Can Hebrews 6:1-8 happen to a Christian? Do you think it is possible for this type of christian to lose his salvation, or according to 1 Corinthians 5:5, will his spirit only to be saved and not his body?
First I would like to say that Hebrews 6 is just as true as John 3. Sometimes we may not understand how two things that seemingly contrast can both be true, but we need to always trust God and lean not on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).
Knowing these verses, the first thing that should come to mind whenever we hear something that seems right is “where is it written?” If it is not written, it is not needed for this life (2 Peter 1:3-4). We only know in part (1 Corinthians 13:9), but the part we know contains everything we need for life.
Read Hebrews 2:1-3 out loud a few times. I want you to read it out loud, because faith comes by hearing (Rom 10:17), and if you are accustomed to speaking against what is written, like millions of Christians today, then you may not be able to see it if you don’t read it out loud (1 Timothy 6:20-21).
Hebrews 2:1-3
1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, NKJV
Can we neglect our salvation according to verse 3 above? Why do so many preach the opposite? They can no longer see the verses that they willingly speak against (1 Timothy 6:20-21), and you will be the same if you, now after knowing the truth, reject the truth in order to fit in with the blind.
John 12:42-43
42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. NKJV
Hebrews chapter 2 sets the stage for Hebrews chapter 6. Yes, he is talking to Christians, who should already know and be practicing the elementary things, such as repentance from dead works, faith, the doctrine of baptism (covered in Romans ch 6), eternal judgment, and the like. Yes, this can happen, and is happening to Christians today.
Hebrews 6:1-8
1 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 of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits.
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; 8 but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned. NKJV
Think about this. If we lived by faith in accordance with Romans 10:6-8, we would never allow our heart to speak against Hebrews 2:1-3 above, in order that we could be righteous by faith, as it is promised, and gain control over our bodies (James 3:2).
Romans 10:6-8
6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?'” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7 or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?'” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): NKJV
James 3:2
2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. NKJV
Knowing these things, and putting them into practice, will not only enable us to control our bodies (self-control), but they will also identity for us, “who does not have self control, and who is false” by their fruits (Matthew 7:15-20, 12:33-37).
Therefore, I will never say that a Christian cannot “neglect” (throw away, disregard) their salvation, and they do that by “not” paying close attention to the Word, and thereby drifting away (Hebrews 2:1-3). You can be sure that those who preach against those verses are not being led to preach by the Holy Spirit. By their fruits you will recognize them.
So, to answer your question concerning Hebrews 6, yes I believe it is possible, and very probable that most Christians today will lose their salvation, because according to Jesus Christ, most will take the broad path (Matthew 7:13-14). As it is written below, they seek to enter, but they will not be able. They call Jesus Lord, “Lord, Lord, did we not do this or that in Your name,” but they ignored even the elementary instructions.
Luke 13:23-29
23 Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying,’Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you,’I do not know you, where you are from,’ 26 then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ 27 But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. NKJV
As evidence of this, I don’t believe that there is even one church left in this country that preaches the doctrine of abiding in Jesus Christ according to John 15:1-6, and there are forty other passages of scripture that we have rejected, if not more. I’m not just talking about some little hole in the wall church, but every mainstream denomination in this country, preaches in direct opposition of what Jesus Christ said in John 15:1-6, and forty other passages of scripture.
Therefore, it is very obvious to me that most church attending people today, have already rejected Jesus Christ, and refuse even to acknowledge His Word. Is it the Holy Spirit that makes us ignore John 15:1-6? They say “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,” and they sing “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,” but they reject His teachings, and have replaced it with the doctrines of men, just as the Pharisees did.
Matthew 15:7-14
7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 8 “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'”
10 When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” 12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” NKJV
Even when these things are mentioned to them, they refuse to repent, and return to the Word. So, yes I believe millions of Christians in this country are doomed to the fire of hell, or at best “outer darkness” (Matthew 8:12, 22:13, 25:30).
According to the Word of God, we are instructed, not to welcome anyone who does not bring the doctrine of abiding in Jesus Christ (2 John 1:9-11). Some of the newer Bibles have changed this to say “the teachings of Jesus,” but either way, is not John 15:1-6 a part of the teachings of Jesus?
2 John 9-11
9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds. NKJV
So how can those, who reject the precepts, have a good understanding (Psalm 111:10)? They can’t, but they have millions of followers, who refuse to recognize them according to their fruits, but they honor them according to their worldly statue. In doing so, they also reject 2 Corinthians 5:16, and Philippians 3:3-4.
Now, about your second question concerning 1 Corinthians 5:5.
Now, about your second question. 1 Corinthians 5:5 is for a group of saints (faithful), who are concerned about the “little leaven” affecting the whole lump (1 Corinthians 5:6). Verse 5 was given to them so that they would “purge out the old leaven” from among them in keeping with 1 Cor 5:7.
This is not an automatic thing, since the group was obviously just going to ignore the situation before they received Paul’s letter, as 1 Cor 5:6 shows; “your glorying is not good.” Paul wanted them to worship, or gather not just for the sake of gathering, as we do today in this country, but to gather, not with the old leaven of malice and wickedness, but in truth (1 Cor 5:8).
So, if we read the whole passage, we will see that the group was instructed to judge the one who was not living according to the faith, and to spiritually hand that person over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved; meaning that if he did not die to the flesh, he would not be saved.
This is in-line with what Paul taught and with what Jesus taught.
Romans 8:12-14
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors — not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. NKJV
Galatians 5:19-21
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. NKJV
Galatians 6:7-10
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. NKJV
Romans 6:20-22
20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. NKJV
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. NKJV
Matthew 16:24-27
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. NKJV
John 12:25-26
25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. NKJV
Matthew 10:37-39
37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. NKJV
John 8:34-36
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. NKJV
1 John 3:4-9
4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. NKJV
The body is not going anyway. No, we are not concerned about the body, since flesh and blood will not inherit.
1 Corinthians 15:50
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. NKJV
Yes, the life is in the blood (Lev 17:11), but that doesn’t mean that the blood is life. Think about it. We attend funeral’s in this country, but the only part of a person that was of any value, was long before washed down the drain.
Jesus told the little girl to arise, according to Luke 8:54, and then her “spirit” returned and she arose! Praise the Lord! A body without a spirit is a dead body (James 2:26).
Now, take a look at 1 Corinthians chapter 5, and ask yourself if there is even one church left that is willing to follow the instructions, or even acknowledge them. I don’t believe there is one left in this country.
1 Corinthians 5:1-13
1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles — that a man has his father’s wife! 2 And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3 For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner — not even to eat with such a person.
12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.” NKJV
“Put away from yourselves the evil person” (verse 13 above). Do not keep company with a brother, who is sexually immoral, and the like (verse 11 above).
Who is willing to do those things, but those who trust God? Who is even willing to mention them in the church today, but those who trust God? I have been kicked out of two churches, or rather, I was told that I could not teach these things any more, and so I left.
Get this. If we ignore 1 Corinthians chapter 5, we would have to also ignore 2 Thessalonians 3:6, and 3:14, and Ephesians 5:5-7, and 2 Timothy 3:1-5, and Romans 16:17-18, and 1 Timothy 6:3-5 as well. Not only is that true, but as we learn to speak against these passages of scripture, then we will fall away from the faith (1 Timothy 6:20-21), and reject the righteousness of faith (Romans 6:6-8), in which the promise of inheritance is through (Romans 4:13).
Once we fall away from the faith, then it will be as if these passages of scripture don’t even exist, which Ephesians 4:17-19 explains. That’s where we are in this country, and I live in what is called the Bible belt.
Everybody has a Bible here, and there are hundreds of churches, but no one lives by faith. We belong to organizations based on believing a book that we do not believe. Imagine that.
So, I am expecting drastic events in the near future for the USA. Once we elect a president, that rejects helping people in need, then our doom as a country will certainly come. In those days, it will be far better to leave this country, and live in a country that helps people in need, no matter how small, or how helpless that country may seem.
Matthew 21:43-44
43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” NKJV
Therefore, if you can see these things, then hold to the teachings (2 Thessalonians 2:13-15). Trust God long before you trust any man, and even me. If I do not speak according to the faith, then send the verse that I have violated, so that I can renew my mind with the truth. Test all things, and hold fast to that which is good (1 Thess 5:21).
Farewell
alan ballou; a servant
