You know, it is amazing. I read in the footnotes of a popular Evangelical edition of the Bible that the believers being addressed in Hebrews 6:4-6 were not genuine Christians but mere professors of belief in Christ. The idea is no true Christian could ever fall away.

But look at the experience of these "mere professors."

* Were once enlightened. * Have tasted of the heavenly gift. * Were made partakers of the Holy Spirit. * Have tasted the good word of God. * Have tasted the powers of the world to come.

These were not genuine Christians? How then do you define a genuine Christian? By his works? If so, our thesis that the Christian salvation always is demonstrated in works of righteousness is established.

These obviously were genuine Christians by every yardstick we would employ.

What is true of these experienced believers?

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. (Hebrews 6:6)

Now, we have shown by previous passages that the Jewish Christians were being warned concerning the danger of being hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. They were being compared with the Jews in the wilderness who fell through unbelief. They were advised to fear lest a promise left them of entering the rest of God they should come short of it.

These who * Were once enlightened. * Have tasted of the heavenly gift. * Were made partakers of the Holy Spirit. * Have tasted the good word of God. * Have tasted the powers of the world to come.

All were being warned against falling away. Can you see this warning is not a departure from the primary theme of Hebrews but an integral part of it?

In no way is it addressing mere professors, as one edition has it.

In no way is it a hypothetical situation. It obviously is part of the warning against falling away found throughout the Book of Hebrews.

Compare:

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. (Hebrews 3:12)

If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance. (Hebrews 6:6)

We are addressing the holy brothers who have had all the experiences we of today have had if not more.

We are telling the holy brothers to beware of having an evil heart of unbelief.

We are warning them concerning departing from the living God.

Then a little bit later we warn them about falling away. How is this different? Why are we suddenly being hypothetical when the actual danger exists? How can we say we are not addressing true Christians but have suddenly changed to "mere professors"?

Is it not rather true that a spirit of error is blanketing Evangelical scholars until they are willing to wrench and distort the clear text in order to support the current teaching that once we get our "ticket to Heaven" our destiny can never be placed in jeopardy?

Where did this people-pleasing, soft, compromising concept come from?

"Thou shalt not surely die."

You know what? The Lord is warning me clearly that if the Christians in America do not repent and turn to God, keeping all the commandments given by Christ and His Apostles, heavy judgment is going to fall on our nation and we all are going to suffer.

If you don't believe me, how about asking Jesus and see if we are speaking the truth?

To be continued.