5 Marks of a Mature Christian: The Importance of Hebrews 6

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, (Hebrews 6:4)

The logic being presented in these first few verses of Hebrews 6 is that a person cannot be born again, again, or multiple times.

In other words, we don’t lose our salvation every time we sin and therefore have to become born again, again. See my notes at Hebrews 9:12; 10:10, and 14. So, quit preaching how to be saved to those who are already saved. Go on to other things that will bring them to maturity in the Lord. Many denominations in the modern church need to get this point.

The next few verses have been the source of much controversy over the centuries. Some interpret these verses to prove that Christians can lose their salvation. Others say this is “hypothetical.” That is to say, they believe this is showing—by presenting how impossible it would be to get Christians born again, again—that they cannot lose their salvation.

I believe these verses are saying Christians can renounce (not lose) their salvation. Five qualifications are given, though, that must be met before Christians can choose to become reprobate. Hebrews 6:6 states very clearly that if this happens, they can never be renewed unto faith in the Lord again.

This is certainly not a proof text for the doctrine that every time we sin, we lose our salvation and become “backslid” and have to confess that sin and be born again, again. Some wrongly teach that if we die before we confess and “come back” to the Lord, we would go to hell, even though we were once saved. That is a terrible doctrine that destroys people’s faith. See my note at Hebrews 6:5.

And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, (Hebrews 6:5)

In Hebrews 6:4–5, five things are listed that people have to do before they can be capable of “falling away” (Heb. 6:6).

1. They have to have been enlightened. This is speaking of having the Holy Spirit reveal Jesus to them. This is similar to what Jesus said in John 6:44 and 65, which says, No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day ... And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

2. They have to have tasted of the heavenly gift. I believe this is speaking of the gift of salvation (Eph. 2:8). In other words, lost people cannot “fall away” from what they have never had. There has to have been supernatural conversion, not just religious exercise.

3. They have to have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost (Spirit). This is speaking about receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. People who haven’t received the Holy Spirit cannot “fall away” (Heb. 6:6).

4. They have to have tasted the good Word of God. I believe this is speaking about how there has to have been revelation knowledge of God’s Word. This is more than just knowing some facts about God’s Word; it is describing those who have had God supernaturally reveal truth to them from His Word.

5. “The powers of the world to come” is speaking about the gifts of the Holy Spirit and supernatural power (1 Cor. 12:5–11). This is speaking of those who have operated in the gifts of the Holy Spirit and seen the power of God manifest through them.

These five qualifications are basically describing mature Christians, which is what the author had exhorted the original readers to become (Heb. 5:11–13). The writer was saying that immature Christians cannot reject their salvation.

It’s like minors in our society who would want to renounce their families. When they are children, they would not have any such desire imputed unto them. Many children have been upset and said they wish they were not their parents’ children, that they belonged to someone else. But the law wouldn’t uphold such a wish, because they aren’t old enough to know what they are saying. But if they are grown and want to change their names and separate from their biological families, the law would back them up. It all depends on their level of maturity.

Likewise, these verses are saying that immature Christians will not be held accountable for blasphemy against God. Indeed, the Apostle Paul said he was forgiven of his blasphemy because he did it ignorantly in unbelief (1 Tim. 1:13).

Therefore, don’t let any immature Christians who got discouraged and said something foolish think they are reprobate because they rejected God. If they weren’t mature, as defined in these verses, they weren’t held accountable for their actions.

Those whom God considers mature and are held responsible for renouncing their faith become reprobate. According to Romans 1:28–32, they know what they have done, don’t care, and don’t want anything to do with God (Rom. 1:28). Those who are sorry for their rejection of the Lord are not reprobate and, therefore, not held accountable, as Paul spoke of in 1 Timothy 1:13.

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 (Hebrews 6:6).

This isn’t speaking of someone sinning or failing God in some area. This is speaking of becoming an apostate. That is the meaning of parapipto, the Greek word that was translated “fall away” here. This same thing is described in Hebrews 10:29 (see the note at that verse), which says, Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

This verse is clearly saying that once people willfully reject the Lord and have enough maturity to know what they are doing, as described in Hebrews 6:4–5, it’s impossible for them to be saved again. There is no more sacrifice for their sins. Jesus dealt with their sins once. If they reject that, He will not die for their sins again.

Instead of these verses teaching a loss of salvation every time we sin and that we have to repent and get back into the grace of God, they are proclaiming just the opposite. If people do renounce their salvation, they can never recover from that.

If it were true that after we are born again, we lose our salvation when we sin and are “backslid” and in a damned state until we repent and get back into salvation, then the best thing to do would be to kill all new converts as soon as they were saved. That would be the only way they could ever retain their salvation. That is a foolish religious doctrine. See my notes at Hebrews 6:4–5.