Here is a severe warning to those in our own day who trust in the encounter, the answered prayer, the financial blessing, the healing, some claim even the resurrection from the dead. None of these will avail when the Lord calls His own to Himself one day. They shall claim only the blood of Jesus as their cover, their entry fee, into Emmanuel’s Land. We hear with clarion call the words of Jesus in Matthew 7, “Depart from me [prophets, exorcists, miracle workers] you who work iniquity. I never knew you.”

Hebrews 6:4-6 seems to describe persons who came oh! so close to Heaven, but who ultimately fell away. And in full light of revelation they said no to the Son of God. They shall never now say yes to Him. For them it is “once lost, in this brilliant Light, always lost.”

For those who cannot see these verses this way, I suggest that the warning itself becomes the means by which the truly saved will stay saved. A saved person looks at this passage and trembles, even if it does not apply to him. The fear of the Lord in him makes it impossible for him to fall away.

But the writer is also addressing saved Jews, and tells them he is convinced that salvation is theirs and will be. That is that other group starting in verse 9. Notice how quickly he goes from negative to positive talk. Yes there are those surface believers who will turn away. But not you. It is obvious you are different.

Hebrews 10:23-39 is another passage in the book that causes concern to a serious student of these matters. The theme of the verses is “holding fast.” We can hold fast because a promise was given to us by one who is faithful, says the writer. We will hold fast because of His promise, His character, and the means by which He has made all this possible: the church’s commitment to “stimulate one another to love and good works”, a stimulation that includes this very passage!

Verse 26 says there is no other sacrifice available for one who rejects the sacrifice of Christ. If, like the group described above, one is surrounded by a knowledge of the truth, but not sealed by the Spirit of God unto a salvation that acknowledges the blood shed for him, he is without hope. If he decides to continue in his sins and reject the call of God, there is no hope. If Christ is among us and one does not reach out to Him for salvation, there is no hope.

But once more the writer describes a second group. He is talking also to those who were “enlightened”, then persecuted, then friends of the persecuted. To them He issues a warning, which they will obey. Yes, if they shrink back – if that were possible – God would have no more pleasure in them.

But they won’t shrink back (vs 38-39), says the writer of Hebrews. They are of a special class of people who will have grace to endure to the very end, the preserving of the soul. Read it for yourself. Far from being a passage against the perseverance of the saints, Hebrews 10:39 is a clear description of God’s faithful hand on His own, the ones He gave to Jesus. The ones who will prevail. The ones who will not shrink back. The ones safely in the Son’s and in the Father’s hand.

What think ye of this? Satisfied yet? Secure yet? “No,” you say. “Paul talked about branches being taken off the ‘Israel tree.’ Romans 11 must be dealt with!”

Yes, this is a difficult one. But since it is Paul speaking most certainly this time, it must be read in the light of everything else Paul says. Paul is not divided against himself when he writes these messages to Rome.

One of the guiding principles of the apostle in this chapter is in verse 29: The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable! Backing up then to the “difficulty” that begins in verse 17, where Paul calls Gentile believers, “branches of a wild olive tree,” grafted into the original olive tree called “Israel.” The punch comes in verse 22, where Paul says that we must continue in His kindness, or we will be cut off from that tree.

The only conclusion possible from such a statement is that if we were indeed given to the Son by the Father (for John cannot be left out of this equation) we will “continue in His kindness.” By the very nature of the new birth, this perseverance will happen! Why? “The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.”

One other possibility is that Paul is saying, in a different way here, what Scripture says elsewhere, to make our calling and election sure. Take nothing for granted. Keep calling out to God, looking for fruit and other signals that we have been born again. It is possible, is it not, that one could become a “partaker” with the church, and be as those ones we described above who did things that church people do, but had not the saving grace on the inside? Be very sure… Because if you aren’t really saved, you will be cut off.

Forgive me if I seem to be defending a theological system at any expense. My desire is to find the truth, and build upon it. Once I have found a clear statement of truth, then something that seems to come against that truth cannot be taken at face value, but must be examined more fully. Here, in one chapter, Paul seems to say two different things. But the one thing he said is said clearly elsewhere, so we build upon that truth, and explain the rest.

That’s not satisfying to some, and they should not go with it if their conscience is offended. They should allow the Holy Spirit slowly to teach them one precept at a time.

As I stated earlier, this discussion has been going on for a long time. We won’t settle it all now, for we are dealing, as Paul says even further on into Romans 11, with the very mind of God. Let us be persistent in searching but not frustrated in not finding it all. And once you think you finally understand His mind, read Romans 11:34 again: “Who has known the mind of the Lord?”