What Does it Mean to Fall Away in the Bible?

1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this will we do, if God permit. 4 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, 6 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. 7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

Hebrews 6:1-8 | KJV

Spending time in church can be a very dangerous thing for some people who eventually turn their backs on God. That is what I think these verses are referring too. There is a danger in knowing too much about the bible, and then not practicing what you preach. I don't think it is warning about hypocrisy but about apostasy. People already think Christians are narrow minded and so forth, this warning in the bible is for those who profess to be religious but they over a long period of time show no evidence or fruit from their relationship with Christ. It will be very difficult for these people on the judgement Day, because they might have been in the church their whole lives, but ended up with a dead faith with no power to follow through on their convictions.

Christ died once for the sins of mankind and it is through our faith in that once for all sacrifice that we are forgiven daily. We must be forgiven daily, because we sin daily. Just because we repented once for our conversion or salvation doesn't mean that we will never sin again. Yes, Jesus forgives us for all our sins, but the bible encourages us to work out our own salvation, and commands us to be holy, without which we will not see the Lord. So in a real sense we cannot sit back and be idle just because we asked God for forgiveness, we cannot take it for granted. We are not to neglect so great a salvation. Hebrews 2:3 "how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard Him". So in a real sense God entrusts us with our own salvation, and those who ultimately turn back into sin, and die in that way, will be told by the Lord that they crucified him afresh and put him to an open shame, (v. 6.) This is Mike.

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