Hebrews 6:6

Earlier in this letter the writer warned his Christian readers about drifting away from the truth through negligence (Hebrews 2:1-4). He also warned them about failing to continue trusting God and walking by faith (Hebrews 3:7-19). Now he referred to the same apostasy as "falling away."

"The aorist tense indicates a decisive moment of commitment to apostasy. In the LXX, the term parapiptein has reference to the expression of a total attitude reflecting deliberate and calculated renunciation of God (Ezekiel 20:27; Ezekiel 22:4; Wisdom of Solomon 6:9; Wisdom of Solomon 12:2; cf. Michaelis, TDNT 6:171 . . .). [Note: Cf. Philip E. Hughes, "Hebrews 6 . . .," pp. 146-50.] In Hebrews it is equivalent to the expression apostenai apo theou zontos, ’to fall away from the living God,’ in Hebrews 3:12. Apostasy entailed a decisive rejection of God’s gifts, similar to the rejection of the divine promise by the Exodus generation at Kadesh (Hebrews 3:7 to Hebrews 4:2 . . .). . . . What is visualized by the expressions in Hebrews 6:6 is every form of departure from faith in the crucified Son of God. This could entail a return to Jewish convictions and practices as well as the public denial of faith in Christ under pressure from a magistrate or a hostile crowd, simply for personal advantage (cf. Mark 8:34-38 . . ." [Note: Lane, p. 142. Cf. J. C. McCullough, "The Impossibility of a Second Repentance in Hebrews," Biblical Theology 20 (1974):2-3.]

Falling away from the truth is no hypothetical possibility but a tragic reality in too many cases among believers (cf. Numbers 14:27-32; Genesis 25:29-34; Hebrews 3:7-19; Hebrews 10:23-25; Hebrews 10:35-39). [Note: Lane, p. 141.] Christians departed from the faith in the first century (e.g., 2 Timothy 2:17-18) and they do so today (cf. 1 Timothy 4:1).

"The author repeatedly urges his readers to maintain their Christian profession and confidence (cf. Hebrews 3:6; Hebrews 3:12-15; Hebrews 6:11-12; Hebrews 10:23-25). The man who falls away is evidently the one who casts that confidence, and its attendant reward, aside (Hebrews 10:25)." [Note: Hodges, The Gospel . . ., pp. 70-71.]

To what is it impossible for an apostate to be renewed? The writer said it is repentance, not forgiveness or salvation. Immediately the question arises whether this explanation is realistic since some believers who have departed from the truth have repented and returned to the fold of the faithful. I believe the writer meant that in the case of apostates, the really hard cases who are persistently hostile to Christ, it is impossible to restore such people to repentance (cf. Hebrews 6:1; Hebrews 6:3; Hebrews 6:7-8). The word "apostate" refers to extreme cases of departure from the truth. We usually refer to less serious departure as backsliding. This inability to repent is the result of sin’s hardening effect about which the writer had sounded a warning earlier (Hebrews 3:13). It is also the result of divine judgment (cf. Pharaoh, Exodus 9:12; Exodus 10:20; Exodus 10:27; Exodus 11:10; Exodus 14:4; Exodus 14:8; Exodus 14:17).

Some people who, earlier in their lives have given evidence of being true Christians, later renounced their belief in Christianity, and even in the deity of Christ. Does this mean they were never saved in the first place? Possibly. But it may mean that they were believers and have been misled by false teaching. If such a person persists in his or her departure from the truth, this verse warns that he or she may not be able to return to the truth.

This writer also wrote about three other impossible things. It is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18), for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins (Hebrews 10:4), and for someone to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6).

"God has pledged Himself to pardon all who truly repent, but Scripture and experience alike suggest that it is possible for human beings to arrive at a state of heart and life where they can no longer repent." [Note: Bruce, p. 124.]

"That certain persons could not repent of their sins was, e.g., an idea admitted in rabbinic Judaism." [Note: Moffatt, p. 77.]

Even God cannot renew these apostates to repentance because He has chosen not to do so.

". . . the author does recognize the possibility that one may have regressed so far that it is impossible to again make progress toward maturity. He therefore states in Hebrews 6:4-6 that it may be impossible to renew certain believers so that they can progress toward maturity." [Note: Pentecost, pp. 105-6.]

Would it not glorify God more for apostates to repent? Evidently by making it impossible for them to repent God will bring greater glory to Himself than if they did repent. Consider the glory that came to God because the Pharaoh of the Exodus did not repent. One might ask the same question in regard to everyone being saved? Would it not glorify God more for everyone to be saved than for some to perish eternally?

God allows this hard condition because by repudiating Jesus Christ these apostates dishonor Him. The writer spoke of this dishonor as taking the side of Jesus’ enemies who crucified Him and publicly humiliated Him. The apostates in view crucify Him in the sense of passing judgment against Him again, by repudiating Him and His work, as those who literally crucified Jesus did. Evidently these "hard cases" are not those who turn away from just any aspect of God’s will but specifically the doctrine of Jesus Christ.

"The meaning of the vivid phrase ["they again crucify to themselves the Son of God"] is that they put Jesus out of their life, they break off all connexion [sic] with him; he is dead to them." [Note: Moffatt, p. 80.]

"Anyone who turned back from Christianity to Judaism would be identifying himself not only with Jewish unbelief, but with that malice which led to the crucifixion of Jesus." [Note: Guthrie, p. 144.]

". . . once Christ and his sacrifice have been rejected, there is nowhere else to turn. . . . The ’impossibility’ of a second repentance is thus not psychological or more generally related to the human condition; it is in the strict sense theological, related to God’s saving action in Christ." [Note: Ellingworth, p. 323.]

"Just as the Hebrew spies who returned from their expedition carrying visible tokens of the good land of Canaan nevertheless failed to enter the land because of their unbelief, so those who had come to know the blessings of the new covenant might nevertheless in a spiritual sense turn back in heart to Egypt and so forfeit the saints’ everlasting rest." [Note: Bruce, pp. 119-20. Cf. 3:7-11. See also Lang, pp. 98-107.]

Not only did the 10 spies fail to enter the Promised Land through unbelief, but so did the whole adult generation of Israelites who left Egypt with Moses (Numbers 14). It was impossible for them to repent in the sense that, even though they confessed their sin of unbelief (Numbers 14:40), God would not permit them to enter the land (Numbers 14:41-45). Two New Testament examples of these "hard cases" may be Hymenaeus and Alexander. Paul said he had turned them over to Satan that they might learn not to blaspheme because they had apostatized (1 Timothy 1:18-20).