THE DANGER OF GOING ON IN SIN

Incredibly it seems there exists today the belief that if Christians continue a life of sin, all is well, because Grace assures that all is well. Lets be clear. Grace assures salvation through faith, but don't doubt the work and power of sin to attack faith, and if we leave ourselves undefended, our faith will certainly be hard pressed, if not outright shipwrecked (1 Tim 1:19)

Heb 10v26 says that, 'If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. ' We all sin, and we all stumble, each and every day in fact. This is not talking about that. This scripture is talking about the kind of sinning that is a continual life of WILFUL sin. We know the truth, and yet we chose to be a constant, wilful participant in sinning, and we are bold in it. This scripture clearly says that such sin means that NO SACRIFICE FOR SINS IS LEFT (Heb 10v26), therefore Jesus' sacrifice for our sins is no longer left for those people. I think the primary reason that no sacrifice is left for sins, simply implies that by their actions, those people demonstrate that they no longer want a sacrifice for their sins, they are happy with their sin, and they reject Jesus' sacrifice (sin hardens their hearts so much that they can actually reach that place and that wilful choice). 

Let's be clear again. The Lord is VERY PATIENT, VERY MERCIFUL, VERY GRACIOUS, and such a thing I think to happen to any Christian would be so very rare. But the warning in Hebrews remains for every Christian, therefore God knew that we all need to hear it for our good. 

There is also the belief that nothing can be done to Grace, because Grace is freely given. But people forget that grace is given by the Son. If Grace is abused therefore, it means that the Son is also being abused:can be abused: 'v29: How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has TRAMPLED THE SON OF GOD UNDER FOOT, WHO HAS TREATED AN AN UNHOLY THING THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT THAT SANCTIFIED HIM...'. There is also the SPIRIT OF GRACE (so grace doesn't operate as some type of independent magical formula)- v28 'Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. HOW MUCH MORE SEVERELY do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has INSULTED THE SPIRIT OF GRACE? The Spirit of Grace is the Holy Spirit, and the Word says that we cannot insult the Spirit of God in the manner of a life of continual wilful sin, and not expect punishment. 

Whether this passage means that salvation is lost, I do not know. I don't believe it says that explicitly, but I think it could very well imply it. Or it could just mean that (taken straight from the passage here) 1) there will be punishment for those that do this, 2) this punishment will include judgment, 3) The Lord will avenge, repay and judge 4) It's a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God 5) And that the Lord will not be pleased with his 'righteous one' (Heb 10v38) that has led a life like this when He returns. The writer of Hebrews may have qualified this whole passage when he ends the chapter with v39: 'But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.' The writer hopes here that he speaks to those that are truly saved. But how do you know for sure that you are truly saved in the present? Firstly your conscience will testify about it to you by the Spirit of God, and also in checking your life and yourself with God there is safety. The writer here speaks about salvation not only being past tense (as in 'has happened'), but present tense by saying 'who believe' and 'are saved'. He is admonishing the Hebrews to check themselves and their lives, to see if there is the fruit of believing. If so, they are safe! If not, they are to make the most of the warning!