6:3
“And this we will do if God permits” (ESV). This emphasises again the God centred nature of the enterprise. It is only God who can change people’s hearts and minds, and who can lead us on to maturity. Now He involves us in the process, and our part is important, but God is at the centre, He is the source of all things.
6:4
“It is impossible ...” (NIV), ESV has more accurately “For it is impossible ...”. We now get a severe warning. Going onto maturity is not an option, something it would be nice to do if we had the time! It is an imperative. The writer begins by listing various qualities of those who might be in danger of falling away. They have “tasted the heavenly gift”, i.e. they have personal experience of the goodness of the gospel. “Who have shared in the Holy Spirit”. They have a direct experience of God, through the Holy Spirit. We are not talking about nominal Christians here.
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