What About Hebrews 6:4-6? 

Hebrews is a book written to Jews who were under sever persecution for their Christian faith in Jesus. They were under sever temptation to abandon their faith in Jesus and the truths they had become confident of. The author’s main call to them in the book is, “Therefore do not throw away your confidence [faith], which has a great reward” (Heb 10:35). The book is not about avoiding the loss of salvation; it is about avoiding the loss of reward!

We see this even in Hebrews 6: “And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (vs 11-12). Inheriting all Jesus’ promises is a reward, not a free gift. One can be saved and still not inherit all the promises as some are made on condition of faithfulness to the end of life.

So with all this in mind, let us look at Hebrews 6:4-6 in its context. The train of thought begins in 5:11…

Ye are dull of hearing. [12] For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. [13] For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. [14] But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. [6:1] Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, [2] Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. [3] And this will we do, if God permit. [4] For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, [5] And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, [6] 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. [7] For 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: [8] But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. [9] But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. [10] For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. [11] And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: [12] That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Heb 5:11 – 6:12.

This passage is often presented as an objection to the once-saved-always-saved understanding. But in order to so represent Heb 6:4-6, one must interpret the passage author’s meaning to be,

It is impossible for saved people who fall away from the faith to be reinstated in a saved status seeing as how they messed up so badly.

And I personally don’t know a single serious Christian who believes any such thing! The Bible provides plenty of examples of saved people who “fell away” and sinned badly and later repented and were given grace, the first example being Adam. Others which come quickly to mind are Abraham, Moses, Elijah, David, Solomon, Jonah, and Peter. I think we all fall away from our faith at times and need renewal unto repentance. If Heb 6:4-6 is to be interpreted as an objection to the once-saved-always-saved understanding, then we are all doomed!

So what is Heb 6:4-6 really saying? Notice that the overall passage beginning in 5:11 is about knowledge and understanding – a milk-like understanding vs a meat-like understanding. The author is writing to those he accuses of being “unskillful in the word of righteousness.” I see the author essentially saying,

I don’t want to again try to teach you the basics of Christianity – repentance, faith, baptism, laying on of hands, the resurrection, the judgment – I want to move on to more advanced topics. This is because if a saved person who once understood the basics of Truth, who was enlightened, tasted the gift, received the Holy Spirit, tasted the Word of God and the powers of the coming world – a person such as yourselves – has now fallen away from their understanding, it will be impossible for me by my teaching/review of the basics to get them to repent and understand what they already understood before because this is about their sinful choice to “crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” by willful ignorance, not about a sincere ignorance due to any lack of good instruction. Don’t be the kind of saved person who obtains a thorny understanding despite all “the rain that cometh oft upon” you. An understanding is a fruit that will be judged and possibly destroyed if found to be error.  

The author then says in verse 9, “we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation.” He is persuaded that his readers will be the kind of saved people who go on to a meat-like understanding (a thing which naturally accompanies salvation), not the kind of saved people who (willfully) fall away even from the basics they once understood. He desires that his readers be the kind of saved people “who through faith and patience inherit [all] the promises” (vs 12).