“…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.”

Now we see the end of the writer’s argument. When a person has gone through the process of rebirth and all that it brings, they have been through a one-time event. It cannot be repeated. It cannot be duplicated. Jesus went to the cross once and will not go again. He was raised once and will not need to be raised a second time. If a person has also shared in the death of the cross and the burial in the tomb and rose a new person they cannot go through that again. It becomes impossible to restore them.

Once the Christian has known the new birth and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, nothing else can be done for them if they reject the experience. It is important to notice that this person has reached the point where repentance is not possible. If the cross and resurrection of Jesus are rejected, then there is no other possible means of salvation.

To deny the saving power of the cross is to hold all that Jesus did in contempt. Jesus continually warned against looking back to the former way of life, thus rejecting His work in salvation. If you pick up the plow, you can’t look back. You can’t be sidetracked into other less important tasks. To do so is to deny the salvation of the cross. Since there is no other salvation, this means those who have rejected Him can’t be restored. There is no means for restoration.

Task for Today: Look back at the previous two verses. Ask yourself if they describe you. If they do, then you must make sure you stay in the state mentioned. To deny those things is to reject the cross. Cling to the cross. Today recommit yourself to the way of the cross and the Savior who died for you and bore your sins. It is your only hope.