Hebrews 6:4-8 | What's happening (and who's involved)?
No Prodigals?
What we have this week is one of the most complicated sections in Scripture to properly exegete. A surface level reading of the text will leave many believers trembling at the idea that they have gone too far and cannot be renewed to repentance. Otherwise, they worry about friends or family members who have walked away. Typically, these believers would hold fast to Scriptures like that of the prodigal son. He departed but came back and was received. This particular passage brings many believers to ask whether there really can even be a prodigal son. All of these things we will hit head on throughout the week, and I pray it would open your eyes to what amazing things are actually being said in this passage.
The passage begins with looking at what we would identify as a genuine believer. Five experiences are given to us concerning how they have engaged with the body:
There is genuine experience there. Some commentators note the distance of the language and argue that these were not genuine believers. They experienced these things among other believers but did not have them themselves. They recognize the language like "once" enlightened, "tasted" of the heavenly gift, or "partakers" of the Holy Spirit instead of indwelt. I personally find these comments unconvincing as these are markers used elsewhere in Scripture to identify the genuine believer. The Scripture is saying if they fall away that they cannot be renewed again to repentance. As an important note, it explains why they cannot be renewed to repentance. It is because they crucify again for themselves the Son of God and put Him to an open shame. This will be important later through the week when we really extrapolate the text.
A small analogy is then given. The earth receives rain and is blessed by it and provides provision of herbs. Those who cultivate the herbs are blessed by the harvest. However, if the land produces thorns and briers, it is rejected and left only to burn. Such analogies are common through Scripture. Jesus Himself spoke similarly in John 15 regarding the fruitful and barren branches.
While there may be a lot of question marks and concerns with what this passage may be getting at, I want to encourage you that the grace of God is greater than anything we can imagine. Do not lose hope in believing you have fallen too far or your friends or family have fallen too far from the Lord. Pray for them. Surrender yourself and give yourself wholly to the Lord. His grace will receive you. Hold fast to the confidence that the blood of Jesus testifies of greater things than what a sinner you believe yourself to be. He is sufficient. His work is enough.
What observations are you making through this passage?
The passage begins with looking at what we would identify as a genuine believer. Five experiences are given to us concerning how they have engaged with the body:
- Once enlightened
- Tasted of the heavenly gift
- Partakers of the Holy Spirit
- Tasted the good word of God
- Tasted of the powers of the age to come
There is genuine experience there. Some commentators note the distance of the language and argue that these were not genuine believers. They experienced these things among other believers but did not have them themselves. They recognize the language like "once" enlightened, "tasted" of the heavenly gift, or "partakers" of the Holy Spirit instead of indwelt. I personally find these comments unconvincing as these are markers used elsewhere in Scripture to identify the genuine believer. The Scripture is saying if they fall away that they cannot be renewed again to repentance. As an important note, it explains why they cannot be renewed to repentance. It is because they crucify again for themselves the Son of God and put Him to an open shame. This will be important later through the week when we really extrapolate the text.
A small analogy is then given. The earth receives rain and is blessed by it and provides provision of herbs. Those who cultivate the herbs are blessed by the harvest. However, if the land produces thorns and briers, it is rejected and left only to burn. Such analogies are common through Scripture. Jesus Himself spoke similarly in John 15 regarding the fruitful and barren branches.
While there may be a lot of question marks and concerns with what this passage may be getting at, I want to encourage you that the grace of God is greater than anything we can imagine. Do not lose hope in believing you have fallen too far or your friends or family have fallen too far from the Lord. Pray for them. Surrender yourself and give yourself wholly to the Lord. His grace will receive you. Hold fast to the confidence that the blood of Jesus testifies of greater things than what a sinner you believe yourself to be. He is sufficient. His work is enough.
What observations are you making through this passage?
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2026
January
John 14:22-31 | What's the lesson for me today?John 14:22-31 | What am I going to do about it?John 14:22-31 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 15:1-11John 15:1-11 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 15:1-11 | What's the connection?John 15:1-11 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 15:1-11 | What's the lesson for me today?John 15:1-11 | What am I going to do about it?John 15:1-11 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 15:12-27John 15:12-27 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 15:12-27 | What's the connection?John 15:12-27 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 15:12-27 | What's the lesson for me today?John 15:12-27 | What am I going to do about it?John 15:12-27 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 16:1-15John 16:1-15 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 16:1-15 | What's the connection?John 16:1-15 | What’s a lesson for the original audience?John 16:1-15 | What's the lesson for me today?John 16:1-15 | What am I going to do about it?John 16:1-15 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 16:16-33John 16:16-33 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 16:16-33 | What's the connection?John 16:16-33 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 16:16-33 | What's the lesson for me today?John 16:16-33 | What am I going to do about it?John 16:16-33 | Prayer Prompts
February
Passage of the Week: John 17John 17 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 17 | What's the connection?John 17 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 17 | What's the lesson for me today?John 17 | What am I going to do about it?John 17 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 18:1-11John 18:1-11 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 18:1-11 | What's the connection?John 18:1-11 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 18:1-11 | What's the lesson for me today?John 18:1-11 | What am I going to do about it?John 18:1-11 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 18:12-40John 18:12-40 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 18:12-40 | What's the connection?John 18:12-40 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 18:12-40 | What's the lesson for me today?John 18:12-40 | What am I going to do about it?John 18:12-40 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 19John 19 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 19 | What's the connection?John 19 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 19 | What's the lesson for me today?John 19 | What am I going to do about it?John 19 | Prayer Prompts
March
Passage of the Week: John 20John 20 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 20 | What's the connection?John 20 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 20 | What's the lesson for me today?John 20 | What am I going to do about it?John 20 | Prayer PromptsJohn 21 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 21John 21 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 21 | What's the connection?John 21 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 21 | What's the lesson for me today?John 21 | What am I going to do about it?Passage of the Week: Hebrews 1:1-4Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's the connection?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What is a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 1:1-4 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 1:5-14Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's the connection?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 1:5-14 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 2:1-4Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's the connection?
April
Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 2:1-4 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 2:5-9Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's the connection?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What am I going to do about it?
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