Amen, amen, amen. Praise the Lord, amen. Let's take our Bibles and once more turn to the book of Hebrews. Chapter number six, Hebrews chapter number six. We're gonna begin at verse number one. Glad to hear the youth had a good time yesterday. We started this passage last Sunday morning and did not finish. So this morning, if it be the Lord's will, we'll finish. As you know, we've been considering water known as the the warning passages in the book of Hebrews. And the warning is to believers, and it's that you'll hear them, and you'll take a moment, you'll react to it accordingly, because you believe the truth. Remember, our first warning was found in Hebrews chapter number two, and the warning was not to slip away and neglect the gospel. If you do slip away and neglect the Gospel, then you've not heeded the warning. And if you don't heed the warning, then you have to consider, honestly, do I know Him? Do I know the Gospel? And the warning is to believers, so they will be foiled from that. They hear His Word, and they will follow accordingly. The next warning we considered was at the end of chapter 3. in the beginning of chapter number four. And the warning was, of course, that we shouldn't harden our hearts with an evil heart of unbelief by departing from the living God. And if we hear his voice, we will not harden our heart as believers, and we respond to that, and we will not depart from the living God. Last Sunday morning, we got hung up by the grace of God and his leadership during the sermon, and we only considered Chapter number five, verse 11 through 14. Our intent was to go further, and the Lord obviously had other plans, and we're thankful when that happens, because he should be in charge of the pulpit in the end. So the concern last Sunday morning from the writer of Hebrews was that Christians who were receiving the letter were not growing in the grace and the knowledge of God. They were still stuck on the milk of the word, and they were not able to digest strong meat. He wanted to go further in the lesson, but he could not. They are dull of hearing, he said. Of course, we can see what that meant, that they were sluggish to hear. They were hard of hearing on purpose. They were unable to comprehend because of their lack of growth in their spiritual lives. And so we're going to begin in verse number one of Hebrews chapter six, and we'll see what God has for us this morning. The Scripture says in verse 1 of Hebrews chapter 6, Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection, that's maturity, not laying in the foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment, if this will we do, if God permit. Verse 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 and to repentance. And we can connect four and five. We can come to this conclusion in verse four. It is impossible for those who are once enlightened, now in verse six, if they shall fall away, to renew them again and to repentance. We're going to be dealing with that It's seen they have crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh, and have put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh off upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meek for them, by whom it is addressed, to see the blessings from God. But that which bears thorns and briars is rejected, and is nigh to cursing, whose end is to be burned. Verse 9, my beloved, we are persuaded that there are things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. Now, verses 1 through 3 is coming from where we stopped at in chapter number 5. Remember, chapter 5 was a review, as I've already mentioned. that they've not grown in the Lord, their goal of hearing their sludge to hear their babies. That's what he meant by they're still in the middle of the word. They're unable to digest strong feet or solid food. Verses one through three of our chapter today is an encouragement to grow, grow, or stop being a baby. Stop being a baby Christian. It's an encouragement to grow. And he says, leaving the principles of the doctrine of the cross, let's go on to perfection. And he's saying it's time to grow past the elementary truths of your faith. You need to grow beyond your baptism. You need to grow beyond your repentance of dead works. It's great that you're saved, amen? But that's not the end of the story. That's what he's trying to get the recipients of the letter to understand. Praise God. That's really the beginning of the Christian experience. So move on. Let's go. He says, let's stop being famous. So let's go on. He says, and this we will do if God permitted. Verse three, we want them to grow beyond just the initial Christian experience. And there's a reason why. And here's the warning. Because failure to grow could reveal a hard, or depart from the truth. If we don't grow beyond just being saved, just a profession of faith, then we might mean that we really don't know the gospel truly in our heart. So the warning is, what we've read so far, is failure to grow could reveal an apostate heart that is impossible to repent from. we don't grow, it could reveal in that person's life a heart that can depart away from Jesus. Okay, now we dealt with this initial truth last Sunday morning, and I wanna begin with the great truth of the priesthood. And the truth is, is that once somebody is truly born again, they are forever and eternally secure in Jesus Christ, amen. Now, someone who is a Christian is born again, and there is no Christian that has not been born again. And there are people, though, that think they're Christians, and they have not experienced the new birth. Remember, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. So when somebody is saved, they are eternally forever secure in Jesus Christ. Amen. I appreciate the truth of that. And yes, when somebody is saved, they are always saved. But we've taken that somehow and used that as a license to sin. That I prayed my sinner's prayer, I went down to an altar, and I was saved. And then they go on, and they just live any way according to the way that they want to live. And that is inconsistent with the way the New Testament describes someone coming to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible again takes for granted that the Christian is someone who has been born again and their life is radically and more so radically transformed because of the inward, eternal, spiritual work of Jesus Christ who lives and abides in them forever. Amen? And I often say this, that Jesus Christ is not without consequence. He is consequential when someone truly believes on him as their Savior. I appreciate the testimony our choir director gave this morning. What he said was that true. That when I met him, things were different. When I met Jesus, my life truly changed. And he could tell you that his life is still changing. It still is changing. A believer is eternally secure in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now while you were singing, we sang about it from the clock. We sang about it, amen? Now I want you, we should believe what we're singing. And if we can't believe what we're singing, we shouldn't sing it, should we? If it's true, we should sing it. And if it's not true, we shouldn't sing it, right? But if it's true, we should believe it while we're singing. And here's what we say today. His love lights the way. I've never been sorry. I stole that from Rossi. Never thought of sacrificing you, son. But since I met him, there's never been a thought of turning away from him. Never thought of sacrificing. From Housterside, I'll never depart. No earthly change can cause us to part. That since I was saved, there's nothing that can separate me from the love of Christ Jesus, my Lord. And that no one can pluck me from his hand, and no one can pluck me from his Father's hand, and Jesus and God the Father are one. They're in a group of guys. That he's lost none, he said, that have come unto me. And he will not lose any that will still come to him yet, amen. and he will present us, follow us in his presence with exceeding joy, amen? And to be with Christ is far better, and nothing shall separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. But what about this passage? For it is impossible for those who are once enlightened, verse four, they've tasted of the heavenly gift, they remain partakers of the Holy Ghost, they've 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. These are people who profess to know Christ, just had a spiritual experience within the church maybe, but they truly don't know Him at all. These are people that have tasted of the heavenly gift, they tasted the good word of God, these are people that fill our church buildings. These are people, and it's important to grow, because you need to find out if you're one of these people. If you don't grow, that's what the encouragement is, the warning is, if you don't grow and then you depart after knowing the truth, what does that mean about your spiritual life? If you know that Jesus saves, and then you depart from this truth, then what is that saying about what you really believe? It's saying really that you really don't believe that Jesus saves. That you truly don't believe that he's the Son of God. If you know it, but then depart, you are saying, I really don't believe this. Now, I mentioned it the other day in 1 John chapter number two. John the Apostle, he mentions this crowd. In verse number 19, he says, they went out from us, but they were not of us. That means they were with us, but now they're not. Or had they been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us. But they went out, and it might be made manifest that they were not of us. John is saying, their leaving proves that they really were a part of us. And if they're not a part of the Christian church, I'm not talking about attendance, I'm talking about believing and being faithful and sustaining in the fellowship of Christ, then it would mean, John says, that they're not really us. Verse number 20, he says, that ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. You skip down to verse 27 of 1 John chapter number two, but the anointing which ye have received of him abide within you. That people who are really saved have an anointing in them, John says, that it abides inside of them, that Christ abides in them, that from his dear side they'll never depart. That's what we sung when we were singing the gospel. That the people who have the anointing of Christ in them, that Christ in them, the hope of glory, Never a false at the time. No way. They see him. Yeah, but they hate it and they sometimes they grow cold, but they stick with Jesus. They follow Christ. In verse number 27, a second 1st John chapter two, you have received of him the anointing of the Bible in you and he need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teaches you of all things and is true. and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him." Christians abide in Christ. Remember, one of the greatest evidences that you're truly saved is not what you say. Everybody says that at St. John. The great evidence in the New Testament that you're truly that you abide in Christ. Why? Because you have so much abiding power? No, because he abideth in you, and he's lost none that have come to him, and no one can be plucked from his hand, because he abides in the believer, the believer abides in him. Don't you believe that Christ is truly strong enough to keep those that he saved? That Jesus has enough power, the same power that arose Jesus Christ from the dead, dwelleth in those who cry out to him, Abba, Father. He quickeneth them, he maketh them alive, he secures them unto the day of redemption. It gives them the earnest expectation of the Holy Spirit. He forgives their sins. He abides in them. He changes their life. He preserves them. He keeps them. Remember, Jesus Christ is not a little consequence. Jesus saves. Jesus saves. He abides in them, and they abide in Him. Can they persevere to skip to 1st John chapter number four, verse number four, year of God, little children, and have overcome them? Why? Why do God's people still follow Jesus? Why do God's people overcome them? Why can you not run them away from Jesus? Why is it that they go through so much church drama and they keep following Jesus? Why is it that they're diagnosed with illness and they keep following Jesus? And sometimes sin darkens the light of their mind and still they follow Jesus. And they say, Lord, help me. Lord, sanctify me. Lord, change me. Lord, forgive me. And they march on and on and on and on. And they can say, after a little while, they can say, this is not the truth of their life. They can say, it seems like that nothing can separate me from Jesus Christ. Why is that? Because he who abides in you abides in you forever. And whoever abides, whoever he abides in him, they abide in him. Why? Because he's lost none that cometh to heal. He's lost none. None of them, right? None of them. Now you gotta start thinking, are all these people who say they know Jesus, but while contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ, Are they truly Christian? That's the question that you have to answer about you. You say, well, I know my Aunt Betty. Now, she's wild, isn't it? I'm not talking about Aunt Betty. And neither is the writer Hebrews. He's talking about you. It's all about you. 1 John 4, for either of God's little children have overcome them, but why? Why do God's people overcome? Now we're letting the Bible do the teaching and the preaching. Because, here's why, here's why Christians overcome. Because greater is he that's in you than he than you that's in the world. We often think, well, the Lord's gonna help me because he's greater than the devil. This truth, it's really great truth. The Lord can keep you and sustain you and sanctify you because he's greater than you. He's greater than your ability to part from the Lord. He says, amen. This is why we can say, according to the scriptures, that if anyone be in Christ, he's a new creature, amen. And such were some of you, amen, as the scripture says. Now back to our passage, Hebrews chapter six. So this, these people who, fall away and kick renew, kick repentance again, it cannot be speaking about believers. It's impossible. We could say, actually I believe in Mark 4, I misquoted last Sunday morning and said Mark 10 and Mark 4 in 1913, that this coincides beautifully. And the greatest commentary on the Bible is the Bible. These are people who fell on the wayside, seed fell on the wayside. These are souls that the seed fell on stony ground. These are the souls whose seed fell among the thorns. There was no fruit at all. No fruit. Those that fell among thorns, life choked out the worm. Those that fell among the stones, Jesus said, Persecution came. They got embarrassed for following Jesus. And it choked out the Word. And those that fell on the wayside, they heard the sermon. It never penetrated the heart. And the foul air came and ate up the seed. And Jesus said, that's what's even happening here, that the Word cannot penetrate your heart even. These are people in Hebrews chapter number six who made a profession of faith. They were partakers. of the good word. They enjoy the benefits of the good word. They enjoyed and tasted that God is good. And then they turned away. They were not us. Or had they been us, they would have continued with us. Because they continue with us, because greater is he that knows that are in the world. He continues in believers. Amen? Amen. Why do they fall away? It's impossible for those who are once alive in verse 4 of Hebrews 6, verse 6 of Hebrews 6, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance. Why can they not return back to repentance? I think the answer is simple. They pushed away the only hope that they had. This is their choice that they made. These are unsaved people. These are people that fill up church fees all across the area. They hang for a while, but not forever, okay? These are people that know the truth about Jesus and turn to him. I said apostasy. Apostasy means is. Apostate is somebody. They're not deceitful. An apostate is somebody who knows the truth, and knowing the truth walks away from you. They're not tricked. They know the truth, and they all purpose leave the truth. You see, that's why it's important, if you've not grown in your faith, you need to grow. That's the warning here. If you don't grow, you might find out, maybe before it's too late, it'll be too late, that you're one of these people. Because an apostate and a baby Christian look the same. They sound the same in the choir. They've not grown, they've not matured. Now an apostate can't grow. An apostate can't mature. An apostate can't be sanctified. They've never been saved. You gotta be saved before you grow. You gotta be saved before you get sanctified. You gotta be saved before he begins to truly change your life. And a baby Christian looks like an apostate. And you need to grow if you're a baby Christian because you actually look just like anybody who's an unbeliever that says they know Jesus. They cannot be renewed into repentance because they pushed away the life jacket. These are people that knew that this medicine could save them from illness, and they turned away from Christ. They knew that Jesus saves, and they on purpose left it. They knew that Christ was the only way, and they went another way. They did this on purpose. They chose this path. They willfully and on purpose, deliberately, eyes wide open, understanding the gospel, they've tasted the good word, they've been in church buildings, they've heard the good truth of God's word, they've seen and heard God change somebody's life, and still yet, they can walk away from that? They've pushed away the life ring of someone good. They've said by their life, Jesus is not for me. Well, Jesus Christ is not for you, and He's not for you. You need Him, but you think you don't need Him. He's your only hope, but you're leaving Him behind. If that is your choice, why is it impossible to renew repentance to Him? Because there is no other options left. He is the only hope that you have. Amen. And people, turn away. Know that He's the only hope. There is no other way except Jesus. Amen. There's no other life outside of Jesus. There's no other forgiveness that can be had outside of His redeeming grace. There is no other power that can sanctify your soul. There is no other person of greater consequence that can save and redeem and change your life. There is no one else that you can go to that has the ability to mend your broken heart. There's no one else that can forgive that thing that's on your mind. There's no one else that can make you right before God. And if you, after hearing this, and even consenting to it, walk away from the truth, it means you were never of him, and you think there's hope outside of Christ, then there's no way that you can come to a place of repentance and hope and redemption and peace outside of what's offered in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He's the only way, amen. Some people think that, oh, you think you have the best religion. I would say yes, yes. You think that you believe in the only way? Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. I believe he is the only way. No, you come to that opinion. No, I can just tell you what he said, and he said that he is the way, the truth, and the law, and that no man can take the father except by healing. He's the only way. The Bible says in verse six that if they shall follow the way, They go away from what they know to be true, unregenerate people who know the truth and turn their back on it. To renew them again to repentance, what do they do? Seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put Him to an open shame. They have publicly, here's what they've done, they have publicly confessed to the world They heard the gospel. They, for a time, sat under the gospel. For a little while, they were active under the umbrella of the gospel. They tried to act. And then they leave the gospel after not being born again, not repeating, and they leave it on purpose. Here's what they've done. They have publicly said to the world, that I've heard the truth, but I believe it's a lie. I heard the truth, and I believe it's not worthy to surrender to. I heard the truth of Jesus Christ, and it's under my opinion that he is not the way. What they've done, what the writer here says, is that they have publicly crucified Jesus. They've rejected Jesus. They've turned their backs on Jesus. They've been in the crowd, they said, after seeing the miracles, after witnessing his virtue, after listening to Jesus' sermons. Jesus was presented before Pilate, and they say, in spite of all the evidence, in spite of all the word, in spite of all the truth, and in spite of the lack of ability to present a counter-argument, to deny the truth, when Christ presented before the world, they say, crucify him, crucify him. We have no king but Caesar. Many people, this is a dreadful text, isn't it? This is a depressing sermon, isn't it? I have no pleasure at all in taking it behind the bookend, other than the joy of knowing that it is the truth. But I've seen many who for a time tasted the good word of God, for a little while participated, for a short amount of time, they said amen to the truth. Now this is convicting because we have to deal now with people that we know. We have to consider those who said amen with us. I'm not talking about folks. I don't know if the scripture is talking about folks. Praise God, left the scholarship and united with another fellowship, and they're following Christ and serving Jesus? No, this is not those at all. These are other people who have apostasy. People who knew the truth and turned from it, who said amen and then said, it's not real, it's not all there, and live a life contrary to the truth. These people are in a precarious position. Because where else will they go? They rejected the only one they could go to. It is impossible for them to find repentance outside of Jesus Christ in whom they publicly, by their omission, said that Christ crucified is not. Now y'all have to run me out of here. Run me out of here. From his side, never depart. And that's the believer. The believer is like a Rachel in Columbine, who when the murderer, the denier, the atheist, the blasphemer, pointed a firearm to her and said, if you don't deny Christ, you'll be dead, as if it's possible. ridiculous. And she still in the face of severe persecution would not deny her Savior. So what's a tragedy? She passed away. The greater tragedy would be not knowing Jesus. And it was impossible for her. It was impossible for her. Notice the word It was literally impossible for her to not be a Christian. She could not not be one. Impossible. But there's people who deny them for so little. And they, they need to ask themselves why. Hey Christian, if you're only milk of the word, it is imperative that you grow. grow, not to grow to be saved. No, that you might grow, that you might mature, that you might bear fruit, that you might persevere, cause you're not obeyed, and you're growing in the growth, but also shed evidence that you're following Jesus, and people who follow Jesus keep his commandments. Verse 12, And they don't walk in darkness, 1 John 1. And they love the brethren, 1 John 3. And they know to love the world, 1 John 2. And they love people, 1 John 4. Why? Because they believe, and they continue to believe, 1 John 5, that He is the Son of God. Amen. What happens to them? They grow. And they persevere. And they bear fruit. And they shed evidence that they truly know Him. But honestly, if you can take away the sentimental argument, and close it, from your loved ones or friends, if you take away the sentimental argument, and you have to deal with the truth of you as a believer, that it is impossible for you to part from His side. It's true for your testimony as a believer. I'm not out of line. I'm not hanging off on a limb. I can quote you back to the passages that we've dealt with. It is impossible for those who know Him to depart from Him because greater is He that's in Him than he that's in the world. It's impossible. But if you take away the cynical argument that we bear scripturally in error, Can I fathom the idea that our friend, who says they're a Christian, but doesn't follow Christ, could possibly not be one at all? Based off your experience. Jason, what's your experience? Can't get away from it. Impossible, though, is it? You've even tried sometimes, probably. I have, haven't you? Seems like I've moved away. When contrary to truth, it won't let me. Is that your testimony? He's chastened me, Hebrews chapter number 12, proving me that I'm not illegitimate and I belong to him, right? Have you tried, it seems? I've done things contrary to truth and he will not let me go. Is this your testimony as a believer? I'm closing. Is this your testimony? Is it not the testimony of the believer in the building that you can say honestly from experience, like the Apostle Paul said, that I am not my own? for I've been bought for Christ, that you are a prisoner to Christ, that you are a captain to Christ, that you are His, and you are, as we sing, you are His and you are His forever. And once your name is there, I know, oh, I know, I know my name is there, amen? Why, because you have memory? No, I can say I know because of what He's done for me. I can know because how he's kept me, how he's preserved, he keeps the saints, amen. I can know because somehow, in spite of me, he still produces fruit inside of coming out a good believer. Oh, what a joy it is to be a Christian, amen? Now, if you take away the sentimental argument that is inherent in Scripture, and you look at the truth of God's word as a believer, you can say that that my testimony, all the Christians have the same testimony, and here's their testimony, that Jesus saves. And he saves and bears evidence in this life that he saves. Can you get away from him, Liz? It's impossible. Once saved, always saved. Because of Liz? No. Because of Jesus. Because of Jesus. I'm presenting to you Christ the Redeemer, Jesus who saves and offers you life you don't know. And if you'll repent and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, I have no confidence in you at all, nor me. Remember Romans 7? There is no good thing in me. And Jesus will produce it right. And Jesus will produce better. And Jesus will clean up your mouth. And Jesus will transform your life. or correct error. Not me, not you, but he who abides in you. Amen. Have faith and trust in what Jesus Christ says. Amen. Let's stand right here. Take one second to say it. So the warning is, here's the warning. Here's the warning. Here's the warning from the writer of Hebrews. You've got to grow, not grow to be saved, no, but you've got to grow. Because if you don't grow, you might be shocked that there is in you a heart that will possess us, that will turn away. If you can turn away from Jesus, and you can taste the heavenly gift, hear the good word of God, You can see what Jesus did here, what Christ has done in somebody else's life. And after all that, you can turn away and go, what does that mean? What does that mean about the condition of your soul? How can you turn away? If you do, here's what you say. Jesus ain't who he says he is. Jesus ain't who he claims to be. Jesus don't have the ability to keep me. Jesus can't keep me in fellowship even though Jason makes it back. Hey, I don't care what Jason does to me. He will never separate me from Jesus Christ, my Savior. My confidence ain't in Jason. My confidence is in Christ. It don't matter what Jason does. That's for me and my house. We're going to follow the Lord. Amen. Now, as angels, if you want to dread the text, What? Hope and assurance and grace for others. If there's a need this morning, I want to invite you to come and pray. If I can help you, I would love to help you. If you want to come chat with me, I'd love to chat with you. Hey, once saved, always saved, amen? But the people who are saved are always saved, and they cannot get away from Jesus, because He don't get away from you. But if you can, what's that mean? That's good morning. If you can't walk away, what does that mean? What does that mean? That's the warning. That's the warning. Let's sing together.