Matthew Henry Commentary Hebrews 6

Every part of the truth and will of God should be set before all who profess the gospel, and be urged on their hearts and consciences. We should not always be speaking about outward things; these have their places and use, but often take up too much attention and time, which might be better employed. The humbled sinner who pleads guilty, and cries for mercy, can have no ground from this passage to be discouraged, whatever his conscience may accuse him of.

Nor does it prove that anyone who is made a new creature in Christ ever becomes a final apostate from Him. The apostle is not speaking of the falling away of mere professors, never convinced or influenced by the gospel. Such have nothing to fall away from but an empty name or a hypocritical profession. Neither is he speaking of partial declinings or backslidings.

Nor are such sins meant, as Christians fall into through the strength of temptations or the power of some worldly or fleshly lust. But the falling away mentioned here is an open and avowed renouncing of Christ, from enmity of heart against Him, His cause, and people, by men approving in their minds the deeds of His murderers, and all this after they have received the knowledge of the truth, and tasted some of its comforts. Of these it is said, that it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance.

Not because the blood of Christ is not sufficient to obtain pardon for this sin; but this sin, in its very nature, is opposite to repentance and everything that leads to it. If those who through mistaken views of this passage, as well as of their own case, fear that there is no mercy for them, would attend to the account given of the nature of this sin, that it is a total and willing renouncing of Christ, and His cause, and joining with His enemies, it would relieve them from wrong fears. We should ourselves beware, and caution others, of every approach near a gulf so awful as apostasy; yet in doing this, we should keep close to the word of God, and be careful not to wound and terrify the weak, or discourage the fallen and penitent.

Believers not only taste of the word of God, but they drink it in. And this fruitful field or garden receives the blessing. But the merely nominal Christian, continuing unfruitful under the means of grace, or producing nothing but deceit and selfishness, was near the awful state described above; and everlasting misery was the end reserved for him. Let us watch with humble caution and prayer concerning ourselves.

There are things that are never separated from salvation; things that show the person to be in a state of salvation and which will end in eternal salvation. And the things that accompany salvation are better things than any dissembler or apostate ever enjoyed. The works of love, done for the glory of Christ, or done to his saints for Christ's sake, from time to time, as God gives occasion, are evident marks of a man's salvation; and more sure tokens of saving grace given, than the enlightenings and tastings spoken of before. No love is to be regarded as love but working love; and no works are right works that do not flow from love to Christ.

The hope referred to here is a confident expectation of good things promised, an expectation that comes through those promises and is accompanied by love, desire, and valuing them. Hope has its degrees, just as faith does. The promise of blessedness that God has made to believers originates from God's eternal purpose, settled between the eternal Father, Son, and Spirit. These promises of God can be safely relied upon, for in them we find two unchangeable things: God's counsel and His oath, in which it is impossible for Him to lie, as that would be contrary to His nature as well as to His will.

And since He cannot lie, the destruction of the unbeliever and the salvation of the believer are equally certain. Note here that those to whom God has given full security of happiness have a title to the promises by inheritance. The consolations of God are strong enough to support His people under their heaviest trials. Here is a refuge for all sinners who flee to the mercy of God—through the redemption of Christ, according to the covenant of grace—setting aside all other confidences.

In this world, we are like a ship at sea, tossed up and down and in danger of being shipwrecked. We need an anchor to keep us secure and steady. Gospel hope is our anchor in the storms of this world. It is sure and steadfast; otherwise, it could not keep us so. The free grace of God, the merits and mediation of Christ, and the powerful influences of His Spirit are the grounds of this hope, and thus it is a steadfast hope.

Christ is the object and ground of the believer's hope. Therefore, let us set our affections on things above and wait patiently for His appearance, when we will certainly appear with Him in glory.