The Peril of Falling Away
1 Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
2 of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.
3 And this we will do, if God permits.
4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
6 and
then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.
7 For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God;
8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.
Better Things for You
9 But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.
10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.
11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end,
12 so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
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VS 1 Most don't understand that Maturation comes after Salvation. Since BE SAVED is all some people hear of the Gospel, they think that IS all there is to it. So if you walk about something MORE than the salvation part, they scream things like no workie to heaven! And get very emotionally distraught. The Church does a disservice teaching SIN CENTRIC theology to drive the salvation message and not give equal or more weight to maturation. Understanding that there are mature and immature Xians reconciles a lot of the "lose salvation" verses. As I understand it, OSAS is not once saved always saved, but once sanctified (fully thus matured/perfected) always sanctified. Which is not the same use of the S word when you discuss salvation. A saved person is sanctified also, but it's a different use of the word. You are set apart in salvation, and made apart in Maturation. The made is the remaking as in finished project. Thus Paul often said he was to present us perfect to Jesus at His return. And most people see that and freak out, NO ONE IS PERFECT!!!!! Which is funny since it was Paul's goal and He said not only himself but others were perfect. So that word, "PERFECT" requires a lot of thought and DECONSTRUCTION of beliefs just to begin to understand it.
VS 2 deals with the Colossians 2 examples of people that go and add extra things trying to be holy to what is the substance of Christ.
VS 3 links to him discussing he spoke different things to those of meat than he did to those of milk. Consider this, those of meat, he may have discussed with, but they didn't need his instruction, they WERE mature. Most of Paul's letters are written to the MILK segment, with comments referencing what is to be, the MEAT of maturity sprinkled in to define what their goals or results will be.
VS 4 Enlightened sounds Eastern Mystic, but is better represented with teh Walk in the Light of 1 john 1. Which is a chapter about maturation as well. Paul ties ENLIGHTENED to receiving the Spirit. I've said several times there is a difference in the Spirit working ON you, vs indwelling you. But most of you, as I was, have heard all your life that the Spirit indwells you period. To hear from someone, in this case me, that you may not be indwelled is athreat and people react defensively without considering it may be true. They cling desperately to what they were taught. I have to ask them, ultimately, is your faith in what man told you it means or in what it claims in the Bible.
But, once the Spirit is indwelled the flesh is gone, what would make you give into temptation to walk away, when that which makes you do what you don't want to do and not do what you want to do is removed? And if you walk by the Spirit and HE won't let you give into temptation, how would you give into temptation to walk away from HIM if you were ever there?
You are saved by Grace before the sanctification occurs. Salvation isn't at risk here, as long as you admit there is also maturation in the conversation vs the all so self serving I AM SAVED AND GOD IS SANTA CLAUS TO GIVE ME WHAT I PRAY FOR theology. You/WE are saved for a purpose. Don't claim the saved, if you deny the purpose.
VS 5 There is no way to conclude something from this verse that would make it lean to OSAS or the way I present it. It could be read either way. But how it fits into what I've said is the point approaching the threshold of Indwelling, or the "act 2" of the event, for you to get to that point, and turn away, deny, would be such an absolute decision it's not like God keeps you from coming back, but you made a decision that will keep yourself from wanting to go back.
VS 6 Goes into my comment above, if you tried the walk of God out, was close to repenting of sin, which is not confession but a change from sin lifestyle, or the Sinful Nature, and at the point the real changes started, or sometime before they were finished said, I like the other lifestyle better, you have hardened your heart and will be incapable of changing...
VS7-8 Refers to the vine and the branches, or the talents, parables. GOd Gives, you are saved to use His gifts for others, that is what love neighbor means. If you don't take His providence and provide for others, or do the works you were saved to do... then you were never there anyway. Thorns and thistles would be one taking the Love of God and cherishing it and not sharing it. OR screaming I AM SAVED and refusing to do any of the works.
VS9 He was convinced the ones he spoke to had a better future, and he's not discussing JUST salvation but also things that accompany salvation. Again, consider maturation vs salvation here. maturation is accompanied by salvation. Salvation is the first step to maturation, errr actually Grace is the first step, but Salvation is the result of Grace.
VS10 references my claim to the doing the works you were saved to do above....
VS 11-12 discusses running the race, and describes it as doing the works you were saved to do, and matches the Ephesians 4 claim that through works you gain unity, knowledge of Christ, and maturation to the point of being as mature as Christ.
I know I'm the only one here that will even consider ful sanctification. But you don't have to embrace that hope/thought to learn salvation isn't all the story, maturation is expected in this life on earth before you die. If you teach everyone it's impossible, how much of a road block do you put before those LITTLE CHILDREN to keep them from getting to the goal of the race Christ set out for them to achieve?
But they still listen and converse and we both learn in our chats.