okay, how about this: they only tasted of the heavenly gift they did not eat of it therefore that implies it were never saved.?
Good observation, Alligator.
What indicates that they were not saved is 6:9, and observations like yours shows that it is possible to interpret the characteristics of the apostates as mere profession, not salvation.
better things which are characteristic of salvation, but not characteristic of the apostates in the preceding verses. I think that the characteristics of these apostates fits Judas rather well, who had a demon.
Alligator,
I am sure you are aware of a group in "Christendom" which advocates that faith in Christ as Savior (believe) is not enough for salvation, but wants to add in 3 or 4 more grocery list items. I was raised in groups related to that tradition. But for the system I was raised in, it was not actually trusting Christ as Savior, but believing
that Jesus was the Son of God. After you went forward & the preacher asked you if you believed that Jesus was the Son of God, the next step was dunked in water without much delay.
Ultimately I left that tradition after I actually did trust Christ as Savior when I became a young adult. I left after a preacher in my denomination said like, "Yes, I believe that Jesus is the Son of God" [denominational shibboleth], and BTW you and I are also sons of God." And in the particular church I was in as a teenager, salvation was not a topic; they didn't talk about being saved. It was "join the church." No one ever preached that Christ's death paid for our sins on the cross.
But there was nothing about trusting the Lord Jesus to save you, just "believing
that," which can be demonic belief to the extent that demons believe facts like that. And after the confession, "Yes" to the question (which indeed I did believe) and the dunking, I had no assurance of going to Heaven -- I was not trusting the Lord Jesus with my destiny, but had in mind a judgment after death in which works would decide my destiny.
This system 4 or 5 item grocery list for salvation theory reminds me of the RCC system quite a bit. Do you see the resemblance?
I hope that you realize that one's destiny depends on trusting the Lord Jesus as Savior, not believing the fact that He is the Son of God (which is of course presupposed in defining the term Jesus).