Impossible

Hebrews 6:4-6 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 shame.

What part of impossible do we not understand here? I have had many conversations with believers over this very text and the majority of my contemporaries express this one single fear, “I might fail.” They say it in different ways, they express it in deeds more than words. Those deeds were in every one of them that feared was to NOT TASTE of the heavenly gifts.

If they read it the way I read it, it becomes less fearing and takes a deeper understanding.

“For it is impossible… … … to fall away.”

There is a real fear of apostasy, I will not deny that. It marks the era of revelation of that man of perdition, the Anti-Christ. This too must happen to usher in the end of days. We just don’t want it to happen to us. That is a fair statement but why do we allow fear to prevent us from tasting of the divine gifts?

The thing which is impossible in Hebrews 6 is crucifying Christ afresh. Christ died once for all and then it was finished. Finished is finished and nothing more can be done.

Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Since it is God who wills and works in you, and not you yourselves, what do you have to fear?

On your next communion take the cup of the new covenant and taste it.