Hebrews 6:4An Understandable Version (2005 edition)For it is impossible to get people who were once enlightened [by the Gospel message], and who had experienced the gift from heaven [i.e., forgiveness, never ending life, etc. See Rom. 6:23], and who had partaken of the [indwelling] Holy Spirit [See Acts 2:38], See the chapter |
“You people are [like] salt on the earth. But if salt loses its flavoring ability, how will it ever get it back again? From then on it would be good for nothing except to be thrown out onto the roadway and walked on by people. [Note: This was mined salt which, when losing its “saltiness” due to exposure to the sun or rain, was simply disposed of by being dumped onto the roadway where people walked].
For God, who said [Gen. 1:3], “Light will shine out of darkness,” has [also] shone in our hearts to provide [us with] the light of the knowledge of God’s splendor [as it shines] on the face of Christ. [Note: This allusion to “splendor shining on Christ’s face” may be a continuation of the analogy used in 3:13].
If anyone [of you] observes his brother [or sister] sinning [in a way that would not lead] to [spiritual] death, he should ask [God, in prayer, to help that person], and God will give him [spiritual] life, [that is], to such ones, provided their sin is not leading to [spiritual] death. There is such a sin that leads to [spiritual] death. [See Heb. 6:4-6; I Tim. 5:6; Heb. 10:26-27; II Pet. 2:20- 22]. I am not suggesting that you should ask [God, in prayer] about such a situation.