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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. Here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the air. You can reach us toll-free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the Bibleignmenistries.org homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, and that today’s first part of this two-part message will be a blessing to you and your family.

All right, take your Bible and turn to the book of Hebrews and chapter 6, Hebrews chapter 6. Sooner or later, you are going to have to deal with this passage of Scripture. And the reason is because the Scriptures here has something to say that is very easily, well twisted, because it seems to say, well, something along the lines that you can lose your salvation and that you might have to get saved again. And so many people use these verses and so you need to know how to explain them to keep yourself from doubting their questions.

So if you notice the title of it is a study in Hebrews chapter 6 verses 4 through 6. And the first word there are harmonetics. That’s the art of biblical interpretation. In other words, there’s a whole book and lecture that I’ve taught many times on the subject hermeneutics, the arbabar of biblical interpretation. How do you understand the Bible? And so there’s certain things that you’re supposed to do to help you to understand what it’s talking about. And once you learn certain things, they help you to understand the scriptures.

So let’s read there in Hebrews chapter 6, look there in verse 1. Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection, not land again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and a faith toward God. Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of lannell of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, of eternal judgment, and this will we do, if God permits. For it is impossible for those who are ones enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance, seeing they crucified to themselves, the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”

And then he uses an illustration that we’ll look at in just a moment that kind of explains the teaching that’s going on here. The book of Hebrews so that you know, you should always try to find out who is the scriptures talking to, and to understand that the scriptures does not contradict itself. In other words, the teaching in one place will not contradict another situation or another place, if it’s talking about the same subject, talking about the same thing.

Now you can take parts of scripture all over and make it say whatever you want to but not any context. A lot of people just try to make it say whatever they want and sometimes I’ve had people, they’ll ask me says, what do you think about this verse? And I’ll tell them what I think about that verse. Yes, but, because they don’t want to accept that answer, they want it to be a different answer so their conscious doesn’t bother them that if they violate that verse.

So they want to know another verse that makes them feel better. And so that’s why even if you go to Bible college you might study for four years, it’s just to teach you how to study the Bible. Doesn’t mean you come out with, you know, you’re a Bible now and you know everything. It just gives you certain things to study for the rest of your life. But the reason this is important because Because Hebrews is written to believing. Israelites, believing Jews.

These are people that are of the nation of Israel. They’ve trusted Christ as Savior and they still have that inclination of the law that they’ve been doing all their life. It’s just like you and I here. We go to church, don’t we? Yeah. And we read the Bible, yeah. And we’re baptized in water, yeah. But we don’t do those things to be saved. But because we are saved, there’s things that we do. But there are some people they get into teaching that, you know, that’s what you got to do to be saved or to stay saved.

Well, they were doing the same thing on the law. And so they had gotten their messages mixed up. And so it’s so easy to be saved by grace. And then because of air in your theology or teaching, you can believe the wrong thing and begin to teach a message that you were not saved by. But are you still saved? Yeah, you still be saved. But can a Christian teach a false message? Yes, you can teach a false message and still be saved.

But it’s not the will of God and there might be a little chastion coming your way. So we’re supposed to watch ourselves and guard our testimony. So here in the book of Hebrews when he makes the statement and what usually causes the problem is is when it says they’re in verse six, if they shall fall away. Now, look there in your notes at the top of the page there where I have always interpret difficult passages with clear passages. You don’t do it the other way around.

You and I know that salvation is the gift of God. So therefore it’ll never be my works. And since you know that it’s not by works, You know that salvation in the scriptures will never be kept by works. So you know that whatever it seems to say, it cannot say that you’re saved or kept saved by your words. It’s impossible because that would contradict the clear teachings of scripture that a man is saved by grace. If he saved by grace, he is kept by grace.

That means you didn’t earn it to get it and you can’t earn it to keep it. It was given to you as a free gift and you keep it as a free gift. You didn’t do any good works to get it and you don’t do good works to keep it. And your bad works didn’t keep you from getting it and bad works can’t take it away from you. But once you understand that, then you can read the Bible and understand a lot of other scriptures and say, Why not?

I can’t mean this. It can’t mean that. So you eliminate certain possibilities. The next statement there, always compare scripture with scripture. Know this verse. And if it seemed like it says something, check that verse. Because you know that it has to be in agreement. And if you understand it, it will help you as you rightly divide the Word God. Always considered to whom a book is written. So this is the book of Hebrews. So it must be written to who?

Hebrews. All right, they’re saved Hebrews and there’s lost Hebrews. I wonder what kind we’re talking to. We’re talking to those that know the Lord. These are saved individuals. And I preached to sermon the other night on the let us, let us, let us, let us. And and I’m not going to repeat that sermon. But it’s written to those that believe on the Lord. So whatever these verses are saying, it’s saying to those who know the Lord that cannot lose their salvation, so they can’t get saved again.

So you got to find out, okay, what is it saying? And so when someone says, these are those that comes right up to the door of salvation. They’re right there at the door. But they don’t get to go in. No, that’s not what it’s talking about. Now you could use the illustration in the Old Testament where the children of Israel is there in the wilderness and they get right up to the promised man and they didn’t get to go in.

Well, they didn’t get to go in, but that’s not talking about heaven and hell either. The Bible does talk to us about as a child of God going on to maturity. And while a person may be a child of God, it doesn’t mean that they’re automatic, you know, qualified to teach the word of God. So as time goes on, you ought to be learning the word so that you can teach the word. So look there in Hebrews in chapter five and verse 11, of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered or explain senior dull of hearing.

For when for the time you ought to be teachers. So we’re talking to those who ought to be something that they’re not. It didn’t say you ought to be saved. No, you ought to be lost. No. It’s talking to those who know the Lord, but are not serving the Lord. They’re not growing in the Lord. They’re not able to teach the Word of God yet. You have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God.

In other words, you got to relay the foundation. Not get saved again, but teach you the simple basic things that you need to understand as a child of God so that you can grow. You don’t have to get a person saved again. And so he says there in verse 13, for every one, now we’re talking to believer. Now we’re talking about lost people. The believer, he says in verse 13, that everyone that uses milk is what? Unskillful in the Word.

So evidently we must be talking about something about, in the book of Hebrews, about a person becoming skillful in the Word of God. And that they were not skillful. In other words, they could not rightly divide the Word of truth. So you may be saved. And you’ve had a Bible for 20, 30, 40 years, but you’re not mature enough to know how to make it work for you. So you don’t just need a knowledge of the Bible, you need a working knowledge of the Bible.

And that’s why he says there, and you look at that verse in chapter 4 and verse 12, for the word of God is quick. I mean, it’s alive. And it’s powerful, and it’s sharper than any two-edged sword. So the thing that lies between a child of God a man of God is the word of God in between. So as you grow in the Lord, you are to mature in the Lord so that you can teach the word of God.

So at this point in your Christian life, can you teach the word of God? So I’ve been saved for 30 years. It’s not the question. These people could have been saved for 30 years, but they were still unskillful in the word of righteousness and they were still considered babes in the Lord. And he’s, well, I know this, I know, but do you have the knowledge of the Word of God that you can teach forth the Word of God? Look what else he says.

In verse 13, everyone that uses milk is unskilledful in the Word of righteousness. He is a babe, but strong meat belong to them that are mature, full age. Those who by reason of use, See those three words, that’s very important. See, if you want to grow in the Lord, learn to use the knowledge that you now have. And if you will use the knowledge that you have, God will give you more knowledge. And when you get more knowledge and then you use that, then you’ll grow and God will give you more.

But if you don’t use what you have, then you’ll lose what you have and you can’t remember the scriptures. You have to, wow, you can’t remember it. it will not be there. So you study the Word of God so that you can use it, and then if you’ll use it, God will give you more because He’s leading you and you’re growing in the Lord. Part of the problem of these, He says, you can’t go to maturity unless God permits you to go.

You say, how does God keep me from going there? He doesn’t give you more light. You may read the Bible and not gain anything. You can go to church and not get why because you’re not walking according to the light you have. And God says there in chapter 6, in verse 3, and this will we do. What will we do? We will go on to maturity if God permits. And why wouldn’t He permit it? Because if you’re not obeying the light that you now have, why should God give you more light?

The more light you get without using it or applying it will only blind you then you can’t see it all. And so that’s why you’re to line up on line, precept upon precept. Here a little, there a little, you’ll learn little by little. God doesn’t allow a man to learn it all at one time. You have to get a little by little and then you have to apply it, then you get some more, and then you apply it, and you grow that way.

And so this is what God’s talking about. See there in verse 14 of chapter 5, where it makes a statement, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern. So you part of your growing in the Lord and maturing in the Lord is your ability to discern. That means you can decide and understand what’s right and what’s wrong. Look back there, just notes. Always consider the context of the passage. So we understand these verses if we eliminate the chapter division and just look at the context.

What are we talking about? Are we talking to the lost men on how to get to heaven? Are we talking about a Christian on how to discern the word of God? A Christian that needs to grow into Lord, a Christian that needs to be maturing in the Lord, a Christian that ought to be able to teach the Word of God. So when you put it in that context in the last part of that, or chapter 6, will make a little bit more sense.

You can understand it. So you always got to consider the context. Look there in your notes where I have number one, three things the author is warning us about. And this is what it says. Now we’ve got to find out what it means. Number one, consequences have fallen away. Whatever that means, there’s consequences. If they shall fall away. So there’s a consequence. The second point, what would happen if they fall away? It’s impossible to renew them. Now you can’t deny that scripture says that.

Why is it impossible? Seeing they crucified to themselves, the Son of God afresh. Again. So what does that mean? Cause that’s what is stated in these verses. And so when you don’t keep it in its context, then you will let your mind run wild and you’ll leave the context and you’ll use imagination and you’ll run hither and dither and go wherever you want to go and try to figure out what it’s talking about. But maybe it’s explained right here where you are.

A lot of times what you find written in a book will be explained in that book, not all the time, but a lot of time the answer is right there. So we know we’re talking to the believers and what they needed to do. Why shouldn’t we go on to maturity? And if I go on to maturity, it means that I haven’t lost my salvation. And if I haven’t lost my salvation, then you don’t have to try to get saved again.

And the reason you don’t have to get saved again is because you didn’t get lost. Just because you did not grow in the Lord and mature in the Lord doesn’t mean that now that’s a sign you never really were saved. No, it doesn’t mean that. It means your babe. Because once you’ve trusted Christ as your Savior, you’re saved forever. Your God’s child forever and that will never change. So number two, there are four views of this chapter. One, a Christian can lose a salvation and there’s people who teach you can lose your salvation.

Number two, a mere profession and not possession of salvation. You’re saying you’re saying but you’re not really saved. Ah, that’s a good possibility. So you can be a Christian and in Lucius salvation. Or maybe you’re somebody who says you’re a Christian and you’re not really a Christian. And the third one is hypothetically, if a Christian could lose their salvation, there is no provision for repentance. Number four, a Christian who falls away is warned of be disqualified for service and blessings now in future reward.

So there’s a bunch of options that you can say, well, this might be, well, this might be. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all of God’s people all agreed on what the Word of God says, but that don’t happen? I wouldn’t be great if all the preachers in the world all preach the same gospel. If it is the gospel they are. It’s just that most of not preaching the gospel because the gospel and the test of the gospel is grace.

If it’s not grace, it’s not the gospel. If it’s not eternal, it’s not the gospel. So the gospel has to be free and it has to last forever. And if anyone of those is missing, it’s not the gospel. So it has to be free or it’s not the gospel and it has to be forever or it’s not the gospel. So is the message that people are preaching? Is that what they’re saying? When you tell people that they have to turn from their sin, then it’s not free.

You’ve got to make Christ the Lord and Master of your life, then it’s not free. If there’s something you have to, you’ve got to go to church and live a good life, then it’s not free. Okay, so it is by grace and it’s free. Okay, if it It is free, then it has to be forever. If it’s really free, it has to be forever. And if it’s not forever, it wasn’t really free. Because they took it away from it because you weren’t willing to pay a price on how you lived.

So then it’s got to be free. It has to last forever. Or either of those, it is not the good news of the gospel. Don’t you all understand what I’m saying? I mean, this is the crux of the matter. Majority of preachers do not understand this simplicity. They just don’t get it So anyway Look at number one up there under that a Christian can lose his salvation if this was true. They could not be saved again Why because if they shall fall away it is impossible to renew them again in the word let’s just pretend for a moment you are a saved man and And then because of whatever, now you’ve lost your salvation for whatever reason, then it says you can’t get saved again because it’s impossible for those.

That had been once enlightened and have pasted the heavenly gift and all this stuff. And then to lose it or to fall away, if that means you lose your salvation, then it also means you can’t get saved again because it says right there. If they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance because everybody knows you got to repent to be saved. Well, that could be one of those views. But is that what it’s saying that you can be lost after you’re saved?

And if you can be lost after you’re saved, then it’s also saying you can’t get saved again. Oh boy. And yet how many people preach that, but they never preach that you can’t be saved again. They believe you can get saved and lost, saved and lost, saved and lost, saved and lost. And you just hope you died when you were saved. But you never know for sure. So I don’t believe that’s correct. The second point was a mere profession and not possession of salvation.

Is this just people who are claiming to be saved but not really have ever trusted the Lord? And the reason they say that because they just taste it. Just taste it. See what it says in verse 4? For it is impossible for those who are once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift. Well, if you just taste it, it means you didn’t fully partake of it. Well, the next part of the verse says, and we’re made what? Partakers.

So it’s those who have tasted and seen that the Lord is good. That’s also mentioned in the book of 1 Peter in chapter 2. Taste and see that the Lord is good. But since it’s right here in the book of Hebrews, look there in chapter 2. Look in chapter 2 and verse 9, where it makes a statement, But we see Jesus who has made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor that he by the grace of God, and you are on the line this, should taste death for every man.

Now when he tasted death, do you think did he really die? Yes. He just says he suffered for the suffering of death. And when he tasted death, that’s, have you ever tasted tribulations and trials? Yeah, I just tasted it, but I didn’t go any further than that. It means that you really did go through trials and tribulations. Jesus really did die. And so for those who have tasted the Lord is those who have trusted Christ as their Savior. And you know you have eternal life and you have been enlightened and you have been partakers of the Holy Spirit living within you.

This is the saved people not lost people. This isn’t talking about those that those they’re professing but they’re not real. No, this is talking about real Christians. You ever heard the phrase, you got to be a born again believer Or a born-again Christian? What are the kindnesses? Or you’ve been really saved or gloriously saved? Yeah. Like the guy laying up in this casket. He’s an atheist. All dressed up nowhere to go. Whatever your shame. All dressed up nowhere to go.

But he’s really dead. Now this guy over here in this other casket, he’s just dead. But this guy’s really dead. This guy’s saved, but this guy’s really saved. Now, look there in Hebrews chapter six. So he talks about those in verse four, I believe he’s talking to those that believe on the Lord, and why it’s impossible for those who have been once saved in verse six, if they should fall away to get saved again. And the reason why couldn’t they get saved again?

Well, because that means that Christ would have to die again. Because the only way that a man could be saved and then lost is because it means there had to be a sin that Christ didn’t pay for. So Christ paid for all of your sins, and this is how most people believe it. Christ paid for all of your sins up to the time you believe. Then after that, you’ve got to keep getting forgiveness for all of these individual sins as you commit them.

And if you die before you got convicted, so that’s it, none, you’ve got to go to hell. Either Christ paid for all of my sins, or He’ll have to come back every day to take care of mine. Or did he do it all at one time? It’s appointed unto every man once the die and after this, the judgment. So if Christ is going to die for a man, how many times must he die? One time. Because a man only dies once.

So when a man dies, that’s the end of his life. So when Christ died on the cross for me, he paid for all of my sins. And so the only way that I could lose my salvation is to commit a sin that Christ didn’t pay for. And then if he didn’t pay for that sin, well the only way I could ever get saved again is for Christ to come back afresh, anew, and pay for that sin. Well then, if I commit another sin and then I’ve got to die, well now he got to come back and pay for that sin.

And then I can get saved again. And then if I commit another sin, then I lose my salvation. Then I got away from him to come back and pay for that sins I can get saved again. Well, if this rate Christ would never get off the cross. I mean, how many times would He have to do this? Now, in the Old Testament they had to do it over and over and over again, but Jesus, He’s different. He’s one time for the sins of the whole world and people can’t believe this because it’s so So simple, it’s too easy.

I mean, people say, well, that’s just too easy. That’s just too easy. What if it’s so easy? Why can’t you believe it? You mean you believe it’s hard? What’s this? It is my glasses. So what are that? Does it have a pair of glasses? No, no, no, that’s too easy. Believe hard. Mmm. How do you believe hard? I guess by making it hard to believe. It’s supposed to be something that every person in the world can understand. Even children can understand it.

Going to all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. It means it must be something that every person can understand. It didn’t say because of what based upon their education, how smart and intelligent they are because this is hard and complicated now. Now even a child knows something that’s free. It’s free. God loves you. God loves you. Kids can understand that. So here, if you look there in your notes, on the second thing, are these believers or unbelievers?

So what are they? Are these believers or unbelievers? These are believers. are believers, once enlightened and to illuminate their mind and have tasted the heavenly gift. So this is talking to believers and we’re made partakers of the Holy Spirit. And so as you go down through here you can see I’ve got some verses in here that talks about been partakers and partakers and so forth. So the conclusion is that this is clearly to the Christian. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tappa, Florida with Dr.

Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. Part 2 of this teaching will conclude with tomorrow’s broadcast. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll-free 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bible and programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the radio broadcast link.

If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline, and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. friend one day it will happen the trumpet will sound and we will be changed caught up to meet the Lord in the air so live today and every day believe in that the Lord is coming soon and just keep looking up