Is It Possible To Fall Away? Pt. 1

What this episode covers

Jesus is greater than the angels and Moses. He is a superior high priest. But before he can elaborate upon Christ’s superiority, he warns his readers to grab their attention. The audience had yet to mature beyond milk to solid food (Heb 5:11-14). They were stuck still learning the elementary doctrine of Christ (Heb 6:1-3). Pray & Read Hebrews 6:4-8. In 1981, Rev. Mansfield Kaseman, of National Capital Presbytery, was charged with apostasy because he denied Christ’s sinlessness, bodily resurrection, vicarious atonement, and deity. The Permanent Judicial Commission of the General Assembly acquitted Mr. Kaseman allowing him to remain a member in good standing in the PCUSA. The decision allowed him to continue to teach his heretical views. The result proved the wisdom of the many churches that had formed the PCA less than a decade prior. Apostasy is an ongoing concern in every generation. We cannot let down our guard. We must hold one another accountable, especially ministers, when they fall outside the boundaries of orthodoxy. I want to begin with an overview of the three primary interpretations of this passage: 1. Genuine Christians who lose their salvation. Simply put: if you accept this interpretation you will need to consider how you understand many more passages that speak to the perseverance of the saints (Jn 6:37-40; 10:27-29; Rom 5:1-11; 8:1, 28-39; Phil 1:6; 2 Tim 2:18-19; 1 Pt 1:3-5; 1 Jn 2:19; etc.). 2. This is only a hypothetical description, since it is impossible for true believers to fall away. However, nothing in the text indicates this is only hypothetical. The threat of apostasy is treated as a real possibility. 3. These apostates were never genuinely converted. They experienced the blessing of belonging to the covenant community for a time, but fell away in unbelief. Their lack of perseverance proves the superficial quality of their faith (1 Jn 2:19). They never truly possessed what they professed. Although we won’t get to v.9 this week, we need to keep it in mind, because it certainly reveals what our author thinks of his audience. It suggests that he is confident they will heed the warning. He expects them to begin to mature. The climax of the author’s warning is that they might fall away from the pinnacle of external blessings. Previously, he has referred to the possibility that they might “fall away from the living God” (Heb 3:12). The possibility of apostasy is real, but the question is what are they apostatizing or falling away from? There is a genuine danger of falling away from the covenant community if our faith is only superficial. I don’t mean that only those with great faith are accepted by God. Your faith might be as small as a mustard seed—but if it is genuine—it will lead to growth. Those who experience true repentance will persevere in their pursuit of God’s blessing. 1. The Pretension of Apostasy (4-5) 2. The Realization of Apostasy (6) 3. An Illustration of Apostasy (7-8) The Pretension of Apostasy (4-5) Pretension comes from the root “pretend”. So how does apostasy pretend? I don’t mean the experiences described in these verses are fake, but I mean that they could leave us with a false impression. Someone could experience each of these privileges and still fall away. The general consensus among Reformed writers is to understand these five things as privileges a member of the covenant community may enjoy without ever being born again. Apostasy is possible. You can fall away from the covenant community—but that implies that you can belong to the covenant community in a superficial way. In other words, someone can make a profession that appears credible from all outward appearances, but fails to be genuine in reality. Enlightened — Some have argued that this is a sign of salvation. It speaks to the genuine quality of their faith, based upon a spiritual enlightenment. Moreover, they would suggest that the use of “once” refers to this punc

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