I'm wondering if the Holy Spirit still lives inside of believers who have fallen away. Does Jesus never give the Holy Spirit to believers whom he knows will fall away? Because, Jesus says in John 14:16:
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever"
so when we receive the HS he is with us forever. But, believers who have fallen away have either never been given the HS or it's still living inside of them. Those are the only two options. What do you think?
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. (Hebrews 6:4-6)
When Jesus is talking to the Apostles in the upper room there was no question of their faith and commitment, they all belonged to God in a permanent way.
“I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. (John 17:6)
Notice he says, 'they have kept your word'. Jesus explains it this way in the parable of the sower. The word of God is like a seed, if it falls along the road the devil comes and steals it away from their heart so they never believe, and therefore not saved. If it falls on stony ground, initially they receive it with joy, but due to a time of testing, persecution of some kind, it has no root so they fall away. If it falls among the weeds, the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches, the word is chocked out and they never mature, that is they never bear fruit. The good and noble heart that avoids those hazards goes on to bear fruit (Luke 8:1-15). Being born of the spirit requires that your faith bear fruit, those who do not were enlightened in that they understood the gospel. They even experienced the power of the Holy Spirit (were enlightened) which is the only way you can understand the gospel.
What is vital to understand here is that the Hebrews were in danger of falling away from the faith and returning to the works righteousness of ancient Judaism. They are being warned that if they do then they cannot be restored to repentance. This isn't the same thing as someone who has matured and received the Holy Spirit, bore fruit and kept the faith. There is a time of decision, when your at that point that decision will decide if you are God's forever or a child of perdition. If you experience sin in your life and we all do, then you can repent of those particular sins but falling away from faith is another thing entirely. God can even destroy the body to save the soul:
For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. (1 Cor. 11:30-32)
The rich Christians in Corinth were mistreating the poor, who were probably slaves. At the pitch in dinner, they called the love feast, they were stuffing their faces and getting drunk while other believers went hungry. They are told because of this some on you are sick and some of you have died. You can still be saved if you fall into sin but you will be judged, but falling away from the faith happens before you are actually indwelled by the Holy Spirit and born again of incorruptible seed. James was dealing with the same problem, the rich were mistreating the poor and James was asking if this was even saving faith:
Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:21)
Some had made a profession of faith but were not really bearing fruit. The mark of the disciple is the love believers have for one another.
By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. (James 13:35)
Grace and peace,
Mark
