Hebrews 10:26! Need Help! need volunteers

O

olliewesley Jan 9, 2013

So like many other people i have come to this scripture yet again and at times it troubles my spirit. i often say to myself " i do not want to accept an answer that will male me happy, but i want to know the truth." The problem is whenever i post about it, somone will post a reason why not to believe it is true for me and so on. Then another post comes in and so on. But each person has there own take, and this reason alone causes me more trouble. How can everyone be right!

So i have taken another approach on this matter and need help. If for instance it is true that if we sin willinginly; say for instance i knew doing a certian thing was wrong, like looking at pornography, or perhaps something deemed a little less aggresive; maybe cursing your brother(as the Jesus says this also is hell deserving). So some say that if i do this i may have lost my salvation because i have willfully sinnned. And my discussion really is aimed towards those who say that, and nor because i want to argue or fight, but i want to refine my understanding and have a greater assurance within myself concerning this scripture.

So hear is the question: If you believe the example i have just said then i am assuming that you have never sinned wilfully. Im assuming that you have never spoken wrongly to your brother knowing that it was wrong and that you have never though to yourself "this person is getting on my nerves and in a minute im going to snap; then actiually snapped. If this is you please respond to me. i want to meet somone who actually claims this side of the text and its meaning.

It seemss that salvation would always be hanging by a mere thread if this were the case, it seems that i may not have evn met a single christian if this was the case. So if you walk in this way and claim it so i would love to understand your perspective

Ollie

sermonindex Jan 9, 2013

Hi Ollie,

If you trust the scripture above all else, then you have to believe it as it is written. And this verse clearly says that those who willfully sin after receiving knowledge of the truth are in a hopeless state.

However, the big key here is the phrase is “after we have received the knowledge of the truth”.

You see? The writer of Hebrews wasn’t writing to every Tom, Dick and Harry who quoted some magic chant “Jesus come in to my heart and forgive me of my sins” simply to gain God’s gift of eternal life. He was instead, writing to people who had truly been called by God, who had truth faith in God (faith like Abraham's) and who had been made one with Christ through the miracle of marriage to Christ.

These blessed people were set free from sin and the power of sin by taking part in death with Jesus on the cross (If I had a slave, he would no longer be my servant if he were dead, but his death would set him free. This is how the true saints of God are set free from sin- by dying with Jesus on the cross. Once dead, sin no longer has power over them.) Then these blessed people are given the righteous nature of God through their resurrection with Jesus.

As God called Jesus from the grave He said, Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee (Hebrews 1:5). This declaration was not really of any benefit to Jesus himself, for Jesus was already declared to be the Son of God. However, this declaration is of wonderful benefit to those who are made one flesh with Jesus. For just as it is wonderful to be set free from sin by dying with Jesus on the cross. It is even more spectacular to be declared a fellow son of God along with Christ. For as one is declared to be the son of God, they receive the righteous nature of God. No longer are they working to produce good fruit, but now it is simply their nature (an apple tree doesn’t strive to produce apples, it is just comes naturally – it’s the same for those who have taken part in Jesus death and resurrection).

It is these blessed people to whom the writer of Hebrews is writing. And yes, if one of these blessed people were to willfully turn back to the death and sin they had wonderfully been set free from (what kind of crazy, wicked fool would do such a thing) then YES, they would be in a hopeless, terrible state.

I am blessed to be among those to whom the writer of Hebrews is writing. And though I have no current intention of making any more comments on this thread, I will gladly share my testimony with you via email. Just click my profile and you will find my email address there.

Best Wishes,
Jason

sermonindex Jan 9, 2013

Hi Ollie

Your question is somewhat loaded so I’ll handle it with care. As you have asked firstly: Yes I have sinned knowingly and therefore wilfully since becoming a believer. Does this mean that my salvation was in the balance? It certainly seemed that way when I was a young believer? In fact I was tormented for a season by this very point and this scripture seemed to be agreeing with my fears.

Well that’s that.

Well not quiet!

I could’t claim that “side of the text” though. The scripture in question isn’t saying what it is claimed to be saying. But this will almost certainly be just another take so not worth pursuing.

O

olliewesley Jan 9, 2013

thanks for reply. So are you saying that you have not sinned as a believer knowing it was sin?

H

hulsey Jan 9, 2013

Hi olliewesley,

The Greek word for sinning in this passage is talking about someone who goes on sinning after becoming a believer. Translations other than the KJV and NKJV seek to bring out this nuance in the verb:

26 For if we 'go on sinning' willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, (NASB)

26 For if we 'go on sinning' deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, (ESV)

26 Dear friends, if we deliberately 'continue sinning' after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. (NLT)

Another key word in this passage is willfully or deliberately. This speaks of defiantly sinning. This defiance has no intention of repentance for which there is no sacrifice.

S

SonsofLevi Jan 9, 2013

Perhaps the moderators would be so kind as to post a link to a couple sermons I think would be helpful to you and set your heart at ease. I can't link to them as I am posting from my phone.
Anyways, 2 sermons by A.W. Tozer, the titles are "Sin Willfully, No More Sacrifice" and the other I think is "The Unpardonable Sin, What it is and What it is Not", or something along those lines.
I know what it is like to be tormented along those lines, but be of good cheer and let your heart take courage, listen to these 2 messages and take rest.
May the Lord bless you.

H

Heydave Jan 9, 2013

Hello Ollie,

I understand that you are looking for someone who believes this verse and has never committed a sin since becomming a believer...you won't find such a person!

If you take any one verse of scripture on its own, you can conclude it is saying something it may not be. You have to understand this verse in the context of the whole book of Hebrews. It was one letter meant to be read as a whole, not to take out one statement on its own to make a case. I'm not taking away from the verse...I believe what it says, but in the context of the whole letter. The context of this book is that it is written to Jewish believers (true believers) who were in danger of going back into Judaism. It is the same thinking that we find in Hebrews 6, another difficult passage. After a lot of studying of the Hebrews 6 passage in particular, I am convinced in my own mind that it is talking about those who depart from the faith 'willfully', not just fall into sin. i.e they deliberately chooose to abandon Christ and go another way. What is commonly translated 'fall away' in Heb.6:6 should be more accurately translated 'turn aside to another path'. Also you can see the context of ch.10 that it goes on in vs. 28-29 to talk about rejecting the sacrifice of Jesus and the grace he offers, so Hebrews 10:26 is not talking about any particular sin, but the great SIN of rejecting Christ.

I do think Hebrews 10 is a fearful message that we need to take very seriously. In the case of those to whom it was written, the danger was turning away to Judaism. However the priciple and the message is the same for all people as it would apply to what ever you turn back to (e.g. the world). If we deliberately reject Christ and His salvation then there is only an expectation of judgement as nothing else can offer a scarifice for sins as it says in v.26.

"If we say we have no sin, we decieve ourselves and the truth is not in us."
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to clense us from all unrighteousness".
1 John 8-9.

Blessing to you.