Religious But Lost

Hebrews 6:4-6

 

Men and women often feel, experience, and do much in religion who never experience God’s saving grace. Neither emotional experience, nor orthodoxy of creed, nor reformation of life is necessarily a token of grace. Hebrews 6:4-6 speaks of such people. Look at what these people have experienced.

 

Enlightened

 

They were once enlightened to an understanding of Gospel truth. These were heretics. These are not Arminians, free-willers, papists, or Hindus. These people know the truth, at least mentally. They intellectually perceive and submit to the doctrinal truths of the gospel. To them, the doctrines of the gospel are logical and reasonable. They accept them as facts plainly revealed in the Word of God.

 

        The fact is – The natural man can see and understand any doctrine taught in Holy Scripture. He cannot see the glory of God in the face of Christ; but he can see and glory in doctrine. He cannot love Christ; but he can love doctrine. The unsaved man may be a better theologian than the believer. But the poor, uneducated believer knows and loves what the unregenerate man never can. The believer knows, loves, trusts, and rejoices in Christ.

 

Tasted Heavenly Gifts

 

Multitudes have tasted the heavenly gifts who have never tasted the Gift of heaven. During the Apostolic age, miraculous gifts were given to men. Some could heal diseases, speak in tongues, and prophesy. But miraculous gifts, which appear to be gifts of the Spirit, are by no means an evidence of grace, salvation, and eternal life. Gifts of the Spirit can be, and often are, counterfeited by Satan (2 Thess. 2:7-10).

 

        Tasting the heavenly gifts and powers of the world to come is not salvation. Salvation is eating the Bread of Life. Salvation is not in miraculous gifts, but in immutable grace. Salvation is not in feelings, emotions, and experiences, no matter how great and life changing they may be. Salvation is in Christ! A man can preach with power and eloquence, and yet not know Christ. – Judas did. A man can perform miracles, and not know God. – Pharaoh’s magicians did. A man can cast out demons, and yet be the messenger of Satan (Matt. 7:21-23). A person can speak in tongues, and yet speak by the power of the devil. A man can preach, promote, and defend righteousness, and yet speak by him who transforms his ministers into angels of light and preachers of righteousness. Spiritual gifts and usefulness must not be looked upon as evidences of grace and salvation.

 

Partakers of the Holy Ghost

 

This passage even speaks of lost men and women who have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost. Many people look at that and say, “Without question, these were once saved people.” But that is not the case at all. We read of wicked King Saul that, “The Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied,” but the Spirit of God was not in him. Balaam spoke by the Spirit and prophesied of Christ’s coming, but never knew the Christ of whom he spoke. In fact, Balaam’s ass even spoke a word from God by the power of his Spirit; but neither Balaam, nor his ass, were born of God.  Caiaphas, the high priest, spoke by the Spirit of God, declaring the gospel as plainly as any man ever did. Yet, he was a lost man.

 

        It is possible for men to say and do things which, considered by themselves, make it appear that they are partakers of the Holy Spirit, though they are not born of the Spirit. There were many in our Lord’s day, as there are today, who believed; but the Master did not commit himself to them, because he knew what was in them (John 2:23-24).

 

Tasted the Word of God

 

We are told in verse 5 that these people have even tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come. They love good preaching, and are moved by it. You find them at every Bible conference. Their emotions are stirred by the preaching of the Word; but it never reaches their hearts.

 

This is what the Holy Spirit teaches us in this passage: -- It is quite possible for men and women to enjoy rare, unusual gifts and experiences, without experiencing God’s saving grace in Christ. Outward gifts and heartfelt emotions impress and deceive. We must have something more. We must have Christ (1 Cor. 13:1-3).