Can You REJECT The Holy Spirit After Receiving Him At Salvation?

[Your closest friendnt]

13 hours ago, Michael37 said:

Once again the comparison between Judaism and Christianity is in view. The obsolesence of OT Law in favour of salvation by grace through faith in Christ was strong meat which the Judaisers were resisting.

Heb 5:11-14  Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing you are dull of hearing.  (12)  For when for the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.  (13)  For every one that uses milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.  (14)  But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

These verses are warnings against disobeying God's Word as did some who fell in the wilderness during the Exodus from Egypt. These warnings are inspired by the Holy Spirit to be circulated among the Hebrews originally, and then to be preserved for all that they might receive salvation and escape damnation. 

Heb 4:1  Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

Heb 4:10-11  For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from his.  (11)  Let’s therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience.

Heb 12:14-15  Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord,  (15)  looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and many be defiled by it;

Heb 12:25  See that you don’t refuse him who speaks. For if they didn’t escape when they refused him who warned on the earth, how much more will we not escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven,

The following passage teaches about those who apostasise from the Christian faith. Once again the comparison between Hebrews disregarding Moses' law and those insulting the Spirit of grace is the context.

Heb 10:26-38  For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins,  (27)  but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries.  (28)  A man who disregards Moses’ law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses.  (29)  How much worse punishment do you think he will be judged worthy of who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?  (30)  For we know him who said, “Vengeance belongs to me,” says the Lord, “I will repay.” Again, “The Lord will judge his people.”  (31)  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  (32)  But remember the former days, in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great struggle with sufferings;  (33)  partly, being exposed to both reproaches and oppressions; and partly, becoming partakers with those who were treated so.  (34)  For you both had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an enduring one in the heavens.  (35)  Therefore don’t throw away your boldness, which has a great reward.  (36)  For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise.  (37)  “In a very little while, he who comes will come, and will not wait.  (38)  But the righteous will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

Let's start from some point for clarity. 

The author of this letter a Rabbi addressed the first generation of Israelites believers in Jesus Christ just like himself and that must be some time after the Cross.

Hebrews 1:1 

1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways. 

* The Rabbi is explaining to believing Israelites a lot of things about Jesus Christ.  

[Heleadethme]

On 5/26/2021 at 2:37 PM, Scott Free said:

This work focuses on God's point of view and by extension reality. The topic of the scripture you stated is about the difficulty of humans perceiving others accurately. What was manifested in those who went from them in 1 John 2:19? I am assuming they fell to idol worship and not a projection of whatever I would degree with.

That passage is not in the context of those who were losing salvation...it's talking about those who were denying the Son...they were antichrists.  They didn't stay long with the true brethren because their false teachings couldn't stand against the true gospel that was being powerfully preached.  (Paul was still around and constantly battling successfully against false teachings.  Not until he departed did false teachers start to get a foothold and not spare the flock.)

1Jo 2:18

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

[Heleadethme]

On 5/24/2021 at 11:24 PM, Scott Free said:

"We assume that the dwelling of the Holy Spirit in a believer is permanent. And we'll look at passages in the New Testament where the Holy Spirit's presence in the believer is referred to as a down payment, or the arrabōn, which could be like an engagement ring. And we often don't realize that deposits do get withdrawn, engagements are broken, God did divorce Israel, the Holy Spirit did leave Zion. The Spirit of God is certainly with us and he doesn't plan on going anywhere, unless you tell him to get lost. Link to sermon" - Dr. Michael S. Heiser

I think falling away is often more subtle than overtly and deliberately rejecting the Holy Spirit.  Sin hardens the heart and faith (Holy Spirit) can slowly dissipate.  The devil is a subtle and sly fellow.

[Heleadethme]

Posting these two passages together:

Heb 3:6-18

But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,

Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.

Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

 

Box 1Co 10:1-12

Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.