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"THE ANSWER" TO HEBREWS 10:26, 27

Heb 10:26, 27 "FOR IF WE SIN WILLFULLY AFTER THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH, THERE REMAINETH NO MORE SACRIFICE FOR SINS, BUT A CERTAIN FEARFUL LOOKING FOR OF JUDGEMENT, AND FIERY INDIGNATION, WHICH SHALL DEVOUR THE ADVERSARIES."

The operative word in the foregoing verses is "SACRIFICE". But some people, for whatever reason(s), would change the word "SACRIFICE", and have it to read "FORGIVENESS"! The Holy Spirit, of course, chose the precise Gr word of THUSIA, which means The Act, or the victim. Thus, we may correctly "paraphrase" the verse in question, as follows: "FOR IF WE SIN WILLFULLY AFTER THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH, THERE REMAINETH NO FURTHER NEED OF A SACRIFICIAL ACT, OR VICTIM". Or, in simpler words, each time those who know better sin (even following their salvation), CHRIST JESUS NEED NOT OFFER HIMSELF AGAIN FOR THEM, OR FOR THEIR SIN. Or as it states in Heb 9:25-28, "NOR YET THAT HE SHOULD OFFER HIMSELF OFTEN, AS THE HIGH PRIEST ENTERETH INTO THE HOLY PLACE EVERY YEAR WITH BLOOD OF OTHERS; FOR THEN MUST HE OFTEN HAVE SUFFERED SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD: BUT NOW ONCE IN THE END OF THE WORLD HATH HE APPEARED TO PUT AWAY SIN (i.e., ALL SIN) BY THE SACRIFICE OF HIMSELF…(compare 1 John 1:7)…SO CHRIST WAS ONCE OFFERED TO BEAR THE SINS OF MANY…", never to do so, again.

Yes. In the verses in question (Heb 10:26, 27), the writer is NOT saying that if a person knowingly sins after knowing better, that person can no longer be forgiven by God!. Nothing could be farther from the truth!

What the writer is saying is that Christ Jesus paid the full price demanded of God for ALL sin at Calvary, ONE TIME IN BIBLICAL HISTORY (again, compare 1 John 1:6, 7). THEREFORE—"THERE REMAINETH NO MORE SACRIFICE FOR SINS"! But this does not mean there remaineth no more "FORGIVENESS" for sin! John certainly confirmed that doctrinal truth, in 1 John 1:8-10. Saved and lost alike, we all continue to sin daily, either by an act of "commission", or by an act of "omission". That is, we either sin by doing something we should not have done, or by not doing something we should have done.

Saved or unsaved, no human being can ever "walk perfectly" before Almighty God. So said Paul, even of himself, in Rom 7:15-25, and Gal 5:17. Why is that so? 1 Cor 1:29, "THAT NO FLESH (either saved or unsaved) SHOULD GLORY IN HIS PRESENCE". It is not that the saved remain "sinless". Rather, since they possess The Indwelling Holy Spirit of Christ Jesus, they are able to sin-less; see Rom 6:14.

Q. What happens, when "the saved" sin? And they assuredly will do so, said Paul, in Rom 7:15-25; Gal 5:17.

A. In speaking to "the saved", in context, John states of "the saved" in 1 John 1:8-10,

"IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE NO SIN, WE DECEIVE OURSELVES, AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN US. IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS, AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE NOT SINNED, WE MAKE HIM A LIAR, AND HIS WORD IS NOT IN US."

The foregoing verses would thus be one's "scriptural response" to those who would try to make Heb 10:26 mean there is no more "FORGIVENESS" for sin. Just let the verse say what it says. There is no more "SACRIFICE" for sin.

Consider the following:

"Righteous" King David sinned mightily against God, in his adulterous affair with (then-married) Bath-sheba. Although David broke his "communion" with God by so doing, he never broke his "union" with God! But in doing so, David also felt "A CERTAIN FEARFUL LOOKING FOR OF JUDGEMENT AND FIERY INDIGNATION" OF GOD, plus a loss of "confidence" because of his sinful dalliance; e.g., Heb 10:27, 35.

David had not "lost his salvation". He had simply lost the JOY of his salvation; See Ps 51:12, in context.

While it is a scriptural fact that "the saved" can never lose their salvation; e.g., John 5:24, that does not mean that "the saved" can therefore claim "a license to sin". See Rom 6:1, 2, 12, 13. There is a scriptural truth which applies to both "saved", and "lost" alike; e.g., Gal 6:7, 8: "BE NOT DECEIVED; GOD IS NOT MOCKED: FOR WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH, THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP. FOR HE THAT SOWETH TO HIS FLESH SHALL OF THE FLESH REAP CORRUPTION…"

And Rom 6:23, "…FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH…"

Q. Does receiving "THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH); e.g., Heb 10;26, Mean that one has "become saved" in so doing?
A. No. 2 Pet 2:20, 21 "FOR IF AFTER THEY HAVE ESCAPED THE POLLUTIONS OF THE WORLD THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST, THEY ARE AGAIN ENTANGLED THEREIN, AND OVERCOME, THE LATTER END IS WORSE WITH THEM THAN THE BEGINNING. FOR IT HAD BEEN BETTER FOR THEM NOT TO HAVE KNOWN THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, THAN, AFTER THEY HAVE KNOWN IT, TO TURN FROM THE HOLY COMMANDMENT DELIVERED UNTO THEM." So "knowing truth" and "accepting truth" are not one and the same thing.

Q. Why did the receiving of "THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST" not "save" the foregoing persons?
A. Heb 4:1, 2 "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. FOR UNTO US (the saved) WAS THE GOSPEL PREACHED, AS WELL AS UNTO THEM (i.e., those who had merely received the "enlightenment" of the gospel): BUT THE WORD PREACHED DID NOT PROFIT THEM, NOT BEING MIXED WITH FAITH IN THEM THAT HEARD IT." (i.e., in them that "ONLY" heard it.)

Yes. "KNOWLEDGE" and "ENLIGHTEMENT" are BOTH necessary for salvation. But these do not always lead to salvation, unless the required "FAITH" of the hearer is also present. This is set forth in Rom 10:9, 10; Eph 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5 etc.

Taken in full context, Heb 10:26, 27 is addressing those who had ONLY become illuminated, but were drawing back from a full commitment to Christ Jesus; i.e., those who had thus far rejected the "NEW AND LIVING WAY" to worship God (Heb 10:19-21). Holding on to Judahism, they were still clinging to National Israel's Old Testament animal sacrifices, which had been totally abolished by the one-time sacrifice of the Lamb of God at Calvary, John 1:29.

They were choosing to hold on to "the shadow", rather than to accept "the reality"; e.g., Col 2:17; Heb 8:6; Heb 10:1.

Or, as it states in Heb 10:10-12, "BY THE WHICH WILL WE ARE SANCTIFIED THROUGH THE OFFERING OF THE BODY OF JESUS CHRIST ONCE FOR ALL. AND EVERY PRIEST STANDETH DAILY MINISTERING AND OFFERING OFTENTIMES THE SAME SACRIFICES, WHICH CAN NEVER TAKE AWAY SINS: BUT THIS MAN, AFTER HE HAD OFFERED ONE SACRIFICE FOR SINS FOR EVER, SAT DOWN ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD;"

And Heb 9:26: "…BUT NOW ONCE IN THE END OF THE WORLD HATH HE APPEARED TO PUT AWAY SIN BY THE SACRIFICE OF HIMSELF."

There it is again. After Christ's Perfect "ONE SACRIFICE" at Calvary for ALL sin, "THERE REMAINETH NO MORE SACRIFICE FOR SIN". The blood of bulls and goats had only temporarily "covered" (Heb Kaphar) mankind's sins, UNTIL Christ's One, Eternal Sacrifice of Himself at Calvary!

The Bible knows of only two kinds of sacrifice acceptable to God: the "temporary" offering up of animal blood sacrifice, and The "permanent", ONE-TIME SACRIFICE of Christ Jesus at Calvary. And in referring to those two types of "SACRIFICE", Heb 10:9 states, "…HE TAKETH AWAY THE FIRST, THAT HE MAY ESTABLISH THE SECOND".

And therein lies "the key" to fully understanding Heb 10:26, 27, as well as Heb 6:4-6: "FOR IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THOSE WHO WERE ONCE ENLIGHTENED, AND HAVE TASTED OF THE HEAVENLY GIFT, AND WERE MADE PARTAKERS OF THE HOLY GHOST, AND HAVE TASTED THE GOOD WORD OF GOD, AND THE POWERS OF THE WORLD TO COME, IF THEY SHALL FALL AWAY, TO RENEW THEM AGAIN UNTO REPENTANCE; SEEING THEY CRUCIFY TO THEMSELVES THE SON OF GOD AFRESH, AND PUT HIM TO AN OPEN SHAME."

Note: In the foregoing verses (in full context), it is never said that those "ENLIGHTENED" persons were saved. Quite the contrary. In verses 9 through 12, they were told to move on to the better things that "ACCOMPANY SALVATION". They had been fully "ENLIGHTENED" as to the doctrinal requirements for salvation. They had "TASTED" the glorious promises which would result from their full salvation. They had even been made "PARTAKERS OF THE HOLY GHOST" (Gr. METACHOIUS; i.e., "THE GOING ALONG WITH" The Holy Spirit's exclusive ministry of convicting of sin, and verification of Christ's former ministry; John 16:7-15).

But those mentioned in Heb 6:4-6 were much like the "spies" of Kadesh-Barnea (Deut 1:19-26) who, even though they had crossed over into The Promised Land and held the fruits of the Promised Land in their hand, laid the fruit down and retreated back over the River Jordan. By doing so, they refused to go in and possess it. Likewise, those mentioned in Heb 6:4-6 also chose to receive "THE LIGHT" of God's glorious gospel. But then, lacking the faith to fully receive it, they also "TURNED BACK". Thereafter, they COULD NEVER "RENEW THEMSELVES (AGAIN) UNTO REPENTANCE". Simply stated, then, when one receives THE FULL "ENLIGHTENMENT" OF GOD'S GOSPEL MESSAGE, but subsequently chooses to knowingly and willfully reject the faith required to receive it, that person is eternally lost, and will never again be "re-offered" eternal life. Heb 6:2-4, with Heb 4:1-2, says that very thing.

One's "head" assent to that which is contained in Holy Writ does not always lead to the saving faith necessary to secure it. In fact, even the demons can have this "head" assent, as the scriptures also state in James 2:19 - "THOU BELIEVEST THAT THERE IS ONE GOD (i.e., thou believest ABOUT one God); THOU DOEST WELL: THE DEVILS ALSO BELIEVE (i.e., they also believe ABOUT Him), AND TREMBLE". See also Luke 4:41, Matt 8:28.

For sundry reasons, there are many who, like the person in Luke 11:24-28, choose to temporarily "clean up their lives". But they only do so superfluously, by casting out the particular demon spirits which possess them, and failing (for whatever reason) to replace those ousted demon spirits with The Indwelling Holy Spirit of Christ Jesus! They may appear to others as if they have "become saved", because the scriptures state that man has a tendency to look upon the "OUTWARD APPEARANCE" (Mat 23:27-28, 2 Cor 10:7), while God "LOOKETH ON THE HEART" (1 Sam 16:7; Rom 8:27; compare Heb 4:12). The clean-up of the pig nature of man may work--for a season. But ultimately, it will always fail, not having been replaced by The Indwelling "Divine Nature" of Christ Jesus.

"IN CONCLUSION"

Once any person has been "scripturally" saved, that person has been saved for both time and eternity! That saved person WILL continue to sin, but will sin-less, because of The Power of The Indwelling Spirit of Christ Jesus (Rom 6:14). There is "a spiritual cross-road" in every person's life, known but to God. At this "spiritual cross-road", a person either chooses the eternal destination of Once Saved—Always Saved, or Once Lost—Always Lost. Thereafter, nothing can be done to alter either position. So plainly states Heb 6:2-4.

Wellington


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