hebrew 6:4 [Archive]

grandpa

03-05-02, 10:47 PM

:angel: :) Hello Greencape: The subject is 'Backsliding'. Some believe that there is such a thing--Others do not. My personal belief is that there is such a thing. God loves us more than we will ever realize in this life. The sad facts are that as we are 'Free Moral Agents', we can run away from God if we want too. In Luke C-15 we have the story of the Lost son who left the father and went into a far country. Read it as it is very interesting. The lost son finally got his act together after he had lost all. He returned back to the Father.
In Second Peter C-2, Hebrews C-6 and C-10, We have short discourses on backsliding.
My dear young friend, If you are seeking you are closer to God than you know. He is there for you. He will Save, Sanctify, and bless you beyond anything you can think about. You are not beyond hope. As long as there is life there is always hope. Call upon the Lord to save you and it will be done. Ask Jesus to show you what you are supposed to do. Everyone born has a calling from God to do something in His kingdom.
Keeping looking up.
In addition, Please read the mentioned scriptures in 2-Peter and Hebrews several times to get the main message.
Let us know how you are doing. Agape. Grandpa. :)

Ann

03-07-02, 01:07 PM

Hello Greencape welcome to ilj
To get insight into this verse we need to look at it in context. It's always easier to understand what someone is talking about if we know all what they said about it isn't it?

Hebrews 6:4-9 "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. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak."

The persons being talked about her are people who walked in the fullness of Christ, in very mature ministry and made a deliberate and continuing choice to turn away from him. The verb here in Greek which is translated "shall fall away" is a continuing verb. In English we might convey the same idea with Shall fall and keep on falling without ever stopping falling. I don't know what depth your walk with the Lord had before you stumbled but I do know one thing for certain you are not one who is impossible to renew. I know this simply because someone who is in that condition would not be "beginging to seek". If you were one of those described as impossible to renew you would have no desire to seek the Lord. For you it is the last words of this passage that apply. beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, "

I know for a fact from personal experience that a person can know the Lord, mess up big time and even seem to forget that Jesus is real and still be restorred. I was saved when I was 7 and walked with God pretty consistantly until I was in my late tens and early 20's. I walked away. I walked into a lot of things that God hates. I am convinced that had I died during that time I would have gone to hell. But by God's mercy I didn't die, not by my own hand, not from a few deliberate attempts to kill me, not from the normal consequences of the choices I made. God allowed me to go my way until I made myself miserable enough to be open to the drawing of the Holy Spirit and when I came back He welcomed me with joyful open arms and took care of me like the sick baby I was until I began to grow in Him and get free of the trash I had brought into my life. God is just as willing and eager to open His arms to you. The blood of Jesus does a very good, very complete job of cleansing us from our falling away. So come on home.

Here is another scripture that applies especially to you
Luk 15:11 - 24 "And he [Jesus] said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry."

God is waiting to be your Daddy again.