If we are IN CHRIST, we will safely cross to the far shore. But I don’t know how to get around passages like these:
“For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. 7 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.”
“11-15 “This is what the parable means. The seed is the message of God. The seed sown by the roadside represents those who hear the message, and then the devil comes and takes it away from their hearts so that they cannot believe it and be saved. That sown on the rock represents those who accept the message with great delight when they hear it, but have no real root. They believe for a little while but when the time of temptation comes, they lose faith...”
“But I don’t know how to get around passages like these:”
Indeed, it is a hard question on your part. If someone is saved by their own free-will, how can it be said that someone who apostatizes is IMPOSSIBLE for him to be reconverted, regardless of how far he falls? It stands to reason that if the will is unhindered, and is able to make its own decisions, then there is always hope so long as there is life to decide, no matter how black and degraded a man becomes. Certainly, people even in worse conditions came to Christ at first.
But since we know that men are saved by grace, by the will of God utterly, as says the scriptures posted here over and over again, that it is impossible for them to be lost, even in the face of supreme delusion:
Mat_24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, IF IT WERE POSSIBLE, they shall deceive the very elect.
Those who are Christ’s sheep, are always His sheep. They do not morph into something else, for we are known before the world was even established:
Eph_1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
And we also know, that once the Holy Spirit has begun a work in us, He continues to do so until the day of Jesus Christ:
Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
So, how then is Hebrews reconciled?
Heb 6:4-5 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, (5) And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
These are never called the elect, nor are they said to have been born of the Spirit. Everywhere when Paul speaks of believers, he calls them the elect, and calls their salvation secure, in the past tense. Their knowledge of the things of the Spirit is in the form of “tastes,” but not actual possession. They have not drank it. They have not eaten it. They have only tasted the outward manifestations of it. They have enlightenment, but it is a natural enlightenment, which so far has not “eaten” and “drank” the Lord Jesus Christ. They are said to be “partakers of the Holy Ghost,” and then “have tasted the good work of God, and the powers of the world to come.” Since the scripture cannot be contradicted, these scriptures must have reference, therefore, for those who joined the Christian church, but who were not the elect, and who had the benefit of witnessing the miracles of the Holy Spirit, and of experiencing the outward blessing of the new dispensation, such as witnessing miracles, or being healed themselves, but they themselves, despite an outward profession, were never sheep of our God Jesus Christ.
For example, such as the couple who lied to the Apostles. Yet, they had witnessed the mighty works of God, and dwelled in the physical community of Christ. And as a result of their lie, were destroyed with no chance of later repentence, because the Holy Spirit knows who belongs to Christ:
Act 5:1-10 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, (2) And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. (3) But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? (4) Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. (5) And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. (6) And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. (7) And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. (8) And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. (9) Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. (10) Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.