Hebrews 6:1-12
Therefore let us leave the elementary
doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of
repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the
laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits. 4 For 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, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word
of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and 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. 7 For 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. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it
is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.
9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your
case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook
your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints,
as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the
same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but
imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
What kind of land are you? What kind of soil does the Word of God fall
upon? Wait a minute that is a different
text. Here it should be: How can you
restore someone who has rejected faith?
When the believer falls away from grace, what do you do with them?
I know that there are a lot of people
out there that grew up in the Church and have not entered a Church building (of
any kind) in several Years. These people
have allowed briers and thorns to grow up around them and lead them away from
the Word of God (and its gifts).
These people may (even to push the
illustration) become rocky soil, which can start back to worship (or faith) but
it will not last. Hebrews chapter 6
states that it is impossible to know the Love of God, then fall away, and be
restored to repentance. So what do we
do?
I say we just give up on them because
it is so much easier!? Well maybe not,
shouldn’t we still proclaim, “Repent and Believe” the Kingdom of Heaven is at
hand. The Kingdom is ready and waiting
for them to return. The Kingdom welcomes
all repentant sinners, “Repent and Believe” in Jesus Christ who has died for
the forgiveness of your sins.
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