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"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).

Does it mean that if someone was to lose their way and change their religion that he/she can't repent and confess and come back into the Coptic Orthodox belief? If not, what can that person do?

Matthew 12:31,32;, Mark 3:28,29;, and Luke 12:10 provide the only exception for a sinner's repentance to not be absolved; that is, for the sake of rejecting the work of the Holy Spirit and refusing to offer true repentance. Such was the case of Judas Iscariot, who fell in despair and committed suicide. On the other hand, St. Peter, whose impulsive nature sometimes got the best of him, offered true repentance even after he had denied Christ, although Christ Himself had foretold him that he would commit this transgression. The word "impossible" in the passage below from St. Paul's letter to the Hebrews 6:4-6, signifies the intense unity between the Holy Spirit and the person to whom He sealed. Until the person's last breath, the Holy Spirit continues to bring the person to repentance by helping him/her overcome many struggles and temptations. However, because of humanity's free will, even though one is baptized and chrismated and sealed with the Holy Spirit through the Holy Myron Oil, an individual may choose to quench the Holy Spirit and live in sin, thus, losing his/her salvation and eternal life.

The early church was confronted with this conundrum when even priests denied their faith because of the excessive persecutions. However, when they returned back to the church, the fathers had convened and decided that they would be accepted back to the church, sufficient of repentance and confession. Many great saints were once appalling sinners, but a life of repentance and the gift of the Holy Sacrament of Confession brought them once again safely back into the fold of Christ's flock.