Case Enlightened Ghost Gift Heaven Heavenly Holy Impossible Partakers Renew Repentance Restore Shared Spirit Sweetness Tasted Tasting Touching
6:4 {2} For [it is] {b} impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have {c} tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
(2) He adds a vehemency to his exhortation, and a sharp threatening of the certain destruction that will come to them who fall away from God and his religion.
(b) He speaks of a general backsliding and those who fall away from the faith completely, not of sins committed through the weakness of a man against the first and the second table of the law.
(c) We must note the force of this word, for it is one thing to believe as Lydia did, whose heart God opened in Ac 16:13 and another thing to have some taste.
6:4 For [it is] impossible. There are sins that have no forgiveness (Mt 12:31,32). There are Apostates who can never find a place for repentance, not because of the failure of God's mercy, but because they have destroyed their moral capacity for a heartfelt repentance. Usually the most hardened sinner are apostates.
Those who were once enlightened. Had the light of the Gospel. See Joh 8:12.
Have tasted. Experienced.
Of the heavenly gift. The new life in Christ. Christ giveth life unto the world (Joh 20:31).
And were made partakers of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is sent into the heart of all sons (Ga 4:6 Ro 8:9).
6:4 It is impossible for those who were once enlightened - With the light of the glorious love of God in Christ. And have tasted the heavenly gift - Remission of sins, sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. And been made partakers of the Holy Ghost - Of the witness and the fruit of he Spirit.
6:1-8 Every part of the truth and will of God should be set before all who profess the gospel, and be urged on their hearts and consciences. We should not be always speaking about outward things; these have their places and use, but often take up too much attention and time, which might be better employed. The humbled sinner who pleads guilty, and cries for mercy, can have no ground from this passage to be discouraged, whatever his conscience may accuse him of. Nor does it prove that any one who is made a new creature in Christ, ever becomes a final apostate from him. The apostle is not speaking of the falling away of mere professors, never convinced or influenced by the gospel. Such have nothing to fall away from, but an empty name, or hypocritical profession. Neither is he speaking of partial declinings or backslidings. Nor are such sins meant, as Christians fall into through the strength of temptations, or the power of some worldly or fleshly lust. But the falling away here mentioned, is an open and avowed renouncing of Christ, from enmity of heart against him, his cause, and people, by men approving in their minds the deeds of his murderers, and all this after they have received the knowledge of the truth, and tasted some of its comforts. Of these it is said, that it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance. Not because the blood of Christ is not sufficient to obtain pardon for this sin; but this sin, in its very nature, is opposite to repentance and every thing that leads to it. If those who through mistaken views of this passage, as well as of their own case, fear that there is no mercy for them, would attend to the account given of the nature of this sin, that it is a total and a willing renouncing of Christ, and his cause, and joining with his enemies, it would relieve them from wrong fears. We should ourselves beware, and caution others, of every approach near to a gulf so awful as apostacy; yet in doing this we should keep close to the word of God, and be careful not to wound and terrify the weak, or discourage the fallen and penitent. Believers not only taste of the word of God, but they drink it in. And this fruitful field or garden receives the blessing. But the merely nominal Christian, continuing unfruitful under the means of grace, or producing nothing but deceit and selfishness, was near the awful state above described; and everlasting misery was the end reserved for him. Let us watch with humble caution and prayer as to ourselves.
Case Enlightened Ghost Gift Good Heaven Heavenly Holy Impossible Light Once Part Partakers Repentance Restore Shared Spirit Sweetness Tasted Tasting Time Touching
Case Enlightened Ghost Gift Good Heaven Heavenly Holy Impossible Light Once Part Partakers Repentance Restore Shared Spirit Sweetness Tasted Tasting Time Touching
