Post 38 of study: Hebrews 6:6ff

 According to the text, if a person rejects Christ after living in the Christian community (see more below), they put Christ to an open shame by "crucifying Him again." Christ was put to an open shame once for our benefit; to do it again shames Him again because one's actions and disbelief (the core of Hebrews) has shown His first death "didn't work." 

Do you do other things that say the first death for us "didn't work"? We do when we keep adding things to the gospel, whether doctrines, actions, rituals, or "demographic requirements."

Then the writer gives an analogy from nature. Think of land that is cultivated and well watered by rain (a better irrigant than well water, as any one with a garden will know) but bears no fruit and in fact bears noxious plants. This land is of no use and is burned. Land that is burned can lie fallow and then perhaps be used later, but it's not useful for a wild. It has, if land could have a will, gone against what its purpose is despite all its advantages. 

These are frightening and stern words.  As deep and wide and broad as is God's love, we approach God with a recognition of the reality of what He is offering, and to say, "Uh, no thanks God, I'll pass," after knowing that depth and breadth and height and knowing Christian community--there's no way back. 

Fortunately, this scenario is almost hypothetical. It is a possibility, but highly unlikely. The writer wants the to know the consequences, then follows it up with a great "BUT"--We are confident of better things concerning you, even though we speak this way. 

Addendum: We don't really get Christian community. First century Christian community came from the fact that believers were often rejected by their families and got a new family; we are not "like family" as Christians, we are family. They understood needing each other, which we do not as much. We add the relationships at church rather than depending on them very much. I've been thinking about Christian community a lot; COVID has ruined our experience of it.