We have had an earnest request to give a short exposition of this scripture, one which causes great perplexity to many; some taking the six things named in verses 1 and 2, as the six foundation truths, on which the church stands—especially “the doctrine of baptisms and laying on of hands,” which are supposed to mean Christian baptism, and modern confirmation; upon which the whole church is said to rest. This view is especially advocated in parish magazines.
Then, again, how many souls have been distressed, almost to despair, with the thought, that having sinned, it is impossible for them to be restored. “For it is impossible ... if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance.” Terrible words when so understood. What can they mean? How can they be explained?
Now from either of these two points of view the inquiry is most deeply interesting and practical. Millions arc baptized and afterward confirmed; and are assured that by these ordinances they are brought into the church, become members of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven: and this verse and these words are pointed out as the scriptural authority m which all this building rests.
Is it true, or a total misapplication of scripture? The eternal destiny of millions rests on the solution of this inquiry. It is all the more important because, if this gospel of ordinances be true, there can be no other.
Let us go into a parish where every person has been baptized, and confirmed. Every one, then, is regarded as born again by baptism, a member of Christ, a child of God, &c. Plainly you could not preach another gospel to such. If they are born again by water, they do not now need to hear the word, and be born again by the word, as of old. (See 1 Pet. 1:2323Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (1 Peter 1:23); Jas. 1:1818Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1:18).) It would be difficult to conceive a more effectual way of setting aside the gospel, as preached by the apostles. Let us look the matter fairly in the face. We meet with a man cursing and swearing, and perhaps drunk: he has been made a child of God, we are told, by baptism, and confirmation. We are told he has fallen away by sin. Just here would come in the other difficulty—it is impossible to renew such to repentance.
But others, beside those who pervert this scripture to mean ordinances, as the foundation of the church, feel this difficulty. They have been truly converted, born of God, are the children of God. And they say, What if I sin, may, I have sinned: it is not with me as it was; I fear I have fallen away, and the word says, “It is impossible... if they shall fall away to renew them again to repentance.” Can this be the meaning of this scripture? Would it not make the Christian’s position far worse than the Jews before Christ died? Undoubtedly, for he could have brought a bullock, or a goat, and have been restored by repentance and another offering; he could have laid his hands on its head, and through its death he would have been forgiven.
What then is the meaning of this scripture? You must notice, this Epistle was not addressee like others, to the church of God. It is the voice of God to the professing multitude of the Jews, just before the overthrow of the temple worship, and the destruction of both the temple and Jerusalem.
Further, notice that from chapter 5:12 to end of chapter 6 is a parenthesis: afterward the apostle returns to the subject of Melchisedec. The subject of the parenthesis is the state of the professing Hebrew Christians. He says, “Ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God.” They did not know which were the first elementary principles, that is, the measure of truth as known to the Jews before Christ, or the perfect and complete truths of Christianity, since Christ had come, died, and risen again. They were in exactly the same state as those writers in the parish magazines, who, having gone hack to Judaism, do not know the difference between Judaism and Christianity. They have need that one teach them which be the first principles of the oracles of God. (Ver. 12.) What these clergymen build upon, the apostle says, we will leave if God permit. Is it not so? See chapter 6. “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ,” or, as in margin, “the word of the beginning of Christ,” “let us go on to perfection:” that is, to the complete truth of Christ. Let us leave Judaism, and go on to Christianity. Indeed the subject of the Epistle is the contrast between these two things. Thus the six things we are to leave, are distinctly that beginning or measure of truth the Jews had before Christ, “Not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works.” In Judaism the building, to use the figure, never stood. The foundation had to be re-laid once a year. Indeed, as often as a man sinned, a foundation of repentance and sacrifice had to be re-laid. It was sinning and repenting. (See Eze. 18; Lev. 16) This Epistle shows the complete truth now is in direct contrast—that is eternal redemption: forever perfected the foundation is one sacrifice, which never can be repeated.
“And of faith toward God. Even the faith of Abraham and of all Old Testament saints, was toward God. That is, they believed the promise, and looked forward. Not so now, one infinite sacrifice has been offered; all now is accomplished, and, believing God, we are justified from all things. And He says, “And their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”
“Of the doctrine of baptisms.” It is the same word that is translated “divers washings.” In chapter 9:10. Evidently this cannot be Christian baptism. For there is one baptism, not baptisms. Neither could the apostle say, we would leave Christian baptism. No, it simply means, leaving the typical washings of the law, very precious as the beginning of the word of Christ, but what were these as compared with, the blood of Christ which now cleanseth us from all sin?
“And of laying on of hands.” You will find if a man brought a burnt offering, or a sin offering to the Lord, he must lay’ his hand on its head. All these shadows had now served their purpose, and must be left. The one sacrifice of Christ is now the perfect truth and excludes all others.
“And of resurrection of the dead.” This was the measure of truth made known to the Jews before Christ. There would be a resurrection of the dead. This was known. (John 11:2424Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. (John 11:24).) The complete truth is “Through Jesus the resurrection from the dead” (Acts 4:22Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. (Acts 4:2))—the blessedness of the first resurrection. From which the rest of the dead are excluded for a thousand years, and the coining of the Lord to take His own. Thus we leave the Jewish measure of truth and go on to the complete truth of Christianity.
“And of eternal judgment.” The Jews knew, the solemn truth of death and judgment, and that that was eternal. That is a most solemn truth; but if that were all, we should be in the same fear and bondage they were in. But whilst this is not denied for a moment by the Christian yet the complete truth is, “so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” (Heb. 9:2828So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28).) Now the minds of these Jewish teachers were all in confusion on these important distinctions, just like the writers of widespread parish magazines, Jesus says plainly to the believer that he shall not come into judgment. (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24).) These writers do not believe Him, and look forward to the day of judgment, to fix their doom.
Now the apostle says, leaving these first principles of truth, we will go on to perfection, that is, to Christianity. “And this will we do if God permit.” (Ver. 3.) The word “for” connects what had gone before with what comes after. We must therefore keep up the contrast between Judaism and Christianity: all will then be simple. “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened.... if they shall fall away, to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”
Now what is this falling away from? It is a falling away from Christ, a giving up of Christianity, and going back to the many offerings, washings, and ordinances of the law. These were all right as shadows pointing forward. And no doubt the claims of antiquity were great: ordinances which had been appointed of God. No wonder the tendency was so strong to give-up Christianity, and go back to Judaism. Indeed, they had been practicing it, and, as James said (Acts 21:2020And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: (Acts 21:20)), they were all zealous of the law. Hence the universal importance of going on from Judaism, to perfection, or Christ. Those sacrifices and washings had now lost all virtue, and could never renew them again unto repentance. It was impossible.
Let us mark the difference between “tasting” and “drinketh in” of verses 4 and 7. Jesus had foretold this in Matt. 13:18-2318Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. 19When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 20But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 22He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 23But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (Matthew 13:18‑23). This multitude of Jews had anon with joy received the tidings, that Jesus was the risen Lord and Christ. They had taken the place of disciples, in the light of Christianity. They had tasted of the heavenly gift; they may have even been the subjects of miraculous power of the Holy Ghost. Tasted the word of God, &c. But if all this was merely as wayside seed; or seed on thorny ground; and not having received the seed into prepared ground—and if, in times of trial, they (having no root) give up all profession of Christianity; and the eternal efficacy of the one sacrifice of Christ, and they go back to the many sacrifices of the law—on that ground, having finally apostatized from Christ, they are then where repentance is impossible, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame. This shows that if we deliberately join any community we become guilty of their deeds. The Jews had rejected, trampled, so to speak, on the Son of God, whom they had crucified; to go back to them, was to become afresh deliberately guilty of their sins.
‘But how different the earth that drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth, &c.’
Is it not so? One hears the gospel and says, I like that, but he merely tastes. Another, crushed with the sense of sin, with heart and conscience prepared for the word, says, That is what my soul has wanted for years, and he drinks in the word, as the prepared and thirsty land drinks in the rain. Reader, which is your case?