83 A warning against religious self-deception

 

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A warning against religious self-deception

Question: When we read in Hebrews 6:4-6 about people who, having been enlightened, have tasted the heavenly gift and partaked of the Holy Spirit, drop out and therefore cannot possibly be brought back to repentance, the question is, are these born-again believers ceasing to be believers—or are they entirely different categories of religious people?

Answer:

It is certainly the latter.  Hebrews 6:1-12 speaks in its context of 2 kinds of people with 2 different experiences.

One kind will not see its test in the face of eternity, while it is quite different with the other category of people of whom we read: "But even though we also speak thus, we are convinced that with you, you loved, things are better off and that you share in salvation." v.9 (implied: in this salvation, the "apostates" had no part and never had it).

What is the difference?

Yes, the epistle was written for Hebrews (Jews) and lists a number of Old Testament teachings (vvvians 1-5) with which a God-fearing Jew was familiar.

Whenall the teachings of God's Word point to Christ, these teachings are called the "child doctrine of Christ," i.e., in the Jewish Old Testament sense. 

To be "enlightened" by the Holy Spirit was tantamount to having both "tasted" the Word of God and thus partaked of the Holy Spirit (the noticeable influence of the Holy Spirit), but that is not the same as having been reborn and saved!

If, nevertheless, such enlightened people do not accept our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the fulfillment of all the "child-teaching" of the God-fearing Jew, God has nothing more to offer.

Ifso, what would it be?  If the Calvary work is rejected, there is no alternative "work" or any other "conversion" to resort to.  The gospel itself has thus been rejected.

Those words of seriousness also have a message for religious people today.  We frankly shudder when we think of all the religious people we have known over the years — be they Sunday School teachers, church leaders, even preachers — who, while they had been noticeably (emotionally) with God's Word, could also preach it to some extent, were not saved and could never speak of salvation as a self-experienced experience.  Yes, they often dismiss with disdain such speech as "sentimental" and "emotional!  They abound in Christian contexts!

They are what Paul says, fully carnal, they live completely in their flesh, do not own the life of the Holy Spirit, one of their characteristics is, among other things. They will always discuss tossing and turning everyone else's life and words but their own lives are perfect in their opinions, they blame both the pastor, the churches and all other Christians for things are as they are in many places.

When someone says something to them, they are the first to defend themselves. They have already died once, away from life u god's Spirit. Nor do they bear the fruit of the Spirit in their lives.

They usually always question everyone else's Christianity, they all suspect of not being what they themselves call such richly saved stc.

It is more encouraging, however, to read about those who are truly saved.  "We are convinced that with you, you loved, things are better off and that you share in salvation!"  v. 9.  These are converted, reborn people who share in what Hebr.br. in chap. 2:3 calls "such a great salvation" and bears the fruits of repentance.  Thank God, these too will be among us until the coming of the Lord.

But the entire passage in Hebrews 6:1-12 is a coherent voice of warning against religious self-deception.  The word here distinguishes between religious and saved people.  Unfortunately, today this voice of warning is rarely heard — or perhaps never — in many churches and congregations.

Amen

A warning against religious self-deception

Question: When we read in Hebrews 6:4-6 about people who, having been enlightened, have tasted the heavenly gift and partaked of the Holy Spirit, drop out and therefore cannot possibly be brought back to repentance, the question is, are these born-again believers ceasing to be believers—or are they entirely different categories of religious people?

Answer:

It is certainly the latter.  Hebrews 6:1-12 speaks in its context of 2 kinds of people with 2 different experiences.

One kind will not see its test in the face of eternity, while it is quite different with the other category of people of whom we read: "But even though we also speak thus, we are convinced that with you, you loved, things are better off and that you share in salvation." v.9 (implied: in this salvation, the "apostates" had no part and never had it).

What is the difference?

Yes, the epistle was written for Hebrews (Jews) and lists a number of Old Testament teachings (vvvians 1-5) with which a God-fearing Jew was familiar.

Whenall the teachings of God's Word point to Christ, these teachings are called the "child doctrine of Christ," i.e., in the Jewish Old Testament sense. 

To be "enlightened" by the Holy Spirit was tantamount to having both "tasted" the Word of God and thus partaked of the Holy Spirit (the noticeable influence of the Holy Spirit), but that is not the same as having been reborn and saved!

If, nevertheless, such enlightened people do not accept our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the fulfillment of all the "child-teaching" of the God-fearing Jew, God has nothing more to offer.

Ifso, what would it be?  If the Calvary work is rejected, there is no alternative "work" or any other "conversion" to resort to.  The gospel itself has thus been rejected.

Those words of seriousness also have a message for religious people today.  We frankly shudder when we think of all the religious people we have known over the years — be they Sunday School teachers, church leaders, even preachers — who, while they had been noticeably (emotionally) with God's Word, could also preach it to some extent, were not saved and could never speak of salvation as a self-experienced experience.  Yes, they often dismiss with disdain such speech as "sentimental" and "emotional!  They abound in Christian contexts!

They are what Paul says, fully carnal, they live completely in their flesh, do not own the life of the Holy Spirit, one of their characteristics is, among other things. They will always discuss tossing and turning everyone else's life and words but their own lives are perfect in their opinions, they blame both the pastor, the churches and all other Christians for things are as they are in many places.

When someone says something to them, they are the first to defend themselves. They have already died once, away from life u god's Spirit. Nor do they bear the fruit of the Spirit in their lives.

They usually always question everyone else's Christianity, they all suspect of not being what they themselves call such richly saved stc.

It is more encouraging, however, to read about those who are truly saved.  "We are convinced that with you, you loved, things are better off and that you share in salvation!"  v. 9.  These are converted, reborn people who share in what Hebr.br. in chap. 2:3 calls "such a great salvation" and bears the fruits of repentance.  Thank God, these too will be among us until the coming of the Lord.

But the entire passage in Hebrews 6:1-12 is a coherent voice of warning against religious self-deception.  The word here distinguishes between religious and saved people.  Unfortunately, today this voice of warning is rarely heard — or perhaps never — in many churches and congregations.

Amen