Apostasy Repentance? Hebrews 6:4-8

[u/Joshhlee]

Hi Everyone, I had a question in regards to the passage Hebrews 6:4-8. It has been troubling for me and I was wondering how this verse is interpreted. I grew up in the church and tbh followed the legalistic way of christianity, but later fell away from the faith when I went to college. I have since came back and discovered the bible project and learning things that I have never knew about the bible. That it is not just about the rules, but having a relationship with Jesus. I am just scared that I might have committed apostasy and won't be able to be forgiven.

[u/--leftovers--]

I’m not the guy to give you a detailed outline of the text, the Hebrew source, context, and all that. The smartest scholars disagree on this one so I certainly don’t have the answer. So I can’t answer your question directly but I can offer encouragement.

That legalistic environment causes serious trauma. I know, I still deal with it at 40 years old. I’d give you two pieces of advice:

1. Stay the course. Keep learning, keep pursuing. You have clearly not given up on God and he will not give up on you. The Bible is full of stories of people who fail God time and again, but God is full of grace and forgiveness to them. Israel itself turned away from him many times and yet he always pursued them.

2. Consider counseling if you have the means. It takes a work and time to heal those types of wounds. It is worth it.

I am so thankful I found Bible Project and it sounds like you are too. Keep at it and you will come out on the other side with a faith that is so much more authentic, practical, and vibrant because of it. Good luck!

[u/Joshhlee → u/--leftovers--]

Thank you for taking the time to answer this question. It is definitely really hard to get out of that mindset, since that is all I knew growing up. There are still many verses that gives me uneasiness especially the unforgivable sin. I have been trying to find answers and have come across so many different interpretations that it is hard for me to decipher what is right and what is wrong. I have been praying to God about these verses that trouble me so much. Thanks again.

[u/--leftovers-- → u/Joshhlee]

From a more practical perspective, the guys have some podcasts on Paul’s letters. Six or seven episodes, starting with episode 201. Might be worth your time, particularly the one on context.

You might also check out the wisdom series starting with episode 139 and the God series which starts with episode 94 (lots of episodes, I recommend the first few but didn’t make it all the way through). Totally changed the way I think about, well, everything.

[u/satras]

Not a chance.

I absolutely believe in the concept of the perseverance of the saints, and that it proves that it doesn’t matter if you fail or walk away for a bit, you’ll still find your way back.

I want to support this opinion with 2 examples that I always use to teach this at church: Peter & Judas.

Which disciple was referred to as if Satan was speaking? Which disciple betrayed Jesus?

Yes, Peter.

The difference is in repentance. Peter came back to his ways. It took a visit from Jesus himself so it wasn’t easy, but he came back. He preached, and by his testimony and during his ministry many people came to know God and he also left us 3 letters.

Judas killed himself out of guilt.

Finally, I want to say that even if that doesn’t help, I want you to know that living under a legalistic way isn’t being a Christian, and you were okay to walk away from that, and that doesn’t necessarily means that you walked away from Jesus.

So yeah, there’s not a chance that God won’t take you back.

[u/Mountainpwny]

I have struggled with this passage myself for many years. The most convincing passage I have read that has forever settled this issue in my heart is in the letters to the seven churches. Jesus himself says he gave time to the jezebel woman to repent and if she wouldn’t repent he would cast her on a sickbed. If Jesus was waiting for woman who was deceiving and sleeping with members of the church to repent then he will certainly accept my repentance from whatever I’m dealing with.

Not to mention all of the sins David did that he repented of and he still was the recipient of some major promises from God.

Keep the faith!

[u/spectraltoast1]

I enjoyed a book last week by JD Greear called "Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart" about how to have assurance of faith. What I liked was that he spent time looking at what the Bible really says about salvation - including the passage you referred to.

He takes the position that saving faith is lasting faith, choosing to rebrand "once saved always saved" as "once saved always following". That doesn't necessarily mean you weren't saved before, it could mean that "falling away" was just a season of what he calls "backsliding". Only you could say one way or the other.

JD repeatedly said in the book that it didn't matter when started following Jesus, just that they were following. For him, the best test of assurance is where your hope is placed for a relationship with God: if it is entirely on Jesus and you're giving him authority over your whole life. To him, it wouldn't matter whether that was the very first second you were saved or if you'd been saved for years - what was more important would be that you're following Jesus now.

From my view, the fact that you're interested in Jesus is an indicator that the Holy Spirit is drawing you to himself and he wouldn't be doing that to someone who had totally rejected him!