Sermon: Enlightened Once

Let's pray before we open the word together this morning.

or dear father we do pray that. You would open this word to us this morning. I thought it is in many ways a hard word that we would find that there is life in it. and even as we are challenged we are comforted. even as it goes out that we find that you are ministering to us.

We be encouraged and strengthened Under Your Divine care this morning. We pray this in a strong name of Jesus. a Christ and savior amen Hebrews chapter 5 verse 11 through 6 8 this is a holy inherent sufficient word of God. About this we have much to say and it is hard to explain. since you become dull of hearing For those by this time you ought to be teachers you need someone to teach you again. The basic principles of the Oracles of God.

You need milk. not solid food for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled and the word of righteousness since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature. For those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good for evil. Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity. Not laying again Foundation of repentance from dead works and of Faith toward God.

and of instruction about washing the lean on of hands the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened who have tasted the Heavenly gift and have shared in the Holy Spirit and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come and then have fallen away to restore them again to repentance.

Since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding them up to contempt. For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it and produces a crop useful to those for who sake it is cultivated receives a blessing from God. but if it Bears thorns and thistles It is worthless. And near to being cursed and it's end is to be burned. The grass withers and the flower Fades the word of God is forever.

Thanks be to God. amen

a writer as we approach this Texas warning you'll see that he stops for a moment from his line of reasoning as he's been going through. These chapters you can see it in the language. If you look at verse 5 10 and then you compare that diverse twenty of chapter 6 you'll see that it is very similar language. He wants to continue talking about what he has been talking about the high priesthood of Christ and that order of Melchizedek, but

he questions whether the listeners to this sermon that he is preaching that's what many scholars believe it's a sermon and written form that those who are listening to it that they are not ready to receive what he's about to tell them. Because these concerned he's concerned with their immaturity in Christ.

So he stops.

Listen, the the preacher as I preach or has anyone feels this pulpit and preaches we can make a mess of a sermon. I can make a mess of it by it not being ordered by it not being somewhat rational by not praying over it by not. Tending to the text by not conveying it in a way that it can be easily received. The preacher can make a mess of a sermon there is no doubt about that. But it's also true that the listeners can make

a mess of a sermon. The preacher can make a mess of a sermon make it unintelligible. By the way. He approaches it The Listener can make a mess of a sermon and make it unintelligible. By the way that they approach it.

His concerns whether they will actually understand what he wants to tell them because of their spiritual condition because they are still infants in the faith. It's one of the great burdens of preaching. It's when the Great Trials of it, it's how do you how do you pitch the sermon in a way that? The vast majority of the people in the room can receive it. and so we stops three points this morning from this kind of Hiatus and his sermon

the admonition the charge and the warning the admonition the charge in the morning first the admonition. He's concerned for them because he says in verse 11. They have become quote Dole of hearing. This issue is not mental. They have the ability. The issue is not physical. They have the capability. Their problem is moral. They are dull. They're sluggish Charles Hodge when he was interpreting. This text said that they are stupid and indifferent. They have made

a very little progress in their Christian faith, since they first claimed that they were converted in Christ. And so he's concerned.

think about history of my own pastorate over the years and I think what is grieve me more than anything else as someone that is ministering day in and day out to people the thing that has grieved me more than anything else is those that don't receive the truth of Christ. And they're never converted. But second to that. Is I find myself grieving over those that I watched that never grow in Christ.

They're not growing. They're not enjoying the full benefits and the life that is given in Christ. And this is his concern here. They remain immature and there is real danger in that.

Let's look at why they are immature what marked their immaturity they had a lack of Desire. They had a lack of diligence and they had a lack of discernment desired diligence and discernment. They had a lack of Desire. They weren't growing and they were not growing because they didn't desire a greater things. They were content. They were told they were sluggish look you and I will always do what we desire always. What you most desire you always

do. That's just reality. And they were content. They were content with the milk as the writer says the basics of the Christian faith that they had already come to know. They didn't move forward because they lacked a desire to do so, they were content with milk.

And five stepsisters when I was growing up. And they were all a little older than I was and one of them married a man who was quite unique. He was in his 30s when I was a child in the home and I can remember that he would walk into our home with his own food. And I don't think that they had children at this point. I don't exactly remember but he would walk in with with little jars of baby food. And he would come in with these pureed peas

and these pureed carrots and that ever advertising spinach pear and that ever effective Apple prune. And he would take a little tiny baby spoon and he would dip it in that little tiny jar of baby food and he would put that baby food in his big old mouth.

And then even today I think about that scene and just think. What silly news? He's 30 years old.

These church people were still needing milk when they should have been Desiring solid food a 30 year old man content with baby food when there are donuts and ice cream and pizza.

Listen, we all come into the faith as infants in need of growth. But if we are 40 year old toddlers in the faith, there's a problem. The man or woman who would walk into this sanctuary and would have a pacifier in their mouth. Or you see them sitting in the Pew raise a bobble a bottle to their mouth and start sipping on it. They would be a spectacle in this room. And what the writer of Hebrews is saying is if you looked on that

Hebrew Congregation spiritually if you could see them spiritually this is what they looked like. They're sitting there with pacifiers and drinking bottles of milk.

And he is saying that they are in danger. Been reading about David Livingston the great missionary to Malawi and preparation for this trip this week. He was a great missionary to all parts of Africa, but had quite an impact their own Malawi. And he wonderfully said at one point. He said I will go anywhere provided it is forward. That's the way of life. But even more so it's the way the Christian Life. of going forward

the Christian desires to keep going forward they were marked by a lack of Desire but also a lack of diligence. He says in verse 12, they need to be taught again. They had been taught the basics of the faith, but the good teachings that they had received. They allowed to pass through their ears and pass through their mind and they never gripped upon it. And so they had to be told once again and over and over. He says in verse 12 the basic principles of

the Oracles of God. Now here, we've said this over and over and this Pulpit. We never grow beyond the need for the gospel you and I constantly need the gospel. We constantly need to hear it repeated to us over and over and over but our understanding in light of the basics of the faith is to grow upward and onward. You have that Foundation. And you continue to be reminded of that Foundation but upon that Foundation you and I are

to be growing upward. And were to be growing onward. And that takes diligence. When you hear the word of God preached. This morning even as you hear preached you tend to it with diligence. Do you listen to grab what you can despite all the failings and the feebleness of the preacher? Can you grab what you can with the Lord is saying to you? Do you work on that every Sunday? And then walk away and think how do I apply that to me?

As much diligence as you expect me to prepare a sermon with is how much diligence you should be listening. to a sermon with diligence they heard these things but never gripped them. So I had to be taught over and over and over effective preaching is the work of the spirit through the preacher and in the congregant all three have to be working that requires all of us to be diligent. notice that they are meant to be givers by this point. The writer says

they ought to be teachers that doesn't necessarily mean that they're all to have a formal teaching role within the congregation but rather they are all to be givers giving to others. It's a true sign of immaturity when we are simply takers. And there are too many takers sitting in church pews. Coming to be served to receive to get and that only the spirit works and empowers us to work. We're to be marked by diligence.

Elect desire, they like diligence and now we see they lack discernment. They couldn't distinguish between good for evil. So the writer says in verse 14 like children, they they don't understand blessings. They don't understand dangers. Think of all the things that you missed out as a child because you didn't know that that thing was actually good. I content with macaroni and cheese when there's a ribeye steak sitting there.

You think back on your childhood those of you that are adults in room thinking how many stupid things you did that you would never dare to do now.

Because you know better.

They were ignorant because they didn't know he says the word of righteousness the word of God. Didn't know good from evil. Ligonier just did a study of 3,000 adults and 2022. And these are some of the results. 48% of evangelicals believe God changes that he learns 65% of evangelicals believe humans are born in the state of Innocence. 56% of Evangelical survey believed worship from all religions is accepted by God. ignorance

we want to grow in discernment of what is good. And what is evil to grow in discernment? We must grow in our knowledge of the word of God. You have to be reading it. You have to be meditating upon it studying it. But not just leaving it there. You have to be applying it. Seeking to practice it and walk in it.

Love what? Charles Spurgeon said about John Bunyan. He said that if you were to prick John Bunyan. He would bleed bibeline. As he was so filled with the Bible. That he would bleed it if you pricked him. hard to be mature like bunion

takes effort often tell my children anything worth doing in life is hard to do. We won't simply slide into greater growth in Christ. You won't slide into it. Takes diligence takes effort.

now the Trap that too many fall into is that we compare ourselves to others and so there are some that

Look at others within a congregation like this and think well, I'm in a better place than they are. So kind of stop. There are others on the other end of the spectrum that look up at others in the congregation and say I will never reach such a maturity as that manner that woman of the faith. And so just kind of stop. You see I'm responsible for me. before God you're responsible for you.

Comparison game is lose all game. With my limitations with my feebleness with my gifts with my abilities. I will stand Before the Throne of God. I'm responsible for me. Your responsible for you?

David Livingston again wrote in his diary once he wrote I have found that I have no unusual endowments of intellect. But this day I resolved that I will be an uncommon Christian.

With that admonition the writer now gives a charge chapter 6 verse 1 admonition now, he gives a charge chapter 6 verse 1 therefore. Let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and Faith of Faith toward God and of instruction about Washings laying on of hands the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment He's listed six things here. He's

put them in couplets of twos. So we have three couplets of twos. And what these three couplets of twos are are the basics of the Christian Life? That the words these six things are actually actually in apposition not opposition opposition. They sit with a kind of equal sign between Foundation. Here's the foundation of the Christian Life here. Are these six things? And many scholars believe that these six things were some kind of summary of an early

Creed that the church would have confessed that a member coming forward on conversion and being admitted into the membership of the church that they would have confessed these things. And so he says that he wants them to press on he doesn't want them to leave these doctrines behind. He doesn't want them to forget them. That's not his intention rather what he's doing. He's he pointing out that this is the foundation you got to build on this.

When you have a foundation the expectation is the foundation is there for a reason that it might support the structure above it? Build upon this you go up. So let's take these couplets. He begins with repentance from dead works and of Faith towards God. Why because that's where the Christian Life Begins. Knowing that you and I cannot save ourselves by our works that our Salvation is Holy by his grace that we must turn

to our Lord and God our maker we must turn to him in Christ by faith. that's the first couple of he then pairs together Washings and laying on a pans. Most likely a reference to baptism in the giving of the Holy Spirit and the cold sanctification. And then you have the last couple at the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. You see what he's done here. He's taken three couplets and he's laid out justification that he's

laid out sanctification and then he's laid out glorification a basic Creed build up on this he is saying The Christian Life is one of moving forward. Keep moving forward. Keep going up. the admonition the charge and now the warning

He gives here this warning in Hebrews 6. This is by most accounts the hardest text and all the Bible It is a challenging morning. He gives here in Verses 4 through 6, and then he gives a little illustration of it after that. But this warning is the warning of apostasy. You see he's looking upon these Hebrew Christians and he's concerned for them. Because he doesn't see the growth. that he expects to see and so he's concerned.

But notice that he switches to the third person from the second person plural, he's been speaking in the second person plural. He's been saying you you and doing that in a plural form, but then he goes from you to those verse 4. It's impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened. You see he's warning them. This is not an accusation. He's not accusing them of already done have having done this. But rather he is warning them. In fact,

he says in verse 9 yet in your case beloved. We feel sure of better things things that belong to Salvation And yet he's warning them.

You're three ways. This passage has been historically understood. I'm gonna call it. the hypothetical the real and the folks the hypothetical the real and the foes. Some say this Hebrews 6 this warning here. It's just a hypothetical warning. It's hypothetical in the sense that Christians. Can fall hypothetically but really they can't ever fall. some of you may be using a King James version of The Bible in its translation here in verse

6. It puts the word if but that word if is not there in the Greek. This isn't a hypothetical warning. What good would that be how would that be any kind of warning? He's truly concerned for these people in this church.

The second view those even more problematic than the hypothetical. And that's that this is a real. case that is that there are real Christians. Who really fell away? That there are real Christians those that have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that are really United to Christ that are really saved. And then really fall away and lose that salvation.

That's a horrific understanding of this text.

Why can't this be the case? One of the greatest rules for biblical interpretation is what the church is called the analogy of faith. And the analogy of faces. This is that because the scriptures are God Breeze second Timothy 3:16. The scriptures are God breathe and because they're God breathed and God cannot lie. The scriptures have to be internally true. That as you can't pit one section of scripture against another section of scripture and say

that what it says here is in contrast and disagrees with what it says here. And when you come to an unclear text a text that I am not quite sure what to make of this you always go to a more clear text scripture interprets scripture. Let's see analogy of faith and the scriptures are very clear. He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion of the day of Christ. Jesus. Paul says. Romans 8 that great Golden Chain of

Salvation that so many of you have memorized those who may predestined he also cold and those who may call the also Justified and those who may Justified he also glorified that chain can't be broken. Those whom he called will be glorified you can't break this thing. Or we could just go to the words of Christ themselves. And John 10 he is crystal clear. My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they will never

perish and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My father has given them to me is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of the father's hand nothing and no one Jesus is saying is greater than the father. So that means none. Not pharaoh. Not Babylon, not death, not Satan, not Hill surely. Not your sin. Not you. Can somehow snatch you from the Hands of Christ? Nothing and no one can do that. Nothing can overcome the Salvation. He is given by

his own Sovereign free gracious will nothing.

If you are Christ. You are Christ. Not For a Moment Simply for a season not simply for a few decades.

but for all eternity for his

In fact, the writer of Hebrews goes on to say in verse 19. What we sang this morning you've already sung it. That we have Assurance steadfest anchor of the soul the hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain. He isn't trying to unsettle the Christian that they might ultimately be lost. That's not his aim here. He is trying to unsettle the falls. the fake the not real

he is concerned with those sitting in the church who feel safe. And they shouldn't feel safe.

This makes sense of the language. Think about these words that are in this text that have often tripped people up enlightened tasted shared. Many experience within the church a form of Blessing by being in the church. By being counted among the people of God remember again the context of where we're at in the book of Hebrews. This is what makes sense of all of this. He has just warned in chapter 3 about those who were counted among the nation of Israel.

Who are with the nation of Israel? They were counted among the people of God in Egypt, they'd experienced being saved from the land of Egypt that experienced all of the Miracles. They had gone through the Wilderness wanderings. They had seen their enemies dash of pieces. They'd seen the Red Sea parted. They had walked through on the dry ground. They had seen manifold from the sky and yet some of them showed themselves

to be unbelievers. They saw God's blessings. They more than saw God's blessings. They experienced them in so many ways. But they did not actually know God.

They didn't know him.

Remember the parable of the sower that Jesus told there are some who seem to benefit even. show what looks to be like life they spring up immediately. But then they show themselves not to be true soil fertile soil.

As Rick Phillips who was with us last week for the conference said about such people. He said they have quote a personal but nonetheless secondary or indirect experience of Christianity.

You're all experienced in a personally this morning. But is it indirect? Is it secondary?

Think about this great example the great example in the scriptures, of course is Judas.

He saw Christ in the flesh. He watched him do miracles. He sat underneath his teaching and his preaching. Even more than that. He he joined with all the rest of the disciples and praying and then singing the Psalms as they were together. And we can surely assume that he went out and preached and that he cast out demons and that he healed the sick as the twelve disciples were sent out in Luke 9 there's no Exceptions there

in Luke 9 he goes with them. He's participating.

He knew the blessings of being part of the community. He received benefits. But he himself never came to personal saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

And this is the concern of the writer of Hebrews. Some aren't growing. Or they've stopped growing. And is great fear. Is that maybe they actually haven't come to saving personal knowledge faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Look at the words again. enlighten they receive some knowledge of God's word. But a false Professor can be enlightened. They tasted the Heavenly give maybe a reference to coming to the table. Like the Israelites did in the desert they knew blessings from above they tasted of the manna. They quote shared in the Holy Spirit everyone in this room. This morning is sharing in the Holy Spirit and that you are here where the holy spirit is at

work you witness some of the power of the age to come but some have haven't actually been United to that spirit.

They have he says quote taste of the goodness of the word of God. You're doing so this morning. What have you done more than taste? Have you consumed it?

Have you believe?

Sin is concerned about it's the sin of apostasy. And our Lord Jesus Christ will call the unpardonable sin. Where there is a hard break and turning one's back upon the knowledge they have of the person of Christ. Deny, the influence of the spirit and attribute to the spirit was evil instead of what is good. They don't discern between Good and Evil.

Denying the faith that they had knowledge of and turning back to that which would deny Christ. So the writer says it is quote impossible impossible for them to be restored. Why because he says it would amount to crucifying. Once again the Son of God holding him up to contempt that is it would be acting like those who crucified Christ and knew he was innocent. They would be denying what they knew.

Now there are Christians. Christians All the time who wandered from the faith. Who will get to the point where they will deny Christ? And they will profess that they are an atheist or that they believe in some other religion.

And then they will come running back to Christ. We'll see them walking with him again. I've seen that. You've seen that. Where's a church have seen that?

We only need to look at the scriptures. Peter was such a figure. Whereas Judas wasn't? Notice the difference between Peter and Judas both Peter and Judas. They both deny Christ. They deny him in absolutely Monumental ways yet Peter turns to Christ and repentance and tears whereas Judas continues to harden his heart. There's a point at which Paul will say in Romans 1 that God gives us up to a debased mind. These are people who have in their apostasy so

turned from Christ. And denied him that their hearts are hardened and they have no desire and there will be no desire for repentance. Again, notice Peter fails three times. He fails three times miserably. Judas fails and he fails miserably both were sinners. Yet one is a saint. And the other is an apostate. What's the difference?

true repentance and faith in Christ

just as a side point. Be careful judging. People around us and Among Us. that have gone out from us and whether they are an apostate or not. They may just be a Peter.

Don't give up on people.

Now this is a hard text. and sent many Christians into a tailspin I Remember the very first summer I was a Christian. been a Christian for all of six months maybe in a well-intentioned but a horribly misguided sister in Christ gave me a book. On the unpardonable sin. And I devoured it. That was a mess.

Some of you may be sitting here this morning and wondering have I committed the unpardonable sin. Have I done this?

if you had you wouldn't be concerned that you have. concern shows that you haven't

Spurgeon commented upon this once by saying this he said this much I do know about it. It is called a sin. That is the death. And as soon as ever men commits it a spiritual death steals over him so that he never desires Mercy never is conscious of his guilt and never wishes to find Salvation by Jesus Christ. He becomes dead so dead that is not merely the sin which is itself unpardonable, but the condition of heart into

which it throws the man so that he never seeks pardon or even wishes for it if you wonder whether you have committed the sin you haven't Because you wouldn't care if you had.

So we take our lead from the charge of the writer. He closes with an illustration simply encouraging each of us to grow with the blessing that comes upon us like rain falling from the sky. So the blessings of God are reigning down on you and me and so he's arguing you and I just must make the most of it. Make the most of it. It's not enough to receive spiritual blessings one must be a True Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and bear good fruit in

keeping with faith in Christ.

So don't sit here.

Don't sit here weaken and weak out.

Not seize upon Christ and faith. Too many or too comfortable in the church.

If you have not placed your faith in Christ. You shouldn't be comfortable in the church.

You're not saved.

It doesn't matter. Ultimately whether you're here weekend and week out. or that you sing the songs or that you pray or that you've gone under the waters of baptism or that you've come to the Lord's table or that you volunteer if your faith is not in Christ.

Don't taste. Swallow this Christ.

Don't be enlightened by this truth being illumined with it don't share in the blessings of the Holy Spirit be filled with the Holy Spirit don't taste the power of the ages to come live in the power of the age to come and the only way to do that is that you humble yourself before this great savior. You give yourself to him in faith. You trust in him for your salvation.

and dear Christian grow in Christ

None of us are what we want to be in Christ talk. Good night. I'm so far. From what I thought I would be in Christ by this point.

But are you growing am I growing?

As the months pass and the years past and the decades past. Can you look back and see? Ah, I'm not what I want to be. I'm not what I should be. There's growth. There's dips. There's always but there's overall growth.

as if you married or that have kids or That have a roommate it's good exercise. You can ask that spouse or one of your children or that's that roommate. You feel like over the last year. I've grown in Christ.

a good humble question to ask

are you desirous? Are you diligent? Are you discerning? Growth is a sign of life. Were to keep at it or to keep growing we're to keep seeking we're to keep on.

Because we want to finish this race.

I want to finish this race.

Let's pray together.

Father we confess to the historic warning in this text.

And as a heavy text. And we want to feel the heaviness and the weightiness of it. Do you help it not just to pass through our ears and our minds this morning but to seize us. Us to seize upon it. Apply it with all diligence. And every single soul in this room would indeed be saved. And every single soul in this room would be growing in that Salvage. We pray all of this and strong him of Christ. amen