Heb. 6:1-6, Foundational and Elementary Principles (2)

The question concerning Heb. 6:4-5 is, do these things describe a Christian or one who has come close to being a Christian?  Generally, the passage has been understood in one of two ways. 

?    The person described has become a Christian and then fallen away, losing their salvation.  It is impossible for them to ever become believers again. 

?    Or the person described has come close to being a Christian, but then turned away and not believed in Christ.  This person may have made a profession of faith that was not real.  The result is that they can never again have an opportunity to come to Christ. 

Our view will be different than these, which we will discuss more fully when we come to our verse-by-verse study of Hebrews.  For now, I just want to look at this list.  We will conclude that this is, in fact, describing a person who is believed to have become a believer.  The writer of Hebrews is treating his listeners as Christians, who he believes fit this description.

·       Once enlightened.  There is an “enlightenment” that is a continual part of the experience of believers.  I believe Eph. 1: speaks of this.  But the key here is the word “once.”  This is a specific, life-changing experience.  The writer speaks of it later in Heb. 10:32: “But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings.”  That speaks of the beginning of their walk of faith which can only happen once.  In other words, these are “saved” people.

·       Tasted the heavenly gift (Heb. 2:9).  “Tasted” (in v4 & 5) involves having an experience of something.  You can “hear” the gospel but not receive it.  But I don’t believe you can taste something without having received.  It has become part of you.  For example, in Jn. 8:52 Jesus said, “If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.”  You cannot “taste” death and then decide you don’t want death and just “spit it out,” so to speak.  There are some passages where the NKJV translates this word “eat” (Ac. 10:10; 20:11), because to taste is to eat.  In the matter of salvation, you cannot just “taste” forgiveness or redemption in the sense of “trying it out.”  In Heb. 2:9 Jesus “tasted” death for everyone.  Again, that cannot be a “partial experience.”

o   What is the “heavenly gift”?  Let’s do a little word study of the 11 times the word “gift” is used in the NT.

§  Jn. 4:10: To the Samaritan woman Jesus referred to Himself as the One who could give her “the gift of God” which was “the water of life.”

§  Ac. 2:38: Peter offered the “gift of the Holy Spirit.”  This is also the meaning in Ac. 8:20; 10:45; 11:17.

§  Rom. 5:15-17: The “gift” came through the grace of God and resulted in justification.  It is said in v17 to be “the gift of righteousness.”  That, indeed, is a gift of grace that results in justification.

§  2 Cor. 9:15 does not specifically identify God’s “indescribable gift.”  I have often referred to it as Christ, but it makes sense that it would be an aspect of the salvation we have in Christ.

§  Eph. 3:7; 4:7: The gift here has to do with ministry and the ability to serve Christ faithfully.  Christ gives the gift.

The word study was primarily for edification.  I need to be reminded of the graciousness of our God and His gifts.  In Heb. 6:4 it seems that the gift is not the Holy Spirit since he refers to that gift in the next line.  Thus, we conclude that the gift they had tasted had to do with aspects of our salvation, such as our righteousness in Christ or the living water that gives eternal life (Rom. 6:23).