Why Hebrews 6 Does Not Disprove or Contradict Eternal Security

The audience consists of genuine Christians

"Those who have once been enlightened" (6:4) are Christians. Every other time the word "enlightened" is used, it refers to believers. While the words "have once been" might confuse some into thinking that these people were once believers but are no longer, the Greek is more clear: It means "once and for all", an ongoing experience.

These people "tasted the heavenly gift." Some think this means the people were never really saved, but only had a little taste of the truth, and others think it means they tasted salvation, but then lost it by not following through and eating the whole thing. The translation can be confusing, but in Hebrews 2:9, the author used the same word in saying that Christ "tasted" death for us. Just as Christ truly died, these people truly had the heavenly gift.

This places verses 4-6 in context. The author is not speaking hypothetically, he is not speaking about unbelievers, and he is not speaking about Christians who have lost their salvation. The verses preceding 4-6 suggest that the audience, though Christian, is struggling with immaturity, as the author says they've returned to needing milk rather than solid food.

Speaking about immaturity, not losing salvation

Some translations read 6:6 as, "committed apostasy," and other translations read, "fallen away." This is misleading, because the Greek word used here is not apostasia (apostasy), but parapipto. Parapipto comes from the words pipto (to fall) and para (with, or beside), so Hebrews 6:6 refers to falling alongside Christ rather than falling away from Him.

Immature Christians put Christ to shame before the world

This is why the author says that they crucify Christ all over again for themselves; by professing Christ and yet living sinfully, they are publicly humiliating Christ. They're saying, "Yeah, sin is horrible and Jesus died for us. Let's keep on sinning!"

It's about repentance, not salvation

Hebrews 6:6 says it is impossible to bring these immature Christians back to repentance. Repentance is not salvation; it's the turning away from dead works. The reason they cannot be brought back into repentance (at least by men) is that they have already heard the Gospel and believed. They already know about their sin and about Christ. That's why the author says in verses 1-3 that they're not going to go back over the fundamentals again, "for it is impossible...to renew [immature Christians] to repentance."

The Two Fields

Hebrews 6:8 describes the Christians in terms of fields. The field producing thorns is burned up. Some take this to mean that the Christian who lives a sinful life (produces thorns) will lose his salvation and be cast into hell (be burned up). However, as established earlier, the author was speaking genuine Christians in the previous verses, so the fields he's now using as an illustration probably refer to genuine Christians as well. Both fields soak up rain (where the rain may represent all of the things mentioned previously--enlightenment, tasting the heavenly gift, etc). The one bears crops, the other bears thorns. The question is what happens to the field that produces thorns--does it go to hell?

There are two interpretations here, both of which seem possible:

1. The thorny field being "burned up" could be referring specifically to the thorns of that field--the sinful works of the Christian-- being burned up, rather than to the field itself. If you burn a field, the field itself survives, but all it has grown is destroyed. Compare this with the teaching of 1 Corinthians 3:12-15:

   12 If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13 each builder's work will be plainly seen, for the Day will make it clear, because it will be revealed by fire. And the fire will test what kind of work each has done. 14 If what someone has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If someone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as through fire.1 Corinthians 3:12-15

2. The "burning up" of the thorny field is referring to a sort of discipline. Christ atoned for our sins, so while there is no punishment left for us, God still disciplines us.

Whichever interpretation is correct, it does not seem necessary that the "burning up" of the thorny field is referring to damnation.

Hebrews 6 teaches preservation

Abraham and Preservation

Verses 13 and 14 state that God's unconditional promise to Abraham was based on Himself. Verse 16 tells us that when someone swears on someone greater than they, the promise is guaranteed based on the greater person. Verse 17 tells us that in the same way, God wanted to demonstrate His own purpose. Verse 19 tells us that it is this that is our hope! It is God's own promise to us and the certainty we have because of who made the promise! Lastly, verse 20 ties this in with Christ as our eternal priest and mediator.

This means that our salvation--the eternal, unchanging promise of God--is not based on us, but on God alone. Because God made the promise, and God is not a liar, the promise will be fulfilled. Just as God carried out His promise to Abraham, God will carry out His promise to us. Since Christ is the mediator for all believers, our sins are taken care of, and will not lead to a loss of salvation.