“For it is impossible to restore to repentance those who were once enlightened – those who have … shared in the Holy Spirit … and who then turn away from God.” Hebrews 6:4-6
I love the beginning of Hebrews; I’ve read and re-read Hebrews 1-5 but each time I come to chapter 6 and stop. This passage seems so contradictory to what I’ve learned. If a person has “shared in the Holy Spirit” and repented (the passage says “restore to repentance”) doesn’t that mean that they were saved? Or are these people who merely played the game of repentance and acted holy but never truly surrendered their life to God? Of course, this could lead to the debate of God’s elect, and can we surrender ourselves, but I don’t think this is what is being discussed here. The word “enlightened” seems to be an operative word. It occurs in the KJV, NIV, NLT and NASB (I didn’t check others) so I trust the translation. Also, KJV refers to these as “partakers of the Holy Ghost,” meaning people who have the spirit of God in them, and as people who have “tasted of the heavenly gift.” What is being discussed here? Who are people who have “fallen away” and now cannot be restored to repentance? Is the analogy of a field being burned indicative that these people will go to Hell or merely that they are now useless to the Kingdom of God?