One other point along with 1 Jn. 2:19.
Consider John 6.
"64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God." -Jn. 6:64-69 (KJV)
Here were "disciples" (students mind you) that walked with Jesus, saw the miracles, listened to Jesus preach and teach, yet were never "saved" to begin with.
Now, regarding the Hebrews passage, "apostasy" especially in Hebrews 6, please read:
Arthur W. Pink, An Exposition of Hebrews, "Apostasy".
Something to remember, to whom was the epistle written to?
The name of the Epistle gives it away.
The time of the writing is a dead give away too.
The Jews, especially Jewish Christians risked everything prior to the destruction of the temple. Persecution from the Romans, persecution form their own people, especially when they turned away from Judaism, to Christianity. Prior to the destruction of the temple, it would have been a realitively easy matter, to revert back to Judaism. To go back to the temple and offer sacrifices for sin.
However, as it says, when come to the knowledge of Christ, and God's plan of salvation as Christ being the ultimate sacrifice for sin, reverting back to Judaism meant nothing because "their remaineth no sacrifice for sin".
And Pink's commentary on Hebrews 10, is well worth reading also.
If a person keeps on sinning, even after the point of salvation, it also shows they weren't really saved to begin with.
""For if we sin willfully." "The word sin here is plainly used in a somewhat peculiar sense. It is descriptive not of sin generally, but of a particular kind of sin,—apostasy from the faith and profession of the truth, once known and professed. ‘The angels that sinned’ are the apostate angels. The apostasy described is not so much an act of apostasy as a state of apostasy. It is not, ‘If we have sinned, if we have apostatized’; but ‘If we sin, if we apostatize, if we continue in apostasy’" (John Brown). English translators prior to the A.V. read "If we sin willingly," the change being made in 1611, to avoid giving countenance to the supposition that there is no recovery after any voluntary sin. The Greek word will not permit of this change: the only other occurrence of it in 1 Peter 5:2, clearly gives its scope: "Taking the oversight not by constraint, but willingly."
"For if we sin willingly," that is voluntarily, of our own accord, where no constraint is used. The reference is to a definite decision, where an individual deliberately determines to abandon Christ and turn away from God. "In the Jewish law, as is indeed the case everywhere, a distinction is made between sins of oversight, inadvertence, or ignorance (Lev. 4:2, 13, 22; 5:15; Numbers 15:24, 27-29: compare Acts 3:17, 17:30), and sins of presumption, sins that are deliberately and intentionally committed: see Exodus 21:14, Numbers 15:30, Deuteronomy 17:12, Psalm 19:13. The apostle here has reference, evidently, to such a distinction, and means to speak of a decided and deliberate purpose to break away from the restraints and obligations of the Christian religion" (A. Barnes).
"For if we sin willingly," etc. Who are the ones that are here warned against this terrible sin? Who are they that are in danger of committing it? The answer is, all who make a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus. But are genuine Christians in any such danger? Looked at from the standpoint of God’s everlasting covenant, which He made with them in the person of their Sponsor, which covenant is "ordered in all things and sure;"—no. Looked at according to their standing and state in Christ, as those who have been "perfected forever" (Heb. 10:14);—no. But considered as they are in themselves, mutable creatures (as was un-fallen Adam), without any strength of their own;—yes. Viewed as those who still have the sinful nature within them,—yes. Contemplated as those who are yet the objects of Satan’s relentless attacks,—yes. But it may be said, "God sees His people only in Christ." Not so, is the reply. Were that the case, He would never chasten (Heb. 12:5-10) us! God views the Christian both in Christ legally and in this world actually. He addresses us as responsible beings (2 Pet. 1:10) and regulates the manifestations of His love for us according to our conduct (John 14:23)."
Source
"Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—
if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. (
Colossians 1:21-23)"
Here again, does this passage speak saying that "you continue in your faith" is work man does on his own.
That is how I take it the way you are presenting it.
The day
I quit relying on the Holy Spirit, and
rely on my own works,
my own faith, that's the day I go to hell.
Like I said, after Acts 1, everything in the New Testament teaches the Christian about being led by the Spirit. Not self.
God Bless
TIll all are one.
