Regret and Return

Once you have had something and then choose to reject it, is there a chance you will want it again?

For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit,  and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come,  and then have fallen away, since on their own they are crucifying again the Son of God and are holding him up to contempt. - Hebrews 6:4-6

Today's reading seems a little harsh.  It says that those who fall away after having been baptized are crucifying Christ again and they will never be able to be restored.

I am not sure I agree with that.

Throughout The Bible, we have stories of God's chosen rejecting God and being welcomed back.  Sure, there are stories of God punishing some, but didn't Jesus come to bring back those who had gone astray?

Are we to believe that if Jesus saved us and then we reject Jesus we are damned?

What about those who show remorse?  Do they get a do over?

I think they do.  We can always change.  And those who have gone astray need to know that.  What is the value of redemption and salvation if it only applies once?

Jesus told his disciples to forgive many times, not just once, so I believe we can all get up again if we fall. 

That's the Good News of the Gospel.  Jesus accepts the sinners.  He accepts all of us.

Of course we should try to stay the course and not stray, but if we do, we can come home again.

More to come...