by Ester yusufu | 3 January 2022 08:46 pm01
Let’s begin by reading the full context:
Hebrews 6:4–6
“It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age
and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.”
This passage refers to a specific category of people:
In other words, these are genuine believers who have had a deep encounter with the truth of the gospel—not merely casual followers.
But then, the warning comes:
If such people deliberately turn away from Christ and return to a life of rebellion, it becomes impossible to renew them again to repentance.
This does not mean that God is unwilling to forgive.
Rather, it means that the capacity or desire to repent becomes lost.
Why?
Because repentance is not merely a human decision.
It is a work of the Holy Spirit, who brings conviction, sorrow for sin, and the will to turn back to God.
John 6:44
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them…”
John 16:8
“When he [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment.”
If someone grieves or rejects the Spirit repeatedly, He may withdraw—and once that happens, the heart becomes hardened. Without the Spirit’s influence, true repentance is no longer possible.
This is in line with Reformed theology, especially the doctrines of effectual calling and perseverance of the saints. While believers cannot lose salvation lightly, this passage warns that those who willfully apostatize after full knowledge are revealing they were never truly regenerate (see 1 John 2:19) or are crossing a spiritual line beyond which recovery is humanly impossible.
This isn’t addressing people who struggle with sin or fall occasionally.
It’s directed at those who have:
1 Corinthians 10:12
“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!”
2 Peter 2:20–22
“If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning… A dog returns to its vomit, and, A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”
These scriptures show that turning back to sin after fully knowing Christ brings greater condemnation and spiritual ruin.
If you’re reading this and realize you’ve started returning to old sins—even after experiencing God’s grace—take this message seriously.
If you still feel conviction, sorrow, or fear after hearing this—that’s a sign that grace has not left you yet.
The Holy Spirit is still working in you. But this is a warning: if you continue to resist His voice, you risk reaching a point of no return.
Hebrews 3:15
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…”
Isaiah 55:6–7
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts.”
Hebrews 6:6 is a wake-up call—not to make us despair, but to urge us to take our salvation seriously.
The same God who saves is also the God who warns. If we ignore His call today, there may come a time when we can no longer hear Him at all.
May the Lord give us hearts that remain soft to His voice.
The Lord is coming!
Source URL: https://wingulamashahidi.org/en/2022/01/03/it-is-impossible-to-bring-them-back-to-repentance-what-does-this-mean/
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