The motives to perseverance supplied by the sin and punishment of apostasy.
The outlines of the experience of some who have gone back from following Christ are very full and distinct. They include illumination, by which they were translated out of darkness into marvelous light. They had tasted of the heavenly gift of salvation, and had been justified freely by his grace. The Holy Spirit had dwelt within him. They had tasted the good Word of God in the precious promise of eternal life, and had enjoyed the possession of some miraculous powers which are described as "the powers of the age to come." Yet they fell away, and became bold and defiant contemners of the Son of God; and repeated as far as they could the crucifixion of our Lord by their bitter derision of his claims to be the true Messiah. In spirit and speech they put once more the crown of thorns on his brow, the reed in his hand, and cried, "Away with him!" Such daring impiety seems to present an example of the sin against the Holy Ghost, which is punished with judicial blindness and impenitency now, and the Divine anger in the life to come. It was impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they refused the only remedy which could restore them; and may have haply resembled some of the serpent-bitten Hebrews in the desert who rejected the Divine provision for their recovery, and paid the penalty of death for their unbelief and disobedience. The passage concludes with an illustration drawn from the cultivation bestowed on different kinds of soil. One is watered by the river of God, which is full of water and cherished by the sunlight, and produces crops for the use and comfort of man. Such soil has received and used the Divine blessing, and is an object of sabbatic delight to him who rejoices in the success of his plant and the comfort of mankind. Another kind of soil represents that nature which, with all the aids of heaven and opportunities of spiritual good, produces objections and disobedience; and "is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." For such there is a "fearful looking for of judgment," which is foreshadowed in the curse pronounced upon rebellious Israel: "And that whole land is brimstone, and salt, and burning; it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the Lord overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath" (Deuteronomy 29:23). By such varied motives and appeals does inspiration warn us against the sin and punishment of drawing back from Christ, and encourage us by the blessedness of abiding with him for safety and fruitfulness.—B.