Couldn't get more clear, plain, and straightforward than that. To fall away means they were once fully in. You can deny it till you are blue in the face, but that will not change what the word clearly states.
"On the surface" that's what the writer of Hebrews appears to teach, but we need to take a closer look at Hebrews 6:4-6 and not jump to conclusions. Why did you leave out
verse 9? This sums it up for me. The writer is speaking to
those truly saved (refers to them as
BELOVED). He says that even though he speaks like this concerning
THOSE types of people, He is convinced of
better things concerning YOU. Things that ACCOMPANY SALVATION. Thorns and briars and permanently falling away
do not accompany salvation.
Hebrews 6
4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6If 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.
7For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
8But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
Let's take a closer look at these verses here. In regard to
once enlightened, this means to bring to light, to shed light upon or to cause light to shine upon some object, in the sense of illuminating it. John 1:9 describes Jesus, the "true Light," giving light "to every man," but this cannot mean the light of salvation, because not every man is saved.
The light either leads to acceptance of Jesus Christ or produces condemnation in those who reject the light.
In regard to
partakers of the Holy Spirit, the word translated “partaker” can certainly refer to a saving partaking in Christ, as we read in Hebrews 3:14, yet it can also refer to a less than saving association or participation. See Luke 5:7 and Hebrews 1:9 - "comrades, companions," which describes one who shares with someone else as an associate in an undertaking.
These Hebrews who fell away had obviously in some aspect shared in the ministry of the Holy Spirit, but in what way? There are other ministries of the Holy Spirit which "precede" receiving the indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit, which only genuine believers receive.
Now those who fall away absolutely could have been affiliated closely with the fellowship of the church. Such people certainly may have experienced sorrow for sin, heard and understood the gospel and have given some assent to it and have become associated with the work of the Holy Spirit while around believers and have tasted the heavenly gift and the powers of the age to come. They may have been exposed to the true preaching of God's word yet have
simply tasted and stopped there. People who have experienced these things may be genuine Christians, yet this alone is
not enough to give conclusive evidence that the beginning stages of conversion (regeneration, salvation, repentance unto life, justification etc..) have taken place for those who fell away. The experiences in Hebrews 6:4-6 are all preliminary to those decisive beginning stages of becoming a Christian,
yet those who draw back to perdition after receiving the "knowledge of the truth" and do not believe to the saving of the soul (Hebrews 10:39) are not saved.
These certain individuals who fall short of obtaining salvation certainly may have become partakers of the Holy Spirit in his pre-salvation ministry, convicting of sin and righteousness and judgment to come by
tasting the good word of God and temporarily responding to His drawing power which is intended to ultimately lead sinners to Christ, yet the writer of Hebrews does not use conclusive terms that these individuals were "indwelled by the Holy Spirit" or "sealed by the Holy Spirit." Genuine believers who have believed the gospel are sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit who is the
guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession/unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30)
In regard to tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, they may have tasted in such a way as to give them a distinct impression of what was tasted, yet they still fell away. Inherent in the idea of tasting is the fact that one might or might not decide to accept what is tasted. For example, the same Greek word (geuomai) is used in Matthew 27:34 to say that those crucifying Jesus
"offered him wine to drink, mingled with gall;
but when he tasted it, he would not drink it." We do not merely taste, but
drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13)
In regard to
renew them again unto repentance, this does not specify whether the repentance was merely outward or genuine accompanied by saving faith. They have in some sense "repented," there may be sorrow for sins and an attempt to turn from them (moral self-reformation) that non-believers can experience. There is repentance that falls short of salvation, which is clear from Hebrews 12:7 and the reference to Esau, as well as the repentance of Judas Iscariot in Matthew 27:3. Paul refers to a repentance “without regret that leads to salvation,” which shows there is a repentance that does not lead to salvation.
As with “belief/faith”, so too with “repentance,” we must always distinguish between what is substantial and results in salvation and what is spurious. Renew them again "unto salvation" would be conclusive evidence for the argument of a loss of salvation.
In Hebrews 6:7-8, we read - For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; but if it bears thorns and briars, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned. In this metaphor relating to agriculture, those who receive final judgment are compared to land that bears no vegetation or useful fruit, but rather bears thorns and thistles.
We see in scripture where good fruit is the evidence of spiritual life and a lack of good fruit is a sign of false believers (Matthew 3:8-10; 7:15-20; 12:33-35) so we have an indication that the trustworthy evidence of one's spiritual condition is the fruit they bear (whether good or bad), suggesting that those who
fell away in Hebrews 6 were
not genuine believers.
It's generally stated by those who believe that salvation can be lost that it can be regained again, yet that would not be the case here if the writer of Hebrews was teaching a loss of salvation. I have heard certain individuals state they know someone who was truly saved, but later lost their salvation, yet
only God infallibly knows the hearts of individuals. Certain people "on the surface" may do a good job of looking like the real deal for a while (like Judas Iscariot, who was an
unbelieving, unclean devil who betrayed Jesus - John 6:64-71; 13:10-11) yet to the other 11 disciples, he looked like the real deal,
but Jesus knew his heart. There are genuine Christians and there are "nominal" Christians. There are genuine believers and there are make believers mixed together throughout scripture.
Apostacy is something that is committed by one who was once saved.
That argument is inconclusive. If that were true then these verses would be a lie. (Psalm 37:28; John 6:37-40; 10:27-29; Romans 8:30; 11:29; 1 Corinthians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; Philippians 1:6; 1 John 5:11-13 etc..). Apostacy is something that is committed by one who has been exposed to and understands the truth yet abandons the truth which they failed to fully embrace. Such people
draw back to perdition and do not believe to the saving of the soul. (Hebrews 10:39)
As you can see, I have
properly harmonized scripture with scripture before reaching my conclusion on doctrine. Salvation is not probation. Eternal life is not temporary life. Jesus is the door. He is not a revolving door. I find it interesting that ALL false religions and cults that promote salvation by works strongly oppose OSAS which has always been a major
red flag for me.
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