The fascinating reformed theology paradox of Hebrew 6:4-6

[Mercy Shown]

Hebrew 6:4-6

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

This passage seems to put a dagger into the argument that a save person cannot ever be lost for it describes a person who was enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, became partaker of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come. To most of us, that sounds like a saved person, but as one reformed saint explained to me, these people were never saved in the first place. When I asked how he knew this, he replied, "Because they fell away."

I did not want to jump into the swirl of that circular argument so I let sleeping dogs lie. But I have thought about what he said for a long time. He was also a proponent of total depravity, often citing 1 Corinthians 2:14 in the King James Version of the Bible, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

So we have two conflicting statements. When I combine his two arguments, I have a paradox. Either these people were saved and fell away from it, or they were never saved and yet were able to be enlightened, taste the heavenly gift, partake of the Holy Spirit, and taste the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, all of which seem to be denied possible to a lost person according to1 Corinthians 2:14.

Are the lost sinners who were able to understand spiritual things until they fell away, or were they saved saints until they chose to fall away? If they were lost sinners, what did they fall away from?

If John Calvin were here, I'd ask him. (If I had a fire proof suit to wear.)

 

[Clare73]

Hebrew 6:4-6

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened,

Know much theology.

and have tasted the heavenly gift,

Can feel the effectiveness of the Holy Spirit giving them a taste of religion (as in the seed which fell in the soil with the thorns which eventually choked it).

and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,

As in Mt 7:21-23, prophesying, driving out demons, performing many miracles, yet whom Jesus never knew.

and have tasted the good word of God

Who like what they hear but it never takes hold in them.

and the powers of the age to come,

They may favor heaven and fear hell.

if they fall away,

Because they were never truly converted, the seed (of the gospel) had no good soil.

to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

They are rejecting the remedy (Heb 10:26), just as those who blaspheme the Holy Spirit are rejecting the remedy (Christ).

No torturing of the passage, just correct understanding in light of the whole NT, for God does not contradict himself in his word.
And where me make it contradictory, we can know that we are misunderstanding it.

This passage seems to put a dagger into the argument that a save person cannot ever be lost for it describes a person who was enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, became partaker of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come. To most of us, that sounds like a saved person, but as one reformed saint explained to me, these people were never saved in the first place. When I asked how he knew this, he replied, "Because they fell away."

I did not want to jump into the swirl of that circular argument so I let sleeping dogs lie. But I have thought about what he said for a long time. He was also a proponent of total depravity, often citing 1 Corinthians 2:14 in the King James Version of the Bible, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

So we have two conflicting statements. When I combine his two arguments, I have a paradox. Either these people were saved and fell away from it, or they were never saved and yet were able to be enlightened, taste the heavenly gift, partake of the Holy Spirit, and taste the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, all of which seem to be denied possible to a lost person according to1 Corinthians 2:14.

Are the lost sinners who were able to understand spiritual things until they fell away, or were they saved saints until they chose to fall away? If they were lost sinners, what did they fall away from?

If John Calvin were here, I'd ask him. (If I had a fire proof suit to wear.

 

[HTacianas]

Hebrew 6:4-6

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

This passage seems to put a dagger into the argument that a save person cannot ever be lost for it describes a person who was enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, became partaker of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come. To most of us, that sounds like a saved person, but as one reformed saint explained to me, these people were never saved in the first place. When I asked how he knew this, he replied, "Because they fell away."

I did not want to jump into the swirl of that circular argument so I let sleeping dogs lie. But I have thought about what he said for a long time. He was also a proponent of total depravity, often citing 1 Corinthians 2:14 in the King James Version of the Bible, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

So we have two conflicting statements. When I combine his two arguments, I have a paradox. Either these people were saved and fell away from it, or they were never saved and yet were able to be enlightened, taste the heavenly gift, partake of the Holy Spirit, and taste the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, all of which seem to be denied possible to a lost person according to1 Corinthians 2:14.

Are the lost sinners who were able to understand spiritual things until they fell away, or were they saved saints until they chose to fall away? If they were lost sinners, what did they fall away from?

If John Calvin were here, I'd ask him. (If I had a fire proof suit to wear.)

They were saved saints who chose to fall away. It's mostly written to earl Jewish Christians who left the faith to return to Judaism. The idea of falling away into condemnation is something that has always existed in Christianity. Note what Paul had to say to the Romans:

Rom 11:22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.

You have a lot of Protestants whose tradition tells them one cannot fall away -or be cut off- so they torture the language to make it say what they want it to say. Oddly, they are also the ones who preach sola scriptura -scripture alone- as the only source of doctrine, but when scripture contradicts their doctrine their doctrine overrules scripture. As if to say, "I only believe in the bible but the bible doesn't really mean what it says".

 

[One God and Father of All]

They were saved saints who chose to fall away. It's mostly written to earl Jewish Christians who left the faith to return to Judaism. The idea of falling away into condemnation is something that has always existed in Christianity. Note what Paul had to say to the Romans:

Rom 11:22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.

You have a lot of Protestants whose tradition tells them one cannot fall away -or be cut off- so they torture the language to make it say what they want it to say. Oddly, they are also the ones who preach sola scriptura -scripture alone- as the only source of doctrine, but when scripture contradicts their doctrine their doctrine overrules scripture. As if to say, "I only believe in the bible but the bible doesn't really mean what it says".

24Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it 25And everyone who competes for the prize [j]is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. (1 Cor 9:24-27)

 

[Mercy Shown]

Know much theology.

Can feel the effectiveness of the Holy Spirit giving them a taste of religion (as in the seed which fell in the soil with the thorns which eventually choked it).

How can they feel the Holy Spirit if they cannot discern the spiritual things?

As in Mt 7:21-23, prophesying, driving out demons, performing many miracles, yet whom Jesus never knew.

So you fall on the side that says that people can partake of the Holy Spirit without actually being saved but how does that square with 1 Cor 2:14?
And how can someone with an unregenerate heart command the power of the Holy Spirit?

Who like what they hear but it never takes hold in them.

How can one who is "unable to understand the things of the Spirit of God" like what they hear? They could not understand what they hear, right?

They may favor heaven and fear hell.

Because they were never truly converted, the seed (of the gospel) had no good soil.
An unconverted person takes part in the Holy Spirit. But
They are rejecting the remedy (Heb 10:26), just as those who blaspheme the Holy Spirit are rejecting the remedy (Christ).

They take part in the Holy Spirit. But the bible asks, "What fellowship has light with darkness?" Why did they stop taking part in the Holy Spirit? Did they choose to stop?

No torturing of the passage, just correct understanding in light of the whole NT, for God does not contradict himself in his word.
And where me make it contradictory, we can know that we are misunderstanding it.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

One has to read the verses starting in 5:12 to understand these statements' context.

One must go back to 6:1-3 to understand this context better.
Hebrews 6:1-3 KJV
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.

So Paul is exhorting them to move on from the elementary doctrines to the mature doctrines, but only if God permits.
That is what you have to understand when proceeding on to verses 4 on.

It does not discuss salvation or losing salvation. It discusses doctrine, moving on from baby doctrine to mature doctrine, and why God might allow you to proceed.
Paul is simply saying that if they wanted to re-institute the daily sacrifice, that would mean Jesus would have to be crucified daily. Since that would not happen, their doctrine was unworkable and dangerous.

Weymouth renders it much better:

Hebrews 6:6 Weymouth
6 it is impossible, I say, to keep bringing them back to a new repentance, for, to their own undoing, they are repeatedly crucifying the Son of God afresh and exposing Him to open shame.

He is simply showing how unworkable this hypothetical hybrid doctrine would be. The specific doctrine they are mutilating is the first listed in verse 6:1.

"...Repentance from dead works.."

That being repenting from the works of the law, which are dead and never saved a single soul. They were trying to reinstitute this doctrine back into their NT, which would render the gospel unworkable. Jesus would not go back to the cross, so there would be no more repentance for them. This doctrine would simply not work.

 

[Mercy Shown]

One has to read the verses starting in 5:12 to understand these statements' context.

One must go back to 6:1-3 to understand this context better.
Hebrews 6:1-3 KJV
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.

So Paul is exhorting them to move on from the elementary doctrines to the mature doctrines, but only if God permits.
That is what you have to understand when proceeding on to verses 4 on.

It does not discuss salvation or losing salvation. It discusses doctrine, moving on from baby doctrine to mature doctrine, and why God might allow you to proceed.
Paul is simply saying that if they wanted to re-institute the daily sacrifice, that would mean Jesus would have to be crucified daily. Since that would not happen, their doctrine was unworkable and dangerous.

Weymouth renders it much better:

Hebrews 6:6 Weymouth
6 it is impossible, I say, to keep bringing them back to a new repentance, for, to their own undoing, they are repeatedly crucifying the Son of God afresh and exposing Him to open shame.

He is simply showing how unworkable this hypothetical hybrid doctrine would be. The specific doctrine they are mutilating is the first listed in verse 6:1.

"...Repentance from dead works.."

That being repenting from the works of the law, which are dead and never saved a single soul. They were trying to reinstitute this doctrine back into their NT, which would render the gospel unworkable. Jesus would not go back to the cross, so there would be no more repentance for them. This doctrine would simply not work.

So then, why identify this class of people so thoroughly? This is a very specific set of identifiers, such as, enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and thave tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come,and it even identifies the end for these people in verse 8. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

It states that it is impossible to renew them onto repentance again and explains why. They crucify Christ afresh. It doesn't say daily. They put him to open shame. Does this not fit with those mentioned in Chapter 10? "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries."

How can one receive the Knowledge of truth if the Holy Spirit has not renewed them? 1 Cor 2:14 seems to say it is not possible..

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Context context context!!!!
Hebrews 5:11-14 Weymouth
11 Concerning Him we have much to say, and much that it would be difficult to make clear to you, since you have become so dull of apprehension. (((Context - they were unable to receive mature teaching)))
12 For although, considering the long time you have been believers, you ought now to be teachers of others, you really need some one to teach you over again the very rudiments of the truths of God, and you have come to require milk instead of solid food.
(((Context - They needed someone to teach the rudimnent of the teaching all over again... milk vs solid food)))
13 By people who live on milk I mean those who are imperfectly acquainted with the teaching concerning righteousness.
(((Context - They were milk drinkers, not mature in their teaching)))
14 Such persons are mere babes. But solid food is for adults--that is, for those who through constant practice have their spiritual faculties carefully trained to distinguish good from evil. (((Context - So immature were they in their teaching diet, that they were babes in their doctrine)))

There is nothing in these verses about their salvation or sin. It is all about the word immaturity of the Hebrew Christians.

Hebrews 6:1-3 Weymouth
1 Therefore leaving elementary instruction about the Christ, let us advance to mature manhood and not be continually re-laying a foundation of repentance from lifeless works and of faith in God,
(((Context - must move on from the elementary teachings.)))
2 or of teaching about ceremonial washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and the last judgement.
(((Context - continues to list out the elementary teachings. Nothing whatsoever to do their with salvation or sin)))
3 And advance we will, if God permits us to do so.
(((Context - Question: Permit them to do what? Answer - Permit the to "advance to mature manhood" teaching. Not a word here about their sin or lost of salvation.)))

One must enter into the next verses with the continued context of this passage. To suddenly change the context from the discussion of Word Maturity to sin and salvation is bad analysis! The verses that follow must both continue on in the context of the passage AND address the final statement "if God permit."

So many of us are so sin-conscious that we automatically assume everything is about sin and salvation. Of course, these are very important! But if we change the context from "doctrinal maturity" to "sin and salvation," we miss entirely what is being said.

 

[Clare73]

How can they feel the Holy Spirit if they cannot discern the spiritual things?

Explained in my post.

So you fall on the side that says that people can partake of the Holy Spirit without actually being saved but how does that square with 1 Cor 2:14?

Those in 1 Co 2:14 have no influence of the Holy Spirit.
Those in Mt 7:22-23 do, but it is not to salvation, as it was not in Saul.

And how can someone with an unregenerate heart command the power of the Holy Spirit?

Neither the regenerate nor the unregenerate "command" the power of the Holy Spirit.
Their command is the removal of the impairment.
The Holy Spirit decides where he will operate, for what purpose, and where he will not.

How can one who is "unable to understand the things of the Spirit of God" like what they hear? They could not understand what they hear, right?

Apart from the operation of the Holy Spirit, the gospel is foolishness.
The Holy Spirit operates in some of the unregenerate (Mt 7:22-23) for his own purposes, which do not include salvation.

They take part in the Holy Spirit. But the bible asks, "What fellowship has light with darkness?" Why did they stop taking part in the Holy Spirit? Did they choose to stop?

There is no fellowship, they do not participate in, they are operated upon.

 

[Mercy Shown]

Explained in my post.

Those in 1 Co 2:14 have no influence of the Holy Spirit.
Those in Mt 7:22-23 do, but it is not to salvation, as it was not in Saul.
'

Ok, but there is no evidence that Saul was never saved nor that the men mentioned in Mt 7:22-23 were operating by the power of the Holy Spirit. The devil can do lying wonders that, if it were possible, would deceive the very elect.

Neither the regenerate nor the unregenerate "command" the power of the Holy Spirit.
Their command is the removal of the impairment.
The Holy Spirit decides where he will operate, for what purpose, and where he will not.

This does not address the point.

Apart from the operation of the Holy Spirit, the gospel is foolishness.

The Holy Spirit operates in some of the unregenerate (Mt 7:22-23) for his own purposes, which do not include salvation.

There is no basis for claiming that these men had the Holy Spirit operating in them other than a bias.

There is no fellowship, they do not participate in, they are operated upon.

 

[Mercy Shown]

Context context context!!!!
Hebrews 5:11-14 Weymouth
11 Concerning Him we have much to say, and much that it would be difficult to make clear to you, since you have become so dull of apprehension. (((Context - they were unable to receive mature teaching)))
12 For although, considering the long time you have been believers, you ought now to be teachers of others, you really need some one to teach you over again the very rudiments of the truths of God, and you have come to require milk instead of solid food.
(((Context - They needed someone to teach the rudimnent of the teaching all over again... milk vs solid food)))
13 By people who live on milk I mean those who are imperfectly acquainted with the teaching concerning righteousness.
(((Context - They were milk drinkers, not mature in their teaching)))
14 Such persons are mere babes. But solid food is for adults--that is, for those who through constant practice have their spiritual faculties carefully trained to distinguish good from evil. (((Context - So immature were they in their teaching diet, that they were babes in their doctrine)))

There is nothing in these verses about their salvation or sin. It is all about the word immaturity of the Hebrew Christians.

Renewing someone to repentance is surely about salvation. The unrepentant will not be saved.

Hebrews 6:1-3 Weymouth
1 Therefore leaving elementary instruction about the Christ, let us advance to mature manhood and not be continually re-laying a foundation of repentance from lifeless works and of faith in God,
(((Context - must move on from the elementary teachings.)))
2 or of teaching about ceremonial washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and the last judgement.
(((Context - continues to list out the elementary teachings. Nothing whatsoever to do their with salvation or sin)))
3 And advance we will, if God permits us to do so.
(((Context - Question: Permit them to do what? Answer - Permit the to "advance to mature manhood" teaching. Not a word here about their sin or lost of salvation.)))

One must enter into the next verses with the continued context of this passage. To suddenly change the context from the discussion of Word Maturity to sin and salvation is bad analysis! The verses that follow must both continue on in the context of the passage AND address the final statement "if God permit."

Trying to shoehorn an entirely new meaning upon obvious text is bad analysis. We tend to analyze in favor of our bias.

So many of us are so sin-conscious that we automatically assume everything is about sin and salvation. Of course, these are very important! But if we change the context from "doctrinal maturity" to "sin and salvation," we miss entirely what is being said.

It is obviously about salvation. "and then have fallen away—to be restored to repentance, because they themselves are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to open shame." No unrepentant person will be saved.

The book of Hebrews is a book of warnings for the saints.

• 1. The warning against drifting - Heb 2:1-4
     1. Through neglect we can easily drift away
     2. The solution is to give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard
  2. The warning against departing - Heb 3:12-15
     1. Through sin's deceitfulness we can become hardened and develop a lack of faith by which we can depart from the living God
     2. The solution is exhort one another daily and remain steadfast
  3. The warning against disobedience - Heb 4:11-13
     1. Like Israel in the wilderness, we can fail to enter our rest through disobedience
     2. The solution is diligence and heeding the Word of God
  4. The warning against dullness - Heb 5:11-6:6
     1. Dullness of hearing can make it difficult for us to appreciate the extent of our blessings in Christ, and even falling away to the point of crucifying the Son of God afresh!
     2. The solution is grasping the first principles of the oracles of God, and then pressing on to spiritual maturity and perfection
  5. The warning against despising - Heb 10:26-39
     1. It is possible to so despise God's grace as to no longer have a sacrifice for sins, but only a certain fearful expectation of judgment
     2. The solution is to hold unto our confidence in Christ, and believe with endurance
  6. The warning against defying - Heb 12:25-29
     1. It is possible to refuse to listen to the One who now speaks from heaven!
     2. The solution is to look diligently to the grace of God, receiving it in such a way so we may serve Him acceptably with reverence and godly fear
• With such warnings, this book is indeed a "word of exhortation" (Heb 13:22)!

 

[eleos1954]

Hebrew 6:4-6

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

This passage seems to put a dagger into the argument that a save person cannot ever be lost for it describes a person who was enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, became partaker of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come. To most of us, that sounds like a saved person, but as one reformed saint explained to me, these people were never saved in the first place. When I asked how he knew this, he replied, "Because they fell away."

I did not want to jump into the swirl of that circular argument so I let sleeping dogs lie. But I have thought about what he said for a long time. He was also a proponent of total depravity, often citing 1 Corinthians 2:14 in the King James Version of the Bible, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

So we have two conflicting statements. When I combine his two arguments, I have a paradox. Either these people were saved and fell away from it, or they were never saved and yet were able to be enlightened, taste the heavenly gift, partake of the Holy Spirit, and taste the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, all of which seem to be denied possible to a lost person according to1 Corinthians 2:14.

Are the lost sinners who were able to understand spiritual things until they fell away, or were they saved saints until they chose to fall away? If they were lost sinners, what did they fall away from?

If John Calvin were here, I'd ask him. (If I had a fire proof suit to wear.)

Choice is always on the table.

 

[Clare73]

Ok, but there is no evidence that Saul was never saved nor that the men mentioned in Mt 7:22-23 were operating by the power of the Holy Spirit. The devil can do lying wonders that, if it were possible, would deceive the very elect. This does not address the point.

There is no basis for claiming that these men had the Holy Spirit operating in them other than a bias.

Or other than integrated knowledge of the Bible; e.g., Heb 6:4-6.

 

[Mercy Shown]

Or other than integrated knowledge of the Bible; e.g., Heb 6:4-6.

It is integrated too often to fit our bias. Calvinism accuses God of everything from child rape to genocide. The more I study this theology, the more dismayed I am at the dark, perverse accusations perpetuated by leading Calvinists against the Lord.

 

[Mercy Shown]

Choice is always on the table.

Praise the Lord of Glory.

 

[Clare73]

It is integrated too often to fit our bias. Calvinism accuses God of everything from child rape to genocide. The more I study this theology, the more dismayed I am at the dark, perverse accusations perpetuated by leading Calvinists against the Lord.

How much of the OT have you studied?

Have you read, for example, Dt 20:16-18, 1 Sa 15:3?

 

[Mercy Shown]

How much of the OT have you studied?

Have you read, for example, Dt 20:16-18, 1 Sa 15:3?

So you are admitting that God decreed all child rape to happen that has and will happen? This is some very dark theology. How can one attribute to God that which Satan does?

 

[Clare73]

So you are admitting that God decreed all child rape to happen that has and will happen? This is some very dark theology. How can one attribute to God that which Satan does?

Red herring. . .

Do you get much exercise jumping to conclusions?

Your response falls somewhat short of addressing the Scriptures presented.

 

[BNR32FAN]

Hebrew 6:4-6

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

This passage seems to put a dagger into the argument that a save person cannot ever be lost for it describes a person who was enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, became partaker of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come. To most of us, that sounds like a saved person, but as one reformed saint explained to me, these people were never saved in the first place. When I asked how he knew this, he replied, "Because they fell away."

I did not want to jump into the swirl of that circular argument so I let sleeping dogs lie. But I have thought about what he said for a long time. He was also a proponent of total depravity, often citing 1 Corinthians 2:14 in the King James Version of the Bible, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

So we have two conflicting statements. When I combine his two arguments, I have a paradox. Either these people were saved and fell away from it, or they were never saved and yet were able to be enlightened, taste the heavenly gift, partake of the Holy Spirit, and taste the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, all of which seem to be denied possible to a lost person according to1 Corinthians 2:14.

Are the lost sinners who were able to understand spiritual things until they fell away, or were they saved saints until they chose to fall away? If they were lost sinners, what did they fall away from?

If John Calvin were here, I'd ask him. (If I had a fire proof suit to wear.)

Keep reading 1 Corinthians. Just 2 statements after that he went on to talk about how the Corinthians were still carnal in nature because they were still focusing on the flesh not on the Spirit. The message didn’t stop at the end of chapter 2 it continued on into the beginning of chapter 3. These Corinthians were in fact believers but they could not understand the things of the Spirit because they were still focusing on things of the flesh. Calvinists are misinterpreting 1 Corinthians 2:17 because they don’t apply the information given in the beginning of 1 Corinthians 3 along with it.

Just two sentences after 1 Corinthians 2:17 Paul says this.

”And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men?“
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

 

[Ain't Zwinglian]

Do you get much exercise jumping to conclusions?

I got the pun on that one!