISV® was produced by Bible scholars who believe that "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness."
AMPLIFIED BIBLE "[it is impossible] to bring them back to repentance, for (because, while, as long as) they nail upon the cross the Son of God afresh [as far as they are concerned] and are holding [Him] up to contempt and shame and public disgrace." Heb 6:6
James Akin "Nevertheless, the passage does not pertain to the unforgivable sin. Many have misread the passage.... But this is simply not what the passage says. It does not say that if one tried to come back one would have to re-crucify Christ. It presents the re-crucifixion as a present reality. Just read the text: "because to their loss they are re-crucifying [present tense, active voice in both Greek and English] the Son of God and subjecting him to public disgrace." The text says that the apostates are re-crucifying Christ now, not that they would need to if they came back. Apostasy, contrary to some interpretations, is not the unforgivable sin."
Dr. Blackwelder (Greek New Testament. / one of the New King James Version Translators of the New Testament) observes,
"The temporal participles imply that "if persons guilty of such sin will cease it, and repent, they can be reclaimed"
Whitefield Theological Seminary Therefore, anastaurountas should be translated with the usual linear translation of a present, active, particle: ". . . while they crucify. " Therefore, verse 6 teaches that as long as these Jewish Christians are not realizing the superiority of the new covenant and are embracing the sacrificial system, it is impossible to instruct them in the elementary teachings about Christ....This does not mean that they have lost their salvation, but rather are persisting in immaturity. While they are continuing in this state, it is impossible to renew them to the basic teachings about Christ."
Dr. Robert Shank "Paul's language here strongly suggests that he viewed the Galatians in question as having once been in union with Christ, then severed from that union with Christ, but now facing the potential for a new spiritual birth by which their union with Christ could be once again restored. The present inability of apostates to accept instruction in even the "elementary principles" or "milk" (5:12) of the faith does not preclude them from ever being able to do so in the future, anymore than the present inability of the partially "dull of hearing" Christians to accept "solid food"
Robert L. Hamilton PhD in linguistics from the Univ of South Carolina, graduate-level certificate in biblical studies (from Columbia International University
"That is, the apostate's inability to receive instruction in the elementary principles of the faith necessarily holds only as long as (only "while") Greek, present participles: "while they are crucifying " the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace"
Dr. Hal Harless Ph.D. in Theology from Louisiana Baptist Theological Seminary, Were then these individuals lost eternally? The book of Hebrews does not say that. Since they had returned to the sacrificial cult in order to avoid persecution, incurring divine chastisement should have given them pause (Heb 10:32-39). "Since they again crucify"--The Gk. verb is a present participle of continuous action. The Gk. verb translated "put Him to open shame" is also a present participle meaning "publicly disgrace, make an example of, hold up to contempt." The impossibility of renewing them to repentance locked them into immaturity. The source of that impossibility is their continuing to "again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame" by offering sacrifices. While they continue in this transgression, it is impossible both to bring them to repentance and for them to mature. However, if they stop this, there is hope that restoration is possible.Warren Wendel Wiersbe Northern Baptist Theological Seminary "You should note that the words "crucify" and "put" in Hebrews 6:6 are, in the Greek, present participles: "while they are crucifying ... and while they are putting Him to an open shame." The writer did not say that these people could never be brought to repentance. He said that they could not be brought to repentance while they were treating Jesus Christ in such a shameful way. Once they stop disgracing Jesus Christ in this way, they can be brought to repentance and renew their fellowship with God."
Calvary Christian School "While they are crucifying the Son of God and putting Him to open shame" Here is the idea: To go back to the old life / old system of offering up sacrifices for sins would in effect be saying that Jesus death was of no effect To do so is putting Christ back on the cross & putting His work at Calvary to open shame ).....What He is saying is : as long as they were in that place & treating Jesus Christ in such a shameful way – they could not be brought to repentance) In other words ; the writer is saying that if they do retreat back to Judaism, all the religious "repentance" in the world will do them no good – It is only when they stop disgracing Jesus Christ in this way they can be brought to repentance and renew their relationship with God"
From the Book An Explanation of the Epistle to the Hebrews Samuel Thompson Lowrie (1893) ( He was professor of New Testament literature and exegesis at the Western Theological seminary)
"The present participle separated from the aorist by the expression cannot be so construed. It describes the present doing of those that have fallen away. It was not an action ... that they apostatized (aorist) that makes the impossibility, but the present action in the situation to which away brought them..... It is that present doing that makes the impossibility of renewing the doers to repentance. " But in the case here presented it amounts to this ... that it is impossible for them to be influenced in opposite directions at the same time. While they are crucifying Christ, ..... the cross of Christ cannot crucify them to the world, or dead works. ... We find no expression here to the effect that the sinners described have reached a state that is essentially reprobate, and inveterate, and hopeless of repentance independent of circumstance or extended time."
Erwin R. Gane (M.Div., M. Th) "Hebrews 6:4-6 does not mean that there is no hope for backsliders. It means that backsliders cannot be renewed again to repentance "while (as long as) they are crucifying to themselves the Son of God, and exposing Him to public disgrace."
Robert Dean Luginbill, Ph.D (Talbot Theological Seminary, Ph.D. in Classics 1990, Lecturer in Classics, Associate Professor of Classics) Hebrews 6:4-6 is another one of those famous (or infamous) passages that is generally misunderstood. "The King James, creatively ambiguous here as it often is, preserves the hint necessary to translate correctly. For this phrase hangs on the two present tense participles which are to be taken temporally = "while/as long as they are crucifying". The idea is not that the people addressed by Paul in the book of Hebrews are irretrievably lost. Paul is saying in these verses that true repentance must precede restoration. As long as one is actively involved in a sin (in this case, continuing to "pretend" through participation in animal sacrifice, confession is pointless. First, one must stop sinning. Then repentance and confession will be acceptable to God. Paul will encourage these wayward believers to abandon ritual Judaism entirely, to "go outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore" and choose the true sacrifice of praise and good works rather than the obsolete rituals of the Law which Christ has now fulfilled."From the Book Power from on High By Jack Cottrell, B.A., M.DIV., Ph.D. Professor of theology in the fledgling CBS graduate school, Westminster Theological Seminary for an M.Div. degree. He completed his formal education with a Ph.D. degree in theology from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1971. (Arminianism)
"The present participles should be taken as temporal, not casual, and as referring to a continuing action, not a completed sin. This the correct interpretation is that it is impossible to renew the apostate to repentance while as long as he continues to crucify Christ again and put him to open shame. But there is no reason to conclude that he must continue to do so. There is nothing at all in this verse that suggests the falling away is irrevocable and irreversible, and can not be equated with the unpardonable sin."
From the book The Biblical World edited by William Rainey Harper, (professorship in Hebrew at the Baptist Union Theological Seminary in Chicago)
"Seeing they crucify and put him to an open shame are present denoting continuous action. There is no falling away here spoken of such that it may not be repented of. Christ prayed for the forgiveness of those who crucified him. All things are possible with God. The evident meaning of the passage is it is impossible to renew them to repentance the while (as in the margin) they crucify etc.) They cannot be brought to repentance because they keep crucifying the Son of God. So long as they do this repentance is impossible"
From the Book Hebrews By James Girdwood, Peter Verkruyse
Peter Verkruyse received his B.A. from Lincoln Christian College and his M.A. and M.Div. from Lincoln Christian Seminary. He also received an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Over the past fourteen years Dr. Verkruyse has served in local church staff ministries, and now teaches at Illinois College. He has published articles in The Christian Standard and The Christian Chronicle and presented papers at the annual convention of the Speech Communication Association.
"Those who have fallen away cannot be restored so long as they persist in their flagrant and public rejection of Christ. (the writer shifts from past oriented aorist tense forms to the present, continual, tense here). the word impossible here (v.4) makes it clear that in their present condition they will not respond."
WAYNE JACKSON B.A. M.A. Litt.D. David Lipscomb University, College of Evangelists, Sacramento Baptist College, Amridge University, American Christian Bible College "And so, it is not the case that Jewish Christians who abandon the faith cannot ever be saved; the tragic reality is this: they cannot be saved if they drift into a state of unbelief and remain that way!"
John Wesley (Founder of the Methodist church) was asked "Do you know, have you seen, any instance of persons who found redemption in the blood of Jesus, and afterwards fell away, and yet were restored, — `renewed again to repentance?’" Yea, verily; and not one, or an hundred only, but, I am persuaded, several thousands. In every place where the arm of the Lord has been revealed, and many sinners converted to God, there are several found who "turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them." For a great part of these "it had been better never to have known the way of righteousness." It only increases their damnation, seeing they die in their sins. But others there are who "look unto him they have pierced, and mourn," refusing to be comforted. And, sooner or later, he surely lifts up the light of his countenance upon them; he strengthens the hands that hang down, and confirms the feeble knees; he teaches them again to say, "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour." Innumerable are the instances of this kind, of those who had fallen, but now stand upright. Indeed, it is so far from being an uncommon thing for a believer to fall and be restored, that it is rather uncommon to find any believers who are not conscious of having been backsliders from God, in a higher or lower degree, and perhaps more than once, before they were established in faith...... after being thoroughly sensible of their fall, and deeply ashamed before God, have been again filled with his love ...... They have, at once, recovered both a consciousness of his favour, and the experience of the pure love of God. In one moment they received anew both remission of sins, and a lot among them that were sanctified."
Henrey Alford’s Greek Testament, in regard to Heb 10:26 "Notice the present, not the aorist participle. ‘If we be found wilfully sinning’, not ‘if we have wilfully sinned,’ at that Day."Vol. IV, p. 199).
Jeremiah 3:12 "Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever. "
Jeremiah 31:20 "Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD."
2 Chronicles 30:6 "So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria."
Isaiah 31:6 "Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted"
Jeremiah 3:14 "Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion"
Jeremiah 3:22 "Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God."
Hosea 14:4 "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him"
In addition to the Lost Sheep & the Prodical Son!
So there you have it, all scripture must be in harmony with one another! God is not the author of confusion. When reading texts that are difficult, remember they must not contradict other scriptures. If you have problems, contact those who are well trained to be hired by Biblical committees, to render ambiguities from the "authentic" Greek manuscripts to English.
This is not a clear text, but when you compare it to all the other passages in the bible on the fallen, and the present tense of it, points to the temporal action of the fallen. To those who wish to maintain their heretical view on the matter, keep in mind people have committed suicide over this issue from reading horrible websites that did not see the present tense of it.
Hope you feel comfortable with the blood of the saints on your hands.
"If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a large millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea."
Mark 9:42
To those who read the truth of this matter, you now know you can return to the Lord, he is calling you back, his lost sheep!
Receive him today, and stay away from these Mickey Mouse websites or these Mickey Mouse pastors, who ARE NOT EXPERTS IN KORINE GREEK and classics like the ISV foundation, and the biblical committee for the amplified Bible, Blackwelder (new King James translator, Light From The Greek New Testament, Robert Dean Luginbill, Ph.D in classics.
What I'm saying in a loving way, few are called to be chiefs, the rest of us have got to be indians. Remember the golden rule of interpretation,
"When the plain sense of scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and axiomatic and fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise."
If you had left the Lord, do not listen to the lies Satan put in people to prevent a return to the Lord.
Satan will use anything he can against the saints. He used scripture against Jesus in the wilderness, how much more will he use it against his followers?
How do you return? It's easy, Jesus told us how!
"Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God's will) and do the works you did previously " Rev 2:5
Say this prayer,
Dear Jesus, I'm sorry I got caught into error and stopped believing, please forgive me. I rededicate my life to you, cleanse me of all my sin, live your life in me, fill me with the Holy Spirit, and keep me in your word. You are the only son of God and Lord of Lords! I cease my present actions and live for you from this point onward. Thank you for cleansing me of my sin.
Amen!
God Bless!
