present active participle in Hebr. 6:6

dixonps at juno.com dixonps at juno.com
Mon May 7 11:15:09 EDT 2001




On Mon, 7 May 2001 08:23:35 -0400 "Robert D. (Bob) Wilson"
<robtdwilson at yahoo.com> writes:
> 
> Think logically with me for a moment: if a farmer burns off an 
> unfruitful field, does that assume that he is then required to 
> turn the title deed of that property over to his enemy?  Does 
> he forever turn his back on that burnt field? Of course not!  
> What was the purpose of his actions? He burns off the waste
> so that he may take that exact same field, replant it, and bring 
> to maturity a better crop -- on the exact same field.  In the
> context of the whole book of Hebrews, there are five major 
> "negative" or "judgment" passages.  This is the only one that 
> has ever been used to imply loss of salvation or never having
> salvation.  Why not rather look at this passage in the light of
> "whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth."  

Bob,

We must be careful not to push a metaphor  or simile further than the
author does himself.  The author extends the figure to blessing or
cursing and burning.  There is no suggestion that the purpose of the
cursing and burning is for restoration. 

Besides, such an interpretation runs smack into what appears to be an
insurmountable obstacle:  it is impossible to renew such individuals  to
repentance (ADUNATON ... PALIN ANAKAINIZEIN EIS METANOIAN).

Paul Dixon



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