There have been many discussions regarding eternal security and it’s counterpart of losing salvation. The most comprehensive source regarding this that I found is titled “The Reign of the Servant Kings” by Joseph C. Dillow. This is a lengthy book that has an entire chapter specifically devoted to Hebrews 6, which I thought worthy to condense and post here.
I often attempt to keep Bible interpretations to their most simple forms, but occasionally with major subjects or difficult passages such as this, more detail is required. This interpretation involves significant analysis of the Greek words used in this passage and their uses elsewhere to confirm the proper understanding.
As I see it, there are three lines of thought that are helpful or even required to be developed and understood properly in order to interpret Hebrews 6.
1) Is the author of Hebrews referring to true believing Christians here, or are these people only giving the appearance of true faith without ever having saving grace in the first place?
2) What is the author saying of these people when he writes they have “fallen away” and it is impossible to “renew them unto repentance”?
3) What insights can we glean from the Jewish Exodus experience that the author of Hebrews alludes to frequently and the allegorical story of the thorn infested ground in Hebrews 6:7-8?
Question #1:
It appears that even before getting to Hebrews 6 the author is referring to his audience as true Christians. In Hebrews 5 these people are alluded to as being true Christians, but spiritually immature Christians who still needed “milk” and instructions, instead of mature Christians capable of taking “strong meat” who ought to be teachers able to discern good and evil. There are other references in the scriptures such as Gal. 4:3; I Cor. 2:6 and Eph. 4:13,14 where a similar metaphors contrast “babes” (nepious) with the mature (teleioi). The “babes” in these other scriptures are almost universally thought to be referring to immature but true Christians as opposed to non-Christians, and there is no reason to believe the reference in Hebrews 5 is any different.
It appears from the outset that Hebrews is referring to people who are true Christian and Hebrews 6:1-3 continues this thought with:
“Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.”
The word “Therefore” certainly connects the true Christians of the fifth chapter with the sixth chapter and these scriptures clearly indicate that what is to follow are more advanced teachings. However, there’s more evidence in Hebrews 6 itself that indicates these are true Christians in verses 4-6 that immediately follows. Hebrews 6:4-6 reads:
“[For] it is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace.”
One common interpretation of this is that the phrases “enlightened,” “tasted of the heavenly gift,” “become partakers,” and “tasted the good Word of God” do not necessarily refer to regenerate people, but the vast majority of scholars view them as genuine Christians. Lets look at each phrase in detail to determine why.
The Greek word “photisthentas” which is translated “enlightened” is common in the New Testament. Refer to John 1:9; John 9:39; Eph 1:18; Heb 10:29,32,35,38; 2 Cor. 4:4-7 and 1 Peter 2:9. In other words, in it’s only other use in Hebrews and many other locations in the New Testament, it is clearly used as conversion. Also, the word “once” and phrase “once and for all” enlightened in other scriptures indicates not just mental awareness or a mere first introduction, but a “final” enlightenment. Such language is only consistent with effectual calling.
The Greek word “dorea” is translated as “gift” and in every other usage of this word in the Bible it refers to the bestowal of some divine gift, spiritual and supernatural, given to man. Other occurrences are in Rom 5:15,17; Eph 3:7; Acts 2:38; Acts 10:44-46 and 2 Cor. 10:15.
The Greek word “geuomai” is translated “taste” and some have tried to argue that this means the gift was not really received; it was only sampled, not feasted upon. But the distinction between eating and tasting does not really exist in the Greek word “geuomai.” For example, we are told in Acts 10:10 “He became hungry and wanted something to (geuomai) eat and Acts 20:11 says “Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and (geuomai) ate. One author notes “There is no excuse for the attempt of Calvin and others, in the interest of their dogmatic bias, to make ‘taste of’ mean only ‘have an inkling of’ without any deep or real participation.” Therefore, to taste the heavenly gift is to experience regeneration, to taste salvation itself.
The Greek word “metochoi” is translated as “partakers.” It is used also in Hebrews 1:9, 2:4, 3:1,14, 10:29 and 12:8 and in each other use truly regenerate people are in mind. In view of the fact that they are partakers of the Holy Spirit and that in all other references to partakers true Christians are in view, there is no reason here not to assume that it means something like close partnership or true spiritual fellowship, which is possible only to the regenerate.
Also, it is difficult to view the believers of vv. 4-6 as unregenerate because they are being urged to go on to maturity, as unregenerate non-Christians cannot mature in Christ. Lastly, the writer assumes their regeneration. He never asks them to examine themselves to see if they are really Christians. If he doubted their salvation, he would certainly have placed this question before them.
Question #2:
It is difficult to know for sure whether some of the readers of Hebrews had already fallen away or are only in danger of falling away. In either case the writer wants to warn them that they are faced with the danger of “falling away.” The Greek word “parapipto” simply means to fall by the wayside. Its is used in all the New Testament only once here. In the papyri manuscripts it is sometimes translated “to wander astray.” Its most frequent translation is “to fall in one’s way, befall” and is sometimes rendered “to commit sin” with no specific reference at all.
However, in the LXX it seems to have the sense of religious apostasy. In the book of Ezekiel it often takes the sense of turning from God to idols. This meaning fits well with the theme of the Hebrews. These believers were considering a relapse into Judaism. Indeed, the whole book was written to demonstrate the superiority of Christianity to Judaism and hence to prevent precisely such a relapse. The context has been speaking of the need to grow from infancy to maturity. They have been exhorted to “go on to maturity.” It seems that the meaning of “fall away” here must include the opposite of “going on to maturity.” He is not speaking of falling away from salvation at all (or falling away from anything else for that matter). He is talking about wandering from the path leading to maturity, from that progression in the Christian life which will result in their ultimate entrance into rest, the achievement of their life work (Heb. 4:11). Nor is he speaking about falling away from a mere profession of faith. These people possessed true saving faith. They were regenerate.
For those who have “gone astray,” “it is impossible to renew them again to repentance.” But we must ask, impossible for whom? To say that it is impossible for God to change them is theologically and biblically unacceptable. “For nothing is impossible with God’(Lk. 1:37) except to lie or otherwise contradict His own holiness (Heb. 6:18). If it is not impossible for God to do this, then his meaning is that it is impossible for others to renew such a man. Evidently a person can became so hardened in unbelief that the encouragement and exhortation of his fellow Christians can no longer have any effect on him.
But what is the precise object of “renew”? It is “to repentance.” They had experienced repentance before and cannot be renewed again to it. The second repentance here is the repentance of Christians in confessing their sins, and thus it is similar in meaning to “confession.” The application of repentance (Greek metanoia) to the regenerate is common in the New Testament (c.f. Lk. 17:3; 2 Cor. 7:10; 2 Cor.12:21; 2 Tim. 2:25; Rev. 2:5,16). The point is that a regenerate man can get into such a psychological and spiritual state that he is hardened; his perspective cannot be renewed and, as a result, he cannot confess his sin or repent. This is not a renewal to salvation from sin’s power. The renewal is a restoration to the state of mind that feels regret and sorrow for sin.
The salvation here and in 2 Cor. 7:10-11 is equivalent to sanctification, moral victory, and deliverance from sin’s power. It is a renewal that produces “earnestness, eagerness to clear yourself, alarm over sin and readiness to see justice done. Repentance here is not saving faith but confession of sin by the Christian. Repentance is not always the same as “saving faith” in the New Testament, but often means “change of mind.” The first time these people repented they changed their minds about sin, trusted God and were born again. It will be impossible to restore them once again to the state of mind where they are willing to change their minds about their present sins of hardness, unbelief and lethargy to apostasy.
The reason given for the impossibility of renewal to repentance is that they crucify the Son of God and subject Him to public shame. There were only two possible interpretations of the death of Christ. He was either crucified justly as a common criminal (the Jewish view), or He was crucified unjustly as the Son of God, an innocent man. When a Christian denies Christ, he is in effect saying that the Jewish view was correct. It is in this sense that the apostate holds Christ up to public shame. For the writer of Hebrews, at least, denial of Christ was a possibility for a true Christian, but loss of salvation was not. In other words, because they have arrived at a state of continuous and habitual sin, they continuously and habitually shame the name of Christ. The hardness associated with any continued state of sin makes repentance psychologically and spiritually impossible. Because of the hardness they are beyond persuasion by other Christian.
Question #3:
What the writer of Hebrews has before his mind is the failure of the largely regenerate exodus generation who failed to achieve their intended destiny, entrance into the inheritance rest of Canaan. When apostasy of the regenerate happens, they, like the wilderness generation, die in the wilderness and never enter into rest. God may draw the line and disinherit them like He did the exodus generation. They will not advance to maturity and share in the great salvation promised to those who by “faith and patience will inherit the promises” (Heb. 6:12). Since the analogy of the regenerate exodus generation is in his mind and since their failure was not forfeiture of heaven but forfeiture of their reward, there is no reason to assume the lapsed of Heb. 6:4-6 will forfeit more, and there is no reason to assume they are unregenerate.
Also, the exodus generation was not unregenerate but useless. They never accomplished the task of conquering Canaan in spite of the many blessings God poured upon them. Moses taught that obedience resulted in the temporal blessing and disobedience resulted in temporal cursing. If this is the meaning, the reference directs us back once again to the temporal curse which fell upon the exodus generation; hardship and physical death. That God sometimes brings this judgment on His regenerate people is taught elsewhere in Hebrews 12:5-11, and the sin unto physical death is taught throughout the New Testament.
The thorn-infested ground of Hebrews 6:7-8 reads: “Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But the land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in dander of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.”
The land refers to the individual regenerate man, the true Christian. The rain refers to the free bestowal of spiritual impulse, the enlightenment, the good word of God, the energetic indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which the Hebrews had received and which should have enabled them to bring forth fruit of God. The land drank these blessings. The difference is not in the drinking and not drinking but in the kinds of produce, which resulted from the drinking.
The word Greek work “pino” which is translated “drink” is commonly used elsewhere of saving faith such as in Jn. 4:13, 6:54 and 7:37-38. The same land may not produce a useful crop, but may also produce thorns. The writer does not believe that a life of perseverance is the necessary and inevitable result of regeneration. As demonstrated elsewhere, the inheritance-rest of Hebrews, indeed the inheritance in the New Testament, is always when conditioned on obedience, a reward in heaven and not heaven itself.
The Greek word “adokimos” is translated as “worthless”, “disqualified” or “useless.” The writer’s point is that as thorny ground he is useless to the farmer. The author is not trying to say that the production of thorns proves that man’s profession of faith was spurious. That Christians can lead useless lives and fail to finish their work is the central warning or the epistle. Paul use it of himself in 1 Cor. 9:27 when he said that his goal was that at the end of life he would not be found “disqualified” (adokimos) for the prize.” As discussed elsewhere, Paul dos not doubt that he might forfeit his salvation. He is burdened that he finish his course and hence receive the reward. Similarly, the believer who produces thorns in Heb. 6 is not subject to damnation, but his disobedient life will disqualify him at the judgment seat and will make him useless for the purposes of God now.
Burning is often used as a metaphor for purifying, but that intent is doubtful here. It is impossible to renew them to repentance, so the burning is divine judgment in time. But we are told elsewhere of a burning of the believer’s dead works at the judgment seat of Christ 91 Cor. 3:10-15), with negative as well as positive consequences which will accrue to believers at that time (2 Cor 5:10). So we are not without scriptural parallel if we interpret this passage from that perspective. The burning of the believer then would be a metonymy for the burning of the believer’s works. This would help explain the statement that “in the end” the works of the unfaithful believer (the produce of the field) will be “burned.” There is no reference to hell here but rather, to the burning up of the believer’s life work at the judgment seat of Christ.
Salvation in Hebrews 6:9-12 refers not to the final deliverance from hell, which is based upon faith alone, but to the future participation in the rule of man (Heb 1:14, 2:5) which is conditioned upon obedience (Heb. 5:9). The inheritance they will obtain refers not to heaven, which is theirs through faith alone, but to their reward in heaven, which only comes to those “who though faith and patience inherit what has been promised” (Heb.6:12). Since the “promise” in Hebrews usually refers to the millennium (e.g. 4:1; 6:13; 15; 7:6; 11:9,11,13,17; 12:26), to “inherit the promise” means to rule in the millennium and parallels the phrase “inherit the kingdom,” which does not mean merely entering the kingdom but to own it and rule there.
The Author’s Comments and Conclusion:
For many years the author has had the privilege of traveling and teaching the Bible in Russia and Eastern Europe. In nearly every Bible conference numerous questions are raised about the doctrine of eternal security. The fact that Hebrews 6 was being taught in such a way that removed it as a defense for conditional security caused them great distress. Why? It is quite common for church leader to use this passage as a kind of club with which they use a fear motivation in order to secure the kind of obedience the scripture requires. They had never been exposed to anyone who believed salvation could not be lost. At the end of three days of wonderful interaction, all of them but one had embraced the doctrines of grace.
An interesting thing happened, however, when they returned to their congregations and began to preach this. One of them was threatened with his job, and another was talked to sternly by the deacons of the church. People are often afraid of grace. There is a certain security in the system of Christian living bounded by numerous rule and traditions. Any teaching which upsets this security must be handled with extreme care and sensitivity.
In conclusion, there is no reference in Hebrews 6 to either a falling away from salvation or a perseverance in holiness. Rather, this is a warning to true believers concerning the possible loss of rewards at the judgment seat of Christ and temporal discipline in time. This passage is a dreadful warning to those with a hardened heart, but it is not a passage to apply to the persevering Christian who is “in the battle.”
I often attempt to keep Bible interpretations to their most simple forms, but occasionally with major subjects or difficult passages such as this, more detail is required. This interpretation involves significant analysis of the Greek words used in this passage and their uses elsewhere to confirm the proper understanding.
As I see it, there are three lines of thought that are helpful or even required to be developed and understood properly in order to interpret Hebrews 6.
1) Is the author of Hebrews referring to true believing Christians here, or are these people only giving the appearance of true faith without ever having saving grace in the first place?
2) What is the author saying of these people when he writes they have “fallen away” and it is impossible to “renew them unto repentance”?
3) What insights can we glean from the Jewish Exodus experience that the author of Hebrews alludes to frequently and the allegorical story of the thorn infested ground in Hebrews 6:7-8?
Question #1:
It appears that even before getting to Hebrews 6 the author is referring to his audience as true Christians. In Hebrews 5 these people are alluded to as being true Christians, but spiritually immature Christians who still needed “milk” and instructions, instead of mature Christians capable of taking “strong meat” who ought to be teachers able to discern good and evil. There are other references in the scriptures such as Gal. 4:3; I Cor. 2:6 and Eph. 4:13,14 where a similar metaphors contrast “babes” (nepious) with the mature (teleioi). The “babes” in these other scriptures are almost universally thought to be referring to immature but true Christians as opposed to non-Christians, and there is no reason to believe the reference in Hebrews 5 is any different.
It appears from the outset that Hebrews is referring to people who are true Christian and Hebrews 6:1-3 continues this thought with:
“Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.”
The word “Therefore” certainly connects the true Christians of the fifth chapter with the sixth chapter and these scriptures clearly indicate that what is to follow are more advanced teachings. However, there’s more evidence in Hebrews 6 itself that indicates these are true Christians in verses 4-6 that immediately follows. Hebrews 6:4-6 reads:
“[For] it is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace.”
One common interpretation of this is that the phrases “enlightened,” “tasted of the heavenly gift,” “become partakers,” and “tasted the good Word of God” do not necessarily refer to regenerate people, but the vast majority of scholars view them as genuine Christians. Lets look at each phrase in detail to determine why.
The Greek word “photisthentas” which is translated “enlightened” is common in the New Testament. Refer to John 1:9; John 9:39; Eph 1:18; Heb 10:29,32,35,38; 2 Cor. 4:4-7 and 1 Peter 2:9. In other words, in it’s only other use in Hebrews and many other locations in the New Testament, it is clearly used as conversion. Also, the word “once” and phrase “once and for all” enlightened in other scriptures indicates not just mental awareness or a mere first introduction, but a “final” enlightenment. Such language is only consistent with effectual calling.
The Greek word “dorea” is translated as “gift” and in every other usage of this word in the Bible it refers to the bestowal of some divine gift, spiritual and supernatural, given to man. Other occurrences are in Rom 5:15,17; Eph 3:7; Acts 2:38; Acts 10:44-46 and 2 Cor. 10:15.
The Greek word “geuomai” is translated “taste” and some have tried to argue that this means the gift was not really received; it was only sampled, not feasted upon. But the distinction between eating and tasting does not really exist in the Greek word “geuomai.” For example, we are told in Acts 10:10 “He became hungry and wanted something to (geuomai) eat and Acts 20:11 says “Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and (geuomai) ate. One author notes “There is no excuse for the attempt of Calvin and others, in the interest of their dogmatic bias, to make ‘taste of’ mean only ‘have an inkling of’ without any deep or real participation.” Therefore, to taste the heavenly gift is to experience regeneration, to taste salvation itself.
The Greek word “metochoi” is translated as “partakers.” It is used also in Hebrews 1:9, 2:4, 3:1,14, 10:29 and 12:8 and in each other use truly regenerate people are in mind. In view of the fact that they are partakers of the Holy Spirit and that in all other references to partakers true Christians are in view, there is no reason here not to assume that it means something like close partnership or true spiritual fellowship, which is possible only to the regenerate.
Also, it is difficult to view the believers of vv. 4-6 as unregenerate because they are being urged to go on to maturity, as unregenerate non-Christians cannot mature in Christ. Lastly, the writer assumes their regeneration. He never asks them to examine themselves to see if they are really Christians. If he doubted their salvation, he would certainly have placed this question before them.
Question #2:
It is difficult to know for sure whether some of the readers of Hebrews had already fallen away or are only in danger of falling away. In either case the writer wants to warn them that they are faced with the danger of “falling away.” The Greek word “parapipto” simply means to fall by the wayside. Its is used in all the New Testament only once here. In the papyri manuscripts it is sometimes translated “to wander astray.” Its most frequent translation is “to fall in one’s way, befall” and is sometimes rendered “to commit sin” with no specific reference at all.
However, in the LXX it seems to have the sense of religious apostasy. In the book of Ezekiel it often takes the sense of turning from God to idols. This meaning fits well with the theme of the Hebrews. These believers were considering a relapse into Judaism. Indeed, the whole book was written to demonstrate the superiority of Christianity to Judaism and hence to prevent precisely such a relapse. The context has been speaking of the need to grow from infancy to maturity. They have been exhorted to “go on to maturity.” It seems that the meaning of “fall away” here must include the opposite of “going on to maturity.” He is not speaking of falling away from salvation at all (or falling away from anything else for that matter). He is talking about wandering from the path leading to maturity, from that progression in the Christian life which will result in their ultimate entrance into rest, the achievement of their life work (Heb. 4:11). Nor is he speaking about falling away from a mere profession of faith. These people possessed true saving faith. They were regenerate.
For those who have “gone astray,” “it is impossible to renew them again to repentance.” But we must ask, impossible for whom? To say that it is impossible for God to change them is theologically and biblically unacceptable. “For nothing is impossible with God’(Lk. 1:37) except to lie or otherwise contradict His own holiness (Heb. 6:18). If it is not impossible for God to do this, then his meaning is that it is impossible for others to renew such a man. Evidently a person can became so hardened in unbelief that the encouragement and exhortation of his fellow Christians can no longer have any effect on him.
But what is the precise object of “renew”? It is “to repentance.” They had experienced repentance before and cannot be renewed again to it. The second repentance here is the repentance of Christians in confessing their sins, and thus it is similar in meaning to “confession.” The application of repentance (Greek metanoia) to the regenerate is common in the New Testament (c.f. Lk. 17:3; 2 Cor. 7:10; 2 Cor.12:21; 2 Tim. 2:25; Rev. 2:5,16). The point is that a regenerate man can get into such a psychological and spiritual state that he is hardened; his perspective cannot be renewed and, as a result, he cannot confess his sin or repent. This is not a renewal to salvation from sin’s power. The renewal is a restoration to the state of mind that feels regret and sorrow for sin.
The salvation here and in 2 Cor. 7:10-11 is equivalent to sanctification, moral victory, and deliverance from sin’s power. It is a renewal that produces “earnestness, eagerness to clear yourself, alarm over sin and readiness to see justice done. Repentance here is not saving faith but confession of sin by the Christian. Repentance is not always the same as “saving faith” in the New Testament, but often means “change of mind.” The first time these people repented they changed their minds about sin, trusted God and were born again. It will be impossible to restore them once again to the state of mind where they are willing to change their minds about their present sins of hardness, unbelief and lethargy to apostasy.
The reason given for the impossibility of renewal to repentance is that they crucify the Son of God and subject Him to public shame. There were only two possible interpretations of the death of Christ. He was either crucified justly as a common criminal (the Jewish view), or He was crucified unjustly as the Son of God, an innocent man. When a Christian denies Christ, he is in effect saying that the Jewish view was correct. It is in this sense that the apostate holds Christ up to public shame. For the writer of Hebrews, at least, denial of Christ was a possibility for a true Christian, but loss of salvation was not. In other words, because they have arrived at a state of continuous and habitual sin, they continuously and habitually shame the name of Christ. The hardness associated with any continued state of sin makes repentance psychologically and spiritually impossible. Because of the hardness they are beyond persuasion by other Christian.
Question #3:
What the writer of Hebrews has before his mind is the failure of the largely regenerate exodus generation who failed to achieve their intended destiny, entrance into the inheritance rest of Canaan. When apostasy of the regenerate happens, they, like the wilderness generation, die in the wilderness and never enter into rest. God may draw the line and disinherit them like He did the exodus generation. They will not advance to maturity and share in the great salvation promised to those who by “faith and patience will inherit the promises” (Heb. 6:12). Since the analogy of the regenerate exodus generation is in his mind and since their failure was not forfeiture of heaven but forfeiture of their reward, there is no reason to assume the lapsed of Heb. 6:4-6 will forfeit more, and there is no reason to assume they are unregenerate.
Also, the exodus generation was not unregenerate but useless. They never accomplished the task of conquering Canaan in spite of the many blessings God poured upon them. Moses taught that obedience resulted in the temporal blessing and disobedience resulted in temporal cursing. If this is the meaning, the reference directs us back once again to the temporal curse which fell upon the exodus generation; hardship and physical death. That God sometimes brings this judgment on His regenerate people is taught elsewhere in Hebrews 12:5-11, and the sin unto physical death is taught throughout the New Testament.
The thorn-infested ground of Hebrews 6:7-8 reads: “Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But the land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in dander of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.”
The land refers to the individual regenerate man, the true Christian. The rain refers to the free bestowal of spiritual impulse, the enlightenment, the good word of God, the energetic indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which the Hebrews had received and which should have enabled them to bring forth fruit of God. The land drank these blessings. The difference is not in the drinking and not drinking but in the kinds of produce, which resulted from the drinking.
The word Greek work “pino” which is translated “drink” is commonly used elsewhere of saving faith such as in Jn. 4:13, 6:54 and 7:37-38. The same land may not produce a useful crop, but may also produce thorns. The writer does not believe that a life of perseverance is the necessary and inevitable result of regeneration. As demonstrated elsewhere, the inheritance-rest of Hebrews, indeed the inheritance in the New Testament, is always when conditioned on obedience, a reward in heaven and not heaven itself.
The Greek word “adokimos” is translated as “worthless”, “disqualified” or “useless.” The writer’s point is that as thorny ground he is useless to the farmer. The author is not trying to say that the production of thorns proves that man’s profession of faith was spurious. That Christians can lead useless lives and fail to finish their work is the central warning or the epistle. Paul use it of himself in 1 Cor. 9:27 when he said that his goal was that at the end of life he would not be found “disqualified” (adokimos) for the prize.” As discussed elsewhere, Paul dos not doubt that he might forfeit his salvation. He is burdened that he finish his course and hence receive the reward. Similarly, the believer who produces thorns in Heb. 6 is not subject to damnation, but his disobedient life will disqualify him at the judgment seat and will make him useless for the purposes of God now.
Burning is often used as a metaphor for purifying, but that intent is doubtful here. It is impossible to renew them to repentance, so the burning is divine judgment in time. But we are told elsewhere of a burning of the believer’s dead works at the judgment seat of Christ 91 Cor. 3:10-15), with negative as well as positive consequences which will accrue to believers at that time (2 Cor 5:10). So we are not without scriptural parallel if we interpret this passage from that perspective. The burning of the believer then would be a metonymy for the burning of the believer’s works. This would help explain the statement that “in the end” the works of the unfaithful believer (the produce of the field) will be “burned.” There is no reference to hell here but rather, to the burning up of the believer’s life work at the judgment seat of Christ.
Salvation in Hebrews 6:9-12 refers not to the final deliverance from hell, which is based upon faith alone, but to the future participation in the rule of man (Heb 1:14, 2:5) which is conditioned upon obedience (Heb. 5:9). The inheritance they will obtain refers not to heaven, which is theirs through faith alone, but to their reward in heaven, which only comes to those “who though faith and patience inherit what has been promised” (Heb.6:12). Since the “promise” in Hebrews usually refers to the millennium (e.g. 4:1; 6:13; 15; 7:6; 11:9,11,13,17; 12:26), to “inherit the promise” means to rule in the millennium and parallels the phrase “inherit the kingdom,” which does not mean merely entering the kingdom but to own it and rule there.
The Author’s Comments and Conclusion:
For many years the author has had the privilege of traveling and teaching the Bible in Russia and Eastern Europe. In nearly every Bible conference numerous questions are raised about the doctrine of eternal security. The fact that Hebrews 6 was being taught in such a way that removed it as a defense for conditional security caused them great distress. Why? It is quite common for church leader to use this passage as a kind of club with which they use a fear motivation in order to secure the kind of obedience the scripture requires. They had never been exposed to anyone who believed salvation could not be lost. At the end of three days of wonderful interaction, all of them but one had embraced the doctrines of grace.
An interesting thing happened, however, when they returned to their congregations and began to preach this. One of them was threatened with his job, and another was talked to sternly by the deacons of the church. People are often afraid of grace. There is a certain security in the system of Christian living bounded by numerous rule and traditions. Any teaching which upsets this security must be handled with extreme care and sensitivity.
In conclusion, there is no reference in Hebrews 6 to either a falling away from salvation or a perseverance in holiness. Rather, this is a warning to true believers concerning the possible loss of rewards at the judgment seat of Christ and temporal discipline in time. This passage is a dreadful warning to those with a hardened heart, but it is not a passage to apply to the persevering Christian who is “in the battle.”