Devil's Favorite Passage

Heb. 6: The design of this chapter seems to be, to warn them against the danger of going back entirely, and to encourage them to make the highest attainments possible in the knowledge of Messianic, and in the divine life. The apostle would keep them from entire apostasy, and would excite them to make all the advances which they possibly could make; and particularly he designs to prepare them to receive what he had yet to say about the higher doctrines of the Messianic religion.
He assures them that, if they should apostatize, it would be impossible to renew them again. They could not fall away from grace, and again be renewed; they could not, after having been Messianic Believers and then apostatizing, be recovered. Their fall, in that case, would be final and irrecoverable, for there was no other way by which they could be saved; and by rejecting the Christian scheme, they would reject the only plan by which they could ever be brought to heaven. By this solemn consideration, therefore, he warns them of the danger of going back from their exalted hopes, or of neglecting the opportunities which they had to advance to the knowledge of the higher truths in religion.
They had indeed receded from what they had been. They had not made the advances which he says they might have done. But still, there was reason to hope that they would not wholly apostatize, and be cast off by G-d. They had shown that they had true religion, and he believed that G-d would not forget the evidence which they had furnished that they loved Him.
To encourage them in this, he refers them to the solemn oath which G-d had taken, and His sacred covenant with them confirmed by an oath, in order that they might have true comfort, and be sustained in the temptations and trials of life. That hope was theirs. It was sure and steadfast. It entered into that within the veil; it had been confirmed by Him who had entered heaven as the great High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, Hebrews 6:13-20. By such considerations He would guard them from the danger of apostasy; He would encourage them to diligence in the divine life; and He would seek to prepare them to welcome the more high and difficult doctrines of the Messianic religion.
[1] 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, and of faith toward God,
[2] Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
[3] And this will we do, if God permit.
[4] For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
[5] And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
[6] If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Therefore because ye have been so indolent, slow of heart, and have still so many advantages. Ceasing to continue in the state of babes, who must be fed with milk-with the lowest doctrines of the Gospel, when ye should be capable of understanding the highest.
Let us never rest till we are adult Believers-till we are saved from all sin, and are filled with the spirit and power of the Messiah. Let us go on unto perfection, that is, the account of His incarnation, and the different types and ceremonies in the law by which His advent, nature, office, and miracles were pointed out. The whole Law of Moses pointed out the Messiah that is perfection.
Not even baptisms, as it is used in this passage, is necessarily Christian. The specific ancient Greek word translated baptisms is not the word regularly used in the New Testament to describe Christian baptism. It is the word used on two other specific occasions (Hebrews 9:10 and Mark 7:4) to refer to Jewish ceremonial washings. In this case, the elementary principles to move beyond are all items in the "common ground" between Christianity and Judaism. This was a "safe" common ground these Messianic Jews retreated to. Because Christianity did grow out of Judaism, it was a more subtle temptation for a Messianic Jew to slip back into Judaism than it was for a formerly pagan Christian to go back to his pagan ways. Of course, these Messianic Jews did not want to abandon religion, but they did want to make it less distinctively Christian. Therefore, they went back to this "common ground" to avoid persecution. Living in this comfortable common ground, you would not stick out so much. A Jew and a Christian together could say, "Let's repent, let's have faith, let's perform ceremonial washings," and so forth. But this was a subtle denial of the Messiah. This is entirely characteristic of those who feel discouraged, and wish to give up. There is always the temptation to still be religious, but not so "fanatical" about Y’Shua.
If G-d permit - This should not be taken as implying that G-d may not want them to go on to maturity, past those basics common to Christianity and Judaism. Instead, if G-d permits expresses the believers' complete dependence on G-d. If we do press on to maturity, we realize that it only happens at G-d's pleasure.
Systems of theology are important, because the Bible does not contradict itself; but the way to right systems begins with a right understanding of the text, not one that bends the text to fit into a system. Satan knows Scripture, and this passage has rightly been called "one of the Devil's favorite passages" for its ability to be taken out of context for condemning the struggling believer. Many have felt like giving up after hearing Satan "preach a sermon" on this text!
For it is impossible - The word impossible is put in a position of emphasis. The writer to the Hebrews is not saying it is just difficult, but truly without possibility - impossible stands immovabel.
Enlightened - This ancient Greek word has the same meaning as the English word. These people have experienced the light of G-d shining upon them.
Tasted - This word speaks of a full, real experience, the heavenly gift is probably salvation (Romans 6:23 and Ephesians 2:8).
Partakers of the Holy Spirit - is an unique term, having to do with receiving the Holy Spirit and having fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
Tasted the good Word of G-d means they have experienced the goodness of G-d's Word, and have seen its work in their lives
One of the most heated debates over this verse, the question is simple: Are these people who have had these impressive spiritual experiences in fact Believers? Are they G-d's elect, chosen before the foundation of the world? From a human perspective, who would call anyone who seemed to have the credentials mentioned in Hebrews 6:4-5 a non-Believer? From G-d's perspective, it is impossible to say on this side of eternity.
For it is impossible – IF they fall away, to renew them again to repentance: If these people are Believers or not, once they have come to this place, it is impossible for them to repent. This passage was used by some in the early church (like Montanists and Novatianists) to say that there was no possibility of restoration if one sinned significantly after their baptism.
This difficult passage is best understood in the context of Hebrews 6:1-2. The writer to the Hebrews means that if they do retreat back to Judaism, all the religious "repentance" in the world will do them no good. Their forsaking of Y’Shua is tantamount to crucifying Him all over again, especially if they were to express their repentance in traditional Jewish forms: especially animal sacrifice, which denies the total work of Y’Shua for them on the cross.
If they fall away: Remember there is a great difference between falling and falling away. Falling away isn't just falling into some sin, it is actually departing from Y’Shua Himself. For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity. (Proverbs 24:16) The difference is between a Peter and a Judas. If you depart from Y’Shua, there is no hope!
The message to these Believers who felt like giving up was clear: if you don't continue on with Y’Shua, don't suppose you will find salvation by just going on with the old basics that are common to Judaism; if you aren't saved in believing in the Messiah, you aren't saved!
If one falls like this, does it mean they can't repent? That G-d prohibits their repentance? Remember first that repentance itself is a gift from G-d; no one genuinely repents without
G-d's enabling. Second, if one does repent, that in itself is evidence that they have not truly fallen away. The idea is not that "if you fall away, you can't come back to Y’Shua ever," but that "if you turn your back on Y’Shua, don't expect to find salvation anywhere else, especially in the foundations of Judaism apart from the fullness of the Messiah."
This passage has nothing to do with those who fear lest it condemns them. The presence of that anxiety, like the cry which betrayed the real mother in the days of Solomon, establishes beyond a doubt that you are not one that has fallen away beyond the possibility of renewal to repentance.