(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

🎵🎵🎵🎵 🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵 🎵🎵🎵🎵 🎵🎵🎵 🎵🎵🎵 🎵🎵🎵 Supergewords Baptist Church, we're gonna get started with song number 411 Hold the fort Song number 411 is our first song Let's all stand together, if you are able to song number 411 sing it on that first verse home my comrades-see the signal sing it out Oh, my comrade, see the signal waving in the sky. Reinforcements now appearing, victory is nigh. Hold the phone, for I am coming, Jesus will know still. Wave the answer back to heaven, by thy grace we will. See the mighty host advancing, sating leading on. Mighty men around us falling, courage almost done. Hold the phone, for I am coming, Jesus signals still. Wave the answer back to heaven, by thy grace we will. See the glorious banner waving, hear the trumpet blow. In our leader's name we'll triumph over every foe. Hold the phone, for I am coming, Jesus signals still. Wave the answer back to heaven, by thy grace we will. Fears and long thought, battle rages, but our help is still. Onward comes the great commander, cheer my comrades, cheer. Hold the phone, for I am coming, Jesus signals still. Wave the answer back to heaven, by thy grace we will. Amen. Wonderful singing. Let's start off our service with a word of prayer. Dear God, Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for dear God that we have the victory in your son Jesus Christ. Lord God, we thank you so much for that and Lord I do pray that you please just bless our service this evening. Lord God, I pray that you please just be with the singing unto you, Lord God, and I pray that you'd also just be with our pastor, Lord God, as he preaches your word most importantly. I pray that you please just fill in with your Holy Spirit, guide him through the scriptures with God, and I pray that you would also just be with his wife, Lord dear God, as she's expecting, Lord God, keep her safe, Lord God, keep her in good health, and I pray that you'd also just be with us in the congregation as well. Help us, Lord God, to just be attentive, Lord God, to your word being preached unto us, and I pray that you please just bless us for that, Lord God, as well. I pray now these things in Jesus' name, Amen. You may be seen in song number 230, Heavenly Sunlight, song number 230, song number 230, Heavenly Sunlight, sing it on that first verse. Walking in sunlight, all of my journey, over the mountains, through the deveil, Jesus has set out, never forsake thee, promised divine that never can fail. Heavenly Sunlight, Heavenly Sunlight, flooding my soul with glory divine, Hallelujah, I am rejoicing, singing his praises, Jesus is mine, shadows around me, shadows above me, never conceal my Savior and I, he is the light in him is no darkness, ever a marking close to his side. Heavenly Sunlight, Heavenly Sunlight, flooding my soul with glory divine, Hallelujah, I am rejoicing, singing his praises, Jesus is mine, in the bright sunlight, ever rejoicing, pressing my way to mansions above, singing his praises, gladly I'm walking, walking in sunlight, sunlight above. Heavenly Sunlight, Heavenly Sunlight, flooding my soul with glory divine, Hallelujah, I am rejoicing, singing his praises, Jesus is mine. All right, great singing, thank you for being here this evening. Welcome to First Works Baptist Church. Just a few announcements here before we sing our next song which will be 336 constantly abiding. Song number 336 if you want to get that ready in your song books. Just a few announcements, of course Sunday morning service is at 10 30 Sunday evening at 5 pm and then we have our Thursday night Bible study at seven o'clock currently going through the book of Matthew. Hope to see you on Thursday evenings. You see the sowing times and teams and the list of expecting mothers if you can continue to pray for them. Pray for my wife, she has been getting a lot of contractions uh yesterday and today and so my prediction is that the baby will be here maybe tomorrow but I don't know you know babies are just unpredictable you know just like they get really comfortable and it she's a girl too so it's just like she wants to come out but then she changed her mind and just like wants to go and she stays and it's just like it's just the way it is. Please pray for my wife and for my baby daughter and then um some of the upcoming church events we do as I mentioned have the barstool sowing and we got to be flexible with that because obviously we don't know when both babies are coming and so but that will be on Monday May 1st. Men's prayer night is coming up on Friday May 5th. Mother's Day service is on May 14th. We will have a gift for all the mothers who come on that day. I want to encourage you to bring your mom bring someone's mother on that day so they can get that gift and then of course the sermon will be geared towards mothers as well and then the end of school picnic is on Tuesday May 30th. You see the regular reminders there at the bottom. Please make sure you silence your phones during the preaching so as to not be a distraction during the service. Let's go and take some soul numbers from this past week. Salvations from Monday to Thursday. Any Salvations from Monday to Thursday? Two, one. Anybody else? How about Friday and Saturday? Salvations for Friday and Saturday? One and six. Okay how about this afternoon? Salvations for this afternoon? Three for brother Hikes team. One for brother Cody's team. Three for brother Marcus's team. Two for brother Glenn's team and two for brother Ulysses team. Did I miss anybody? Okay keep up the great work on soul winning. Let's go and sing our next song. 336 constantly abiding song number 336. Song number 336 constantly abiding 336. See on that first verse. There's a peace in my heart that the world never gave. A peace it cannot take away. Though the trials of life may surround like a cloud, I've a peace that has come there to stay. Constantly abiding, Jesus is mine. Constantly abiding, rapture divine. He never leaves me lonely, whispers oh so kind. I will never leave thee, Jesus is mine. All the world seemed to see of a savior and king when peace sweetly came to my heart. Troubles all fled away and my night turned to day. Blessed Jesus how glorious thou art. Constantly abiding, Jesus is mine. Constantly abiding, rapture divine. He never leaves me lonely, whispers oh so kind. I will never leave thee, Jesus is mine. This treasure I have in a temple of clay. While here on his footstool I grow. But he's coming to take me some glorious day. Over there to my heavenly home. Constantly abiding, Jesus is mine. Constantly abiding, rapture divine. He never leaves me lonely, whispers oh so kind. I will never leave thee, Jesus is mine. He never leaves me lonely, whispers oh so kind. He never leaves me lonely, whispers oh so kind. Good evening, tonight we're in Hebrews chapter 6. Hebrews chapter 6, and the Bible reads, Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, will this go on unto perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. 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, and have trusted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they 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. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs to meet for them, by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God. But that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned. But beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end, that ye be not slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise, the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath. That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that wherein within the veil, whether the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus made an high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Let's pray, dear God, I thank you for the church you've given us, Lord, and we thank you for your pastor as well, Lord. I pray that you bless him right now, and fill him with the Holy Spirit as he preaches unto us, Lord. And I just pray that us in the congregation are edified by the preaching, Lord. So just bless this time in every aspect. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Okay, tonight we are in the book of Hebrews, chapter number six, and I'm going to talk about Hebrews chapter six. I'm going to actually explain what I believe this is actually referring to here. And tonight we're going to get into the meat of the word. It's going to be a very doctrinally sound sermon. I'm going to give some practical application at the end of the sermon. But I want you guys to be here tonight with open ears. He that hath an ear, let him hear, and to be ready to be taught what the Bible says. Okay, because we're going to go over a lot of scriptures, a lot of biblical concepts here. And obviously this is important because it's in the Bible. But also because of the fact that, you know, this chapter is often used to teach a lot of false doctrine. Okay, one of them primarily being that you could lose your salvation. Okay, there's a lot of works-based salvation, false teachers out there that will point to Hebrews chapter six as a proof text that you could lose your salvation. One of them being Isaiah, and in fact, when he came out with this video about why one saved always saved is a false doctrine. This is the very first scripture and chapter that he went to. This is his proof text. And one of the reasons I believe he went to Hebrew six is because of the fact that Hebrew six is an obscure chapter. Okay. And, you know, there's a lot of deep things in Hebrew six, a lot of things that are hard to be understood. He said, well, why would that be understandable that he would go to this chapter? Well, because of the fact that false prophets never go to clear scriptures about salvation. They always have to go to the most darkest, obscure passages in order to convolute the gospel and make it, you know, confusing and essentially to embed their own false teachings in it because it's hard to be understood. You know, he doesn't go to John three sixteen, John three thirty six, the book of John, just in general. He doesn't stick to Ephesians two for sake through nine, Ephesians one thirteen. He goes to Hebrew chapter six because of the fact that there are some things that are hard to be understood. And so I'm going to explain to you why this obviously is not referring to salvation. But then there's another teaching that actually my pastor friend just told me about. And he said that Bob Gray Senior actually was teaching this. Okay. He was basically teaching that Jesus Christ is just perpetually being crucified in heaven. Okay. Which is really weird. And he uses verse number six to teach that, or he says, seeing they crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh. And he basically teaches that when a Christian sins, it's like Jesus Christ is being perpetually crucified in heaven for that. Okay. Which is a really weird thing to teach, especially over the fact that Hebrews ten specifically says that you sacrifice once and for all. Okay. And we obviously know that Jesus Christ, who's the lamb of God, was slain from the foundation of the world. But he's not being perpetually slain. Okay. He's crucified once and for all. And in fact, if you go to Hebrews ten, Hebrews ten real quick. Here's here's what's funny about that teaching that heresy is that it says in verse number one for the law, having a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the things can never with those sacrifices, which they offered year by year continually make the comers that aren't too perfect, for then will they not have cease to be offered because that the worshippers once purge should have no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices, there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. So what does it say? It's saying, you know, the animal sacrifices had to be sacrificed every single day. Okay. So the difference between the animal sacrifices and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is that he essentially solidifies it once and for all. Okay. And, you know, the Bible obviously teaches that he's crucified once and for all. He's paid for the sins of mankind once already. He doesn't have to do it again. And I'm going to get into what this means when it's talking about crucifying to themselves the son of God afresh. Now, let me make this disclaimer real quick before I get into the brass tacks of the sermon here. Okay. I understand that I have pastor friends that have a different interpretation of Hebrew six. And, you know, they teach something different. They believe that this is referring to believers and believers who are backslidden, et cetera. And so don't use this. Don't try to weaponize this sermon against my friends to try to cause division between us or something like that. Or it's just like, well, pastor, he believes this. Pastor so-and-so said this, you know, I am a Paul and I am of Apollos or something like that. Okay. Have some maturity about yourself. Recognize that at the end of the day, my pastor friends and I, we all agree on these doctrines. The only thing we disagree on is what passages of scripture, the obscure passages of scripture, teach those doctrines. Okay. So, for example, I agree that Christians can backslide to the point where, you know, it can become too late for them, where God punishes them and they essentially die in that state according to Hebrew chapter number 10. And you know what? My pastor friends agree that there are certain people who can never be saved. They're known as reprobates. We both believe those doctrines. Okay. The only thing we disagree on is essentially what passages of scriptures that are seemingly obscure teach that. Okay. And so it's okay to have differences of interpretation is what I'm saying here. And it's funny because, you know, there's one group of people who criticize the new IFP and they'll say, oh, you guys, if you're not in lockstep with one another, you know, we can't fellowship with one another because you guys got to be all in lockstep. Right. And then the other half is just like, oh, they can't agree on anything. Look, one teaches this and it's like you can't win with these people. And so at the end of the day, we generally agree on the essential doctrines of the Bible. Okay. But we do have differences of interpretation. And in fact, I call my pastor friends all the time and vice versa and we discuss our differences and we try to win each other over to our position. Okay. You know, sometimes I'll call my pastor friends and I'll say, hey, what's your interpretation of this? Let me give you my take on it. And you let me know if you disagree with me. And sometimes they're like, yeah, I disagree. And I'm like, well, you know, you have every right to be wrong. That's perfectly fine. You know, click. No, I'm just kidding. No, I'm just like, you know, why? You know, and then they'll give me because I want to know. You know, I'm not just like I'm not just like, well, there's only one right position and it's my position or something. They might be right about their position. Okay. So I want to hear what they have to say. Understand? And so, you know, we definitely have agreements, but we have disagreements as well. And that's a healthy thing. My friends, it goes to show us that we are autonomous, independent churches. And we're not answering to a pope as people, you know, try to claim that we do. It's like, oh, you know, if the pope doesn't if the pope of the new I.B. doesn't teach it, then they can't teach it. That's that's stupid. Okay. There's nobody who calls us and says, this is what you have to preach on Sunday morning. This is what you have to believe. And in fact, you know, when we were under the satellite ministry, when we were a satellite ministry, people were Baptist Church. There is things that I disagree with about Pastor Anderson. And I explained to him and he said, I disagree with you, but go ahead and preach it anyways. Because it's at the end of the day, we both agree essentially on the teaching. We disagree on what passages are teaching that. Okay. So it goes to show you that their so-called pope is not over here trying to dictate what everyone preaches. We all have differences of opinion and the liberty to have those differences. Okay. So don't use this as a weapon against my friends. Okay. And if I find out that that's happening, you're going to get a strong rebuke. Okay. Because I've already I'm making this disclaimer right here. All right. Now, with that being said, I do believe that this is the right interpretation. And that interpretation being that Hebrew 6 is referring to those who are beyond the hope of salvation. Now, let me say something else is that, you know, before I was a pastor, I didn't really have an opinion on Hebrew 6. I didn't really think about it. I was just like, I don't know what it was talking about. I just didn't really have an opinion. And then, you know, my pastor friend preached on this and he kind of won me over to his position. And I was just like, yeah, that makes sense. Talk about reprobates, you know, that makes sense. It kind of says it right there in verse number eight. But now I believe it's so much the more. And the reason why is because my pastor friend actually called me this week and he's just like, hey, what's your take on Hebrew 6? And I kind of told him what I generally thought about it. I didn't really go in deep into it. I wasn't really in the mood to talk about the book of Hebrews. I'll just be honest with you. You know, I was just like, I don't want to talk about this, but you called me, so let's talk about it. But, you know, he got the gears turning and then all these things started popping out and I was just like, wait a minute, hold on a second. I believe it was referring to reprobates from the beginning, but now I believe it's so much the more because of our discussion here. And I ended up winning them over essentially to this position here. And I'm going to use the points that I gave him in the sermon to try to win you over if you don't believe this is referring to reprobates. Okay, but I'm going to prove conclusively tonight that this is referring to those who are essentially beyond the hope of salvation. And I guess another title for this sermon would be The Smoking Guns of Hebrew 6. The Smoking Guns of Hebrew 6. And I'm going to give you a couple points tonight why I believe this is referring to those who are beyond the hope of salvation. Now let's get into it. Point number one, why is this referring to reprobates? The number one reason is probably the most obvious reason. It's probably the most blatant reason and that is verse number eight. Okay, now look at verse eight it says, But that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned. Now I understand that those who do not hold to this position will look at this and look at this interpretation and say, Yeah, but why are reprobates being mentioned at all in this chapter though? Okay, and I'm going to answer that question later on in the sermon. But we can't deny the fact that verse eight is talking about reprobates. Because of the fact that when you study the Word of God from beginning to end and you look at what thorns and briars are associated with, it's associated with those who are beyond the hope of salvation. Sons of Belial, that which is meant to be burned. And the reason it refers to as thorns and briars is because thorns and briars do not bear fruit. As the book of Jude describes reprobates as being those who, it says fruit withereth, but then it kind of restates and it says without fruit. So that which bears thorns and briars, not only does it not bear fruit, the Bible says here that it's meant to be burned. Okay, and we can see examples of this in second Samuel chapter 23. We see it in Isaiah chapter 9 where thorns and briars are described as being that which is consistently burned. Okay, and not only that but it says there in verse number 8 that they're rejected. Now when you read Jeremiah chapter 6 we see the definition of a reprobate. It says reprobate silver shall men call them for the Lord has rejected them. Okay, and it says that they're nigh unto cursing. Christians are never referred to as being nigh unto cursing, okay. We are redeemed, we are saved, and so the point, the number one that I want to make is that somewhere in this chapter it is talking about reprobates. Smoking gun is verse number 8. Now the question is how does that fit the rest of the context of the chapter, right? Smoking gun number 2, let's look at verse number 6. So it says in verse number 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. Okay, now what is the interpretation of those who claim that maybe it's referring to believers? Well they'll look at this and say well it's saying fall away and so this is potentially referring to someone who just backslides. And I can see where they're coming from when they interpret it as thus because you have an example of this in the Bible, multiple examples of this obviously, but specifically in the gospels when you look at the four seeds that are sown, one of the seeds in Luke chapter 8 states that it's sown on the rocks and it says that in time of persecution, persecution arises because of the word, by and by he is offended and it says in Luke chapter 8 that they fall away. It says for a time they believe but in a time of temptation they fall away. Now obviously in Luke chapter 8 what this is referring to, it's not referring to someone losing their salvation because you can't lose your salvation. You say then why does it say that for a while they believe and it's in time of temptation they fall away. Well because of the fact that they believe, not salvation, it's referring to the fact that they believe that God can provide for them, they've got to protect them, which is why it says that in a time of persecution by and by they are offended. If someone is offended during a time of persecution they essentially get away from God because they're afraid of the persecution. They essentially don't believe that God can deliver them, that God can save them from that persecution. And so you can see how they would get this interpretation that it says here in verse 6, if they shall fall away, that it's referring to someone backsliding, they're falling away. However, let me teach you something about interpreting the Bible when it comes to Bible study. When you're looking at a chapter, when you're looking at a passage, you've got to eat your way out in order to understand a certain portion of scripture. So what do you mean by that? Meaning you start in that verse and you don't jump around to other portions of scripture all over the Bible until you deal with the chapter itself. So you look at a passage and then you've got to look at the passage before, the passage after, you've got to look at the chapter, you've got to look at the overall theme of that particular book and then explore other passages of scripture in the Bible that will confirm that teaching. Now there's only one exception to this particular rule and that is when something is already clearly stated throughout the Word of God. You don't necessarily need the immediate context. Now let me give you an example of this. In Philippians chapter 2 for example, there's a verse that people like to use to teach a workspace salvation and that is what? Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Now at that point we don't need the context of the chapter to know that it's not teaching a workspace salvation. Why? Because the plenary of scripture already teaches us that we can't be saved by our works. So we can already deduce and say this is not referring to us working for our salvation because the Bible in general already teaches that it's not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us. So there's obviously instances when interpreting the scriptures that you can hop out of context only because of the fact that the truth is so blatantly clear throughout the scriptures you don't necessarily need to stick to the context. Although most of the time you would even find the answer within the context itself. But in general when you're reading the Bible when you look at a verse you got to make sure you look at the context eat your way out of that verse in that chapter in that book. Now I say that to say this when it says if they shall fall away in verse number six if this means if they shall backslide we got a problem here. There's no mention of backsliding throughout this chapter. There's no mention of backsliding. You say well what is it referring to then? Well falling away in context of a believer according for example Luke chapter 8 can refer to someone backsliding because they don't believe that God can save them. But you know what falling away means to an unsafe person? Apostasy. That's what it means. In fact in 2 Thessalonians you have the great falling away. You say yeah but where is that in the passage though? If you're saying that the falling away here in verse number six is referring to apostasy where is that in the context of the scripture? Well first of all let me explain to you what apostasy means. Apostasy means you are transgressing the doctrines of Christ. You understand? That means there's that one point that you essentially adhere to the basics of the doctrines of Christ you claim to believe them and then somewhere along down the road you reject them. So when you claim to believe them you teach them you claim to adhere to them this is what your convictions are then later on down the road you say well these things are not true according to the Bible you have apostasized. You say why is that? Well because of the fact that when you look at scriptures for example such as 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1 Corinthians 15 is a resurrection chapter that Paul the Apostle is writing to the church at Corinth and what is that doctrine that they seem to be questioning? The resurrection. Now the resurrection is necessary for salvation. So we have a problem here if you have a church that claims to believe in the resurrection then somewhere along down the road they start questioning whether there is any resurrection. Which is why in 2 Corinthians 13 he says examine yourselves if you be in the faith. Why is he telling the church at Corinth to examine themselves if they be in the faith? He says Christ is in you except you be reprobates. Because of the fact that they're potentially apostasizing they are transgressing the doctrines of Christ they're claiming to have believed the resurrection and then later on down the road they don't believe it. A modern example of this would be if someone claims to believe in one saved always saved and then somewhere along down the road they say well actually you have to keep the law in order to be saved. You have to observe the Sabbath. You have to keep the commandments. We would say oh you have apostasized. Doesn't mean you lost your salvation. It means you believed in vain you were never saved to begin with. You say well you still haven't answered the question though. Where in this chapter does it refer to apostasizing? Well I've given you all this just to kind of help you to understand what it means to apostasize period. Now go to chapter 5 and let's start reading in verse number 11. It says of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered senior dull of hearing. That's interesting. So he's writing to these who's he writing to? Hebrews. You know the people who the oracles of God were committed unto. People who knew the Old Testament scriptures. And he's writing these things and he says I'm telling you these things because you seem to be dull of hearing. Which in other passages is often used to describe Jews who have apostasized. Ears dull of hearing that they cannot see or excuse me that they cannot hear. They're blind they cannot see with their eyes etc. Says in verse number 12. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers ye have need of one teacher again which be the first principles of the oracles of God. So think about this. He's like you're reaching a time when you're supposed to be teaching these things but it seems like you don't even believe these things. You're dull of hearing and it almost seems as though someone needs to teach you the first principles of the oracles of God. Like that's not a good enough point though. That's not good enough proof. That doesn't mean they apostasize. Well let's look at chapter 6 and verse number 1. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ. Let us go on into perfection not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God. Of the doctrine of baptisms and laying on the hands and resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment. So according to the Bible these doctrines are the first principles of the doctrines of Christ. So in context because we got to figure out what are they falling away from. Right? Doesn't say falling away from soul winning. Doesn't say falling away from church. Doesn't say falling away from living the Christian life. In context if we eat our way out of the chapter here we see that they're falling away from the first principles of the doctrines of Christ. Now that would fit perfectly with the definition of apostasy because apostasy is when you reject the doctrines of Christ my friends. And so we see here go to chapter 3 if you would go to chapter number 3. If they shall fall away, fall away from what? From the doctrines of Christ. If you've apostatized from the doctrines of Christ can't renew you again into repentance now can we? Which by the way one of the first principles of the doctrines of Christ is repentance from dead works and faith toward God. But if you reject that then we can't renew you again into repentance. It's like when people are like sodomites can be saved. But it says that they don't want to retain God in their knowledge though. So how can they believe on Jesus Christ if they don't even want to retain God in their knowledge? What's the same thing here? How can we renew them again into repentance if they fell away from the principles of the doctrines of Christ which teaches repentance from dead works and faith toward God? Now if we were to go further into the book of Hebrews because remember you've got to understand something. This is written to the Hebrews who are individuals who have had the Word of God pre-sent to them. They know what the Bible says. They know about these things. And so the Apostle Paul uses a lot of biblical history of the Old Testament to kind of show them these doctrines. Now look at Hebrews chapter 3 and look at verse number 12 because he's writing to the same group here. He says in verse 12, Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. Now can we walk away from God in a sense of backsliding? Of course. But you know no Christian will ever walk away from God and not believe in God. I mean we can backslide pretty hard, right? I mean we've had some pretty wild examples in the Bible. People committing murder, adultery, I mean just really bad stuff. But one thing, one boundary that a Christian will never transgress is their belief in God. And it says here, Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. He said, well why is he saying this to Christians? Well why did he say it to those in Galatia? I'm afraid of you lest I bestow it upon you labor in vain. Why did he say it to the church at Corinth? Examine yourselves if you be in the faith. Which by the way is more evidence to prove that this is referring to reprobates because the style of writing is consistent with the Apostle Paul as he writes to the different churches, Corinth, the churches which are in Galatia, and Hebrews. He's constantly saying, look guys, if you guys don't believe this, you need to examine yourself. You need to make sure there's not an evil heart of unbelief in apostatizing because it's a possibility. He said, well why did he say that to those in Galatia? Because those in Galatia were saying that you have to keep the law in order to be saved. They were observing times, days, and months and it's just like, whoa, someone Judaized you. Are you guys saved? I'm afraid of you. He's not saying like I'm scared of you. He says I'm afraid that you guys aren't even saved. Now the example that he's using here in Hebrews chapter 3 is the children of Israel going into the promised land. And why were they not able to enter into the promised land? The Bible says because of unbelief. Now were there people that died in the wilderness that were saved? Absolutely. This is why Hebrews chapter 4 says it's an example. So in other words, you have people that made it right onto the border of the promised land and never made it in. Why? Because of unbelief. And in fact, look what it says in verse number 1 of chapter 4. It says, let us therefore fear lest the promise being left us of entering into his rest. Any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached as well as unto them. But the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith. And then that hurt it. Now I want you to remember that verse for a later point. Associated, OK? Scared you pretty good. I'm just helping you to remember this, OK? It says here that the word, so listen to this. The word of God came to everyone who was in Israel. But it only profited those who believed. Right? It says it profited those who believed. Just remember that, OK? Very important point for the very end. Look at verse 11. Let us therefore labor to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. Now this isn't saying you have to work for salvation. He's saying labor to know the truth. Labor to know what the Bible actually says about salvation. Lest, it says there, any man fall after the same example of unbelief. So again, he's using the example of the Israelites going into the promised land and some of them didn't make it even though they were like right there. Even though they're right there on the brim, excuse me, at the brink, on the boundary. In fact, they could see it with their eyes, but they never made it in. You know, they were kind of like enlightened to the promised land. It's like they could almost taste it. You understand what I'm saying? These are examples I can use. They're like right there, OK? And so when it says, go back to Hebrews chapter 6. When it says if they shall fall away, you know, we can apply backsliding to that. And you know what, someone could even use this as a secondary application to apply to backsliders if you want. But in context, we got to ask ourselves, what are they falling away from? Because if it gives us a specific verse, a specific passage, we have to go with that interpretation. If they shall fall away from what, Apostle Paul, what are they falling away from? The doctrines of Christ. And let me just make it very clear, my friends, is that throughout the lifespan of our church, we are going to have people like this. In fact, I'll just go out and say it, there might be people like this in this room. And you know what, the Word of God will not profit them because it's not being mixed with faith. They're not saved. And by the way, we've had people like this. I gave an example a couple weeks ago of someone who came to our church, they claimed to believe the right gospel, they got baptized, they sat right there and listened to the preaching and they liked it, they thanked me for it, all these, you know, they loved it. And then they came up to me and they're like, I'm going to go be a Catholic now. What? It's like, yeah, I'm going to leave this church and I need a letter of transfer because I need to be allowed back into the Catholic Church. And I was like, why? He's like, because it lines up more with what I believe. So, you know, the workspace salvation would be like, oh, that person just lost their salvation. Wrong. That person never had it. Because they transgressed the doctrines of Christ. They fell away. And you know what, it's going to be impossible to renew that person into repentance because here's the thing, and here's where people get confused about, it's like, well, they just need the truth. No, my friend, they already had the truth. They were right there. They saw the promised land. They saw it right there and they rejected it anyways. And here's the thing with reprobates, people are like, we just need to win them, they just need the truth, they're just deceived. Folks, the reason they're reprobates, the reason they're sodomized to begin with is because they had the saturated truth given to them and they rejected it. So, smoking gun number one, the most easiest one, thorns and briars. Everyone could collectively agree this is referring to reprobates because they're the ones who are nigh into cursing, whose end is to be burned. I don't think anybody's going to argue and say that that's not referring to reprobates. So that's the easiest one, okay. You know, you go to a murder scene, it's like the weapon is just fresh off the press right there, that's for sure a murder was committed here, okay. You understand? Smoking gun number two, if they shall fall away. Fall away from what? Can't be backslidden because the chapter's not talking about backsliding. Chapter's referring to departing from the doctrines of Christ. Chapter's referring to apostasy. And I'm not a, you know, I try to stay away from stuff like this because I think we should just stick to the Bible in English. But folks, even if you were to go back into the Greek and look up this word, this phrase, fall away, the Greek word there, the Greek phrase, is synonymous with departing from the faith, as we see in 1 Timothy chapter four as well. It is referring to apostasy. The word is not apostasia, but just like in English, there are synonyms to apostasy in Greek, you understand? And so, pretty evident there that this is referring to departing from the faith, apostasizing, rejecting the doctrines of Christ, leaving the principles of the doctrines of Christ. All right, smoking gun number three, we're not done yet, let me get a drink of water. Crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh. Crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh. Now this week, I was thinking about this verse, and I was just kind of toiling and travailing. Just like, what does this mean? Now there are those who would say, you know, because it's referring to backsliders, you know, the apostle Paul is kind of being facetious here, okay? But you know, I don't really buy into that, and I'm going to explain to you why. Just keep in mind it says, if they shall fall away, to renew them again into repentance, in other words, they can't be saved again, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh. Now what does afresh mean? It means again, right? So if we were to look at this in context of reprobates, if this is referring to those who are twice dead, plugged up by the roots, then this is what I believe it means, okay? First of all, let me explain something, is that when you got saved and when I got saved, the Bible says that we were crucified with Christ, right? The apostle Paul says, I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ that liveth in me. And the crucifixion in the Bible, especially in context of believers, is just synonymous with dying, right? We're dead with Christ. Does that make sense? I know this is really basic, but I just need to drill this in to help you to understand. When we're crucified to something, it means it's dead, it's died, it's died, okay? Well, Galatians chapter 6, the latter end of Galatians chapter 6, in verse 14, the apostle Paul talks about being crucified to the world and the world unto him. What's another way of saying that? He says, I'm dead to this world, and the world is dead unto me. Does that make sense? Well, then we have a problem here, because if we were to look at the scriptural definition of how to apply this phrase, this could not be talking about believers. Because we don't crucify the Son of God afresh. You know why? Because we're not dead to Christ. Because if you're saved, you're alive to Christ. And in fact, let me give you biblical proof of this. Romans chapter 6 says this, likewise, reckon yourselves also to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Okay, so what does it mean then? Well, if this is referring to reparations, it's referring to someone who apostatizes. They cannot be renewed against salvation. Why? Because they are dead to Christ. Now, everyone who is born, slain by the law, they're dead in their trespasses and sin. Like, that's how we all started. You guys understand that, right? We were all dead in our trespasses and sin at one point, okay? But then when we believed on Jesus Christ, you know, we were quickened by the Spirit. You know, we were quickened together with Christ. By grace are you saved, the Bible says, right? In other words, we're brought back to life. However, the person who is dead in their trespasses and sin and has reached the point of apostasy becomes twice dead. In other words, they crucified the Son of God afresh, meaning again. You say, well, you know, I don't know about that, you know. How can you say they, you know, this means that, well, because they've rejected Christ essentially twice. Because the Bible talks about that there are false prophets also among the brethren, even as there should be false teachers among you, who privately shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord God that what? Bought them. So, he bought the false prophets of this world. He's the savior of all men, especially those that believe. But hold on a second. If someone apostatizes, they've essentially become dead to Christ again. Now, why is that? Why is it that they're dead to Jesus Christ again? Well, going back to the dumb heresy by Bob Gray Sr., he's not perpetually being crucified in heaven. So, in order for the reprobate to be saved, it's almost as like he would have to die again. Because the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made was once and for all. And it pays for those who are dead in their trespasses and sin, but it can no longer redeem the person who is twice dead, plucked up by the roots. Which is why it says that they've crucified to themselves. They are dead to Christ afresh, twice, again. That's what it's referring to. Does that make sense, everyone? So, it says if they shall fall away, apostatize, to renew them again unto repentance. They can't believe in repentance from dead works and faith toward God because they've already rejected it. They've crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh. They are dead to Christ, whereas believers are alive unto Christ. I mean, that's the biblical definition. When it comes to salvation, that's what we would say. We are alive. In fact, the Bible says that he's not the God of the dead, but of the living. Because when we are saved, we are quickened together, we are alive with Christ. We're not dead to him. And then it says there that they put him to an open shame. Now, this is heavy business right here. And I remember reading this and just kind of thinking about it and meditating upon it. I'm like, what does that mean? And, you know, sometimes I just think too hard about things. Sometimes the answer is just right there. And with this particular verse, it's referring to someone who's become adversarial towards God. Because if you have someone who is apostatized, that's really bad. But if you have someone who then proceeds to put Jesus Christ to an open shame, that means, as the Bible puts it in Philippians chapter 3, they become enemies of the cross of Christ. They're openly shaming Jesus Christ, whether by preaching, teaching, contrary to the doctrines of Christ. Pretty simple here. If they shall fall away, apostatize, they can't be saved again, they're dead to Christ, they're twice dead, plucked up by the roots, and they're putting him to an open shame. You see, there's a big difference between someone who's deceived, my friends, and someone who is deceived and they're deceiving. There's a big difference between someone who's deceived by a false religion, a false segment of Christianity, and the person who's doing the deception in that group. There's a big difference between the member of the Pentecostal church and the Pentecostal pastor who's preaching the false gospel. There's a big difference between those who are in the non-denom church, in a repent of your sins non-denom church, and the person who's actually behind the pulpit putting Christ to an open shame by teaching a false gospel. God holds that person to a higher, should I say, a lower damnation, actually, condemnation, because now they've placed themselves in a position to essentially become an enemy of the cross of Christ by perverting the gospel. Let him be accursed, the Bible says. Oh, verse 8, there you go, right? All right, smoking gun number one, the most obvious one, thorns and briars, murder weapon, it's right there, obviously a murder has been committed. There's a reprobate here for sure, we just got to figure out where it's at. Smoking gun number two, if they shall fall away, can't be referring to backsliders because backsliders is not in the context, what's in context of the chapter and even a little bit in the context of the previous chapter is apostasy, departing from the doctrines of Christ. Crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh, well that's exactly what happens to someone when they become a reprobate, they're dead to Christ, they're twice dead, plucked up by the roots. Smoking gun number four, okay, is it says here, look at verse number four, I'm sorry, yeah, verse number four. This is probably the strongest point that those who are contrary to this teaching or this interpretation, should I say, they have, okay? This is a pretty strong point here, in the sense that if they were to say this has to be referring to believers because of these verses right here, they would have a very strong point to go by, would you agree? No one agrees, I think they have a strong point. Verse four, 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 and have tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come and then it goes on to say if they shall fall away. Now, this is probably the strongest point they have here because when you read it, you just kind of obviously automatically think, oh, it's probably referring to Christians because we would associate these words with ourselves, right, like when we got saved, we were enlightened, we tasted of the heavenly gift, we were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, we've tasted of the good word of God, the powers of the world to come and I think this is where people are convinced that it's probably talking about believers because of these two particular verses here, okay? And again, I can see why, because even when I previously believed, which I still do obviously, but when I previously started believing that this is referring to reprobates, you know, these verses kind of stumped me and I didn't really know what to make of it. But here's the error in this interpretation because this isn't referring to, this isn't a description of salvation, this is a description of the proximity to the truth. Let me say that again, this isn't a description of salvation, it's a description of the proximity to the truth. Now, you say, hmm, that sounds good, I like how you use proximity, but until you give me evidence, okay. Well, no one's going to argue that 2 Peter 2 is talking about false prophets and no one's going to argue that false prophets are reprobates, right? Well, listen to this verse, 2 Peter 2, verse 20 says, referring to false prophets who are reprobates, who are twice dead, can't be saved. You all understand that? It says that they have escaped the pollutions of this world, listen to this, through the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Now, we would say the same thing, wouldn't we? We would say we've escaped the pollutions of this world through the knowledge of Jesus Christ. In fact, go to 2 Peter, if you would, 2 Peter 2, and look at verse 20. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them to have not, listen to this, known the way of righteousness. Well, how can this be referring to a reprobate if we've known the way of righteousness? I'll tell you why, because it's referring to the proximity to the truth, which makes the severity of their punishment that much more severe, because they're that close to the truth. And it says, for it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them, the Bible says. So no one can argue that this is referring to a reprobate false prophet who can't be saved. But I want you to notice that they arrived here because of their knowledge of Jesus Christ and, verse 21, knowing the way of righteousness. And no one would say, well, that means that they were saved but they didn't get saved afterwards. Or they lost their salvation or whatever it might be. We would interpret this as saying they were like right there. Well, guess what, Hebrews 6 is saying they were like right there. And again, I think the example that the Bible gives us in regards to the children of Israel going to the promised land is an exquisite example. Because they were right there and they did not enter in because of unbelief. Which is why reprobates become reprobates is because they're right there but they still don't believe. And so once enlightened, go back to Hebrews 6, once enlightened, tasted of the heavenly gift, made partakers of the Holy Ghost, tasted the good word of God, the powers of the world to come, these are all scriptures to show us how close they were to the truth and they still didn't get saved. And you know, you can taste of something and not receive it. But I think I proved conclusively with this point that just because it uses this terminology, it doesn't mean that they were saved because there's similar terminology in 2 Peter chapter 20. And we know for sure those dudes aren't saved. But it's using that terminology. We've known the way of righteousness as well. We've escaped the pollutions of this world through the knowledge of Jesus Christ. I mean we're to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. These are terms designated for the saved or should I even say also designated for those who were right there but didn't get it. Now, why would He word it this way though? That's like, you know, is He doing it to confuse people? No, He's doing it to show us that these people have no sympathy from God. They get no pity and no sympathy from God. You see, we're saddened when someone dies without the knowledge of Christ because they didn't maybe get a full plan of salvation. We're grieved when our family members and friends die without Christ and we didn't give them a chance to get the gospel to them. We couldn't preach to them. It grieves us at our heart because they lost that opportunity not because they were reprobates but because they were just void of that knowledge. What the Bible is saying here is that, oh no, I gave them everything that they needed. They were enlightened to the truth. They tasted of the heaven and gift. They made partakers of the Holy Ghost. And by the way, they've tasted of the powers of the world to come too because it's not just heaven, it's hell as well. Which means that they also know of the judgment of God, which Romans 1 tells us that. Who knowing the judgment of God. So it's not just they know about eternal life in heaven. Oh, they know about hell as well. So you can't tell me that some reprobate out there doesn't know the truth. We've got to win them, they were just deceived. No, they chose to reject the truth even with the amount of saturated knowledge that was given to them, they rejected it. So number one, smoking gun, murder weapon, thorns and briars, doesn't reprobate someone here. Somewhere here. Not here, I'm saying in the chapter. Number two, they fell away. They apostatized. Apostatized from what? Verse number one. Number three, they've crucified through themselves the Son of God afresh. They're dead to Christ. We're not described as being dead to Christ. Number four, they were once enlightened, doesn't describe a believer. I mean it can describe a believer, but just because it says once enlightened doesn't mean it's referring to believers. Because even reprobates at one point were at that boundary line. Number five. Look at verse number seven. So verse number seven and verse number eight, this is another passage that I was just like, ah, what is he talking about? Because you know the Apostle Paul, his writing style is just really deep. And I'm a common man, you know what I mean? So I'm just like, huh? He has these run-on sentences sometimes, and he just keeps going and I'm just like... Just keep it to me straight, like what are you doing? Put the cookie on the bottom shelf. So I have to like really think hard, because when you read certain passages, he just keeps going and going. It's like no period, just comma, comma, comma, comma. And this is like one of them, okay? But I'm going to explain to you what it means. In verse number seven it says, because remember, this is all in context. For the earth which drinketh in the rain, that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs, meat for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessings from God. And then he says, but that which bear thorns and briars is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned. So what does seven and eight have to do with this entire context of reprobates? It's kind of weird. Well, it gives us this example of rain coming upon the earth often. And when rain comes upon the earth, there's certain segments of the world that will produce herbs. Fruits, things of that nature. But it's only the parts that are alive, right? You can water dirt all you want, you know what I mean? You can water thorns and briars all you want. You ain't going to get no fruit from that. You can preach the gospel of the sodomites all you want. You can get, what's that called? Clear. What is that? ADD. The defibrillator, which is called, see, I'm a common man. You can use the defibrillator on the corpses in the cemetery, it's not going to do you any good. It will do good, but those are still, there's still a little bit of life in them, right? The rain cometh off upon the earth and it bringeth forth herbs. Meat for them whom it has dressed receiveth blessings from God. But here's the thing though, that same rain will fall upon thorns and briars and will do nothing. Why? Because, well, thorns and briars are not into cursing, they're just meant to be burned. You can pour water in it all you want. Now what this passage is teaching is that the water, the rain, signifies the word of God. And in fact in Isaiah chapter 55 it says this, that as the rain from the sky and it says snow from heaven, it says it comes upon the earth, it doesn't return back void, it accomplishes that whereunto I sent it. And it says it prosper into things, or it says it accomplishes the thing which I please and shall do that which I've called it to do, I'm paraphrasing here. Basically saying that the word of God does not return back void. So when the rain of God's word comes upon a soul, it's gonna do something. And let me say this, this is why we're all about sowing seeds when we go preach the gospel, right? But you know what we're also for? Watering that seed. Because we have to say, oh I sowed a seed. I don't know, you might have watered a seed that was already there though. Right? Like we sow seeds but at the end of the day we're probably watering some seeds that are already there who were placed by some soul winner ten years ago. Like is anything gonna happen? Oh yeah. Because it never returns back void. Something is gonna happen to that seed that's germinated. And eventually someone either will get saved, or they know the way of righteousness, they have the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and they become a reprobate. You know who makes reprobates? The Bible does. That's who makes reprobates. So there's clearly a distinction between the group in verse 7 and the group in verse 8. And the common denominator between the two is the rain. The common denominator between the two is the word of God that came to them both. What do we say in Hebrews chapter 3 and 4? The word of God did not profit them not being mixed with faith. The word of God, the gospel is preached unto them as well as unto us, but the word of God did not profit them not being mixed with faith. So when the rain comes upon the earth, who does it profit? That which is alive. That which can receive it. It'll bear herbs. It'll bear, it says, seed for the sower and bread for the eater. But when it drops on thorns and briars, it just hardens the heart of a reprobate. And so this has given us essentially an illustration of how this works. Because when you're out there preaching the gospel, you're watering, you don't really know who you're watering. Our responsibility is just to go sow seeds and water. We sow seeds and we water, we sow seeds and water. And you know what? You might have watered some reprobate. Now I'll be honest with you, I've purposely watered some reprobates. They told me they were reprobates, I'm like, well I'm going to give them the gospel anyways. You said you thought they were going to be saved, now I'm just hardening their hearts even more. Because they're already hardened to the gospel. They're already haters of God. They already know the truth. I'm just kind of seeing if I can relocate them to a lower...you know what I mean? Great illustration there, right? And it fits the context of Hebrews 6, but it also fits the context of Hebrews 3 and 4. And it also fits the description of Isaiah 55 verse 10 when talking about the rain which is the Word of God. It doesn't return back void. It accomplishes that which thereto I sent it. And in fact, here's another example that just came to me. Isaiah chapter 6. When Isaiah, we know they're in heaven, he has this vision and he's like, who will go for us? Whom shall go for us? And then he's like, here my Lord send me. You know that old IFP song, that beautiful old IFP song? Here am I. I will go. I will reach the lost untold. It's a mission song. You guys know what I'm talking about. In fact, some of you enjoyed that right now. But when you read later on in that verse, he's like, here am I, I'll go. And he's like, okay, go close their eyes and shut their ears. He's like, go harden the hearts of these people. How? By preaching the Word of God into them. Because that's what the Word of God does to people sometimes. You're like, oh, you're turning people away from Christ. No, I'm just preaching the Bible. The Bible is the one that hardens their heart. I'm just like dropping rain from heaven on the earth and sometimes it falls on good ground. And sometimes it falls upon thorns and briars. But I can't determine where it falls. My responsibility is just to be a steward of the mysteries of God. To just preach the gospel everywhere. Alright, we're almost done here. So smoking gun number one, murder weapon there, is a reprobate somewhere in this house. Reprobate is the one who did it. Smoking gun number two, they fell away, apostatized. Smoking gun number three, they crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh. Obviously referring to someone who's dead to Christ. Christians aren't dead to Christ. Smoking gun number four, once enlightened is also used to describe people who were at the brink of salvation. Smoking gun number five is the illustration that we see in verse seven and eight. And here's the last one, smoking gun number six. When I was talking to my pastor friend about this passage, I went over all these points with him. And it was just like, yeah, this is in the back for sure. But then verse three popped out. And verse three really just kind of brought it all together. Now verse three is one of those verses that seems kind of like, kind of like, I don't know. I don't want to say it doesn't belong there, but it's just kind of like, what's that about? What's it for? My pastor friend said it almost seems like a filler verse. Like you're just putting a verse there or something, but obviously nothing's there by accident. And I've read this verse and I'm just like, I don't really know what that means. It's just kind of there, you know? But after I went over all these points, when I read verse three, I was like, oh, now I know definitely what it means. So let's read from verse two, talking about the doctrines of the... Alright, let's read from verse one to three, okay? Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, laying on of hands, and of the resurrection, and of the dead, and of eternal judgment. Verse three, and this we will do. What are we going to do? It's like one of those things like falling away from what? This will we do. What are we going to do? Well, according to verse one, going on into perfection. Do you know what God's will for your life is? To be perfected. Right? I mean, doesn't Ephesians four teach us that? That's the purpose of the apostles, prophets, pastors, and teachers, and evangelists. That they're there for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. And it says that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slidermen in cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. God wants us to mature. He wants us to grow up. He wants us to be perfected. Which is why he's saying, hey, let's leave these basic doctrines, which you're already supposed to know, and let's grow up. Let's be perfected. Let's learn about more of the Christian life. Let's learn how to have a godly marriage. Let's learn how to raise children for the Lord. Let's learn how to be good employees. Let's learn how to watch our mouths. Let's learn how to add virtue to our lives. Let's go beyond the principles of the doctrines of Christ, because you're already supposed to know that, and go on into perfection. Another way of saying it is grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Everyone understand that? So when he says, this will we do, he's like, we're gonna move on to perfection. We're gonna do it. Oh wait, but the verse is not finished yet. If God permit. You say, why is that so significant? Because reprobates can't go on to perfection. And in fact, the Bible says that they're ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. You say, why is that? Because God puts a stop to it right then and there, and they can't go beyond that. Now as Janus and Jamborees withstood Moses, so did these also resist the truth. Men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith. And he says, but these, listen to this, shall proceed no further. What does that mean? They can't go on into perfection. A false prophet can't grow in his knowledge of the Bible. You guys understand that? It's not like, well God's like, well, you know, he's off on salvation. He believes the works made salvation, but man, he's godly in other areas though, you know. He just knows a lot about the Bible though. No, if he's not saved, he ain't got nothing. Like he doesn't even know how to be saved. He doesn't know what the Bible says about salvation. He doesn't believe in the resurrection. He ain't got nothing, which is why we shouldn't learn from false prophets. Because they ain't got nothing to teach us, because they haven't been given the permission by God to proceed any further. This we will do if God permit. So the reader of this is like, God permit? What would keep God from giving us permission to going on to perfection? Well, verse four, it is impossible. He goes over the list and then he says in verse six, if they shall fall away, to renew them again into repentance, seeing they crucify for themselves the Son of God of flesh. So he's kind of like calling them out a little bit, because again, I hear his frustration in chapter five. For when for the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that won't teach you again, which be the first principles of the doctrines of Christ, of the oracles of God. It's like you need the milk again, and you can't seem to move on to perfection. And by the way, in context, the perfection is the knowledge too. And more specifically, the knowledge of Melchizedek. Because in chapter five, he's kind of talking about Melchizedek, and they're just kind of dull of hearing. Why are they dull of hearing? Well, either one, they're just apathetic towards the things of God, or number two, they've fallen away, and they don't believe it. So verse three is not just a random verse. He's just saying, hey, we're going to move on to perfection. We're going to grow if God allows you to, though. Because God hinders no Christian from growing in their faith and learning the Bible and learning doctrine and becoming perfected in their faith unless they're just not saved. That's the only thing. That's it. I think the crime is solved. And again, you're like, yeah, but you know, why would he bring that up? Well, the same reason he brought it up to the Galatians, the same reason he brought it up to the Corinthians, the same reason John brought it up in 2 John when he talks about abiding in the doctrines of Christ. You know why? Because every church throughout the years will have someone who pays lip service to the truth, pays lip service to the right salvation, but they don't actually believe it. They don't believe it. We can have the best gospel presentation, Romans wrote, memorized it, but you know what? There's just going to be some people that just don't believe it. And you know what? Every church that I've known has had one. I mean, my pastor friend of mine told me that there was a guy who went to his church for years. They were like really good friends for years. Went there, got up in the morning to come to church, hear the preaching of God's word. I mean, he's there. All of a sudden, one day he comes, he's like, I don't even really believe in God. I don't believe in this stuff that I believe in, but I appreciate your friendship. It just leaves. I mean, isn't that weird? To have some unsaved dude wake up on a Sunday morning, grab a Bible, clothe himself for church, go spend an hour and a half or whatever in church and not believe a single thing that anyone's saying and do that for years on end? It's called apostasy. And it just goes to show you and I, this is why the Apostle Paul is addressing this. And by the way, he says in verse 9, just to throw this in for good measure, after he says, you know, you know, he talks about these reparations and he says, Nine to cursing whose end is to be burned. But beloved, we are persuaded by the things of you though. And things that accompany salvation. Listen to this, though we thus speak. He's like, though I'm saying these things, you know, I'm persuaded better things of you. Which is basically what he does in Galatians chapter 5 as well, by the way. He says this and then he's just like, you know, but I, you know the truth though. Stand fast and in liberty wherewith Christ has made us free. But you know what he's doing? What he's doing is that the Christians, they're just like, Amen. The ones who know they're saved, but the ones who are just teetering on the fence and they're not saved. They're right there on the brink. They're just like, I have an evil heart of unbelief and I'm about to depart from God. I need to get saved. I can't be playing like this. I can't be acting like I'm saved and I'm not saved. Because my end is to be burned and I know the knowledge. I know what the Bible says about these things. And you know, church is not the only place this happens. This happens in Christian schools as well. In fact, Christian schools are some of the most notorious institutions for churning out reprobates and apostates. Why? Because every single day they're getting Bible classes, chapel every single day to students who don't want to be there. I remember there was this one student, and you guys know who I'm talking about. There was this one student, he was like the most fiery fundamentalist in the school. I mean, he was just like a fundamental Baptist, he's a preacher, he was a Republican, or maybe that wasn't the best. But you know, he was like gung-ho about the things of God. He thought he was like a saved person because he just acted like one. He gave, he paid lip service to the right salvation, and then the dude, like two years later, married another dude! Became a full-blown sodomite! Just rejected the things of God! He's like, how does that happen? I'll tell you how it happens. The rain is coming off the pond. It came off the pond, his heart. And as much as he paid lip service to it, down deep in his heart he hated the Bible. He hated the word of God. So that happens in Christian schools, but it happens in churches too, my friend. And you know what? Our church teaches a lot of doctrine. The rain comes off in here. And the encouragement I want to give, here's the application. I almost forgot about the application. I'm all, let's pray. Here's the application to those of you who are saved. Let it go on to perfection. Yeah, but, you know, I don't know if I can do it. What do you mean? God's already given you permission. The only ones he doesn't get permission to are the reprobates. You have the permission to go on to perfection. You have the permission to learn every single doctrine in the Bible, to increase in your knowledge, to increase in your wisdom. I mean, you have the choice of eating of every tree of the garden of God's knowledge. You can eat of all of them. The only one he doesn't get permission to, to proceed further, is the one who still has an evil heart of unbelief, who departs from the living God. And so the application is this. Thank God that we as Christians have full liberty, entire liberty, to learn as much as we possibly can about the things of God. I mean, we have what's known as the Spirit of Truth dwelling within us. Take advantage of that, because it's not always going to be there. And there's people here, I'm not saying here, but there's people in this world who God has no longer given permission to proceed further, because they're apostate. Let's pray. Father, we thank you so much for your Word, and Lord, I'm not saying, of course we know that sometimes in our Christian life we can stop growing, and it's not because we can't, it's because we choose not to. Maybe we've grown apathetic towards the things of God. Help us to do so, Lord. And we're so thankful that even when we backslide, we can be renewed again into repentance. The Bible commands us to repent when we sin against you. And so we can be renewed again into repentance. The ones who cannot are those who have known the truth, and they strayed from it, they reject it, they become enemies of the cross of Christ, and they put you to an open chain. I pray, God, that you bless us as we go on our way. We love you, and we thank you for these things in Jesus' name. Amen. Here's a song sheet we're passing out. The song is called The Wonder of It All. We haven't done this song in a while. It's a wonderful song. Please keep your hands raised if you don't have a song sheet. Miss Kelly needs one. Miss DJ. The whole back row needs one over there. We'll see it on that first verse. The Wonder of It All. Sing it on that verse. There's a wonder of sunset at evening The wonder at sunrise I see But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul Is the wonder that God loves me Oh, the wonder of it all, the wonder of it all Just to think that God loves me The wonder of it all, the wonder of it all Just to think that God loves me There's a wonder of springtime and harvest The sky, the stars, the sun But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul Is the wonder that's only begun Oh, the wonder of it all, the wonder of it all Just to think that God loves me The wonder of it all, the wonder of it all Just to think that God loves me On that last, there's the wonder of God's revelation The word who dwelt among men But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul Is that Jesus is coming again Oh, the wonder of it all, the wonder of it all Just to think that God loves me The wonder of it all, the wonder of it all Just to think that God loves me The wonder of it all, the wonder of it all Just to think that God loves me