Why does Hebrews 6 say that it is impossible to revive to repentance one who has "fallen away"?

by I_love_Jeff 8 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  I_love_Jeff

  In the "Reasoning" book (pages 34-37), this scripture is used to help define and understand apostasy:
  
  Hebrews 6:4-6
  
  "For as regards those who were once enlightened and who have tasted the heavenly free gift and who have become partakers of holy spirit and who have tasted the fine word of God and powers of the coming system of things, but have fallen away, it is impossible to revive them again to repentance, because they nail the Son of God to the stake again for themselves and expose him to public shame."
  
  Why would Jehovah's inspired word say something that sounds totally inaccurate? Is this passage merely figurative? I know that when something that is literally-stated in the Bible doesn't make sense, we can simply take it "figuratively" and vice versa. Does this passage require a figurative interpretation? you can find this question on our yahoo answers account-

  http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20131204210203AA50OHx
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  free2beme

  Because the bible is a book and not the word of some all mighty god, so treat it as such and stop trying to pick it apart and live by it. Step one to healing from all the BS of the JW and Christianity.
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  designs

  If you take this as written by Paul you have to realize the mental game Paul was playing on people- if you don't agree with my new scheme you won't get paradise.

  Fred Franz and Nathan Knorr were masters at this kind of manipulation as is the current GB.
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  blondie

  So JCs are now df'ing people into eternal death, can tell who has sinned against the holy spirit?

  *** w07 8/15 p. 19 Do You Remember? ***

  What is meant by sinning against the holy spirit?

  It is possible to sin against Jehovah’s holy spirit, a sin that will not be forgiven. (Matthew 12:31) God determines whether we have committed an unforgivable sin, and he can withdraw his spirit from us. (Psalm 51:11) If we are deeply grieved over a sin, it is very likely that we are truly repentant and thus have not sinned against the spirit.—7/15, pages 16-17.

  *** w92 9/15 p. 9 par. 6 Jehovah Forgives in a Large Way ***

  Only God knows if a person has committed the unforgivable sin.

  *** lp chap. 14 pp. 163-164 par. 19 The Elimination of Crime and Injustice ***

  The apostle John also refers to a “sin that does incur death” as contrasted with one that does not. (1 John 5:16, 17; compare Numbers 15:30.) A true Christian will have no association with a person professing to be a Christian who, from the evidence he sees, seems to be blaspheming God’s spirit, apparently sinning deliberately and without signs of repentance. (2 John 9-11) The Christian will not pray in such a person’s behalf. However, he cannot read an individual’s heart, and cannot judge that a person has actually committed the unforgivable sin. He cannot know for sure that the individual will not repent later on. He recognizes that Christ acts as Judge for God, and he can search the “kidneys” (the innermost emotions and thoughts), and the “heart” (the primary seat of motivation), and Christ can determine whether one has committed blasphemy against the holy spirit.—Revelation 2:23; John 5:22, 30.
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  caroline77

  I understand this as meaning that those in New Testament times who had access to the power of the Holy Spirit, and could use it to heal people, would not be forgiven if they stopped believing in the saving work of Christ.

  Perhaps this is what blasphemy against the Holy Spirit means.
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  Doug Mason

  Jeff's lover,

  First of all, provide yourself with answers to these questions:

  1. Should the book of Hebrews be considered as Scripture?

  2. Should the book of Hebrews be in the NT?

  3. Should the opinions expressed in it be accepted?

  Doug
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  Doug Mason

  Caroline,

  Strictly speaking, the "New Testament" did not appear until almost 400 years after the "Apostolic Times". And the "New Testament" was still open for argument a further few centuries.

  Doug
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  fulltimestudent

  " ... but have fallen away, it is impossible to revive them again to repentance, because they nail the Son of God to the stake again for themselves and expose him to public shame."

  Who the bloody hell wants to be "forgiven," by some nebulous, hazy deity who can't even tell the truth about the universe, in his supposedly 'scientific' book of truth.

  I'm free - and I'm not going back to enslavement to Jesus the false prophet-

  (remember its Jesus who started this nonsense about the time of the end - Charlie Russell's, Joey Rutherford's and Natie Knorr's big mistake was to believe that Jesus was coming again.)
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  itsibitsybrainbutbigenoughtosmellarat

  The understanding according to Witness theology is that once a member of the 144,000 and the spirit has revealed their destiny, then if the parameters of Heb. 6 :4-6 are acted out then it applies to these individuals. Of course this was applied to Ray Franz and all others who were professing annointed who left or disagreed with the Organization. Remember the commercial for Geico... when the Baby says ...."Freaky" !