The Word of God Does Fall on Bad Soil

HC LD 31; Matthew 13:1-23; Hebrews 6:4-12

Lord’s Day 31 talks about the keys to God’s kingdom. In other words, and to be very reductionist - what gets you into and keeps you out of heaven? Q&A 83 says there are 2 keys - God’s kingdom is opened to believers and closed to unbelievers by the gospel and church disciple. Today, we focus on gospel as key. When you hear it and believe in Christ as he’s offered in the gospel, you’re saved from your sins. Heaven is open; Christ’s benefits of salvation are yours. But when you hear and reject it, not accompanying the hearing with faith, then you remain a sinner and unsaved. Heaven’s shut off to you. And on judgment day, you’ll face God’s anger and eternal condemnation.

We see this in the Parable of the Sower. Jesus told of a man planting seeds among 4 types of soil. The good soil represented the believing heart. It bore fruits of salvation. On the other hand, the pathway was hard ground - the person rejects the gospel and remains in unbelief. But then, there were 2 other bad soils - the rocky and thorny soil. They received the gospel, but didn’t follow through. The stony soil represents those who hear the gospel, receive it with joy, but have no root. There’s emotion, but no true belief. So when tribulation comes, they fall away. The thorny ground, also represents those who also received the gospel, but because of the cares of the world, they too fall away. They heard it with joy, but didn’t continue in faith. Their faith was incomplete. Sure knowledge, yes, but no firm confidence. They were in church, but not part of God’s true people. The catechism calls them hypocrites. Q&A 84 - “the kingdom of heaven is closed when it is proclaimed and testified to all unbelievers and hypocrites that the wrath of God and eternal condemnation rest on them as long as they do not repent.” Now, we’re all hypocritical. But “hypocrite” here is a technical term. It refers to those who identify as Christian, but don’t truly believed. We’ll explore who they are from Hebrews 6, and why the kingdom of heaven is shut to them despite them having the gospel. There are 3 things we learn about them. Firstly, not all professing Christians are true believers. Secondly, hypocrites will ultimately reject the gospel and face God’s eternal condemnation. Thirdly, God exhorts Christians to press on in the gospel.

Firstly, not all professing Christians are true believers. Verses 4-6 say - “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, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”

We see there are those who shall fall away - as in fall away from the faith, even though they were enlightened and tasted the gospel. Who are they? They’re professing believers. Unbelievers and pagans can’t fall away. In order to fall away from Christ, you must’ve identified with Christ, and called yourself Christian. Now we know genuinely saved Christians can never fall away. When Christ saved us, he gave us spiritual life, conquered the power of death for us, and delivered us from darkness into his marvelous light. He even replaced our heart of stone with a heart of flesh. If genuine Christians can lose their salvation, then a reversal must happen - God must replace our hearts of flesh with hearts of stone, we must be banished from the kingdom of light back into darkness, and he must return us to the power of death and the devil. But Jude 24 says clearly that God “is able to keep you from falling.” So genuine Christians can never fall away. Nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. But those who merely profess but have never really believed, can and do fall away. They’re the hypocrites - who hear the gospel every week - but never truly believe and give their lives to Christ.

Before this passage, the author has been addressing the Hebrew Christians as brethren. But here in verses 4-8, he refers to those that have fallen away as “they.” They weren’t true believers. They were hypocrites. They were external members of the covenant community. As we know, not everyone who does confession of faith, or is baptized is a true believer. The New Covenant community is only perfect in heaven - only there do we not need teachers. But we’re not there yet, so the New Covenant community still has wheat and tares. So the fall-away ones had professed their faith and were baptized. They had some gospel experience, but did not enter God’s kingdom by it. Now, how did they experience the gospel? They experienced it in 5 ways.

Verse 4 - they were enlightened. “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened.” They had knowledge of the truth. They understood the gospel. There was a sure knowledge. To pass the COF interview, they had to soundly profess their faith and knowledge in the Lord Jesus. But to be enlightened is different from believing and embracing the Christ who is revealed in the gospel. Nothing is said about their faith, or justification, or being born again. They were only enlightened. Verse 4 - they also tasted of the heavenly gift. “For it is impossible for those who have tasted of the heavenly gift.” What’s this heavenly gift? It was the gift of salvation. Now to be sure, they tasted it; they experienced it somewhat; but they did not eat or drink it. Jesus said that he was living water - and whoever drinks shall never thirst again. He said in John 7 - “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” In John 6, he said - “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever.” So to taste is not to eat or drink. They sampled Jesus, found him good, but didn’t commit to him. Remember, in the parable, there were those who received the gospel with joy. But they fell away because the gospel was not joyful enough for them to endure persecution. So Jesus was not embraced, only sampled. They were churchgoers but not Christian.

Verse 4 also says they were partakers in the Holy Spirit. Literally, they were “sharers of holy spirit.” But they didn’t possess THE Holy Spirit. They experienced spiritual things. You know, when people come to church, they learn to pray, sing, and talk about spiritual things. Maybe even pray with Christian jargon. But these weren’t possessors of the Holy Spirit. Also, verse 5 says they enjoyed learning the Word - “For it is impossible for those have tasted the good word of God.” They tasted it and found it good. A person can be well-taught about Christ and the gospel and yet not be a believer. Yes, even unbelievers can be touched by the Word. Mark 6:20 says King Herod knew John the Baptizer was a just and holy man - that’s why he heard him gladly. This wicked king liked preaching. It tasted good, but in the end, he rejected it and had John beheaded. Also verse 5, they witnessed miracles - “For it is impossible for those who have tasted the powers of the world to come.” The word “power” refers to miracles. In the early church, Christians witnessed miracles which God used to authenticate the gospel. So they saw and experienced them. But miracles didn’t convince everyone. The Pharisees saw Christ’s miracles, but didn’t believe. So these churchgoers had been enlightened, tasted the gift of salvation, experienced spiritual things, found the word good, and witnessed miracles. They were all in church and yet fell away. And if they fell away after seeing and experiencing these things, we’re told it’s impossible for them to repent - it’s impossible for them to return to the Lord. These were hypocrites - the technical term. And they’d always existed.

The generation in Exodus perished because they rejected God - despite seeing all his miracles. Even missionaries like Demas - he went back into the world. Or Judas Iscariot - he was with Jesus for 3 years. Even baptized adults - like Simon the Magician. They were for a time in the covenant community, but they were shown to be hypocrites! “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? Depart from me, I never knew you.” You see, this is what the Hebrew Christians were going through too. They and children who’d grown up with all the blessings, but when they were of age, they left Christ. They didn’t take seriously the command to believe. They’ve received a multitude of blessings - but they didn’t care. The gospel had shut the door of heaven to them because they didn’t believe it.

Secondly, hypocrites will ultimately reject the gospel and face God’s eternal condemnation. Now, all genuinely saved Christians are hypocritical. We’re saved by Christ to be holy, but we’re not always holy. We’re redeemed to serve Christ, but we struggle with serving ourselves. That’s why Christ rebuked the seven churches of Revelation. Christians are not immune from sin. But Christians repent. Christians are dissatisfied with their lack of holiness; they hate their sins, even though they give into them. Martin Luther said that we are saints and sinners at the same time - simul justus et peccator. But falling away is not falling into sin. A Christian does struggle and fall into sin. But these hypocrites fall away from Christ. And we don’t fall away because of a specific sin - believers sin, and even though they sin less, they’re not sinless. Abraham sinned by lying - but he didn’t fall away. He lied many times. Noah got drunk - but he didn’t fall away. David committed adultery - but was not cast off. Peter denied Christ thrice - but was restored. Why? Because he repented. God loves a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

But the hypocrite will not repent nor pursue a holy life. That’s why they’ll fall away; they’ll abandon their relationship with Christ. And they’ll face God’s eternal condemnation. Q&A 84 says, “The kingdom of heaven is closed when it is proclaimed and testified to all unbelievers and hypocrites that the wrath of God and eternal condemnation rest on them as long as they do not repent.” And our passage testifies to hypocrites what their falling away will bring. Verse 4 starts - “for it is impossible, for those who have experienced all these blessings and fall away, to, [verse 6,] renew them again unto repentance.” It’s impossible. In Greek grammar, if you want to emphasize a word, the most important word, you put it first in the sentence. Literally, it’s - “Impossible it is for them to be repent and believe.” It’s impossible for the one who refuses to repent but falls and turns away from Christ, even though he’s enjoyed gospel benefits, it is impossible for him to repent again. God who grants the gift repentance will no longer give it, because the hypocrite who falls away will not repent. He treats the gospel as an unclean thing. Now, if forgiveness and salvation are accompanied by repentance, then when there’s no repentance, there’s no forgiveness and salvation. It’s impossible. Hebrews 6:18 says it’s impossible for God to lie; and Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith it’s impossible to please God - so here, it’s impossible for the one fallen away from Christ to ever return.

And the reason why there’s such a condemnation is because, as verse 6 says, “they are crucifying to themselves the Son of God afresh, and putting him to an open shame.” If the hypocrite knows, sees, hears the gospel and experiences Christian blessings; and if he falls away, then he’s aligning himself with those who crucified and mocked Christ. Meaning, his crime is worse than those who crucified Christ. They did it in ignorance, but he did it despite maximum knowledge. This is why Christ said Bethsaida and Chorazin will have greater judgment than Tyre and Sidon, or even Sodom and Gomorrah. There’s no more divine grace for the hypocrite that apostatizes. 2 Peter 2:21 says this - “For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”

That’s why their penalty is eternal condemnation. They’re shut from the kingdom of heaven. Verses 7 and 8 tell us. From all the benefits and blessings they received, there should’ve been a better result. Land which receives rain brings forth fruit - God blesses that land. That should be the way. But some lands brings forth thorns and briers, even though it receives the same rain. That land shall be burned. This illustration is meant to show that both hear the same gospel, but some unto belief, and others unto condemnation. When the gospel of God is disbelieved and rejected, the condemnation will be severe. The burning here refers to the last judgment. And that’s why it’s so scary. The church has wheat and tares; believers and hypocrites. They’re together in the same church, doing the same things - but one bears fruit, the other is wayang. Time and crisis will show. The world’s cares and trouble reveal the heart - whether the gospel truly took root or not.

We all know of people like that don’t we? Once they followed Christ, but then, they chose not to. But the point of this passage is not to cause us to judge others. We aren’t supposed to point out hypocrites as if we can surely tell. But yes, we’re to point out hypocrisy - and that’s where church discipline comes in. But the point of this sermon is also for us to consider ourselves. The gospel opens the door to heaven. It causes us to always repent and living for Christ.

Therefore, we see lastly, God exhorts Christians to press on in the gospel. After talking about those hypocrites who fall away, the author addresses believers. He refers to them not as those or they, but as you. Verse 9 - “But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.” He comforts, assures, and exhorts them to press on in Christ. If the gospel is the key that shuts heaven from unbelievers and hypocrites; it opens the door to those who truly believe - these are the beloved. And the beloved of God press on. The author was persuaded there’d be things that accompany their salvation. In the parable of the sower, the seed in good ground bore much fruit. And here, the author listed 3 fruits of true believers. Because heaven’s doors are opened to them, their lives show forth love for Christ through serving fellow believers. Verse 10 - “God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” We may think so what? So easy. No. It was dangerous then. People were persecuted. They were tempted to hide their Christianity. But to hide meant they’d turn others away. In Nazi Germany, many people disagreed with the policies. They sympathized with the Jews. But they didn’t help them or give refuge because they’d be marked as sympathizers. And sympathizers were jailed. Like Corrie Ten Boom - she went to jail because of her faith in Christ and love for others. These Hebrew Christians showed love and risked their lives. Their hearts were good ground - not rocky soil.

That’s why the gospel also produced tenacious hope. Verse 11 - “And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end.” A Christian has confident expectation in the return of Christ. Wrongs will be righted! Yes, it’s hard to live as a Christian. There are many constraints and demands on us to be holy. Yes, it’s easier to give into the world’s pleasures - its cares - like the thorny soil. But if we persevere to the end, there’ll be a reward. We must cultivate tenacity. When Christ comes, all our perseverance in giving up sin and finding pleasure in Christian things will pay off. It doesn’t pay to give into sin.

And because they genuine, the gospel produced faithfulness. Verse 12 - “That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” True faithfulness persevere unto death. Christians were being persecuted in Rome. They were tempted to give up. But the author told them not to be slothful, but to imitate the faithful who endured. They died, and received the promise of eternal life. That’s authentic Christianity. They didn’t only have sure knowledge, they believed it; they not only tasted the bread of life, they ate it; they didn’t only partake in spiritual things, they possessed the Spirit; all of them believed the gospel and were in the kingdom of heaven.

Now, how do we apply this? And there may be those in our midst we are not believers. You don’t even pretend to be believers. You may be seekers - or not. But you’ve heard the gospel - that Jesus receives sinners and forgives them. Will you not believe that message today? And come to Christ who opens the door to heaven for you? Now, we also don’t doubt there are hypocrites here. They pass as Christians. They think they’re Christians. I don’t know who they are. They may not know that they are. That’s why we press on. We pursue after Christ. We make sure of our salvation. God willing, there will be fewer and fewer hypocrites as people heed the call of the gospel. But let the church never doubt this - from time to time, the hypocrite will emerge. That’s when we must urge them to turn to Christ, by preaching gospel - the keys to heaven; and if they won’t, it’s to shut God’s kingdom to them by church discipline. Let the church be clear on this.

But to end on this note is not fitting. Yes, we know there were Judas, Demas, Simon the Magician, and the Exodus generation. But we also know Christ restored Peter when he repented. And dearly beloved, there are some who have sinned grievously here. But you truly trust in the Lord. Press on in your faith. Look away from the world. Don’t delight in the things of the world. Cultivate Christian affections. Enjoy spiritual things. Pursue a gospel-shaped life in hoping for Christ’s coming, and serving the saints. If you have doubts from time to time, clarify them. Deal with them - don’t leave them unanswered. Think on Christ again. Find ways to deepen your faith. And you can. Christ is always there to help you. Why? Because he loves you. You belong to him. He’s our deliverer and savior.