shnarkle
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- Nov 10, 2013
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This is a truly troubling passage for me to contemplate. This begins with presenting those who know the truth, and fall away. It seems that he is saying that is it impossible for someone like that to even have the ability to repent. It is impossible for them to be renewed as they were when they first believed. Without that regeneration of the Holy Spirit, repentance is impossible, and it would seem that the Holy Spirit doesn't take kindly to putting the Son of God to an open shame.
Now some may claim that this only refers to those who have rejected Christ, whatever that means; but doesn't refer to those who are simply struggling with sin. The problem with this is that no one struggles with sin that they are unaware of. This should be obvious. The only struggle would have to be with sin that we are aware of. Now we can be aware that we have sinned after the fact. For example, when someone backs there car into the street and hits someone accidently. Ramming someone intentionally and then thinking better of it isn't the same thing in that we were aware of the fact that it was wrong before carrying this sin out. We may regret it afterwards, but that is beside the point. The author of Hebrews speaks to this situation using almost the identical phraseology:
"26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 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?"
In case anyone is wondering what he's talking about, the Mosaic law divides sin into two basic categories; intentional and unintentional sin. Sacrifice was the remedy for unintentional sin, but sacrifice was never the remedy for intentional sin. Repentance and restitution are the remedy for intentional sin, and Jesus begins his gospel message with the cry to repent and make your paths straight. The problem with this is that no one can do this without first receiving the knowledge of the truth through the gift of the Holy Spirit, and no one can receive these gifts without first hearing the gospel message. Some may listen without actually hearing the gospel though.
There is a quite poignant true story of a preacher who had been preaching the gospel message to his church community for over 15 years and one sunny Sunday morning as he was once again preaching the gospel, he finally actually heard the gospel. He suddenly stopped preaching and as soon as he could regain his composure, he confessed to his flock that he had just heard the gospel and been saved. He then asked for his congregation to pray for him as well as to celebrate with him the joy of being given this gift. That was one incredible confession for someone who had been professing to be a saved born again believer for almost his entire life.
So what does this mean? It means that anyone can believe that they are saved even a preacher who has gone through seminary, studied theology, devoted his life to spreading the gospel message and endeavoring to conform his life to Christ's, and still be damned to hell until they are given the ears to hear the gospel. Conversely, those who actually have been saved, and then think to justify an attempt to manifest sin within the body of Christ are manifestly lost. There is no sin in Christ. Christ may be tempted, but there will be no sin found in Christ.
