Our text is a clear warning of the possibility after becoming a child of God to so falter as to lose our soul. The Hebrew writer uses several clauses to establish a bonafide conversion to Christ. They were once enlightened; they had tasted the heavenly gift of salvation; they had experienced fellowship with the Holy Spirit; they had experienced God’s word, and “the powers of the age to come.” It is absurd to contend this is something less that having been saved by God’s grace.
And yet, there is the possibility of such a one falling away. And further, (in this case through negligence) to wander so far away from God as to be unredeemable. As the Hebrew writer put it, “they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame” (6:6).
This shows the reason for explicit calls to be steadfast in our faith. We should not consider our reconciliation with God an endpoint, but rather the beginning of a journey to heaven. We are saved because we are reconciled to God. Such as salvation is given us through God’s mercy, and no one can take it away from us. However, it is possible for us through neglect or rebellion to forfeit that standing in our lives (cf. 4:1).
