Short Thoughts for Today

Once again I find myself wanting to comment a little further on the passage previously looked at for a prior day's short thoughts. We last looked at Hebrews 6:4-6 and I did not take the time to comment on the latter part of the final verse. Again, the entire passage reads, "For in the case of those who have been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame."

To "put Him to open shame" were the words that the Hebrew writer was inspired to end this passage with. They are strong words. As previously stated, I believe what the writer speaks of as being impossible is so because of the lack of necessity. I believe that the repentance that he speaks of is that which is a part of salvation. One may call it original repentance. That repentance that occurs at the time one has been born again. One cannot return to this place of original repentance and salvation, original birth if you will, because if it has taken place in your life it is for all time.

I have been washed in the blood of the Lamb and I need not be washed again. Sure, I will need to be cleansed periodically as I continue to work through matters of sin. Confession of sin should be a part of the believer's life in Christ. But as Jesus taught Peter when He was washing the disciples feet, those who have been "bathed" are "completely clean" and though they will need to wash the dirt from their feet, they need not to be "bathed" again. His work on my behalf, bearing my sins on Calvary, is sufficient for my salvation. I cannot add to it and I need not repeat it.

But many do not hold to this view of their salvation and to the sufficiency of Christ's work to save completely. When we believe that we could possibly find ourselves losing that which God had completed in our lives, thinking perhaps that we must return to the placed of salvation and be saved again or that we must add the minutest of elements to His propitiatory act to ensure our salvation, do we not put Him to shame? By doing so are we not proclaiming that His work is not sufficient? That His blood lacks the power to cleanse? That He lacks the authority to keep and save to the uttermost all who the Father has given Him? In this or in any other matter, may we never assert that He is somehow less than all that God's word proclaims Him to be. A wonderful Savior is Jesus!