"For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the power of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned." (Hebrews 6:4-8, NASB)
There are some passages in the Bible which might tempt one to just pass over quickly, not think about it, or worse, ignore it. Our text could be one of them, perhaps one of the most "terrifying" passages in all of Scripture.
Those of us who are surrendering our life to Jesus Christ, at some point joined the Church of the Ages, "of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit." We are those who, "have tasted the good word of God," even Jesus, Who, "is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God," and Whose Words are indeed, "the good word of God." We have tasted of Jesus Christ Who reigns over, "the powers of the age to come...." There are Scriptures which tell of some of these, "powers," but the key here is that we have, "tasted," of them, and having, "tasted," and been so very blessed by Who Jesus Christ Is and what He has done and continues to do for us, there comes a frightening warning: If we fall, "away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance."
We may take some comfort from the later phrase, "close to being cursed..," and this could be a "ray" of hope that all need not be lost. The word, "impossible," however, implies a weakness, an impotence in "finding" one's way back. Once on the course of falling away, something is set in motion which produces a weakness, which could be likened to the attempt to "swim up stream" against an overwhelming current.
There are some passages in the Bible which might tempt one to just pass over quickly, not think about it, or worse, ignore it. Our text could be one of them, perhaps one of the most "terrifying" passages in all of Scripture.
Those of us who are surrendering our life to Jesus Christ, at some point joined the Church of the Ages, "of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit." We are those who, "have tasted the good word of God," even Jesus, Who, "is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God," and Whose Words are indeed, "the good word of God." We have tasted of Jesus Christ Who reigns over, "the powers of the age to come...." There are Scriptures which tell of some of these, "powers," but the key here is that we have, "tasted," of them, and having, "tasted," and been so very blessed by Who Jesus Christ Is and what He has done and continues to do for us, there comes a frightening warning: If we fall, "away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance."
We may take some comfort from the later phrase, "close to being cursed..," and this could be a "ray" of hope that all need not be lost. The word, "impossible," however, implies a weakness, an impotence in "finding" one's way back. Once on the course of falling away, something is set in motion which produces a weakness, which could be likened to the attempt to "swim up stream" against an overwhelming current.
You and I have been, "ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful for whose sake it is also tilled...;" therefore, do not allow, "....the cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word...." Sell all you have and buy that field!
Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for Your, "good word." May it bring, "forth vegetation useful for those whose sake it is also tilled...." Amen.
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Keeping Eyes on This Week's UN Proceedings: www.apf327.blogspot.com ;
Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for Your, "good word." May it bring, "forth vegetation useful for those whose sake it is also tilled...." Amen.
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Keeping Eyes on This Week's UN Proceedings: www.apf327.blogspot.com ;
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
