Put Him to an Open Shame

Hebrews 6:6-8 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinks in the rain that comes oft upon it, and brings forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receives blessing from God: But that which bears thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. 

‘If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance.’ Fourfold apostasy and the end of apostates: [1] If they shall fall away (6:6). “Fall away” is from the Greek: parapipto, to fall aside; apostatize; fall away. It means to throw overboard all faith in the experiences of the gospel and to deny them. People are here warned that such is possible. How could they fall away from the experiences of Hebrews 6:4-5 if they never had them? The language is past tense and factual so it cannot be denied that the ones referred to did at one time have experiences. [2] To renew them again to repentance is impossible. The reason given is that they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to open shame. This is the final act of apostasy. They publicly judge Him as an imposter and worthy of death. That is, they do not believe in Him or His atonement any longer. Since such faith is the only thing that could renew them again to repentance, it then becomes impossible. How could they be renewed again to repentance if they had not experienced repentance before? The word “again” means once more; another time; anew; and this requires repentance once before. [3] As that which bears thorns and briers, they are rejected (6:8). The Greek: adokimos means reprobate (Rom. 1:28; 2Cor. 13:5-7; 2Tim. 3:8; Tit. 1:16); rejected (6:8); and castaway (1Cor. 9:27). It means to become Christless and literally rejected. [4] The end of apostates (6:8). Just like that which bears thorns and briers is burned, so apostates are to be punished in eternal hell (Isa. 66:22-24; Matt. 25:46; Mark 9:43-49; Rev. 14:9-11; 20:10-15).