Hebrews 6:4-6 Part 2
7 June 2026
For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding Him up to contempt.
(Hebrews 6:4-6)
Please turn in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 6. We're working through the Book of Hebrews. Have been doing so for over two years now, and this section that we're dealing with tonight is part 2 in what is a three-part mini-series within this much bigger series as we're dealing with Hebrews 6:4-6. Last time when we were in this text, we spent the entire sermon with an extended introduction. And with that, we're now going to be getting into the text itself tonight and then next week. So, we're going to read Hebrews chapter 6. We'll begin reading from verse 1 and we'll work our way down to verse 6. This is the Word of God.
“Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith towards God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding Him up to contempt”. Amen.
Let's pray together. Lord, these are weighty words. Help us to understand what this text means and may we get to grips with the reality of what this then means. Father, we pray that you would minister to us through the preaching of your Word, that Christ would be exalted, that we would truly look to Christ in our hearts and worship Him here tonight. For we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
So, when we introduced this mini section verses 4 to 6 last time, we were effectively ensuring an understanding of what this text doesn't mean in order to understand what this text does mean. Because this is a passage which maybe more than any other in all of Scripture has been used to peddle much false teaching about the notion that you can lose your salvation. And we spent a bit of time considering an age-old discussion, debate, dispute within what has been from the Reformed tradition of Calvinism and Arminianism and the different interpretations of God's sovereign purpose and the means by which one is saved, by which we were very clear and emphatic about why this is a matter central to the Gospel, to understand that God is the one who sovereignly decrees and elects those who are saved. This is because we know every one of us, we are in a totally depraved, sinful condition. So we are that valley of dry bones. We are in no way able to make ourself alive and make some decision. No, we are spiritually dead and so we must be very clear that the means and reason by which anyone can be saved is because God has elected you. Christ has come and died for you. There is a particular atonement, a saving work that Jesus does for His people. And therefore, there is a grace which draws you. It is irresistible. You cannot resist against it. And this means that you are saved.
Note this. For one who is elect of God, saved by the blood of Christ, you are saved. You have a salvation which means you are secure, as God has decreed it, as Christ has made it possible, as Christ has done the finished completed work and the Spirit has brought about that change in you. And so, when it comes to the notion that a true professing Christian, one who is born again, one who is a new creation in Christ Jesus, you cannot lose that salvation. So, underline this again as we prepare to come to this text. That salvation cannot be lost.
So, this is what we established as a way of introduction. We looked at some key texts, for example in John 10, my sheep know and hear my voice. We are a people who have a security which is eternal. And with that established, we then consider this section of the Book of Hebrews. This is such a theologically rich book. From the perspective of knowing your Old Testament and bringing Christ to the centre of the rich, weighty doctrine of the Word of God, there's no book that can compare within all of Scripture of such richness and magnitude that is poured out in the pages of the Book of Hebrews. And yet the writer to these Hebrew Christians takes this time, this painstaking time which is very much driven by not just a pastoral concern, but an urgency. There's an urgency to what is now being addressed with all that is being drawn out about Christ being superior, Christ being better, Christ being all, Christ being everything. We're now dealing with the actual hearts of the people, these Hebrew Christians, and this author is coming to this desperate point. And particularly this passage that's before us. It is a passage that we should come before with fear and trembling. Because what we are very much being introduced to here in this passage is a category of people, a category of people within the church, professing Christians who have been blessed by the Word, by the Gospel, by the work of the Spirit, a category of people who looked the part, who claimed to be the part, who have even had an experience of that part, but it ends in disaster. It ends with a shipwreck of the faith to a point of no return. That's what we're dealing with in this passage.
And brothers and sisters, this is why Christ must be preached. Any folly of, oh, we hear the gospel all the time. When we look at a text like this, we see just how inconceivable such a thought would be. Because warnings like this are given here to a person who has experienced a lot, a person who knows the gospel. And they've had such rich supernatural blessings. This is not some fleeting superficial trifle over a couple of weeks and then they think, Nah, Christianity is not for me. Now this is someone who very much appears like they have faith and life, but in fact, they have death. And the words contained in this text could not be more stark as to what a fatal position this is. This passage is literally saying that this category of person is in a place where repentance and the maturing of any faith is impossible. It's impossible. That's the language that is used. Think when you go to somebody's door in Woodside, you knock on the door and you seek to profess Christ to them. And they say, I'm an atheist, I'm not interested, and they maybe curse God. This, what we're dealing with here, is an even more impossible situation for this category of person's soul.
So, what we're going to do, this week we're going to tackle the category, the statements of what this falling away looks like. So, there are 5 things that are stated in verses 4 and 5 about what has been experienced. So, we're going to go through these and then next week, we're then going to consider why it is impossible for people who have experienced, tasted this to then be restored to repentance. Now it's important just before we get into these verses that we do remind ourselves of the context from verse 11. So, we're really dwelling on this, to ensure there is as much clarity and precision about what we're dealing with. Because it began back in verse 11, having just dealt with the subject of the priesthood of which we will be going back to in chapter 7 eventually, the author stops in verse 11 of chapter 5 to say, well, we've got much to say, but it's hard to explain because you have become dull of hearing. So, this is where this begins. You become dull of hearing. This category here in Hebrews 5:11 at that point is not, oh, that means you're an apostate. Clearly, you're not a believer because you're quite apathetic to the Gospel. No. We wouldn't be thinking like that. We may have an increasing concern. The writer to the Hebrew Christian certainly has this concern. But this is where we see this beginning. There's a dullness of hearing, a hearing the truths of the gospel. And it's not taking root. Now this is of one who professes a faith that has taken root to which they are professing Christ as their Lord and Savior, but as they hear the gospel week after week, there's a dullness of hearing. So, now, here this evening, this is when we examine our hearts.
There are certain things, certain truths that maybe on a secular fleshly level we enjoy hearing about, certain common interests, hobbies that we may have that get us fired up. Oh yes, I'd like to hear about that. And again and again, we'd like to go back to it. What about Christ and the Gospel? Think how many professing Christians could spend hours and hours discussing certain political situations or certain practical issues that do relate to biblical matters. But where's Christ in all of that? Where is Christ and the gospel? Not just in terms of, yeah, well I understand the gospel, I've got the gospel. But in terms of the day-by-day realization and the impact that this has that it is about Christ. That the knowing of Christ, that walking with Christ, that proclaiming Christ is something that is cherished and increasingly so. Or do you find in time it's becoming all a bit bland? Not really as interested, not as fired up as I was before. Why? This is why Christ must be preached. Because what I'm called to do right now is to proclaim the beauty and the excellency of Jesus Christ so that you in this building and as you go from here you are enriched by what is before our very eyes in the Word of God, this Lord and Savior of my life. Because the Hebrew Christians here, they've become dull of hearing and what are they doing? Well, they're thinking of going back to the Old Testament practices, what we would know as Judaism. Thinking that the priesthood system in and of itself could be the answer. So, they're veering away from Christ and they're going back to something which as a system in and of itself does not save. And we look at such a thing and think, how can there be such a uh foolish way of thinking? But they're becoming dull of hearing. There's an increasing sense of being desensitized to the very glory of the gospel. And this is why in Hebrews chapter 5 at the end, there is this exhortation to get to the spiritual milk, to start feeding upon this, the basic principles of the oracles of God to be built up upon these foundations. And as you're built up upon these foundations, then there is a maturing of your Christian faith. This is what the author is pleading for. And yet as we see in chapter 6, with this warning, let's leave the elementary doctrine of Christ, these things, these types and shadows of the Old Testament. Let's leave them. Why? Because that's what these Hebrew Christians are wanting to go back to. Their hearts are not being drawn to Christ. Their hearts are being drawn to something, someone else. And that's the danger. That's when this begins to escalate and there's a sense in which now we're getting to the point where this author is saying we need to be warned and be aware of this because in the time of the first century The issue that these Hebrew Christians were certainly being tempted and drawn to was an issue that we see even the apostle Peter struggled with. Think about his vision in Acts chapter 10 when he is struggling with the notion of going to Cornelius. And the Lord reveals, no, these foods are clean. And because he's a believer, God is speaking and working in his heart. And this is where the warning comes, because it is ultimately one which is to the heart. Because in verse 3, as we noted a while back, it says, and this we will do if God permits. And that's what we trust in, what God sovereignly permits and decrees. And we also noted down to Hebrews 6 verse 9 - After this warning that we're dealing with right now, he then goes on in a different direction to say, though we speak in this way, yet in your case beloved, we feel sure of better things, and then note this, things that belong to salvation.
And so, what this reveals to us is that the warning contained in verses 4 to 6 is a warning that does apply to the category of Hebrew Christians, these professing Christians like the church of Jesus Christ today. And it is a warning that there is a category of person of people within that who are in danger of falling away. And that's not to say, again to repeat, well they're all Christians, but some of them are going to lose their salvation and fall away. No, this is dealing with in the midst of a church body, there is the danger that there are those, maybe one or two, maybe more, who have professed faith, they have been enlightened and tasted these things, but that they're not truly saved. That's the warning. That is the warning that is being given. As these actions are being looked upon, of the Hebrew Christians and them all seemingly wanting to turn back to these types and shadows. The warning comes in. Right? Some of you need to sit up and take note as you're becoming dull of hearing, as you're seeking to go back to this old system. There is a danger, but for some of you, you've tasted, you've experienced but that you're not actually saved. And as we're going to see, especially next week, this is a category of people where it's not simply a case of, okay, right, you're not a Christian. Right, well, if you go back and then we'll try and evangelize in a month's time and we'll see if you're going to accept Christ then. No, this is dealing with a category of people where it is stating that they are in a spiritual condition where there will be no repentance. There will be no restoration. And that is how serious and how weighty this is. This is the very definition, the very example, the very proof text of what apostasy is. Because to become an apostate, to apostatize from the very faith that you've professed, is this very thing, that we're unpacking. If we're wondering a definition of apostasy, well we're about to look at this, this week and next week.
So, let's get into the five things that this apostate, this person who falls away has experienced. Now we're going to spend quite a bit of time on the first one and we'll be quite quick fire in the other 4. So, if you're thinking, wow, he's only done the first one and we're at such and such a time, we will be quicker going through the others. So, in verse 4, it says, for it is impossible, and we'll deal with the framing of that next week, for it is impossible in the case of those who have first once been enlightened. So, that's the first thing. They've been enlightened. Now reason we're going to spend a bit more time in this word is because there are so many different categories of being enlightened. It's a word that is used frequently throughout the Old Testament. And what it means is to give light by knowledge or teaching. So, to be enlightened is to give light, so there's a light that comes on if you like, by knowledge or teaching. And there are differing degrees to which man is given this light. Now on the most general of levels, God, as we look around, is revealed in general revelation, what is known plain to what we have of man in Romans 1:19-20. Verse 20 states, for his invisible attributes, namely his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been made, so they are without excuse. So, this is a truth made known to man. There is an enlightening that we all have, but we know in Romans 1:21 that some suppress this truth. Romans 1:21, sorry. A truth which is in their hearts. Romans 2:21. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them. So, there's something in the hearts of everybody of being enlightened to an extent, truths that are often suppressed, but truths that are still revealed. Just as we look out at the beauty of God's creation.
In the heart of man there's a sense of morality, a knowledge of right or wrong. Where does this come from? Even false religions and cultures have some aspects of this even without biblical Christianity shaping and forming that. General views on not murdering, stealing, seeking to do good. The natural man wants to be happy, wants to be loved. All these types of things. There's an element on this very basic level of being enlightened. But then we go a bit more closer to what we're dealing with in this text. Because then there is a natural knowledge of spiritual things. For example, Jesus quoted Isaiah in Matthew 4:16 of the Gentiles saying, the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light. So, Gentiles dwelling in darkness, they've seen a great light. And for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned. Now that's not saying, well, all the Gentiles were saved, but it does mean that the light of the glorious gospel does shine in the darkness. People see and they hear of the spiritual riches of this gospel, but they do so naturally. So, when you preach Christ, you present the beauty and the wonder of the gospel. They hear it. There's an enlightening, but it's all natural. And we know that the enemy seeks to work to blind us from seeing these truths in our hearts. 2 Corinthians 4:10, in their case, the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God. However, if you're thinking, oh so Hebrews 6:4 is speaking of people who have been enlightened only naturally, spiritual truths, but it's only been a natural enlightenment. Well, it's actually something more than that. Here, the enlightenment that is spoken of is more than just a natural knowledge of the spiritual. So, let me repeat this just so that we've not missed it. The enlightenment mentioned in this verse is more than just a natural knowledge of these spiritual saving truths.
2 Peter 2:21 speaks of a similar thing when it says - For it would have been better for them to have never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. Now what this means, brothers and sisters, is that this category of people are enlightened where there is a light by knowledge and teaching that has had an impact on them. It's not just that they've been pretending. It's not just that, oh, it's been entirely on a superficial level. No, there has been something that has had an impact on their being. So, if we're looking at the category of somebody who apostatizes and we're wondering, well, was it all completely fake? Well, ultimately, we're dealing with one who isn't saved and yet they professed faith. They were maybe baptized. They've been part of the local church, they've served. Why? Because they have been enlightened. And yet, the heart of stone has not been changed. And that's the warning throughout this text. This is what true life-saving enlightenment looks like, that there is an actual change of the heart.
Now we're going to see with some of the other points later in this text, just what that distinction looks like more clearly. But this enlightenment is something that has revealed something and made a difference, it's had an impact on them spiritually, but it hasn't changed their heart. And so, we have to understand what true life-saving enlightenment is. 2 Corinthians 3:18, when it says - We all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. Now do you see, when we behold Christ, there is transformation. We are being transformed. This is salvation where there is a spiritual enlightenment, an enlightenment of the heart. Ephesians 1:18 also says - having the eyes of your hearts enlightened that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints. Now let me make this clear. The person who is the apostate of Hebrews 6 doesn't have this. And he or she never had this. They never had this hope of the riches of the glorious inheritance in the saints. It's what then leads to a beginning of maybe a dullness of hearing, a growing sense of apathy, and an increasing moving away from the things of God and from the Gospel. Because though there's been an experience, though it's had an impact, it hasn't truly saved them. Because true saving enlightenment, we don't fall from that. We're saved by that and we savor that. What you are saved by tonight, do you savor it? Do you savor it because you know that it is the change of your very heart and it means your life, your life which belongs to Christ? Is that something that you savor?
Well, we move on to the next in our list because it goes on in verse 4 - once you have been enlightened and the next, who have tasted the heavenly gift. Now there's been, as with so much of Hebrews 6, much debate about what this heavenly gift is. So, let me give you some of the, I think, less likely explanations for this one argument, which is quite a weaker one, but to mention, has been that this heavenly gift refers to things that we experience in the life of the church, the Lord's Supper, fellowship with other believers, some experiences of the Christian faith. That can be one interpretation.
Another argument is that it could be the gift of the Holy Spirit. That certainly would make a lot of sense for the fact that the next one mentions the sharing in the Holy Spirit. But it's being more precise likely to reference the gift of Christ. Now, Ephesians 2:8 describes grace as the gift of God, and 2 Corinthians 9:15 declares that Christ is the unspeakable gift.
Now at this point, if you're hearing the gift of Christ and wondering, well, if you've got the gift of Christ, does that not mean salvation? Well, notice the wording, which is key. We've got those who have once been enlightened, and then the next phrase, and this is crucial, those who have tasted the heavenly gift. Tasted the gift of Christ. This means we are dealing with a person who understands what this is. You understand what the gospel is. There's no confusion, oh well, probably they didn't know the gospel. No, this person understands the gospel. It's been upon your lips. You know its quality. You smell its aroma. You understand its nature and significance. You know what this is all about. Such people who taste this gift aren't the popping into church occasionally types, just as mere peripheral figures and nothing more. No, it can be a person who has been heavily involved in the church. Maybe they've prayed with conviction, spoken with authority, led by example, and seemingly loved like Christ, because they've tasted it. But it doesn't last.
Think of the parable of the sower and the many soils (Mat 13:1-23). The rocky ground produces something that looks impressive because of how it is received and then what soon happens. They've tasted the heavenly gift. Then we go on, and they have shared in the Holy Spirit. Shared in the Holy Spirit. That's quite a big declaration. Now in order to help us to deal with this, if we go over to the Book of Acts and to chapter 8, going to look at an example of this very thing. Simon the magician and if you've got an ESV in front of you the title at the beginning of verse 9 says Simon the Magician Believes. So, we'll read Acts chapter 8 from verse 9 - But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed. Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”
Now here we're dealing with the sharing in the Holy Spirit. And we're confronted with an example in Acts chapter 8 of a man who professes faith that says that he believed. So, someone very much who tasted much of what we're seeing in this text. And yet, what ultimately was exposed of this man's heart? He thought this was something that he could buy. He thought this was a power that then he could have, that he could then display. And this is a danger, is it not, with many who play with the Holy Spirit today. We see this very thing masquerading as Christianity in so many particularly so-called Pentecostal churches where the Holy Spirit's name, and this is being done in the Holy Spirit, is being thrashed around in such folly and at times great evil. Oh, there's experiences of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit's working and moving here. Is it? Is it truly? Because as we are looking here at the category of Hebrews chapter 6, one who's been enlightened, one who has tasted, one who has shared in the Holy Spirit.
We're dealing with not a true Holy Spirit has come upon you and regenerated your heart sharing. Simon's been there, the Holy Spirit's been at work, there's been an incredible move of God, but he has not truly been transformed by it. So yes, there's been a sharing of it, but it's not been transformational. And that's the point, that's the problem. Oh yes, we can see the Holy Spirit moving. Can we? Is He moving and working in your life? And this is why we need to be clear doctrinally about who the Holy Spirit is and how He works and moves. Because we need the Holy Spirit. Again, we'll say to be a biblical church is to be a charismatic church. Because we need to be filled and emboldened with the Holy Spirit. But not the folly masquerading as so many would. Because this is what is on the line. Souls. Souls that need to be transformed. They need to be transformed, changed, regenerated by the Holy Spirit. That's what we need. And that is what is lacking in this apostate.
We then come to the fourth one, in verse 5. Again, we have tasting, which we've dealt with this word. They've tasted the goodness of the word of God. So, we've had the tasting of the heavenly gift, now the tasting of the goodness of God. Now we're getting a developing picture by now, aren't we? The people who are regularly there, maybe going to the special events, they're very much part of the furniture of the church. It's come to their lips, they've tasted it. That's the picture we have yet again. The thing with this tasting though, this word tasting that is now mentioned twice, is a tasting which maybe at one point was desirable, it brought great joy, but as time goes on, it becomes more bland and even it then becomes repulsive. They tasted and saw that it was good. And you would then think, well surely if you've tasted the goodness of the word of God that you're going to devour it. This is good stuff. This is the teaching of the word of God. But no.
Yes, maybe they liked the church at one point, they agreed with the gospel, they seemed passionate for a period, but then what? Well, this is what our text is challenging us with. There needs to be true salvation because that is what brings the actual change in the heart. Because otherwise, you could have maybe tasted it at first, it was exciting, it was new, it tasted nice, but then what happens in time? This dullness of hearing, it becomes familiar. You aren't savoring it. You aren't devouring it. And as it becomes familiar, it soon becomes dull to you. And then in time there are other attractions, more important things and priorities in your life. And you become that dull of hearing category. You tasted that the Lord is good. You were fired up and zealous. But then, eh. Not so much. Not really too bothered. I'm now starting to go checking the box, making sure I keep the elders off my back. Oh friends, this is not what it's about. This is not what the gospel's about. The gospel is the motivation. It is the light. It is the life. What are we living for here this evening? That we've tasted and seen something as good. Are we then seeking and yearning to consume it as we consume this spiritual milk? That we're wanting the solid food? Yes, I know the gospel and I want to know more of it. I want to understand the significance of the priesthood and how Jesus is the great high priest. I want to know all the more with clarity why justification by faith alone is a rock-solid core doctrine of the Christian faith. I want to understand why the blood of Christ is something that is transformative in me. These are things that matter to me.
Oh, brothers and sisters, may we pray with such earnestness and fervor for these things. Because this is the warning. It's the warning of those who taste much and fall away. And we come to the final one in verse 5 - tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come. So, this is referring to signs and wonders, ways in which the power of God is displayed. So, we've got miracle power, something mentioned in Hebrews 2:4, which says - while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will.
So, at this time people have tasted, they've seen, they've witnessed, they've experienced these things. And yet during the time when Jesus was on this earth and the time of the apostles, witnessing many mighty works. What was Jesus' attitude to such men? Who were seeing incredible things. John 2:23-25 - Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. So, they believe in his name because they're seeing the signs. But note this, but Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them. because He knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for He Himself knew what was in man. Now that's it. Jesus knows what was in man. The depravity of sinful man. How unsavable is sinful man. But for, and here it is, the true regenerating work of God in the life of such a sinner. We can have much experience. We can have a great impact, be greatly impacted by the things that we experience in our profession of faith, but we don't truly believe it. And the danger is right here in this text. You've experienced it, you've professed it, but you fall away.
And verse 6 is saying, that once that happens you cannot be restored. That's it. If you're sitting here and thinking - I just don't care. Maybe right now, there could be somebody here listening to this thinking, phew, glad that's over now. Why? Boring. Just not engaged. This just has no impact in my heart, in my life. That's the sobering warning. When you sit here, you're presented with even a text about this subject. You're presented with the glorious life-saving message of the Gospel. A gospel, you professed faith in, and you’re stone-cold dead. That is who the apostate is, a category of one who has experienced much, but as we are going to see, and it will be an incredibly difficult verse to unpack in verse 6. They've fallen away, and they will not, they cannot be, it is impossible for them to be restored again to repentance.
Brothers and sisters, this is a sobering warning that should make us shudder as we think of one renouncing Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. This should make us shudder because the spiritual condition, the spiritual place of one who does that, of one who is in this category is something that we cannot even begin to fully comprehend. And this is what that is. And as this is a sobering warning to us all, it is also a great encouragement. Because if at the end of all this, what I had to say to you in closing was, well, you had better be a good Christian this week. Otherwise, this could be you. Then you would be damned. And you would have every reason tomorrow morning to wake up feeling the weight of your sinful depravity. But by God's grace, where we close is knowing that the salvation that we have and the life that we have, the transformation of our life is found in Christ. And that's why you need to hear the gospel. This is why we need the gospel. Because it's the gospel which has saved us. It's the gospel which has transformed us. It's the gospel that we've tasted, we have savored, we have devoured. And tomorrow morning, may it be by the grace of God, when you wake up and you're thinking about all these worries and afflictions in your life, you can yet still look to Christ and know, I belong to Jesus. My soul is secure. My life is eternal in Him, and I love Jesus Christ. Can you say that here this evening? I love Jesus Christ, and I want to hear more. I want to see more. I want to know more of Jesus Christ. Oh, brothers and sisters, may this be what we're taking hold of all the more, and may it drive us forward for the glory of His name and the proclamation of the Gospel. Let's pray together.
Oh Father, we pray, stir our hearts in the midst of a text which is sobering, of which we do come with much fear and trembling. Lord, to be in a position where we've tasted and experienced and been enlightened by so much that's had an impact in our life, but then to be in that category of falling away. Oh Lord may it never be, may we be guarded and protected because we are safe under the shadow of your wing. We cleave to Jesus Christ and know that He is that sweet smelling aroma by which we have been saved, by which our sin has eternally been put away, by which our life is transformed. Oh Lord we pray that in the midst of this warning that the true believer would be assured. May we be reminded that this is a supernatural work of the Spirit of God in our lives. So, we look to you, we trust in Him and we pray, may Christ be exalted and adorned in our heart and life now we ask, in Jesus' name. Amen.