Question about Hebrews 10:26-27

[light4mypath]

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Hebrews 10:26-27

I am a little confused here. Can someone please enlighten me. I am not understanding if this means we lose our salvation, or if the sins we commit as believers aren't covered by Jesus' sacrifice, because this scripture is stating there is no more sacrifice for sins commited after receiving the knowledge of the truth. :scratch

Thank you in advance for your input and wisdom :hug

[Hootmon]

I am not understanding if this means we lose our salvation, or if the sins we commit as believers aren't covered by Jesus' sacrifice, because this scripture is stating there is no more sacrifice for sins commited after receiving the knowledge of the truth.Keep in mind that the target audience was the Hebrews, and the theme of that particular chapter (see verses 1 through 4) is the impossiblity of the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. The 'sacrifice for sins' in Heb 10:26 refers to that insufficient animal blood and not Christ's fully sufficient blood.

[light4mypath]

But isn't this a rather stern warning about turning away from God and what will happen if you do so? I realize this has to do with Mosaic Law, but wouldn't it still hold true?

[Hootmon]

The warning is a stern one. Look at verses 28 and 29...

Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
(Heb 10:28-29)

Relying on the Temple sacrifice in any way, after knowing the truth of what Christ did, was in effect 'trampling Him underfoot'. It is functionally no different from the 'unforgivable sin'. That is, the sin of unbelief.

Those verses are saying that you either believe that Christ's sacrifice was complete, or you are wose than an unbeliever in God's eyes having insulted the Spirit of grace after knowing the truth.

Powerful words indeed...

[light4mypath]

So wouldn't it still hold true?

Like the Parable of the Mustard seed (as an example) even though it wasn't spoken directly to us, it is applied to us as well. Would this not be the same?

Thanks for going into this for me, as I am really not understanding this, and I am understanding it as if we willfully sin after becoming a believer, then that sin is not covered because the sacrifice was already made prior to this point. I guess in short, what this is saying to me, is that if you sin as a believer, your sin isn't covered. But then that seems to me like a contradiction to what the Word says elsewhere concerning salvation....

I apologize for my confusion, but I have read this chapter 4 times and I feel like I am totally missing something here....It is frustrating. I have never had to wrestle with the meaning or message of the Word before, and I don't know why I am struggling now.

Thank you for your help.

[Hootmon]

So wouldn't it still hold true? It holds true, but probably not quite in the way you seem to mean.


...what this is saying to me, is that if you sin as a believer, your sin isn't covered. What it is saying it that your sin isnt covered by Temple sacrifices, specifically.

This is why I tried to point you back to the specific context. It is talking about supposedly believing Jews who were still relying on the Temple sacrifices to 'cover' their sin when Christ died to 'remove' that same sin. They were in effect saying that His sacrifice wasnt sufficient.


I apologize for my confusion, but I have read this chapter 4 times and I feel like I am totally missing something here.... No need to appologize. Your confusion is probably a result of not fully appreciating the sheer Jewishness of Hebrews.

The point of that chapter is something like this... "How can you call yourself believers in Him and still not rely on His completed sacrifice!?!?!"

[Tall Timbers]

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 judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Hebrews 10:26-27


I had to read on through verse 35. I believe here that knowledge of the truth implies coming to know Jesus personally.

After our conversion to children of God, we continue to struggle through life, often falling, but thankfully, with a little help, getting back up and continuing to try to stick to the narrow path that leads to righteousness and life everlasting in the presence of our loving God. We certainly continue to sin, but we are trying to live for Jesus and as we grow closer to Him, we will sin less often. When we do sin, that sin again separates us from God until we repent. His sacrifice was once and for all, but with new sin comes the need for our own repentance for that sin. A common example of sin separating us from God is when we fall into having sexual relations with someone we're dating, or become adulterers while married. When you first cross that bridge you probably feel a little guilt and know it is wrong... but most times we keep on practicing that sin again and again (because we like it). Down the road something happens that causes us to wake up to the sin, the relationship turns bad or we're caught by our spouse. If we're children of God, we then feel really rotten and we don't need to be coached to get on our knees and cry out to God for forgiveness as our heart turns towards repentance. That sudden reckoning of your sin occurs when the separation from God ends when you begin to feel remorse and then you fully realize your stupidity as you reenter into the presence of God with all the benefits that that entails.

Some who have come to know Jesus, for whatever insane reason, willfully turn away and return to the ways of the world, in essence, deciding for whatever reason that the world is better than the grace he/she found in Jesus. Those people, once were sanctified, but turn from God with no plan to ever return, and the word says there is no hope for them: Hebrews 6:4-6 indicates that reconsecration to Jesus for those who willfully turn away from Him (willfully return to sin) are lost forever.

Hebrews 6:4-6: For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened and tasted the heavenly gift and shared in the Holy Spirit and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to bring them to repentance again, since they are recrucifying the Son on God for themselves and holding Him up to contempt.

I believe that that is what this latter part of Hebrews CH 10 is telling us. Let me say here that the idea that a true believer can lose his/her inheritance by choice is not believed by everyone here and there will certainly be replies to my post. I believed "once saved always saved" for most of my Christian life because that was the first thing I was taught after I was saved. But casting aside my own developed prejudice, the word is pretty clear that while Jesus would do nothing to lose us, we may still choose to turn away from Him and disinherit ourselves.

The idea that you can turn from God shouldn't cause consternation among the brethren. God is true and faithful to us and your salvation is indeed assured by the blood of Jesus, unless you choose to reject it. I don't believe that when a true believer does choose to leave the body of Christ, that that can be compared with blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. That is the "one" unforgivable sin. The Word simply indicates that those who willfully choose to turn from God will not turn back to Him, and that is why the Word indicates that their cases are hopeless.

Bless you,

[light4mypath]

This is why I tried to point you back to the specific context. It is talking about supposedly believing Jews who were still relying on the Temple sacrifices to 'cover' their sin when Christ died to 'remove' that same sin. They were in effect saying that His sacrifice wasnt sufficient.

Wouldn't that be apostasy then? Which would be willfully sinning after becoming a believer?

No need to appologize. Your confusion is probably a result of not fully appreciating the sheer Jewishness of Hebrews.

Yes, I would have to agree.

The point of that chapter is something like this... "How can you call yourself believers in Him and still not rely on His completed sacrifice!?!?!"

Apostates. They had the knowledge, but did not apply the knowledge.
So, I can see how this indeed would also apply to us today. For the Lord speaks against Apostasy many times.

I am understanding now. If we become apostate and continue to deliberately be apostate, rejecting the Lord and Jesus, then we are truly looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Am I correct in my understanding?

[light4mypath]

I had to read on through verse 35.

My apologies, I should have posted more than the 2 verses.

I believe here that knowledge of the truth implies coming to know Jesus personally.

As did I , that is why I was so confused over the scripture.


After our conversion to children of God, we continue to struggle through life, often falling, but thankfully, with a little help, getting back up and continuing to try to stick to the narrow path that leads to righteousness and life everlasting in the presence of our loving God. We certainly continue to sin, but we are trying to live for Jesus and as we grow closer to Him, we will sin less often. When we do sin, that sin again separates us from God until we repent. His sacrifice was once and for all, but with new sin comes the need for our own repentance for that sin. A common example of sin separating us from God is when we fall into having sexual relations with someone we're dating, or become adulterers while married. When you first cross that bridge you probably feel a little guilt and know it is wrong... but most times we keep on practicing that sin again and again (because we like it). Down the road something happens that causes us to wake up to the sin, the relationship turns bad or we're caught by our spouse. If we're children of God, we then feel really rotten and we don't need to be coached to get on our knees and cry out to God for forgiveness as our heart turns towards repentance. That sudden reckoning of your sin occurs when the separation from God ends when you begin to feel remorse and then you fully realize your stupidity as you reenter into the presence of God with all the benefits that that entails.

This further explains my confusion. Yes, we all still sin, and I believe that Jesus covered all my sins, past, present and future--otherwise He would be crucified every time I sin. So I was understanding it as being perfect--never sinning after salvation, and there is no way possible for that to be.

Some who have come to know Jesus, for whatever insane reason, willfully turn away and return to the ways of the world, in essence, deciding for whatever reason that the world is better than the grace he/she found in Jesus. Those people, once were sanctified, but turn from God with no plan to ever return, and the word says there is no hope for them: Hebrews 6:4-6 indicates that reconsecration to Jesus for those who willfully turn away from Him (willfully return to sin) are lost forever.

This is a deliberate sin against God, which would also be apostacy. Correct?


Hebrews 6:4-6: For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened and tasted the heavenly gift and shared in the Holy Spirit and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to bring them to repentance again, since they are recrucifying the Son on God for themselves and holding Him up to contempt.

Agreed.

the word is pretty clear that while Jesus would do nothing to lose us, we may still choose to turn away from Him and disinherit ourselves.

I also believe OSAS, but I agree that a believer can choose to turn away and disinherit themselves.

The idea that you can turn from God shouldn't cause consternation among the brethren. God is true and faithful to us and your salvation is indeed assured by the blood of Jesus, unless you choose to reject it.

Absolutely agree.

I don't believe that when a true believer does choose to leave the body of Christ, that that can be compared with blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. That is the "one" unforgivable sin. The Word simply indicates that those who willfully choose to turn from God will not turn back to Him, and that is why the Word indicates that their cases are hopeless.

Bless you,

I agree as well.
Hootmon worded it like this, and a light went off:

They were in effect saying that His sacrifice wasnt sufficient.

I realize it is talking about apostasy. (or at least I think that is how I am understanding and interpreting it). Apostasy = falling away.

I looked up parallels to Hebrews 10:26-27 and I found this:

Numbers 15:30-31 But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.

Is more descriptive, but seems to be the same warning.

[Hootmon]

Wouldn't that be apostasy then? Which would be willfully sinning after becoming a believer? Not 'falling away' so much as failing to 'fall toward'.

They acknowledged that Jesus was THE completed sacrifice yet still relied on Temple sacrifices as well despite the fact they they knew (or should have known) better. The main point of that whole chapter is that the 'better way' replaces the old way, and that you cant have it both ways.


I am understanding now. If we become apostate and continue to deliberately be apostate, rejecting the Lord and Jesus, then we are truly looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Am I correct in my understanding?Their continued reliance on Temple sacrifices was in effect a rejection of Christ. They needed to 'get off the fence' and act like believers.