Hebrews Lesson 6: Warning Against Apostasy

In Hebrews 5:11 the reader comes to the third warning passage in the book (5:11-6:20), a stern admonition of spiritual disaster for those who turn away from Christ. The scholarly debate on this passage has been extensive. Interpretive questions abound. Who, exactly, is the focus of the warning? What is one to make of the language in 6:4-5? What is the nature of the "professed" faith and the nature of the "Christian" experience described prior to eventually turning away? The primary issue at stake is whether or not a true Christian can lose his/her salvation. Although my own position will be stated concisely, a full treatment of the intricate and delicate interpretive questions obviously is beyond the scope of a brief teaching outline. Those interested in a more detailed treatment should consult other sources (A ne treatment of the issues, along with ample footnotes, may be found in George H. Guthrie, Hebrews, NIV Application Commentary: Zondervan, 1998).