The Path of Truth Forum

What does this scripture teach that if you backslide there is no coming back, you are doomed

David, here's your Scripture with context:

Hebrews 6:1-12 MKJV
(1) Therefore, having left the discourse of the beginning of Christ, let us go on to full growth, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
(2) of the baptisms, of doctrine, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
(3) And this we will do, if God permits.
(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 Spirit,
(5) and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come,
(6) and who have fallen away; it is impossible, I say, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify the Son of God afresh to themselves and put Him to an open shame.
(7) (For the earth which drinks in the rain that comes often upon it, and brings forth plants fit for those by whom it is dressed, receives blessing from God.
(8) But that which bears thorns and briers is rejected and is a curse, whose end is to be burned.)
(9) But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this way.
(10) For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His Name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
(11) And we desire that each one of you show the same eagerness to the full assurance of hope to the end,
(12) that you be not slothful, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

There's only one decent reason for the Scripture you're referring to and only one decent response to it.

The Scripture's purpose is not to make one worry, doubt or live in ungodly fear; it is one of instruction and warning to all saints, admonishing them to believe and obey the Lord.

What response ought there to be? What alternatives do you have? If you're condemned for despising the Lord, what will you do - continue to live in sin? You can fret and stew or quit pursuing God altogether, which isn't much worse than constantly worrying. How stupid would that be, seeing you would only multiply your sin and heap more destruction and suffering on yourself?

Why not make the best of it? You can obey God as you know how from where you are, as you are, stemming the tide of consequences, and reap whatever benefits are available, should they be available - you have nothing more to lose that way, do you?

So does it really matter if you're "doomed," or are you thinking of serving God only if you get some reward out of it in the end? What if you aren't doomed? Will you make sure you are?

Are you obeying Him for you or for Him? If for you, you aren't obeying Him at all, are you? If for His sake, there's reward. Make up your mind and stop trying to manipulate God; it doesn't work.

Hi. All,
I am Jeff Kwan from Singapore, a tiny Island City state in ST Asia and at the Southern end of West Malaysia.

I agree with Victor's reply. From the previous posting, there are some that is trying too hard to live for Father God.

I had the same problem in my first year being a born again Christian.

Today, I just live for Father God- asking him for directions/instructions and when I sin just confess and try not to so it again. As long as it is unintentional, Father God will forgive us and the Holy Spirit will help us to correct that habit(sin)

Hi Jeff,

I just replied to your other 2 letters addressed to Mindy. In those letters you came across as a Catholic, using Latin terminology.

In this letter you declare to be born again. If you are born again, that is, baptized in the Holy Spirit, you will come out of formal Christendom and suffer with the Lord outside the gate, outside the camps of men everywhere. You'll have no choice if you want to be in harmony with the Lord Who calls His people to come out from among them and be separate and to not touch the unclean.

Yes, one must walk in continual vigilance against sin and confess and repent of it whenever it is recognized. In that, you're right. However, you somewhat err, I think, when you say that as long as the sin is unintentional, God will forgive. He also forgives intentional sin, although one does walk on very thin ice indeed if when he has been washed in the blood of the Lord, he intentionally sins again.

Woe to the intentional sinner. He must give account for the light given him. And at the end of this age, the Lord has several times declared that He's finished winking. He will tolerate no more wickedness, treating Him, His Word and Law lightly. No more.

Especially hard will it be for those who take upon themselves His Name in vain. As that One and Only Law states, the Lord will not hold him guiltless.

But praise God, He's there for the repentant sinner, to save him from his destructives. To that end, Christ died and rose again to give us the Power of His Risen Life that we might live for Him and no longer for ourselves or other men.

What Victor says is true about God forgiving intentional sin. Otherwise, why would the LORD designate sacrifices in His Law for unintentional sin - separate from other sacrifices for sin?

"Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If anyone sins unintentionally in any of the LORD's commandments about things not to be done, and does any one of them..." (Leviticus 4:2 ESV).

And didn't David sin intentionally in the matter of Bathsheba and Uriah? Yet the LORD forgave him. Haven't we all sinned intentionally, knowing better? Those who've been forgiven their sins know these things are so. They also discover the steep price they'll pay for their sins, even though forgiven. This happened to David. A man surely reaps what he sows.