Introduction:

On June 27, 2009 at 5:30 am in Shanghai, China at the Lotus Riverside Plaza a 13-story residential apartment complex fell over landing almost completely intact and just missing a neighboring building. It was one of the worst building disasters in the world in fact it was rated as one of the top ten. Contractors were in the process of digging an underground garage around the foundation when it began to rain heavily. The building started to lean, and then it leaned some more, and then the concrete pilings broke. It was found that the concrete pilings were hollow and snapped like a stick. There was no steel rebar in the hollow concrete pilings. The contractor saved money by not purchasing any steel rebar and pouring hollow pilings but it cost the building and lives. We all can understand that a strong foundation is extremely important! Once that is establish it is time to progress and build upon the strong foundation.

Every building must have a foundation, but only one foundation is needed. Lay it once, and then get on with the building. In the same way, salvation can have only one foundation. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 3:11) The Hebrew people in ques¬tion were laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works (6:1 b). They were trying to lay again the foundation of their spiritual life with good works that are really dead works. — Not of works, lest any man should boast. — Eph. 2:8, 9

The writer of Hebrews was concerned about these believers being tempted to leave behind the sufficiency of Christ and fall back into old, ineffectual ways of living. Those who are ready for the solid food of doc¬trine are those who have done their spiritual workouts, who by steady practice have learned what is good and bad. They must move on. Hebrews 6:1-6 is a difficult passage to interpret, and that is why there is much confusion and disagreement about it. However, to properly understand it, we must carefully look at the context, the confusion, and the clarification…

I. The Context (6:1-3)
A. To properly interpret this passage, we must keep it in its biblical context. The context was that these folks were not maturing in their faith they were babes and not ready for the meat.
In the first grade, we learned the ABC’s so we can move on to read words, sentences, and finally books. The basics enable us to go on to better things. This passage is basically saying, “Let’s move on from the ABC’s of the faith.” The writer is warning his readers against refusing to progress in the Christian life. We cannot stand still; therefore, if we are not pro¬gressing, we are regressing. What are the basics, of the Christian faith? We find two of them in verse one:

1.Repentance from dead works (6:1 b). The Jews to whom this book was originally written were trying to obtain salvation and then retain it through the works of the Law, or working their way to heaven. However, good works that are done to get us to heaven are dead works because they don’t produce spiritual life. Good works are the evidence of it. Repentance here refers to a conscious turning away from believing that works can produce salvation.

2. Faith toward God (6:1 c). Repentance is part of salvation, but it is not enough. Salvation must include faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21). Repentance must be joined with faith in what Jesus did for us on the cross. Look with me at Romans 10:9 & 10…
The author of Hebrews then gave a list of what these elementary doc¬trines were. He prefaced his listing by stressing that they were indeed the basis on which the whole structure of the Christian faith was built but that nevertheless it was not accept¬able to make no further progress in understanding.

3. The six foundational doctrines listed consist of three pairs of related ideas. None of these doctrines would have been foreign to Jewish readers. As Bruce noted in his commentary, “practically every item could have its place in a fairly orthodox Jewish community.” Of course, these ideas take on a whole different dimen¬sion when understood in the context of Christ, who is the fulfillment of all Old Testament truths. The people would grow spiritually as they learned more about the transforming nature of Christ’s work.

4. The original Jewish believers did not need further baptisms (6:2a). This doesn’t refer to Chris¬tian baptism but to Jewish ceremonial washings (Mk 7:4 & Heb. 9:10). The laying on of hands (6:2b) was part of the Jewish sacrificial ritual and referred to laying hands on an animal before it was sacrificed (Lev. 1:4 & 3:2). It also refers to setting someone apart for special service (Num. 27:18, 23). The Old Testament also taught about the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment (6:2c-d). (Daniel 12:2) The concern in Hebrews is not so much the external rituals that are re¬ferred to but rather the spiritual truths to which they point. The cleansing power of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit are important foundational truths.

The author writes we will move beyond these things to maturity if God permit (6:3). Christians must move beyond the basics to an understand¬ing of deeper spiritual truths. This gives us the context, which is to move beyond elementary truths. Now, we need to look at …

II The Confusion (6:4-6)
1. Some believe this phrase means bona-fide Christians can lose their salva¬tion. This view holds that God supplies the grace to those who are initially saved, but the perseverance of salvation depends on good works. There¬fore, any Christian is capable of being lost again. Others believe the people addressed in here were not true be¬lievers. However, they were once enlightened (6:4a). The word translated enlightened (photizo, fo-tiz’-oh) refers to the illumina¬tion, of true believers. It is the same Greek verb used in Hebrews 10:32.

2. Being enlightened, or illuminated, obviously indicates an experience of true salvation. But there is more. Such people have also tasted of the heavenly gift (6:4c). To claim these people have tasted but did not eat is a very weak argument. For example, what does the last phrase of Hebrews 2:9 that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
On the cross, Jesus Christ surely did not simply sample death! He fully experienced it.

3. These Hebrews had been enlightened by the Word of God. They were also partakers of the Holy Ghost (6:4d). As partakers they were indwell with the Holy Spirit. The work for partner in the Greek is “me’-to-khos” meaning sharing in, partaking. Note the same Greek word is used in Hebrews 3;1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

But most importantly it is impossible … to renew them again unto repentance (6:4a & 6). You can’t renew something you never had in the first place. In light of these facts, I believe these would have to be true believers.

4. Well, then what does this passage mean? The first verse in this chapter gives us the key to understanding the entire passage. The people in ques¬tion were laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works (6:1 b). They were trying to lay again the foundation of their spiritual life with good works that are really dead works. Therefore, the writer of Hebrews exhorts, “let us move on to perfection, or ma¬turity (6:1). If we can’t be saved again, what do believers do when we sin and fall away from the Lord? The answer is in Hebrews 6:4-6.

5. The key to this passage is understanding what the phrase fall away means. The Greek word for “apostasy” (apostasia, uh-pos-tuh-see’-uh) means to revolt, defect, or permanently forsake the faith. This is not the verb used here. The verb translated fall away (parapipto, par-uh-pip’-toe) literally means “to fall alongside” (para, “aside”; pipto, “to fall”). It is to stray from the right path and fall down in the Christian life. The steps of a good man, or saved person, are ordered by the LORD and the Lord delights in his way (Psa. 37:23). Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth [him with] his hand.

Regarding such people, it is impossible … if they fall away [parapipto], to renew them again unto repentance (6:4a, 6a). What does that mean? If the original readers don’t mature in their faith but return to Judaism, and then later change their minds again, wanting to return to their Christian faith, what would they do? Understanding the context and the confusion, we can now move on to …

III The Clarification
1. To understand Hebrews 6:4-6 requires knowing the difference between repentance and confession. Repentance is used synonymously with salva¬tion, or conversion, in the New Testament. For example, God doesn’t want anyone to perish (2 Pet. 3:9c). Instead, what does He want (3:9d)? The writer of Hebrews is explaining that when we fall in our Christian life, it is impossible for us to be renewed through another conversion experi¬ence. That would require crucifying the Son of God afresh, subjecting Him to public shame (6:6).

2. To help clear this up, answer this question, “When you were saved, where did you go for your salvation?” You went to Calvary-to the cross ¬right? The cross is the only place a lost person can go for forgiveness. However, after being saved, when we sin, we go confidently to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy (4:16).

There are some teachers and brothers in Christ who would teach us that it proves you can lose your salvation. They have got some real problems. Because if that teaches you can lose it, it also teaches you can’t get it back again because it says, “If you fall away, it is impossible to renew you to repentance.”

3. Here is the key: Christians don’t repent, we confess. We repent one time at the cross; we continually confess our sins in the throne room. When we stumble, or fall away, if we confess our sins, because God is faithful and just, He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 Jn 1:9). It is impossible for a Christian seeking forgiveness to be saved again; it would make a mockery of Christ’s once-for-all atoning death.

His sacrifi¬cial death is sufficient to handle all our sins-past, present, and future ¬because salvation is the gift of God (Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8).

IV The Confidence

1. The Bible is absolutely clear about eternal security. John chapter 10 comes to mind, and verse 27. “My sheep hear My voice. I know them. They follow Me. I give unto them eternal life. They shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, who gave them to Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.” Now you try to get anybody out of

2. Romans chapter 8, — “What shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall Tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword?” Verse 37, “Nay.” Verse 38, “I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creation, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

3. First Peter 3…1 Peter 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a living hope to an inheritance, uncorrupt…incorruptible, undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God.”