The Four Eleven Foundation: 1 Thessalonians

6.4. A CONCERN FOR PERSEVERANCE (Hebrews 6:4-8)

Hebrews 6:4-6 has been a battle ground of opposing interpretations. One view strongly teaches that believers can apostatise and lose their salvation. Yet another, teaching just as emphatically, holds that these verses refer to professing Christians whose turning from the faith proves that their faith was not really genuine. They quote 1 John 2:19 in support. We hold that the description of these verses is that of the experience of a true believer. The warning is deliberately intended to add incitement to perseverance unto maturity. Let us seek to grasp the main thrust of these verses:

6.4.1. GENUINE EXPERIENCE OF SALVATION WILL BE EVIDENCED BY PERSEVERANCE (Hebrews 6:4, 5)

The progressive steps in our experiencing salvation are traced for us:

Spiritual Enlightenment
Those who were once enlightened (Hebrews 6:4 ). Our salvation began with spiritual enlightenment. We were in a state where our minds had been blinded by the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4 ). God commanded the light to shine at creation (Genesis 1:3 ), and He did so in our re-creation.

2 Corinthians 4:6 "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (NKJV)

Our being enlightened happened because God took action and shone the knowledge of Jesus into our hearts. He called us out of darkness into His marvellous light (1 Peter 2:9 ). Such a radical transformation took place by the only possible way, translation (Colossians 1:13 ). From the control of sin, to the government of His Son.

"Enlightened" as Thayer in his Greek Lexicon says, refers to "those who have been made Christians."

Personal Experience

Hebrews 6:4 "... and have tasted of the heavenly gift ... " (KJV)

The second step in our salvation was a personal appropriation of a real experience of it, by faith in the saving work of Christ (John 19:30; Isaiah 53:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21 ). Earlier in the Epistle we are told Jesus became one with us in His humanity so that He "by the grace of God might taste death for everyone." (Hebrews 2:9 ), meaning that He experienced suffering so that we can be partakers of life through Him. Once there has been a personal tasting of Him and His Word as a satisfactory experience, there comes a craving for more and more.

1 Peter 2:3 "if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious." (NKJV)

"The heavenly gift" of His great salvation is to experience the Lord personally as your Saviour. This includes knowing His forgiveness, strength, love and life. To taste or experience the heavenly gift is to enjoy acceptance in Christ the Beloved, and all the attendant blessings as a member of the family of God.

Privileged Partnership

Hebrews 6:4 "... and have become partners of the Holy Spirit," (NKJV)

"Partakers" 'metochos' - a sharer, by implication an associate - fellow partaker - partner." Strongs Exhaustive Concordance

This privileged advancement in the fullness of salvation, must be understood to be more than enduement of the Holy Spirit, as power for service, which of course it is. (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8 ). As the saved, all that fellowship with the Holy Spirit is intended to be, is meant. To be a partaker means sharing in the purposes and work of the Holy Spirit. Only believers are so greatly privileged that they experience association and partnership with Him (John 14:17; Jude 19; Romans 8:9-16 ).

Fed Goodness

Hebrews 6:5 "And have tasted the good word of God, ..." (KJV)

Those saved, live and grow by the goodness and strengthening power of the Word of God. To experience the good Word is just as essential for spiritual life as bread for the sustaining of body life. Jesus affirmed this:

Matthew 4:4 "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (KJV)

Tasting is experiencing in fulfilment the Word God has spoken, His promises are tried and proved (Joshua 21:45 ). Just as Israel could bless the Lord for the reliability and fulfilment of His promises, so can all who experience God's Word of salvation (1 Kings 8:56; 2 Peter 1:2-4 ). We are fed and advanced by the sure spoken word of God, and become partakers of His holiness.

Exercising Powers

Hebrews 6:5 "... and the powers of the world to come," (KJV)

"The powers" have reference to the demonstrations of the Holy Spirit manifestations in the early Church which are continuing in the Church today. All of which implies that we are receiving a foretaste of the "powers" which are to be known in their fullness with the age to come - at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Experiencing these powers is indeed the guarantee of that inheritance to come, at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14 ). In exercising spiritual gifts there is demonstrated the mighty energy of the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 12:8-10 ). Miracles accompany kingdom of God proclamation (Matthew 10:7-8 ). Far from being ignorant of this, we are to earnestly desire the best gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1 and 31 ). In support of this interpretation mark that the word for "powers" is 'dunamis' one of the words used in the New Testament to indicate miracles. Believers are to be channels through whom the Holy Spirit benefits the Lord's people with the powers of the future age. Therefore the description contained in these verses (Hebrews 6:4-6 ) can only refer to saved people in their progression in salvation.

QUESTIONS FOR GROUP INTERACTION

What was the state of your mind before your spiritual enlightenment (Hebrews 6:4; 2 Corinthians 4:4 )?
Do you make much of your privileged partnership with the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 6:4 )?
Through experiencing the Word of God, have you developed an insatiable appetite for it (Hebrews 6:5; Matthew 4:4)?
How do believers exercise the powers of the age to come (Hebrews 6:5 )?