IMPOSSIBLE

IMPOSSIBLE

Two or three passages in the book of Hebrews were real scary to me for many years. But one day a man explained them to me, and now I no longer fear the word "Impossible". Let's get the scriptures out where we can see what I am writing about.
Hebrews 6:4 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, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 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
Our writer to the Hebrews was dealing with a specific problem which was peculiar to the Hebrew Christians living in the midst of other Hebrews who were NOT CHRISTIAN. He was urging them to (Hebrews 10:35) Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
His reason for doing this was to encourage the Hebrew Christians to not give up their faith in the face of the terrible opposition they were facing. And what were they facing?
They had come up against economic sanctions in the market place - unless --. No one would sell them the things they needed to live - unless --. Neither would anyone buy what they had to sell - unless --. Their own families and friends would have nothing to do with them - unless --. They lost their jobs, and no one would hire them - unless --.
Unless, that is, they would "Fall away", (Gr. Parapipto) (deliberately turn away) from their trust in Jesus for the well being of their soul, rather than the Law of Moses.
Unless, that is, they would publicly denounce Jesus and His blood by a ceremony in which they would, in effigy, trample on Jesus and His blood.
It is referred to in Hebrews 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Christians today have no such opposition, at least not in the American Christian society, so we would be less apt to denounce Jesus in such a way.
The writer was telling them it was futile to turn back to the Law, away from Jesus and His scarifice, because the Law provided no sacrifice for sins any longer. Jesus had put an end to that when He offered Himself on the Cross. Let's read it in Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
Hebrews 7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
He was also encouraging them to not drop off one of the identifying marks of Christianity-- Assembling together for the sake of public worship, and to encourage one another. Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. This is still a vital part of our Christian Faith. It worries me to see how our Christian Brethren are dropping off from Sunday Evening services. It is a bad omen, signaling a cooling off in our spirits. No way are we doing it to avoid persecution. We are just plain lazy and uncaring.