Inevitably there are some who seem to embrace the Christian faith but then, for one reason or another, they fall away and perhaps if they are disillusioned enough, they even begin and continue to ridicule and scorn the Messiah that they once seemed to embrace. Whilst they persist in this wayward scornful attitude, the writer of the letter to the Hebrews has this to say. ‘Therefore, sending away the beginning teaching on the basis of maturity…. we will do this if God permits, because the once-enlightened, tasting of the heavenly gift, becoming sharers of the set-apart Breath 5 and tasting the virtue of God’s utterance and also intended age power, 6 falling alongside, are unable to restore themselves again penetrating into a change of mind and perception afterwards, crucifying again the Son of God and putting him to open shame’, (Hebrews 6 v 1, 3 – 6). Verses 4 - 6 are difficult verses to translate precisely and I have presented them as best as I can. The reference seems to be to those who have made a profession of faith in the past, but who have then turned away and are now treating the gospel with scorn, openly and actively ridiculing the Messiah. Whilst they remain in such an attitude of mind they are crucifying the Son of God all over again. Such an obstinate and active opposition of mind renders them unable to change their minds after further thought or after a re-presentation of the gospel. They are simply too opposed to the Messiah and the gospel to be persuaded.
Esau is presented as another example of someone who was unable to show evidence of thinking again. He had sold his birthright – his right to an inheritance – and when he realised what he had missed out on, he tried to show that he had changed his mind. The author of the letter to the Hebrews says this about him. ‘Because you know that even afterwards, wishing to inherit the honour and praise, his change of mind and perception afterwards was rejected after examination, because he found no place even though he sought after it with tears’, (Hebrews 12 v 17). Esau pleaded with tears in his eyes that he had changed his mind about selling his birthright and that he wanted to turn back and reverse his decision. But on closer examination his plea was rejected because it was determined that he simply wanted the honour and praise that he had forfeited by his actions.
Finally we have this statement with regard to the unexpectedly long period of time that seemed to be occurring without the Lord returning. Many Christians, including the Apostle Paul, considered that the return of the Lord was imminent. Yet as time went on it appeared to be delayed. But Peter declared, ‘The Lord is absolutely not delaying the promise in the way that some think of delay, but is patient toward you, not intending any to perish but on the contrary, all to enter and hold penetration into a change of mind and perception afterwards’, (II Peter 3 v 9). Despite Paul’s belief that Jesus was returning very soon, he qualifies this by saying elsewhere that the Lord will not return until the full number of Gentiles are brought in, (Romans 11 v 25). And John says that he will not return until the full number of martyrs have come in, (Revelation 6 v 11).
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