Eternal Security and Insecurity

Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity.

– Hebrews 6:1

This passage deals with apostasy and the saints’ eternal security. Let me begin with a few questions. Can professing Christians become apostate? The answer may surprise you. It is both yes and no. Do all professing Christians go to heaven? The answer is no. Do regenerate Christians become apostate? Again, the answer is no. If the Holy Spirit has regenerated a person and granted him spiritual resurrection, he shall persevere to the end. It is impossible for such a person to become apostate. He shall not lose his salvation because he has been made a good tree by the miracle of the Spirit of the living God. Jesus said a good tree always produces good fruit, and a bad tree always produces bad fruit; a good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. What we need is a transformation, a new creation in the center of our being.

Many professing Christians are not regenerate; therefore, they shall not enter heaven, but will go to hell to experience eternal punishment. Professor F.F. Bruce declares, “People are frequently immunized against a disease by being inoculated with a mild form of it, or with a related, milder disease” (F. F. Bruce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Epistle to the Hebrews, Revised [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990], 144). Scores of professing Christians are immunized against the real Christianity that teaches that we must deny ourselves daily, take up the cross, and follow Jesus Christ to the end of our lives. In reality, most professing Christians are only baptized pagans. Such people are without God and without hope in the world. They confess Jesus as Lord but do not obey him. On the day of judgment, the Lord shall say to them, “Depart from me. I never knew you!”

Every gospel-preaching Christian church can be represented by two concentric circles. There is an inner circle of regenerate Christians, whom the Bible calls wheat, and an outer circle of unregenerate Christians, or weeds. On the day of judgment, when Jesus Christ comes again, he will separate the wheat from the chaff.

Let us, then, examine this passage that speaks about eternal security and insecurity, and examine ourselves to see whether we are truly in the faith.

Desire Maturity

The first point is that true believers have a desire to move from the foundational doctrines toward maturity. Like milk to newborn infants, our foundation in the faith is very important. Without a foundation, no building is possible. Paul says, “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it” (1 Cor. 3:10). He says elsewhere that the church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone” (Eph. 2:20). The world is filled with churches without biblical foundations. They are not churches of Jesus Christ; they are synagogues of Satan.

“Let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity” (Heb. 6:1). Some people resist growing up because they do not have to be responsible; everything is done to them and for them.

But we are not to remain infants. We must grow, lest we regress and die. So the author urges us to go on to maturity as God permits. The Greek word behind “to go on” is pherômetha, which means to be carried along to maturity. The emphasis here may not be on human effort as much as on God’s work in this process. In other words, the Holy Spirit will carry us along as we trust him and yield to his guidance: “Those who are being led by the Spirit of God-they are the sons of God” (Rom. 8:14, author’s translation). We are to fully surrender ourselves to the Spirit’s leading and teaching.

This word is also used by Peter when he speaks of the human authorship of the holy Scriptures: “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21). Let me ask you: Are you yielded to the Holy Spirit to be taught by him?

Leave Infancy

The second point is that we must leave infancy. The author is speaking of foundational doctrines. A foundation, once laid, cannot be laid again. What we ought to be doing is to be carried along to maturity as we exercise faith in God’s truth. But before moving on, the author gives a list of these foundational doctrines, which are as vital to the foundation of our Christian lives as milk is to newborn babies.

1. Repentance from Dead Works

The first doctrine is “repentance from dead works.” Repentance-metanoia-is a change of mind and attitude. It is a whole change of one’s philosophy, a new Weltanschauung, a way of looking at reality that is the exact opposite of what one was accustomed to. It is a change of direction in one’s life’s journey, a turning around and going in the opposite direction. A repenting person will hate all the wicked works he did while he was living in sin.

This happened to the prodigal son (Luke 15:17). His repentance was authentic and godly. He “came to his senses” and began to think correctly. A non-Christian’s thoughts always revolve around himself, not God. “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God'” (Ps. 14:1). But when we repent, we realize that God is the center of everything.

God commands all people everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30). Jesus said, “Repent or perish.” “Perish” there means eternal damnation; an unrepentant person cannot go to heaven. John the Baptist and the apostles also told people to repent, and today godly preachers, parents, and others tell us to repent as well. Tomorrow we may die, but today we have the opportunity to repent.

Repentance is a gift from God. If anyone truly repents, it is because God granted him repentance and he received it. Peter said, “God exalted Jesus to his own right hand as Prince and Savior, that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel” (Acts 5:31). God sent his eternal Son to take upon himself human nature and suffer and die so that he may make atonement for our sins. This Jesus Christ, who was raised up and ascended into heaven, the Sovereign Lord of the universe, is giving this gift of repentance. Receive it from him.

2. Faith in God

Second, the author speaks about “faith upon God”-pisteôs epi Theon. Not only must we turn from wickedness and dead works, but we must also turn to God by trusting in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. There is a turning from and a turning to. Faith is resting upon Jesus Christ.

Paul speaks often of this: “I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:21). When the Philippian jailer asked, “What must I do to be saved?” he answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household” (Acts 16:31). To the Thessalonians he wrote, “For they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thess. 1:9). These were pagans who turned to God from idols. If we do not worship Jesus Christ, we are worshipers of idols. We can deny it all we want, but we are worshipers of creation rather than the Creator.

Saving faith is not merely agreeing that certain facts of the Bible are true. Such agreement is called assensus. True saving faith goes beyond information. It is trust (fiducia) in God, resting upon God. Such a person’s foundation is the eternal, uncreated, almighty God, not one’s self. Saving faith is trusting in this God and his Son and living in obedience to him till death.

3. Teaching about Baptisms

The third foundational doctrine is “teaching about baptisms.” Hebrews 9:10 speaks about various ritual washings the people of Israel experienced. There was the proselyte baptism, when a pagan wanted to become a believing Jew, and John’s baptism, which was baptism unto repentance. Then, of course, there is Christian baptism-the only baptism that matters now-which is an external act dramatizing the internal reality of one’s identification with Jesus in his death, burial, and resurrection. A person who is baptized in the name of the triune God should live in obedience to God all his life. One who is born of God will find such a life delightful. He enjoys the life of God in his soul. Thus, those who find obedience to God burdensome may want to examine very seriously their profession of faith in Jesus Christ.

4. Laying on of Hands

Fourth, we read about “laying on of hands.” The Bible describes several purposes for the laying on of hands. Jesus laid hands on children to bless them and on sick people to heal them. The New Testament speaks of laying on of hands to ordain and set people apart to work for the Lord. In Acts we read of laying on of hands as a way for people to receive the Holy Spirit.

5. Resurrection of the Dead 

Next, the author speaks of “the resurrection of the dead.” All who have died throughout the history of the world will be raised up on the last day at God’s command: “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out-those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned” (John 5:28-29). This is also prophesied in Daniel 12.

6. Eternal Judgment

The final doctrine is “eternal judgment.” Hebrews 9:27 says that it is ordained for man once to die and then face judgment. God the Father has given his Son authority to judge all people (John 5:27). Jesus himself says, “By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just” (John 5:30).

What do you think about Jesus Christ? Who do you say that he is? That is a very important question. Have you confessed him as God’s Son, the only Savior, sinless man who was crucified for our sins, buried, and raised from the dead? Do you confess that he is the Sovereign Lord of the universe, the one who sustains you in being at this moment, the one who will judge all men? “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory” (Matt. 25:31). He will summon, and all will come out of the grave and assemble before him. He shall separate the goats from the sheep: “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life” (Matt. 25:46). We read about this also in Revelation 20 and elsewhere.

“Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin” (Mark 3:29). What is eternal sin? It is rejecting the Holy Spirit’s testimony concerning Jesus-that he is the Son of God; that he is the sinless one; that he died on the cross for our salvation; that he was crucified and went to hell; that he was buried and was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures; that he ascended into the heavens and is seated on the right hand of God the Father; that all things are subjected to him; that he is the Creator of the universe and the one who maintains the universe in being. This testimony is found in the Scriptures. The Bible is the book of the Holy Spirit, in which God, who cannot lie, testifies concerning Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ himself said that the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings all speak of him.

Eternal sin is rejection of this testimony concerning Christ. Such people will receive eternal judgment, meaning they will remain in hell eternally; there is no way out. All who ever lived are going to go there unless they repent and believe in Jesus Christ.

Warning of Apostasy

Next, the author warns his readers against apostasy. This is one of the most serious warnings in the entire Bible; therefore, we must pay careful attention to it. Hebrews 6:4-8 declares that if professing Christians become apostate and fall away, it is impossible to bring them back to repentance. Such apostasy is irremediable and irreversible.

This warning calls for serious examination. The author warns us about the danger of apostasy. He has done this several times before and will do it again. In Hebrews 2:1 he speaks against drifting, and in Hebrews 3:16-19 he gives the example of unbelief and disobedience of the Israelites in the wilderness, noting that, except for two people, all of them died and did not enter into the rest of Canaan. Their bodies were strewn in the wilderness. These were people who experienced God’s benefits.

I do not believe “once saved, always saved,” but I do believe “once regenerated, always regenerated.” Mere profession does not make us a new creation. But if we are new creations by the miracle of God, we will not become apostate.

The author warns each individual believer to be careful. Because this man is a pastor, he does not want even one person to become apostate. Be careful! he says. Pay attention! Do not drift! Do not be like the vast majority of people whose bodies were strewn in the desert because of their unbelief. They became apostates. These serious warnings are found in Hebrews 3:12-13; 4:1, 11; 6:4-8; and 6:11.

If one who in some sense experienced this many-faceted salvation turns away from Jesus Christ, he will be irremediably lost. It is absolutely impossible to restore him to repentance.

We find this idea of falling away elsewhere: “You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen way from grace . . . See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God . . . Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief” (Gal. 5:4; Heb. 3:12, 16-19, italics added).

Some people come to church all their lives but never really understand what the minister is preaching. Such people have committed what 1 John 5:16 calls “a sin that leads to death.” John tells us not to pray for such people. They became enemies of Jesus, though once they experienced salvation in some sense.

Aspects of Salvation Shared by Apostates

In Hebrews 6:4-5 the author speaks of five aspects of this one salvation that the apostates have experienced. First, they have been enlightened. The Greek text indicates this was a past, once-for-all inner illumination of the Spirit into the gospel (Heb. 6:4). Hebrews 10:26 concurs: “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left.”

Second, they tasted the heavenly gift. The Bible says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps. 34:8). These people somehow experienced the gift from heaven, and John 4:10 tells us that gift is Jesus Christ. These Hebrews had tasted and experienced Christ in some sense, just as all the Israelites experienced protection in Egypt. Their firstborn sons were not killed and they crossed the Red Sea on dry land. They drank water from the rock and tasted manna daily. They enjoyed the presence of God in the pillars of fire and cloud. They enjoyed the protection from enemies. They ate the meat that God provided for them and heard the word of God himself from Mount Sinai. Yet all but two died in the wilderness and did not enter the Promised Land. They experienced God in some beneficial way, but they became apostates.

Third, they were made partakers of the Holy Spirit. In some sense, these Hebrews also shared in the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Fourth, they tasted the good word of God. They enjoyed the preaching of the gospel so much so that they would say, “Preach it, Pastor, preach it.” Like the second soil, they were highly emotional and received the word with joy. Emotion, howver, will never take anyone to heaven. It is like the caboose of a train. What matters is the engine and our connection to it.

Fifth, they tasted the powers of the coming age. This is speaking about the miracles, wonders, healings, and gifts of the Holy Spirit. These are powers of the coming age, but they also intrude into this age. Read Galatians 3:5, Hebrews 2:4, 1 Corinthians 12, and the whole book of Acts, where we see powers of the age to come intruding into the present. These Hebrews experienced this in some sense. The author is warning that it is impossible for such people to be renewed to repentance and brought back to the path of light. Having become apostates, they turned away and against the living God.

This, however, is not referring to believers who sin, like Peter or David. We understand that believers may sin, but it is not the sin unto death: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins . . . My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense-Jesus Christ, the Righteous One” (1 John 1:8-9; 2:1). Read Psalm 51, where David, having sinned so terribly, repents and cries out to God: “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned.” He received mercy, we are told. Look at 2 Corinthians 5. A man was living with his father’s wife. He was put out of the church, and yet it appears that he repented and was restored.

We daily commit sins of omission and commission, but these are not sins unto death. If we truly repent of our sins by the aid of the Spirit, God promises to forgive our sins. But the warning in Hebrews 6 has to do with the sin unto death, as also mentioned in Hebrews 10:26-29: “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?”

Such people reject the only effectual sacrifice for sin. By rejecting the only Savior and his atonement, they are dooming themselves to destruction. Such people are likened to a field that receives the abundant rain of God, yet only produces thorns and thistles. (PGM) Such fields are useless to the farmer and are burned. In some sense these people experienced salvation, only to reject Jesus. This field stands for covenant breakers. They are the opposite of covenant keepers, who, like a good field, are producing good vegetation for the farmer.

We are the soil on which the rain of God’s word comes, and we must produce fruit: “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Is. 55:10-11).

In Isaiah 44:3-4 we read, “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams.” Brothers and sisters, the rain of the word of God and the Spirit of God is coming upon us, and it has come upon us many times. Is it producing fruit for the joy of God, or thorns and thistles?

Covenant keepers, like the good field that produced good vegetation for the farmer, receive the blessing of God. The covenant breakers bring forth thorns and thistles, like the vineyard of Isaiah 5:1-7. God planted a good vine, took care of it, but it produced only bitter fruit. Finally, God said, “I am going to destroy it.”

It is impossible to bring such people to repentance. When asked, “Who do you say Jesus is?” such people declare, “He is the cursed one. He is a blasphemer, a demon-possessed person. He is a Samaritan, a drunkard, and a glutton. He is not the Son of God. He is a liar. He is not the Creator of the whole universe. He is not sovereign. He is a pretender.” They deliberately and continuously join with the enemies of Jesus and cry out, “Crucify him! Crucify him! Give us the murderer Barabbas, but crucify Jesus. Let his blood come upon us and our children.” Such people continually glory in putting Jesus to public shame. They mock the dying Jesus. Therefore, it is impossible to renew them unto repentance.

What about you? Who do you say Jesus is, and who do you say that you are? If you are receiving the rain of the word and the Spirit, you would say, “I am a lost sinner under the wrath of God.” You would say, “Jesus is the Son of God, the Creator. Jesus is God and only Savior, the one of whom it is said, ‘His name is Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.'”

Then you would ask, “What must I do to be saved?” I have good news for you: you do not have to go to Mecca or to Jerusalem. You do not have to spend any money. The Bible says, repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. When will he save you? Right now.

But if you profess to be a Christian and yet are not obeying Christ, you need to examine yourself and see whether you are an apostate. Fruit is the evidence of whether or not we are new creations regenerated by the mighty operation of the Spirit of God upon our souls.

Examples of Biblical Apostates

The Bible gives several examples of those who became apostates.

1. The people of Israel. This first example is described in Hebrews 3:16-19. The vast majority of people who came out of Egypt all became reprobates and apostates. It is one of the greatest tragedies in the Bible.
2. Achan (Josh. 7). When this man arrived in Canaan, he proved himself to be a covenant-breaking apostate, an idolater, one who loved gold and silver and creation rather than the God of the covenant.
3. Saul, the first king of Israel. This is the mystery we are talking about: one can exhibit certain aspects of salvation yet be apostate. The Holy Spirit came upon this covenant man from the tribe of Benjamin and he prophesied. Yet we are also told that the Holy Spirit left him and an evil spirit came upon him and tormented him. He committed suicide.We do not understand everything, but it is serious business. One can be enlightened, one can taste the heavenly gifts, one can share the Holy Spirit, one can taste the good word of God and experience of the powers of the age to come, one can prophesy and cast out demons, one can even preach the gospel, and yet prove to be an apostate.
4. Judas was an apostle chosen by Jesus Christ himself after a night of prayer. Matthew 10 tells us that, along with the other apostles, he was given authority to preach the kingdom of God, to heal the sick, to cleanse lepers and cast out demons. The disciples went and did these things, and came back, saying, “Even the demons are subject to us.”Judas was one of these disciples who prophesied and performed miracles. He lived with Jesus and experienced many blessings from him. Yet he became a child of the devil; Jesus himself called him “son of perdition.” In John 13:2 we are told the devil prompted him, and at the end of that chapter we are told the devil possessed him. Judas betrayed Christ and then went and hanged himself. He did not find true repentance and went to hell.
5. Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5). These New Testament churchgoers experienced the gospel, were enlightened, were baptized, and experienced the powers of the age to come. We could say they received the Holy Spirit. Yet Satan filled them to lie to the Holy Spirit, and God killed them.
6. Demas was a fellow worker, a minister of the gospel, with the apostle Paul for many years. Paul wrote to various churches about him. Therefore, we could understand that he was a student of Scripture and filled with the Holy Spirit. He probably healed the sick and cast out demons, for these were normal in New Testament churches. But then Paul writes in his last letter that Demas became an apostate. He turned away from the living God in utter unbelief.Demas had worked as a minister for many years. But now troubles and persecutions were beginning. The apostles were being imprisoned in cold dungeons, with their feet put in stocks. Paul wrote to Timothy: “Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica” (2 Tim. 4:9-10). Demas fell in love with this crooked and perverse generation. He was not an average believer; he was a minister. That is why we must examine ourselves to see whether we are true Christians. We can never rest on having come to church for many years, or being baptized, or having contributed a lot of money. What matters is our present faith and obedience.

   Demas became an idolater. Jesus said we cannot serve two masters: we either serve the living and true God, or we will serve money and what money can provide. Jesus himself was shown all the glories of this world and told by the devil that if he worshiped him, he would give it all to him. But Jesus said, “No,” and a true believer will say the same.

7. Hymenaeus and Alexander. Paul writes, “Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience.” A good conscience comes from holding on to the gospel and living the gospel life. “Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme” (1 Tim. 1:18-20).Hymenaeus and Alexander were disciples. They heard the gospel and may have even been preachers. They were enlightened, became partakers of the Holy Spirit in some sense, and were excited about the word of God. Yet they abandoned it all, making a shipwreck of their faith, and became blasphemers and enemies of the gospel. But apostasy happens very gradually-a little unbelief, then a little more and a little more, until finally, a person experiences the fullness of unbelief, and he turns away from the living God to worship idols and demons. But note Paul’s severe judgment: He handed them over to Satan “that they may be taught not to blaspheme.”
8. Hymenaeus and Philetus (2 Tim. 2:16-19). Paul instructs Timothy, “Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth.” This may have been the same Hymenaeus. These men were probably ordained ministers of the gospel, but they rejected the gospel and preferred darkness to light. “They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are his.'”
9. In 1 John 2 the apostle writes, “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us but they did not really belong to us” (vv. 18-19). As we said before, every church consists of two circles: the inner circle, consisting of the true people of God, and the outer circle, made up of people who are not of God. These people were enlightened, yet they went out, for the light was too blinding; they preferred darkness. Then John gives the reason: “For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed none of them belonged to us,” meaning to the people of God (v. 19).There is no perfect church in which every member is a true Christian who will persevere to the very end. Pastors and elders cannot examine people so thoroughly that they can receive only true Christians. We do receive members on the basis of their credible profession, but we have no way of knowing what goes on in the human heart. This is speaking about people in the apostle John’s church: “They went out from among us because they were not of us.”
10. Peter also spoke of such people: “They have left the straight way.” The early church was known as the Way. It is the straight way, the narrow way, the way of the cross, the way of the gospel. Like Hymenaeus, Alexander, Philetus, and others, these people “wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness” (2 Pet. 2:15).
11. During the time of Paul, ministers, leaders, and teachers were acting as tools of Satan while they purported to be teachers of truth: “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerad