Choices

I was talking with my father about a particular verse that troubled the both of us, and after sleeping on it (and thinking) here is my take. The passage comes from Hebrews 5 and 6 but the key verse is 6:4-6 “It is impossible for those who have been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace.” Now I don’t know about you but my initial reaction to this was ‘Wow, let’s slow down a bit and rewind’ I mean this is pretty troubling but here are thoughts. The way I see it it’s similar to saying “Well if that can’t save him nothing will”, if the grace of God cannot bring us out of our sin then nothing else will no sermon or message, nothing will help us. Also if we turn away from the salvation God brings that’s it there’s nothing else God has for us other than the sacrifice from His son Jesus. Well that answer was okay, but when you read farther to verses 9-12 “Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case – things accompanying salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show the same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” So it comes back to the question my father and I asked, does God stop forgiving us? The answer no, Jesus’ sacrifice ensures that we are forgiven, or as C.S. Lewis puts it, made right with God. On the other hand if after being saved I give in to my sin again and refuse to change, well if salvation is based on believing, and repentance is a sign of belief, then it shows I don’t truly believe in or trust in God. It’s a tough sounding passage but it’s message is clear throughout the Bible God loves us immensely and forgives us, but we can’t continue living in sin, at some time or another we have to make a choice.