It's Time To Grow Up

Perhaps my most difficult discussions were about the issue of those who abandon their faith. Do they lose their salvation? Today, in Hebrews chapter six, that's what we're talking about.

While you're standing, would you take out your Bibles with me? If you don't have a Bible, you can raise your hand, and one of our ushers will bring you one. We are in the New Testament book of Hebrews, right near the end of your Bible. You can open to the very last book, Revelation, and turn to the left. You'll pass Jude, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John, 1st and 2nd Peter, James, and then Hebrews.

We're going to begin today in Hebrews chapter 5, verse 12, so turn there if you can. Again, thank you to those of you who were here yesterday for our workday. We got a lot done, and it was a real blessing. We greatly appreciated it.

In Hebrews chapter 5, verse 12, we read: "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need that someone would teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God. You have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgments. And this we will do if God permits.

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.

Father, this is one of those passages that is sharper than any two-edged sword. We pray that we wouldn't in any way try to dull it, but that we would understand what is being said here, You who inspired the...

Writing of this would now give the observation, the interpretation, and the application of it to us by Your Holy Spirit. So, would You teach us? Would You give us understanding and insight that we would continue to be transformed by the renewing of our minds? That we would be able to show what is Your good and perfect work and will in this world? God, work in us. We ask this in Jesus' name. And all those that agreed said, "Amen."

You can be seated.

In the last 10 to 15 years, the generation that is now commonly referred to as Millennials, which includes my age down to about 17 years old, has been moving through college and into careers and life. During this time, a new term has emerged that was previously referred to pejoratively as delayed adolescence. Now, there is a more positive spin on that, and it is referred to as emerging adulthood.

Emerging adulthood describes this stage of life that many in the age category of 37 down to about 17 are experiencing. The majority of this group in our culture, especially here in the United States, chooses to pursue undergraduate studies and often graduate studies beyond that. Many of them delay marriage; the average age for a man in the United States to get married is now 27.7, almost 28 years old.

Additionally, many in this group do not quickly move out of their parents' homes, and most do not reach the point of earning a livable salary or wage until they are well into their early 30s. In fact, it is believed by many researchers that most of this generation will have a very hard time reaching the five major stages of adulthood: finishing their education, starting a career, getting married, starting a family, and buying a home. Many, if not most, of those in this age category will not reach that level until they are well into their late 30s and into their 40s.

As this emerging adulthood is happening, it has become evident in our culture.

Emerging adulthood has become a huge frustration for many adults. There have been more than a few baby boomer parents of Millennials who had this dream—what we've called for many years the "empty nest." Unfortunately, that dream has been dashed into pieces, completely squashed by many within this emerging adulthood classification. These baby boomer parents have woken up to the harsh reality that this dream will probably not come to pass in any foreseeable future. In their frustration, they find themselves thinking, "Would you not just grow up?"

If you can identify with that in any way, then you will have no problem understanding the text that is before us. This text of Scripture makes a very clear point. Point number one on your outline in the sermon guide is that God's goal for His children is that they grow up. I'm sure every parent can relate to this goal and this desire.

We see it written in Hebrews 5:12: "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need that someone would teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God. You have come to need milk and not solid food." God's goal for His kids is that they would grow up. Since that is God's goal for His children, it is also my goal and the goal of the leadership of this church for the body of Christ—that we would grow up.

In fact, that is the commission Jesus gave to His disciples: to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe the things that He commanded. He said, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." So, we want to grow people up. That is the commission—to make disciples and followers of Jesus. This is the task and work of those who are called pastors, teachers, apostles, prophets, and evangelists.

The book of Ephesians, chapter 4, tells us that the work of these offices within the church is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ. The call that God has given to me is to equip the saints, the body of Christ, for the work of the ministry. There is a growing up that is to take place, and that is why we study through the Scriptures the way that we do.

Apostle Paul, in his second letter to Timothy, specifically in 2 Timothy chapter 3, verses 16 and 17, states that the Word of God is inspired by God. It is useful for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, so that the man or woman of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Therefore, we systematically go through the Bible, verse by verse and chapter by chapter, to equip the saints for the work of the ministry and to prepare us for the good things that God has in store for us.

On several occasions in the Scriptures, the metaphor is used that the Bible is like food for us. We consume it, and it becomes a part of our lives, helping us to grow strong. The Apostle Peter, in his letter, 1 Peter chapter 2, says, "As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby." We consume God's Word first as we are born again. When we put our trust in Jesus, we are born again by the Spirit of God, and we eat His Word like pure milk. The purpose of this is that we would grow; growth is the goal of what we are doing as we go through the Scriptures.

Sadly, we recognize that growth does not always lead to maturity for some within our churches. People do not always reach that place of maturity. This isn't a new phenomenon; it is not something that has only emerged in our day. Many love to decry how the church is not teaching the Word of God in the same way it once did, suggesting that this problem of people not growing to maturity is a recent issue. However, this is not new at all. Two thousand years ago, the Apostle Paul identified this problem among a group of Christians in a city called Corinth. He wrote to them, and it is recorded in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, verses 1 through 3.

He said, "I, brethren, could not speak to you as spiritual people but as carnal, as babes in Christ. You are like little infants in Jesus." He goes on to say, "I fed you with milk and not with solid food, for until now you were not able to receive it. Even now, you are still not able, for you are still carnal." In verse 3, he continues, "For where there is envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?"

God wants to make us more like Him; He is fashioning us into the likeness of His Son.

Kids, and he is trying to create in us a spiritual life that would bear spiritual fruit—the evidence of the Spirit's work in our lives. Paul says here that we are like mere men, even though we should be growing. The author of the book of Hebrews states that you have been believers for a long time, and yet, even though you have been believers for a long time, you should, by this point, have come to the place where you can teach others. Instead, someone else needs to come back in and teach you the very basic things about God's Word. You are like babes, not people who can handle solid food. That is a scathing critique, an indictment against this group of Christians that is being written to 2,000 years ago.

What it leads us to understand is point number two on your outline: we should never be satisfied with baby Huey Christianity. Prolonged Christian infantilism is unacceptable. Now, I'll be the first to admit that children, little babies, are cute as can be. I have four of perhaps the most cute specimens of children on the planet, if I do say so myself. Nothing against your kids; I just think my kids are exceedingly cute.

A few years ago, I think we were probably at my parents' house, and the TV was on. We were watching a documentary show called "My Crazy Obsession." In an episode of this show, there was a thirty-something guy who loved to dress in baby clothes, suck on a pacifier, drink from a bottle, and sleep in a crib for eight to ten hours a day. I'm not trying to speak against this in a cruel fashion, but the show itself was called "My Crazy Obsession." This individual clearly needs help, and he could be helped by the Spirit and grace of God in a wonderful way.

But here's the thing: what is cute in a toddler is disturbing in an adult. It is disturbing. Therefore, we as Christians cannot be satisfied with ongoing, prolonged Christian infantilism. We need to grow up. We can't be satisfied with that baby Huey Christianity. So, what?

Should we do well? Let's consider what the author of Hebrews says in Hebrews 5:13. For everyone who partakes of milk only is unskilled in the word of righteousness. We need to develop our skill in the word of righteousness, which the Bible addresses in terms of what is right and what is wrong. The person who is unskilled is referred to as a babe. This is not a compliment; it means that, like a little child, one needs to grow up.

In verse 14, we learn that solid food belongs to those who are of full age. They have matured to the point where, by reason of use, they have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. We should strive to grow to the point where we can consume the Scriptures as solid food on our own. It should not need to be chewed up for us and given in the form of milk. We should be able to consume it ourselves so that we do not constantly have to be under the oversight of a parent, pastor, or leader at every moment, ensuring that we do what is right and avoid what is wrong.

The goal that God desires is for us to reach a level of maturity where we have our senses exercised to the point that we know what is right and do it, while also knowing what is wrong and avoiding it.

Point number three is the measure of maturity. The measure of maturity is discernment and obedience. Maturity is evident in those who know what to do and do it. That is what we are looking for.

Now, I’m sure that every parent here today can relate. Parents, raise your hand, even if your children are older. Every parent recognizes pretty quickly that their kids did not come pre-programmed to do what is right. Mine certainly didn’t, and this was no shock to me. I completely understood that this is the case, and I believe wholeheartedly in original sin. I have a perfect example of it in these cute little kids. It’s a good thing they are cute because I probably would have disposed of them quite a while ago had they not been so adorable.

They do not come pre-programmed with an understanding of what is right and what is wrong, although they do have a conscience. God has hard-written it upon our hearts.

Understanding basic morality is essential. C.S. Lewis speaks about this in his book, "Mere Christianity." While having a foundational understanding is a good thing, it needs to be built upon. There is more programming that needs to be written into that hard drive to help children know right from wrong, to do right, and to avoid doing wrong.

Isn't it a wonderful, glorious thing when kids reach that point? You actually start to see evidence that the work is effective. It's a beautiful thing to witness, and it’s amazing when you hear from others who see it in your children. It reminds me of the Apostle John's words in his last letter, 3 John, verse 4: "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth." What a wonder it is when another adult says, "You know, your kid did this wonderful thing." It is absolutely glorious.

This experience feels like a little light on the horizon, a beacon that assures us we will get there. I can actually launch them out into the world, and they won’t be complete hooligans. They might be a little bit, because they are still learning, but they won’t be completely unruly. There is this glimmer on the horizon, and we are heading in that direction. However, it takes parental training. There has to be that guidance, but it is all for the purpose of helping them grow up.

This growing-up process is what we call discipleship. We need to move people from the basics, away from milk, to something more substantial, onto solid food, so that they can grow. The Apostle says in Hebrews 6:1, "Therefore, leaving the discussion of elementary principles, let us go on to perfection or maturity." Another word for perfection here is maturity.

Let’s not lay again the foundation of the elementary principles. It is interesting to note the things he identifies as elementary: repentance from dead works, faith toward God, doctrine of baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection from the dead, and eternal judgment. We should not constantly go back to the basics or relay the foundation all the time. This we will do if God permits.

So, what is a disciple? Point number four on your outline: a disciple is a faithful and obedient follower.

A follower of Jesus, a disciple, is a faithful and obedient follower of Jesus. That's what we are aiming at; that's the target we're shooting for here at Cross-Connection Church. If you put your trust in Jesus, we want you to grow to become a faithful and obedient follower of Him. We hope that you will be able to self-direct your following of Jesus. This does not mean that you no longer need pastors and teachers to teach the Scripture, but that you can also go and, in a sense, feed yourself. You should know what is right and what is wrong, avoiding what is wrong and doing what is right.

That is the goal: to become faithful and obedient followers of Jesus. This is why we want to engage in teaching through the Scriptures, not spending all our time only on foundational topics. We do not want to talk every single week about repentance, faith, baptism, the gifts of the Spirit, and heaven and hell. We want to delve into some deeper subjects. The implication here is that, as a Christian, you should come to a place of understanding these foundational concepts early in your journey with Jesus. Hopefully, it does not take 30 years to get there.

If you find yourself saying, "I don't know that," one of the reasons we have programs like our School of Discipleship is to provide classes on these topics. We want to train you in these areas, but we also want to move beyond them when we gather together on a Sunday morning. This is why we come to a text like this.

We are going to leave the discussion of elementary principles and move on to topics that lead to maturity, if God permits. We want to step into some non-elementary principles, which means they are a little bit more sinuous, a little harder to chew, and perhaps difficult to swallow. We will be discussing some heavy concepts found in Hebrews chapter six, verses four through six. These verses are beyond elementary principles and are somewhat harder to grasp. We can be sure that these principles are challenging to hold on to because they are three of the most discussed and debated verses in the entire Bible.

Hebrews 6:4 states that it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, who have tasted of the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, to renew them again to repentance if they fall away. This is because they crucify again for themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. These are heavy verses; this is a little bit more than milk. We have to take our time to chew it up and consume it so that we can digest it, comprehend it, and understand it.

If you were here about four weeks ago, we were in Hebrews chapter three, and then right after that, Hebrews chapter four, as we go chronologically through these passages. In Hebrews chapter three, we also encountered some very meaty verses dealing with a similar topic that we will address here. This discussion revolves around what is referred to as apostasy. Apostasy is the abandonment of religious faith; it is the abandonment of belief.

Some people conclude that when one abandons their trust in Jesus, they also abandon the associated benefits of that trust. So, what are the associated benefits of trust in Jesus? When we put our trust in Jesus, we believe in Him for salvation. There are those who interpret this passage of Scripture to mean that if a person is apostate and has abandoned their trust in Jesus, they have also lost the associated promise or gift that comes with that trust.

This raises the question: can a person who is a Christian, who has put their trust in Jesus, abandon that trust in such a way that they lose the benefits associated with it? This is the contention; this is the problem that has been debated for hundreds of years. In fact, this year, 2017, marks the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, and much of this debate grew out of that movement.

There are basically two primary camps or groups identified by two reformers from the 16th century. One is John Calvin, a French theologian, and the other is Jacobus Arminius, a Dutch reformer and theologian. These two groups are known as Calvinists, followers of John Calvin, and Arminians, followers of Jacob Arminius.

John Calvin held a position on the sovereignty of God that asserts one cannot lose their salvation. In contrast, Jacob Arminius taught about the responsibility of man, suggesting that under this responsibility, it is possible for someone to become apostate and lose their salvation.

Sitting here today, you may be aware of these differing views. Perhaps you identify with John Calvin or Jacob Arminius. If that is the case, you have likely debated someone about this very section of Scripture, which is one of the most loved proof texts of the Arminians. They cherish this verse and often use it to challenge the Calvinists, just as Calvinists love to reference Romans chapters 8, 9, 10, and 11 in their arguments. This back-and-forth exchange highlights the beloved proof texts of both sides, although Calvinists are not particularly fond of the verse in question.

When Calvinists encounter a verse like this, similar to Hebrews chapters 3 and 4, they must navigate what seems to be a clear warning against becoming apostate. They often argue from a different direction, attempting to set aside some of the cautions presented in the text. They need to find a way to address these warnings because there is a clear admonition against apostasy in this passage of Scripture.

A common argument among Calvinists when faced with passages like Hebrews chapters 3, 4, and 6 is to claim that the individual described as apostate—someone who has abandoned their faith—was never truly a Christian in the first place. This is the argument I shared with you from one Calvinistic teacher, although I will not mention his name. This perspective was also discussed in relation to Hebrews chapter 3.

This passage describes a person who is not really a Christian. This is what you will most commonly find if you consult Calvinistic commentaries and resources related to Hebrews chapter six. However, one of my favorite Calvinists, a man by the name of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, offers an interesting perspective. Many have heard of Charles Spurgeon, the great Prince of Preachers. I have every single sermon that John Calvin preached in eBook format, and I love to read his work; it is spectacular.

Spurgeon has a very interesting take on this passage of Scripture. He is a Calvinist, and he clearly states that if you read Dr. Gill, also a Calvinist, Dr. Owen, and almost all the eminent Calvinistic writers, they all assert that the persons described in Hebrews chapter six are not Christians. About 150 years ago, Charles Spurgeon noted that the Calvinistic teachers of his day and before all agreed that the individuals described here are not true believers. He goes on to say that enough is said here to represent a man who is a Christian externally, but not enough to give the portrait of a true believer.

Spurgeon points out that it strikes him they would not have made this assertion if they did not have some doctrine to uphold. A child reading this passage would conclude that the persons intended must be Christians. If the Holy Spirit intended to describe Christians, he argues, he could not have used more explicit terms than those chosen here. How can a man be said to be enlightened, to taste of the heavenly gift, and to be made a partaker of the Holy Spirit without being a child of God?

With all deference to these learned doctors, whom Spurgeon admires and loves, he humbly conceives that they allowed their judgments to be a little warped when they made that assertion. He believes he can show that none but true believers are described in this passage, and I wholeheartedly agree with the Prince of Preachers. What is described here is a Christian, and that is what makes this passage so challenging.

There are five characteristics mentioned in verses four, five, and six of this individual who is an apostate by the end of the verse. The five characteristics are:

1. They were once enlightened. 2. They have tasted of the heavenly gift. 3. They have tasted the sweetness of salvation that is to come. 4. They have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, meaning the Holy Spirit is in them. 5. They have tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the age to come.

Now, if that describes a non-Christian, then I might be in fear of being a non-Christian. However, very clearly, these five characteristics cannot be said to describe a non-Christian, and neither did Charles Spurgeon. The typical way that the Calvinist explains this is important to note. I want to clarify that I am not saying I am an Arminian. If you hear me teach Hebrews chapter 6, you might think, "Goodness gracious, he's an Arminian." But if you go and listen to my teachings on Romans chapter 8, you might say, "Goodness gracious, these are Calvinist."

Why is that? Because I do my best to navigate the tension in the Scriptures. There is a place of tension, much like walking a tightrope. The sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man are both clearly taught. When both are present, we must wrestle with the tension, and that is what we do here at Cross Connection.

In saying that, the Calvinists will argue that this describes someone who is not a Christian. I object to that. One of your champions, Charles Spurgeon, says this describes a Christian. So, we must ask, how does the Calvinist Charles Spurgeon reconcile this if he claims this is a true believer? He does a really good job of explaining it. If you read his message, he states that what is being described here is a hypothetical situation that couldn't really happen; apostasy can't really occur.

What I see in this is point number five: there is such a thing as infant Christian mortality. This is a serious issue and should cause a level of reverential fear. Even though Charles Spurgeon argues that this is describing an event of apostasy, which he claims cannot really happen due to God's sovereignty, my objection would be to refer back to the message I preached on March 26th of this year in Hebrews chapter 3.

Point number one, if you go back and listen to it, was that warnings exist for a reason. Therefore, we need to take heed to this warning, because the language is so strong. He does not say it is difficult to renew them to repentance; he says it is impossible.

It is impossible to renew the apostate person to repentance and bring them back to trust in Christ. The author states that it is impossible, and that is challenging. So, how do we deal with incredibly challenging warnings such as these? We at Cross Connection approach challenging warnings in the same way we do with all Scriptures: we deal with them wisely, prayerfully, and carefully so that we can apply them fully. That's our goal—to apply every Scripture fully.

The author explains that it is impossible for individuals described as true Christians, those who have fallen away, to be renewed again to repentance. Why? Because they put the Son of God to open shame. They shame Him; they essentially spit upon Jesus of Nazareth, the risen Lord and Savior. In doing so, they have forfeited the promise that only Jesus Christ gives. This passage seems to suggest the concept of infant Christian mortality.

Now, with the time I have remaining, I will give my sixth point, my final point, and then I will backtrack to explain why point number six is significant. There is repentance for those who fall, but not for those who fall away. This distinction clues us into something very important in the wording here. Remember, I said we want to approach this wisely and carefully, so we need to be attentive to every word given in the Scriptures.

Here, the terms "falling away" or "fallen away" are crucial. There is a difference between falling and falling away. To fall is to stumble into sin, and if you're a Christian today, every single one of you, myself included, does that way too much—way more than we'd like to admit. In fact, by sundown today, everyone in...

This room will stumble and fall into sin. Now, maybe not as much the ladies, but all you husbands, you definitely will by the end of the day. Absolutely, we will all fall into sin, which means that every single one of us is going to need to, in our fallen, stumbled, sinful state, look to Christ and say, "Would you forgive me?"

We know the Scriptures say that He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness if we confess our sins. First John, chapter 1, verse 7 states that if you confess your sin, He is faithful. Verse 9 emphasizes that He is faithful and just to cleanse us and forgive us of all unrighteousness. Now, what Christian hasn't been joyful over the continual forgiving grace of Jesus Christ? Thank God that when I come to His throne of grace to obtain mercy and grace in my time of need, He doesn't put up the sign that says, "Sorry, closed for business."

So, we stumble and fall into sin, and when we do, we repent. We confess our sins, and He, because of His abundant grace, forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin. With His mercy, He comes in and applies His merciful grace to us, and we are made right with God. That is a wonderful joy presented in the gospel, one that the Christian revels in every single day: the joy of the forgiving grace of Jesus.

However, there is the issue of falling away. To fall is to stumble into sin; to fall away is to leave the faith of Christ, to leave trust in Christ, to remove your trust in Him for your forgiveness and salvation, and to leave that position. Apparently, this means trusting in something else—trusting in yourself, trusting in some other form of religion, or trusting in some other issue.

This is the very issue that the author of the book of Hebrews is writing about. If you remember, the purpose of this book is that the author is writing to Christians who left the old covenant of Judaism to put their trust in Jesus for their salvation and in His new covenant and grace because of His death on the cross as a sacrifice. They have left Judaism and put their trust in Jesus, and now, by some way or another, they are being tempted to leave their trust in Jesus and return back to Judaism, back to the temple.

To the priesthood and back to the sacrifices, the entire book here has been written to the individual who is being tempted to leave their trust in Jesus and to trust back in what they came from or in some other thing. The author of the Book of Hebrews is saying, "No, Jesus is preeminent. Jesus is supreme. Jesus is the only way," which is what Jesus Himself said: "The way is narrow, the gate is narrow, and there are few who go in by it." This is the only way. That is what the author is actually saying: do not fall away from that trust.

Now, at this point, there may be some of you here who are saying, "Well, I just can't imagine that anyone would do that, that they would stop trusting in Jesus and that they would leave." I just can't fathom that anybody would ever contemplate doing that, let alone actually do it. I can't enter into my mind that an adult would make such a decision. Well, I sure hope you're right. I do hope that you are correct.

However, there is the issue of the warning, and warnings exist for a reason. In my experience, they are there for a reason. Not only is there a warning, but there are articles like the one that came out on the Religious News Service this last week, on April 24, 2017. The article had the headline, "When Belief Dies, Can It Be Resurrected?" This was more of a promotional piece about a new book that came out just this last February, co-authored by two different authors. One is a minister by the name of Tony Campolo, and some of you may have heard of him.

This book was written by Tony Campolo with his son, Bart Campolo. The book's title is "Why I Left, Why I Stayed." In this book, Tony Campolo speaks about why he has stayed in the place of trusting in Jesus, while his son Bart describes why he left. Bart, at 50 years old, came and told his parents on Thanksgiving Day, "I'm sorry, but I no longer trust in Jesus." The book is about his deconversion story, which is what it is being called now in our society today. We are being told in culture here in the United States and Western Europe that we are living in a...

In a post-Christian society, there are stories emerging that are literally called conversion stories. Perhaps you have a conversion testimony. This is a conversion testimony of people who are saying, "Yes, I once went to church. Not only did I go to church, but I served in the church, I believed in Jesus, and I prayed to Jesus. I called out to Jesus, but I no longer think that I need to do that."

Bart Campolo is now a humanist chaplain. He has deconverted from Christianity, and more and more, we will see these stories being written about all the time. If you want to take a look at some of these things, just read Christianity Today; they talk about it quite frequently. There are many different groups writing about these deconversion stories.

The Calvinists among us will say, "Well, this person was clearly not a Christian. Those who went out from us were never of us," just like John said in 1 John 2. They might comfort themselves by saying, "Well, they just weren't really Christians." Maybe that is true, or perhaps they were once enlightened, had tasted of the heavenly gift, were partakers of the Holy Spirit, and had experienced the good word to come and the powers of the age to come. Maybe, in reality, they left the place of trusting in Jesus to trust in something else.

Someone may respond that these kinds of warnings, if taught in this way, cause Christians to live cowering perpetually in fear of losing their salvation. They might think, "At a moment's notice, I could be cast away by Jesus. Oh, I'm going to cower in fear because I don't know if He actually loves me and if He will cast me away." This perspective can lead Christians to live in a state of perpetual fear.

Did not the author of the book of Hebrews say that through His death, Jesus destroyed the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil? He has released us and liberated us from the fear of living under that. Now, it seems that this fear is being brought back once again. What is the purpose of such raw cautions in Scripture? Why are they there? Are they there without purpose? Obviously, they are there for a reason.

Are they meant to make us live continually and perpetually in a place of constant fear that God might cast us away for our sins every day? No, there is a difference between stumbling and falling into sin and falling away.

Abandoning your trust in Jesus is a serious matter. I do not think that these cautions are here to make us constantly cower in fear of being cast away by Him. It's like this: I have four small kids, and we live in an area here in San Diego County where we have a real problem, especially during this time of year, with rattlesnakes in the brush and dry areas around us. Has anyone seen some rattlesnakes lately? My neighbors have been posting pictures on this little app they use in my neighborhood of rattlesnakes all over the place.

I tell my kids, as they get ready to go outside, to watch out when they go into the brush. I constantly remind them to be careful and not to go into the brush because there might be rattlesnakes there. Have any of you ever cautioned your kids about rattlesnakes? They are indeed in the brush.

Here’s the thing I’ve noticed: my kids don’t sit in the living room cowering in fear that a rattlesnake might come and get them. They don’t think, "All the rattlesnakes are going to come in here and pursue me." Even when they go out in the front yard to ride their bikes in the cul-de-sac, they don’t act that way. But when they begin to venture out into that area I’ve warned them about, they do remember my words. When they get close to the brush, they even tell me, "Dad, watch out for the rattlesnakes."

You see, the word of their father comes to mind when they approach the danger zone. In much the same way, it is with this caution regarding our faith. I am not afraid as I walk with Jesus that He is going to cast me aside. I am not fearful that, because of my many sins and failures—which are truly many—He will one day say, "I love you, but you’ve run out of time; the leash is done."

However, I can tell you this: if there begins to arise in me, as Hebrews says, an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the Living God, the words of Peter come into my mind: "Jesus, to whom else will we go? Who else has the words of eternal life?" The warning is there for the one who begins to depart, and the author is writing to Christians who are being tempted to do just that. So he puts up the warning: there’s a snake in the brush.

Open your eyes. Walk circumspectly; walk worthy of the calling with which you've been called. Don't be tempted to leave the faith of Jesus, because there is no other sacrifice for sins. Hebrews chapter 10 states that if we sin willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth—that there is salvation only in Jesus—there remains no other sacrifice for sins. There is no other way; He is the only way, according to His own words.

So, why is it impossible to renew this apostate again to repentance? The author speaks of an absolute impossibility. Why would it be impossible? Well, who will not repent except for the person who thinks they no longer need to repent? If they have determined that salvation is not in Jesus, or they have come to the conclusion that they don't even believe that Jesus is God or that He even existed, why would they ever feel the need to repent?

My good friend David has some insight on this. He says that if someone falls away, we must understand why he or she cannot repent. It is because they don't want to; it's not because God prohibits their repentance. You might say, "Well, I can't imagine that would happen." However, there is an individual, a professor of New Testament history at Chapel Hill University in North Carolina, by the name of Bart Ehrman. Bart Ehrman was once an evangelical Christian who believed and trusted in Jesus. Today, he teaches that he is not even sure that Jesus was an actual historical figure. I would say he is apostate because he sure seems to be once enlightened, having tasted of the heavenly gift, the good Word of God, and the power of the age to come. But he has since walked away and says, "I don't even think Jesus was a historical figure." If he doesn't even think Jesus was alive, he would never feel compelled to repent and turn to Him. Therefore, it is impossible.

Having chewed on this heavy, sinuous stake, how do we move forward? I think we move forward under the first words of Jesus's ministry, which happened to be the first words of the ministry of John the Baptist. These were also the first words that the Apostles preached on Pentecost at the birth of the Church. They are recorded for us in Matthew chapter 4, verse 17: Jesus began then to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." So I say to you, repent and turn to Christ. There is only one place.

For salvation, there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby they must be saved. He is the only way, so put your trust in Him. I can firmly say I believe in the sovereignty of God, and by His sovereign grace, He has brought you to be here in this place today. Praise God that He has done so, so that you might hear His word. Turn to Him and put your trust in Him. Hopefully, you've already done that, but if not, there is salvation in no other. Jesus is the only way.

This was the message that the author of the Book of Hebrews was seeking to give to his friends from Judaism who had put their trust in Jesus but were being tempted to go back. He says, "Do not turn back. Put your faith in Christ; He is the only way."

Would you stand with me as we close in prayer? Father, we come before You today. We ask God that You would speak to our hearts, Lord, that You would fill us with Your word and help us to solidly trust in You, Jesus. May we not turn to the left or to the right, but trust only in You, for there is salvation in only You. I pray, God, that You would give us the courage, even though it is a message that has become politically incorrect in our culture today, to say that the way is narrow. The gate is narrow, and I ask that You would encourage and strengthen us to be those who speak this truth clearly and boldly—that there is salvation only in Jesus.

God, help us not to deviate from it. Lord, help us to take heed to the cautions and warnings presented to us in Scripture, even if they are heavy. It may be that as we stand here at this moment, you have never put your trust in Jesus. I want to call to you just as the Scriptures call you: repent and trust in Him. He alone is the way.

If you'd like to do that before we close, I want to lead you in a prayer. If you're here today and would like to put your trust in Jesus for His forgiving grace and salvation, would you just lift up your hand as we are in an attitude of prayer? Is there anyone here this morning who says, "I need to trust in Jesus"? I see you back there in the back. Is there anyone else?

Else, he said, "Whosoever will may come to receive that living water. He is the well of life." If that's you, just lift up your hand.

Praise the Lord! I want to lead you now in a prayer. If that's you, just pray out loud with me where you're at.

Dear Jesus, I recognize my need for You. I cannot live perfectly; I've fallen short of Your perfect standard. Would You come into my life, forgive me of my sin, and help me to follow You by faith? In Jesus' name, God, we thank You for Your salvation. We thank You for Your good grace. We pray that You'd help us to walk boldly in it, not just today, but for the rest of our lives. Thank You, Jesus.

And now, may the God of peace, who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, may He make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ. Amen.