Backsliding & Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

[five]

I have always questioned why Hebrews 6:4-6 did not fit the context of other scripture. This is where my study led...

Backsliding & Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

First of all, backsliding and blasphemy of the Holy Spirit are two different situations. Hebrews 6:4-6 is many times misinterpreted. It speaks about ‘falling away’ and not blasphemy of the Holy Spirit as some teach.

Hebrews 6:4-6 KJV - For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, (5) And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, (6) If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

If the wording of the above Bible ‘translation’ was truly accurate, then no backslider could ever return from a falling away. There would be no prodigal sons coming back home! The Complete Jewish Bible reads this way…

Hebrews 6:4-6 CJB - For when people have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become sharers in the Ruach HaKodesh, (5) and tasted the goodness of God's Word and the powers of the `olam haba -- (6) and then have fallen away -- it is impossible to renew them so that they turn from their sin, as long as for themselves they keep executing the Son of God on the stake all over again and keep holding him up to public contempt.

The CJB says: “as long as for themselves they keep executing the Son of God on the stake all over again and keep holding him up to public contempt”. It means that while still in a state of denial one cannot be restored. However, just like the prodigal son a person can genuinely repent and come home to Father’s house!

Jeremiah 3:22 KJV - Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God.

People can have a hard time returning even after they have genuinely repented because of churches not properly understanding the above scripture lesson and God’s compassion. Some pastors stand with a drawn sword rather than a feast of fatted calf for returnees. Oftentimes churches failed to preach the priority of true sanctification and self-control in the Holy Spirit or how to stand in trials as to prevent or deter a ‘falling away’.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CJB: Scripture quotations are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. www.messianicjewish.net/jntp. Distributed by Messianic Jewish Resources Int'l. www.messianicjewish.net. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Edited March 16, 2012 by five

[~candice~]

I have always questioned why Hebrews 6:4-6 did not fit the context of other scripture. This is where my study led...

Backsliding & Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

First of all, backsliding and blasphemy of the Holy Spirit are two different situations. Hebrews 6:4-6 is many times misinterpreted. It speaks about ‘falling away’ and not blasphemy of the Holy Spirit as some teach.

Hebrews 6:4-6 KJV - For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, (5) And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, (6) If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

If the wording of the above Bible ‘translation’ was truly accurate, then no backslider could ever return from a falling away. There would be no prodigal sons coming back home! The Complete Jewish Bible reads this way…

Hebrews 6:4-6 CJB - For when people have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become sharers in the Ruach HaKodesh, (5) and tasted the goodness of God's Word and the powers of the `olam haba -- (6) and then have fallen away -- it is impossible to renew them so that they turn from their sin, as long as for themselves they keep executing the Son of God on the stake all over again and keep holding him up to public contempt.

The CJB says: “as long as for themselves they keep executing the Son of God on the stake all over again and keep holding him up to public contempt”. It means that while still in a state of denial one cannot be restored. However, just like the prodigal son a person can genuinely repent and come home to Father’s house!

Jeremiah 3:22 KJV - Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God.

People can have a hard time returning even after they have genuinely repented because of churches not properly understanding the above scripture lesson and God’s compassion. Some pastors stand with a drawn sword rather than a feast of fatted calf for returnees. Oftentimes churches failed to preach the priority of true sanctification and self-control in the Holy Spirit or how to stand in trials as to prevent or deter a ‘falling away’.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CJB: Scripture quotations are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. www.messianicjewish.net/jntp. Distributed by Messianic Jewish Resources Int'l. www.messianicjewish.net. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

I'm not sure it's even about backsliding as we know it today. I think it's about those Jews who came to the understanding that forgiveness of sins came through Jesus, and yet rejected that method and clung to their old covenant (the sacrifice of animals etc). It isn't about those people who were following Jesus, temporarily spent some time in the world enjoying their sin, and then returned to the Lord.

As for the prodigal son, I don't believe it is about a backslider returning so to speak, as much as it is the Lord showing His love for His people Israel, regardless of where they have been.

[taylor30]

I have always questioned why Hebrews 6:4-6 did not fit the context of other scripture. This is where my study led...

Backsliding & Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

First of all, backsliding and blasphemy of the Holy Spirit are two different situations. Hebrews 6:4-6 is many times misinterpreted. It speaks about ‘falling away’ and not blasphemy of the Holy Spirit as some teach.

Hebrews 6:4-6 KJV - For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, (5) And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, (6) If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

If the wording of the above Bible ‘translation’ was truly accurate, then no backslider could ever return from a falling away. There would be no prodigal sons coming back home! The Complete Jewish Bible reads this way…

Hebrews 6:4-6 CJB - For when people have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become sharers in the Ruach HaKodesh, (5) and tasted the goodness of God's Word and the powers of the `olam haba -- (6) and then have fallen away -- it is impossible to renew them so that they turn from their sin, as long as for themselves they keep executing the Son of God on the stake all over again and keep holding him up to public contempt.

The CJB says: “as long as for themselves they keep executing the Son of God on the stake all over again and keep holding him up to public contempt”. It means that while still in a state of denial one cannot be restored. However, just like the prodigal son a person can genuinely repent and come home to Father’s house!

Jeremiah 3:22 KJV - Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God.

People can have a hard time returning even after they have genuinely repented because of churches not properly understanding the above scripture lesson and God’s compassion. Some pastors stand with a drawn sword rather than a feast of fatted calf for returnees. Oftentimes churches failed to preach the priority of true sanctification and self-control in the Holy Spirit or how to stand in trials as to prevent or deter a ‘falling away’.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CJB: Scripture quotations are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. www.messianicjewish.net/jntp. Distributed by Messianic Jewish Resources Int'l. www.messianicjewish.net. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Hebrew 6 that you just mentioned IS talking about blasphemy of the holy spirit. Because in the very first line, it says it is IMPOSSIBLE to renew them to repentance. Jesus said the ONLY unforgettable sin is Blasphemy Of The Holy Spirit, so these are the same thing. As for as backsliding, that simply means a Christian who goes back to his sin for a season, not someone who completely turns their back on God. There is a difference.

[Bold Believer]

I have always questioned why Hebrews 6:4-6 did not fit the context of other scripture. This is where my study led...

Backsliding & Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

First of all, backsliding and blasphemy of the Holy Spirit are two different situations. Hebrews 6:4-6 is many times misinterpreted. It speaks about ‘falling away’ and not blasphemy of the Holy Spirit as some teach.

Hebrews 6:4-6 KJV - For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, (5) And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, (6) If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

If the wording of the above Bible ‘translation’ was truly accurate, then no backslider could ever return from a falling away. There would be no prodigal sons coming back home! The Complete Jewish Bible reads this way…

Hebrews 6:4-6 CJB - For when people have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become sharers in the Ruach HaKodesh, (5) and tasted the goodness of God's Word and the powers of the `olam haba -- (6) and then have fallen away -- it is impossible to renew them so that they turn from their sin, as long as for themselves they keep executing the Son of God on the stake all over again and keep holding him up to public contempt.

The CJB says: “as long as for themselves they keep executing the Son of God on the stake all over again and keep holding him up to public contempt”. It means that while still in a state of denial one cannot be restored. However, just like the prodigal son a person can genuinely repent and come home to Father’s house!

Jeremiah 3:22 KJV - Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God.

People can have a hard time returning even after they have genuinely repented because of churches not properly understanding the above scripture lesson and God’s compassion. Some pastors stand with a drawn sword rather than a feast of fatted calf for returnees. Oftentimes churches failed to preach the priority of true sanctification and self-control in the Holy Spirit or how to stand in trials as to prevent or deter a ‘falling away’.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CJB: Scripture quotations are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. www.messianicjewish.net/jntp. Distributed by Messianic Jewish Resources Int'l. www.messianicjewish.net. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

On the STAKE? I smell a JW bible. It's a cross, and yes there IS a difference.

[Guest shiloh357]

I have always questioned why Hebrews 6:4-6 did not fit the context of other scripture. This is where my study led...

Backsliding & Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

First of all, backsliding and blasphemy of the Holy Spirit are two different situations. Hebrews 6:4-6 is many times misinterpreted. It speaks about ‘falling away’ and not blasphemy of the Holy Spirit as some teach.

Hebrews 6:4-6 KJV - For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, (5) And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, (6) If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

If the wording of the above Bible ‘translation’ was truly accurate, then no backslider could ever return from a falling away. There would be no prodigal sons coming back home! The Complete Jewish Bible reads this way…

Hebrews 6:4-6 CJB - For when people have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become sharers in the Ruach HaKodesh, (5) and tasted the goodness of God's Word and the powers of the `olam haba -- (6) and then have fallen away -- it is impossible to renew them so that they turn from their sin, as long as for themselves they keep executing the Son of God on the stake all over again and keep holding him up to public contempt.

The CJB says: “as long as for themselves they keep executing the Son of God on the stake all over again and keep holding him up to public contempt”. It means that while still in a state of denial one cannot be restored. However, just like the prodigal son a person can genuinely repent and come home to Father’s house!

Jeremiah 3:22 KJV - Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God.

People can have a hard time returning even after they have genuinely repented because of churches not properly understanding the above scripture lesson and God’s compassion. Some pastors stand with a drawn sword rather than a feast of fatted calf for returnees. Oftentimes churches failed to preach the priority of true sanctification and self-control in the Holy Spirit or how to stand in trials as to prevent or deter a ‘falling away’.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CJB: Scripture quotations are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. www.messianicjewish.net/jntp. Distributed by Messianic Jewish Resources Int'l. www.messianicjewish.net. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Hebrew 6 that you just mentioned IS talking about blasphemy of the holy spirit. Because in the very first line, it says it is IMPOSSIBLE to renew them to repentance. Jesus said the ONLY unforgettable sin is Blasphemy Of The Holy Spirit, so these are the same thing. As for as backsliding, that simply means a Christian who goes back to his sin for a season, not someone who completely turns their back on God. There is a difference.

No, it is not talking about blaspemy of the Holy Spirit. The reason blasphemy of the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven is because the person who commits is irretrievably wicked and will not seek forgiveness. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is rooted in a determined inpenitent unbelief that will not seek forgiveness under any circumstance.

The compalint being registered in Heb. 6: 1-6 pertains to spiritual immaturity, not backsliding or living in sin. The line of thought actually begins in the last two or three verses of chapter 5 where the writer is complaining that they are too immature for spiritual meat. The word in Greek for falling away in THIS context does not refer to apostasy and is not the usual word for apostasy. It refers to falling aside in the way that an atheletic runner falls out of a race because he is not trained well enough and fatigues before the race is over.

[taylor30]

I have always questioned why Hebrews 6:4-6 did not fit the context of other scripture. This is where my study led...

Backsliding & Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

First of all, backsliding and blasphemy of the Holy Spirit are two different situations. Hebrews 6:4-6 is many times misinterpreted. It speaks about ‘falling away’ and not blasphemy of the Holy Spirit as some teach.

Hebrews 6:4-6 KJV - For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, (5) And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, (6) If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

If the wording of the above Bible ‘translation’ was truly accurate, then no backslider could ever return from a falling away. There would be no prodigal sons coming back home! The Complete Jewish Bible reads this way…

Hebrews 6:4-6 CJB - For when people have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become sharers in the Ruach HaKodesh, (5) and tasted the goodness of God's Word and the powers of the `olam haba -- (6) and then have fallen away -- it is impossible to renew them so that they turn from their sin, as long as for themselves they keep executing the Son of God on the stake all over again and keep holding him up to public contempt.

The CJB says: “as long as for themselves they keep executing the Son of God on the stake all over again and keep holding him up to public contempt”. It means that while still in a state of denial one cannot be restored. However, just like the prodigal son a person can genuinely repent and come home to Father’s house!

Jeremiah 3:22 KJV - Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God.

People can have a hard time returning even after they have genuinely repented because of churches not properly understanding the above scripture lesson and God’s compassion. Some pastors stand with a drawn sword rather than a feast of fatted calf for returnees. Oftentimes churches failed to preach the priority of true sanctification and self-control in the Holy Spirit or how to stand in trials as to prevent or deter a ‘falling away’.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CJB: Scripture quotations are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. www.messianicjewish.net/jntp. Distributed by Messianic Jewish Resources Int'l. www.messianicjewish.net. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Hebrew 6 that you just mentioned IS talking about blasphemy of the holy spirit. Because in the very first line, it says it is IMPOSSIBLE to renew them to repentance. Jesus said the ONLY unforgettable sin is Blasphemy Of The Holy Spirit, so these are the same thing. As for as backsliding, that simply means a Christian who goes back to his sin for a season, not someone who completely turns their back on God. There is a difference.

No, it is not talking about blaspemy of the Holy Spirit. The reason blasphemy of the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven is because the person who commits is irretrievably wicked and will not seek forgiveness. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is rooted in a determined inpenitent unbelief that will not seek forgiveness under any circumstance.

The compalint being registered in Heb. 6: 1-6 pertains to spiritual immaturity, not backsliding or living in sin. The line of thought actually begins in the last two or three verses of chapter 5 where the writer is complaining that they are too immature for spiritual meat. The word in Greek for falling away in THIS context does not refer to apostasy and is not the usual word for apostasy. It refers to falling aside in the way that an atheletic runner falls out of a race because he is not trained well enough and fatigues before the race is over.

Actually spiritual immaturity CAN breakfast repented of, so this passage CAN'T be talking about that. The point of the passage is that it is IMPOSSIBLE to repent once you commit the sin. Since even Jesus himself said BOHS was the only thing you.can't repent for, it is pretty obvious. If YOU want to say this passage is NOT BOHS, then you have to make the case that there is something else that you.can't repent for.

[Guest shiloh357]

Actually spiritual immaturity CAN breakfast repented of, so this passage CAN'T be talking about that.

That sentence makes no sense with the word "breakfast" in it . The passage is talking about spiritual immaturity:

About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

(Heb 5:11-6:6)

The context is about their immaturity. If it were talking about blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, it would have been more direct and not rely on such ambiguity. When he says it is impposible to renew these people unto repentance, he is saying that it is impossible to go back to the beginning. They have to move on and leave the elementary principles fo the faith and go on to maturity. They cannot renew them unto repentance because it would amount to recrucifying Jesus and putting Him to open shame again.

Since even Jesus himself said BOHS was the only thing you.can't repent for, it is pretty obvious.

That is not what Jesus said. But to that point, it can't be repented of not because it is such a big sin, but because the person who committed is in a spiritual state that they can't repent of it and would not want to if they could.

The sin against the Holy Spirit unpardonable because of its own nature: It consists in the rejection of way of salvation by Christ, in opposition to the fullest evidence and the only evidence that shall be given (Heb. 2: 3)

"The sin against the Holy Spirit consists in continual impenitence and unbelief. It is not an act, but habit. It is the calm, determined, and persevering rejection of Jesus Christ as the Savior of man, in opposition t all the testimony of His word and Spirit. Consequently, its nature is incapable of forgiveness. N on who is afraid of having committed this sin has done so; for its very nature is to have no fear on that account. It is committed and continued in delightedly and knowingly, where it is committed at al. Fear is not compatible with its nature" ~ From The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

If YOU want to say this passage is NOT BOHS, then you have to make the case that there is something else that you.can't repent for.

It is not talking about not being able to repent of a particular sin. The entire complaint pertains to spiritual immaturity. The word for "fall away" is parapiptos. Para (aside) piptos (to fall) the word is not being used to describe apostasy which is forsaking the Lord, but rather someone who simply isn't running the race. They have not walked away from God, but neither are they serving Him. They are stagnate at a certain level

Blapshemy of the Holy Spirit is not something a believer can do, because it is rooted in unbelief. It is rooted in a rejection of Jesus. The ONLY people recorded in the Bible as having committed this sin are unbelievers. There are no warnings to the church by Paul or any other epistle. It ONLY occurs in the ministrh of Jesus and then only pertaining to the casting out of demons.

Jesus was accused of casting out demons through the power of the prince of demons and in Mark He was accused of being indwelt by the prince of demons. The contexts in which this sin was committed was always the inpenitent unbelief of Jesus' enemies.

[Botz]

On the STAKE? I smell a JW bible. It's a cross, and yes there IS a difference.

You smell wrong bro...this poster clearly indicated the references and it certainly isn't the NWT...the only differentiation at stake is the stake or the cross, that's for another

discussion though and is interesting.

[Botz]

The context is about their immaturity. If it were talking about blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, it would have been more direct and not rely on such ambiguity. When he says it is impposible to renew these people unto repentance, he is saying that it is impossible to go back to the beginning. They have to move on and leave the elementary principles fo the faith and go on to maturity. They cannot renew them unto repentance because it would amount to recrucifying Jesus and putting Him to open shame again.

Hi bro,

I completely agree with your position, we have to see these verse in the context of the end of chapter 5 and try and read them in a flowing manner that pertains directly to spiritual immaturity

where Paul is reluctant to give them weightier things to chew on because the evidence of their life-styles shows they haven't learnt the rudiments of their faith.

I have been thinking about this, and also considered something Candice mentioned in her last post...what do you think about the idea (and it is just an idea, I have not researched it) that these

Jewish Believers that Paul is addressing have been so used to the idea of continual ongoing sacrifices, that they do not understand that Jesus died for them once and for all...and they do not have

to keep going back to that initial sacrifice and 'receive' Messiah all over again...in fact this is where the word IMPOSSIBLE comes in.

I believe that this could also be why Paul goes to such lengths to demonstrate in the context of the sacrificial system with which these people would have been so accustomed, why Jesus is a

priest after the order of Melchizedek, and how in His capacity as their eternal High Priest, the Lamb that was slain can never be slain again...whaddaya think?

[mizzdy]

In many ways Hebrews is written directly to the those who will see the day the temple is destroyed, the writers is getting them ready, showing them that they do not need that sacrificial system any longer that Messiah is the better sacrifice, a priest and intercessor. Paul is preparing them for the loss of the temple, the loss of the familar all the while showing the mercy, the glory, the grace of Yeshua as the High Priest, showing the realities of the heavenly realm.