Let us examine Hebrews chapter 10 in this segment. This is another chapter that has caused fear and bewilderment among believers. Let us examine it in context to see if we can discover the truth of these verses.
Hebrews 10:22 - 33 "let us draw near with a true heart in FULL ASSURANCE of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us HOLD FAST the confession of our hope (that our sins have been purged: Hebrews 1:3) without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another,and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. For if we sin willfully ( let go of the confession of our hope that our sins have been purged) after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins (in our own thinking), but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose will he be thought worthy (in his own reasoning) who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing (as common as the daily shedding of the blood of animals under the Old Covenant) and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay." says the Lord. And again "The Lord will judge His people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God. But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, YOU ENDURED A GREAT STRUGGLE with sufferings, partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations ......"
God wants us to draw near to Him in full assurance of faith. Our hearts are cleansed from an evil conscience as we hold fast to the idea that Jesus made one sacrifice for sins forever and has purged our sins, once and for all time. If we believe that only our past sins have been purged, but our present and future sins could somehow separate us from Him and we could lose our salvation, then we will have insecurity. Yet Hebrews 9:12 says that Jesus entered into the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained ETERNAL REDEMPTION for us.
In context, I believe it is clear that the sinning willfully mentioned in Hebrews 10:26 refers back to verse 23, not holding fast to the confession of our hope, that our sins have been purged once and for all. If we let go of the gospel, we then move back to the Old Testament view of Moses' law and judgment. What will this cause within us? Fear and expectation of judgment. Hebrews 10:4 says that it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. This is what it means that there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. If we let go of what Jesus did for us, shedding His blood for the remission of our sins, then there is no longer a sacrifice for sins in our thinking.
Under the Old Testament Law, there was daily shedding of the blood of animals. Hebrews 10:3 says that in those sacrifice there is a continual reminder of sins. Our conscience will never be perfected and cleansed before God that way. The book of Hebrews is contrasting that daily shedding of the blood of animals with the single sacrifice for sins by Jesus once and for all. When we count Jesus' blood as common as the blood of animals, we are moving back to receiving forgiveness one sin at a time. Religion doles out forgiveness one sin at a time or at best one week at a time. God did not do that. He sent Jesus to pay the penalty for the sins of our entire lifetime, past, present and future.
As you can see, after these Hebrews became believers in Jesus, they endured a great struggle with sufferings. They were being persecuted by those around them for their belief in Jesus. They had let go of the gospel or the word of righteousness apart from our works. When they let go of the gospel, the evil conscience within them was not cleansed. This caused them to pull away from God due to fear of punishment. Because of this, they were not strong enough on the inside to endure the persecution they suffered. They were still born again. They had accepted Christ into their hearts. The blood of Jesus had purged their sins, but they did not hold fast to that idea in their thinking.
As you can see, if we let go of the gospel in our thinking, we certainly won't be sharing that Good News with others.
I lived much of my life under this mindset. I believed my past sins were forgiven, but somehow any present or future sins put me out of fellowship with God. I was taught that He would not answer my prayers until I got all my sins confessed. This type of thinking will weigh upon us and leave us without joy and peace. I did not share my faith with many people because of this. Now that I have seen that Jesus made one sacrifice for the sins of my entire lifetime, I am sharing my faith with anyone who will listen. I know joy and peace. It causes me to reach out to others with His grace and mercy. I don't have to be pressured by any pastor or teacher to share my faith. I don't have to be convinced by some theological argument to talk with people. The Good News that Jesus shed His blood for the remission of the sins of my entire lifetime is the best news I have ever heard. The whole world needs to hear it. Those in areas of the world where there is intense persecution need to know of eternal redemption and joy unspeakable. This is the only way to have the strength within to endure the persecution from others as they share their faith.
Keith Oliver
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