New Hope

I've always had a difficult time with verse like, Hebrews 6, especially:

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. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. (Heb 6:4-8)

Does this mean I can fall away and be lost forever from the presence of God? If you are thinking this, I hope that what I am about to tell you will give you peace and hope.

In this message, I am not trying to prove or disprove what some call "Fall Away Doctrine", but for this message I am going to assume it is true, but do not panic if you think that you may be one of theses lost souls. Let us look at a few other verse related to the ones in Hebrews 6:

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (Rom 1:28-32)

These verses describe one that has fallen away. A reprobate mind would reject all that is of God and would never seek Him out to know their status with Him. They would not care for they are "haters of God". So just by the fact that you are seeking answers to your status with God, indicates that there is still a seed of faith left in you and you have acted on it! This is the relationship between faith and works that James was talking about in James 2.

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (Jas 2:14-26)

If you have done some of the things mentioned in Romans 1:28-32 such as "unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful", do not despair these are NOT unforgivable sins. You can still repent of these sins.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

A person with a reprobate mind can not repent of these sins because he does not believe that they are sins, in fact, Romans 1:32 says he/she has "pleasure in them that do them." So if, you still see these as sins, do as the Lord has said "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.", for you are still one of His.

Now continue with this renewed faith and hope and praise the Lord, as I did when I wrote this message!