after they have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the HOLY GHOST, and have tasted of the good word of GOD, &of the powers of the world to come. (Hebrews 6:4, 5).
The problem here is missing the fact that this is in the midst of a rebuke of the audience, starting in about 5:10, where the writer rebukes them for being ignorant, of the First Principles of the Oracles of God, called the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ in 6:1.
It is an exhortation to progress from the foundational principles of the Law and to go on unto, yep, you guessed it...perfection.
Those things listed here are viewed by some to be speaking of Christians, Christian Principles, and only things that have been bestowed upon Christians, when in fact these things are ministries of the Comforter:
Hebrews 6:4-6
King James Version (KJV)
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.
In view are those being brought under conviction who fall away. In other words, they reject that ministry.
No man will be saved apart from those things listed here, but for those who respond to the Gospel we were not "once enlightened," meaning that has stopped, and we have not "tasted of the Heavenly Gift," we have received it.We have not partaken of the Holy Spirit, we have received Him, and we have not tasted of the Word of God, but have been born again by it. The powers of the world to come refers, I believe, to the ministry of the Spirit which in that world to come will be an everyday reality. In that day there were healings, miracles, and other establishing acts performed by the Apostles which we really have not witnessed ourselves.
And the way they crucify Christ again unto themselves is by offering up the sacrifices of the Levitical Services. This is why the writer tells them not to lay again the foundational principles:
Hebrews 6
King James Version (KJV)
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.
Many see this as a Christian going on to maturity, but a Christian laying again the foundational principles of the Oracles of God would not be an issue of immaturity, it would be a rejection of Christ Himself. It is forbidden. So we if we impose a context of maturing here then the teaching would be tantamount to saying "Grow up or go to Hell."
Furthermore...
3 And this will we do, if God permit.
...if this were a matter of maturing...it would not be a matter of God permitting it.
Understand?
Then the text would mean "Grow up, or else, and by the way, I hope the Lord allows you to do that which He has commanded."
No, what he is saying is we, as a people, will progress to the perfection found in Christ if God allows.
And after they have escaped from the filthiness of the World, may be tangled again therein &overcome. (2 Peter 2:20).
Those in view are identified as false teachers frmthe beginning of the chapter, not believers:
2 Peter 2
King James Version (KJV)
1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
Cross reference Jude to see that without question these were never saved, but as the description is given it is clear they have always been lost:
20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
These have willingly rejected the truth. They are not saved, as some might think, but are the same ones in view in the verses leading up to this. Again, cross reference Jude with this chapter.
That a righteous man may forsake his righteousness and perish (Ezekiel 18:24, 26).
The context, like most of the Old Testament, is temporal. The "soul" in view is not the spirit of a man with eternal damnation in view, but a man in totality who's physical life is at risk because of sin.
If an eternal perspective were in view, then we would have a conflict with New Testament teaching which makes it clear that salvation is not of works, but through the kindness of God towards man, by grace, through faith. This would in fact nullify the Sacrifice of Christ and cast Christianity itself in doubt, because That revealed in the New Testament would certainly deny that the Law had a salvific element, or that it was not temporary.
And therefore let no man presume to think that because he hath, or had once grace, therefore he shall always have grace: But let all men have assurance, that if they continue unto the end, they shall be saved: Let no man then presume; but let all work out their salvation with fear and trembling.[/I]
My best suggestion would be to consider those things mentioned in this post and see if Mr. Helwys is not in fact a member of the L.O.S.T. (loss of salvation teachers) who teaches works-based salvation.
I apologize for the brief treatment of these passages but it's late, and I am about spent.
God bless.