We now continue with our examination of Heb 6:4-6 to determine to whom it applies. In our previous posts we took a look at the opening part of Verse 4, viz.
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened…”
Upon investigation we established two facts,
1) That only those who have been justified by faith, constituted righteous and holy in the sight of God could receive true enlightenment, (knowledge of the truth), and
2) it appears most certain from a further examination of the scriptures that these individuals were mature Christians, i.e. those of “full age”, (not necessarily in physical age but rather in spiritual age), thus they were not mere babes in Christ, but those who had grown to a certain degree in the graces and knowledge of our Lord Jesus and who had received full enlightenment, i.e. an ACCURATE and CORRECT understanding of the Word of God, not only knowledge of the “first principles of doctrine”, the milk of the word, but also having partaken of the meat of the word, a knowledge of the “deep things of God”, solid food.
Understand that when we refer to “full enlightenment” we are not speaking of the quantity of one’s understanding, no we are referring to the quality, the purity, the correctness of one’s understanding. No one Christian has all knowledge; a full understanding of every aspect of the truth, but each individual may according to his ability and study be acquainted with certain subjects which they have made a particularly point of study. This knowledge is then shared with the brethren and so it is that the whole body is joined and knitted together by that which every joint supplies… causing growth in the body for the edifying of itself in the love of our Lord, the truth and the brethren. (Eph 4:16)
With this in mind let us now return to our text under consideration.
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlighten and who have tasted the heavenly gift and who have become partakers of the Holy Spirit…”
What is this “heavenly gift” and who has tasted of it, and who are they who have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit?
The “heavenly gift” is THE GIFT OF LIFE, a gift of which none shall see unless first they accept (believe) in the sacrifice and subsequent justification, which comes only through the precious blood of Christ. (John 3:36; Acts13:39) But to have truly “tasted” of this gift implies more than merely having a superficial belief, a knowledge of Christ’s sacrifice, etc., no it implies much more than this, it implies that one has experienced through faith the blessed results of that sacrifice, the realization that ones sins have been forgiven, and that communion and fellowship with God has been restored, the atonement, or as we like to say, the at-one-ment.
The conditions mentioned in our texts above quoted are all more or less intertwined. That is to say, the one who has been made a partaker of the heavenly gift of justification is sanctified (set apart), begotten of the Holy Spirit; for only in that way can he receive God's evidence respecting his justification.
No one will ever be justified by merely believing that Jesus lived or that Jesus died either in this age or the age to come. At present during the Gospel age the only way in which one can come to the point of true justification (a full reckoned justification) is to have the merit of Christ imputed to himself.
How is this accomplished?
At present there is but one way in which this may be accomplished, and that is to enter upon the “narrow way” or the way of sacrifice. In the next age conditions will be different, a different way will be opened, instead of the narrow way a highway will be opened, viz.
“And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but is shall be for [the redeemed]: the wayfaring men, yea fools, shall not err [therein]. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up thereon; they shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk [there]: and the ransomed of Jehovah shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Isa 35: 8-10)
However at present during this Gospel age anyone having done all in his power—1) having turned from sin, 2) having believed in Jesus as the Redeemer, and 3) having presented his body a living sacrifice, i.e. taking up his cross and following in the foot steps of Jesus (Matt 16:24; Rom 12:1)--will receive the imputation of Jesus' merit in order to make up his shortcomings, to cover his blemishes, in order that the Heavenly Father may be able to accept the sacrifice: for no imperfect thing can be placed upon the altar of the Lord.
It requires the merit of Christ to make good what is lacking in the one who presents himself in sacrifice; and ONLY those who thus believe AND present their bodies in sacrifice are the recipients of Christ's merit by imputation; and ONLY such are BEGOTTEN OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. God's arrangement is that no one can be justified unless he has first made a full consecration of himself (a full surrender of ones will, i.e. denying ones self), this after having first professed faith and turned from sin.
Christ would not impute His merit to any except such as make this full consecration; and the Father would not accept by begetting with the Holy Spirit any others than those who have done so.
Thus it should be apparent that THOSE who have tasted of the heavenly gift, the gift of justification and life, and who have subsequently received the evidence of this justification through the begetting of the Holy Spirit could only be THOSE true followers who have been joined to the body, the body of Christ, the true Church, having no will (mind) of there own, but rather that of their Lord’s (1 Cor 2:16; Phil 2:5).
This not only excludes the heathen and or the non-believer from the equation, but likewise the mere professing Christian, the unconsecrated as well.
We will continue once again with our next post.
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened…”
Upon investigation we established two facts,
1) That only those who have been justified by faith, constituted righteous and holy in the sight of God could receive true enlightenment, (knowledge of the truth), and
2) it appears most certain from a further examination of the scriptures that these individuals were mature Christians, i.e. those of “full age”, (not necessarily in physical age but rather in spiritual age), thus they were not mere babes in Christ, but those who had grown to a certain degree in the graces and knowledge of our Lord Jesus and who had received full enlightenment, i.e. an ACCURATE and CORRECT understanding of the Word of God, not only knowledge of the “first principles of doctrine”, the milk of the word, but also having partaken of the meat of the word, a knowledge of the “deep things of God”, solid food.
Understand that when we refer to “full enlightenment” we are not speaking of the quantity of one’s understanding, no we are referring to the quality, the purity, the correctness of one’s understanding. No one Christian has all knowledge; a full understanding of every aspect of the truth, but each individual may according to his ability and study be acquainted with certain subjects which they have made a particularly point of study. This knowledge is then shared with the brethren and so it is that the whole body is joined and knitted together by that which every joint supplies… causing growth in the body for the edifying of itself in the love of our Lord, the truth and the brethren. (Eph 4:16)
With this in mind let us now return to our text under consideration.
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlighten and who have tasted the heavenly gift and who have become partakers of the Holy Spirit…”
What is this “heavenly gift” and who has tasted of it, and who are they who have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit?
The “heavenly gift” is THE GIFT OF LIFE, a gift of which none shall see unless first they accept (believe) in the sacrifice and subsequent justification, which comes only through the precious blood of Christ. (John 3:36; Acts13:39) But to have truly “tasted” of this gift implies more than merely having a superficial belief, a knowledge of Christ’s sacrifice, etc., no it implies much more than this, it implies that one has experienced through faith the blessed results of that sacrifice, the realization that ones sins have been forgiven, and that communion and fellowship with God has been restored, the atonement, or as we like to say, the at-one-ment.
The conditions mentioned in our texts above quoted are all more or less intertwined. That is to say, the one who has been made a partaker of the heavenly gift of justification is sanctified (set apart), begotten of the Holy Spirit; for only in that way can he receive God's evidence respecting his justification.
No one will ever be justified by merely believing that Jesus lived or that Jesus died either in this age or the age to come. At present during the Gospel age the only way in which one can come to the point of true justification (a full reckoned justification) is to have the merit of Christ imputed to himself.
How is this accomplished?
At present there is but one way in which this may be accomplished, and that is to enter upon the “narrow way” or the way of sacrifice. In the next age conditions will be different, a different way will be opened, instead of the narrow way a highway will be opened, viz.
“And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but is shall be for [the redeemed]: the wayfaring men, yea fools, shall not err [therein]. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up thereon; they shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk [there]: and the ransomed of Jehovah shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Isa 35: 8-10)
However at present during this Gospel age anyone having done all in his power—1) having turned from sin, 2) having believed in Jesus as the Redeemer, and 3) having presented his body a living sacrifice, i.e. taking up his cross and following in the foot steps of Jesus (Matt 16:24; Rom 12:1)--will receive the imputation of Jesus' merit in order to make up his shortcomings, to cover his blemishes, in order that the Heavenly Father may be able to accept the sacrifice: for no imperfect thing can be placed upon the altar of the Lord.
It requires the merit of Christ to make good what is lacking in the one who presents himself in sacrifice; and ONLY those who thus believe AND present their bodies in sacrifice are the recipients of Christ's merit by imputation; and ONLY such are BEGOTTEN OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. God's arrangement is that no one can be justified unless he has first made a full consecration of himself (a full surrender of ones will, i.e. denying ones self), this after having first professed faith and turned from sin.
Christ would not impute His merit to any except such as make this full consecration; and the Father would not accept by begetting with the Holy Spirit any others than those who have done so.
Thus it should be apparent that THOSE who have tasted of the heavenly gift, the gift of justification and life, and who have subsequently received the evidence of this justification through the begetting of the Holy Spirit could only be THOSE true followers who have been joined to the body, the body of Christ, the true Church, having no will (mind) of there own, but rather that of their Lord’s (1 Cor 2:16; Phil 2:5).
This not only excludes the heathen and or the non-believer from the equation, but likewise the mere professing Christian, the unconsecrated as well.
We will continue once again with our next post.
