Perseverance: Objections Part 7a

So, it has been a long time since I posted for the series on the Perseverance of the Saints...hopefully it was worth the wait.  Today I will begin discussing Hebrews 6:4-9 (remember we are look at objections to the doctrine and specifically passages that seem to indicate a person who is saved can lose his or her salvation).

d. Hebrews 6:4-9
Now we have come to what is one of the most difficult passages in relation to the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints.  We come to the passage that started my quest to lay out this doctrine for you.  The book of Hebrews has several "warning passages" and this one is surely the most difficult to interpret.  If any passage in Scripture taught that a Christian could lose his salvation, this would be it.  So, let's dive in and see what we learn.  

⁴For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. ⁷For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. ⁸But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned. ⁹Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation.

Let me start out by saying, I believe this passage shows us that some people who have fallen away may give many external signs of conversion without being truly converted.  The reason I say they are not truly believers is most clearly seen in verses 7-8.  Here, the author gives a metaphor to support what he has just said in verses 4-6.  In the metaphor, we see a two contrasting "lands."  The first land receives rain and produces a crop that is "useful" and that "receives a blessing from God."  The second land receives water too, but it bears "thorns and thistles" and is "worthless" and "its end is to be burned."  Scripture uses this metaphor in other places where we are taught that good fruit is a sign of true spiritual life and fruitlessness is a sign of false believers (see Matt 3:8-10, 7:15-20, 12:33-35).  Therefore, I believe we have a clear indication that the author is speaking of people that have received the "rain" of God's word, been around the fellowship of God's people, seen wondrous things, but were not truly converted.  This lack of true salvation is eventually made evident in the fruitlessness of their lives. 

Some object and say that the description of these people in verses 4-6 makes it seem as if they were truly saved and lost that salvation.  Over the next several days, we will examine some of the terms that are used.



Note: I will rely heavily on Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology in this section.