Many believers are confused over the meaning of Hebrews 6. The main problem being that many consider this passage to teach that a believer can loose his salvation. Right from the start I want it to be understood that it is impossible for a real believer to fall from grace. Those that hold to the idea that Hebrews 6 says a believer can loose his/her salvation come to this conclusion based on an incorrect interpretation of this verse:
"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, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 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 sham" Hebrews 6:4-6
The real issue in this verse is to determine the answers to several critical questions first who said this and to whom was it written? Second what was the real issue behind this statement and along with that did it have anything to do with salvation in the first place? Why was this verse worded in this fashion? Lastly, what was the backdrop behind this verse? I want to take up these questions in reverse order. So, first lets look at the first two verses of Hebrews 1
"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;" chapter 1
The book of Hebrews was addressed to those Hebrews living sometime prior to 70 A.D. How do we know this, mainly because the writer makes reference (in chapter 9) to temple sacrifices and these ceased in 70 AD with the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. We have just discovered something that should have been obvious. The author of the book of Hebrews was concerned with the spiritual maturity of Hebrew believers of the first century. So the first thing the author of Hebrews does is remind them of who they were and who those men were who communicated truth to them in past times and that God was now communicating to them by Jesus Christ. He tells these Hebrew believers to remember who was the most recent Prophet (Yes Jesus was and is a Prophet and much more then just a Prophet) and who this person was, namely the "heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;" He felt it necessary to remind Hebrew Christians to place their faith in the Authority of God's Word. This is a very important issue, because there were Hebrew Christians of the first century that were telling Jewish believers (Gentiles as well, remember they had no relation to the law of Moses) to remain under the old covenant consisting of the ceremonial law, offerings and sacrifice given at the temple in Jerusalem. What has been said in these two verses is that The Lord Jesus Christ is the one with all authority and not these who would again put them back under the old testament ceremonial law. Further the writer of this book took it one more step:
"Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: Hebrews 1:3"
The reason why Jesus Christ authority carried such great weight was because of Who He is and what he did. Jesus made an end to sin when He died on the cross and justified the believer forever when he rose from the dead. Now that He is ascended into heaven He is in a place to mediate between God and man. The law of Moses was powerless to mediate between man and God, because it needed a mediator (priest) itself. His one sacrifice forever purged Hebrews and gentile's from sin's condemnation. Any further need of temple sacrifice's were gone. In fact this whole chapter is taken up with the Glories of the Savior. Going at great extremes to prove that the Hebrew people now had something greater then the old Testament ceremonial law. They had the one who himself had made the old testament covenant with Israel.
In this chapter the author focus the attention on what had taken place so recently to the time in which this letter to the Hebrews was written. The events that surrounded the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Christ at that point was and is the most critical event of history. The Gospel is indeed the most pivotal event of history. For this reason it is more important then all of the law of Moses including the sacrifices and moral law. If the old testament was as important to God's plan and it spoke of Christ then certainly those Hebrews living at that time should listen to what those who had witnessed the resurrection had to say.
"Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?" Hebrews 2:1-3
The main point of these three verses is that the message of the apostles and disciples who witnessed the resurrection and the details surrounding it "signs and wonders", were a witness from God to the validity of the gospel message to the Hebrews. I have quoted the whole of these three verses, but you should read the whole of Hebrews 2. The main point that is being made in this chapter is how much superior that the sacrifice and resurrection of our Lord was to the old testament ordinances and commandments, these words sum up the main message of this chapter, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation;" The writer of the book of Hebrews, must have been a Hebrew, because he writes to Hebrews and then includes himself. He was concerned about how Hebrew Christians were growing in faith, that is why he writes about the believers great salvation. Though this book was written to Hebrews about Hebrew relationship to Christ, it is also certain that we do have a great salvation and should not neglect it.
The next chapter adds the element of who that Hebrew Christians should owe their allegiance. The first apostle was Christ himself the recipients of this letter were urged to consider how faithful Christ was to God the Father in the same respect that Moses was to the old covenant.
"Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.Hebrews 3"
Christ was better then Moses, because it was by Moses that the Law (Ceremonial law) came and the builder he says has more honor then the house itself. Jesus built the house in the old testament through Moses and now at the point of view of those receiving this book Jesus should be considered greater then Moses. If you take time to look in this chapter the author is saying that those who really were not believers in the old covenant, by how they act were not really faithful in the first place. This is summed up in the last verse of this chapter "So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief." The real reason that they did not enter into the Mosaic Covenant was because they were in a state of unbelief in the first place. They did not enter into the New Covenant for the same reason, that being they had no faith in Him that built the house in the first place. The point is made that the builder has more honor then the building. The final point is that it is impossible to enter into a relationship with Christ apart from faith. There were many in those days who had a complete lack of faith in God and a lack of faith in the God of the covenant meant unbelief.
In the next chapter the author speaks of a rest that could come to the Hebrew believers by entering into the New Covenant by faith in the builder of the house of faith. A promise of rest (grace) is given to those who enter into this relationship with Christ.
"Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world." Hebrews 4
The main subject of chapter 4 considers the Hebrew believers not entering into the rest (faith) that was provided by Christ. This was evidenced by Hebrews who claimed to have believed continuing in the the ceremonial law of the old testament. Christ was providing and has provided a salvation that is better then that which the old testament provided.