| Heb. 10:26-27 "For if we sin willfully after we have | | | | You know he did. Yet, in 2 Cor. 2:7 Paul urges the |
| received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer | | | | Corinthians to forgive the man as he had repented. I |
| remains a sacrifice for sins. But a certain fearful | | | | remind the reader Paul wrote and spoke by inspiration |
| expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will | | | | of the Holy Spirit. |
| devour the adversaries." (NKJV) | | | | 2 Cor. 12:21 clinches the meaning of Heb. 10:26 for me. |
| These verses have probably caused Christians about | | | | It reads as follows, "I am afraid that when I come again |
| as much anguish as any you will find in the pages of | | | | my God may humiliate me before you, and I may |
| the New Testament. Make no mistake about it the | | | | mourn over many of those who have sinned in the |
| verses are directed at Christians as is the whole book | | | | past and not repented of the impurity, immorality and |
| of Hebrews. Each one of us knows we are guilty of | | | | sensuality which they have practiced." (NAS) What do |
| having committed willful sin and this passage troubles | | | | we have here? Christians practicing sin. That implies |
| us. When we read the verses in the larger context of | | | | certainly that we are not talking of one time acts. Are |
| verses 24 through 31 it is very easy to become fearful | | | | they lost? |
| and feel it is hopeless, we are lost and undone without | | | | Yes, if they do not repent but please note that is the |
| remedy. We are sorry about our sins but we feel it is | | | | very thing Paul is saying they can do. Why is Paul |
| too late. | | | | fearful that he may end up mourning? Because they |
| However, there are a number of things we ought to | | | | have not repented but that implies they could if they |
| consider before reaching that kind of conclusion. When | | | | would and thus would be saved. We also understand |
| we take a look at verse 26 in the New American | | | | they knew what they were doing. The word translated |
| Standard version we readily see that the verse is not | | | | "immorality" in this verse in the NAS is translated in the |
| talking about a single act of willful sin. It reads as | | | | NKJV and others as "fornication". It is the Greek word |
| follows, "For if we go on sinning willfully", thus the sin of | | | | "porneia." Do you really believe these people did not |
| verse 26 is a way of life rather than individual acts of | | | | know fornication was sinful? They were committing |
| sin. | | | | willful sin and yet we see they could be forgiven if |
| Then there are other things we need to consider. All | | | | they would but repent. |
| sin other than sins of ignorance is willful sin. One may | | | | What then is the meaning of Heb. 10:26-27? Any sin |
| struggle mightily before committing the sin that has | | | | you are knowingly committing and continuing in is a |
| enticed him but nevertheless it was his decision to take | | | | willful sin as long as you continue in it and fail (refuse) |
| the leap and commit it. If a willful sin necessarily led to | | | | to repent. While involved in that there is no sacrifice for |
| condemnation without hope then who could be saved? | | | | that sin that can save you as a willful practicing sinner. |
| Would it be Peter? | | | | When you repent that is another matter. |
| Peter, according to Paul, stood condemned (Gal. 2:11). | | | | I believe verse 27 bears the truth of this interpretation |
| Why? Because "he began to withdraw and hold | | | | out. It says of such a person (a Christian involved in a |
| himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision" (Gal. | | | | sin on a continual basis willfully) that there is "a certain |
| 2:12 NAS) refusing to eat with the Gentile Christians. | | | | fearful expectation of judgment." (NKJV) Why would |
| Barnabas did the same thing. Do you think this was a | | | | you fear judgment if you were a complete apostate |
| sin of ignorance? Paul gives the cause, not ignorance | | | | who no longer believed? What you are is a man who |
| but fear of the circumcision party. It was a willful sin in | | | | believes but willing persists in sin. Such a man fears |
| the sense that Peter knew what he was doing. | | | | judgment. |
| How about the man in 1 Cor. 5:1, "It is actually reported | | | | I hope this post has been helpful to you and |
| that there is immorality among you, and immorality of | | | | encouraging. Do not despair because you knowingly |
| such a kind as does not exist even among the | | | | did that which was wrong even if you engaged in such |
| Gentiles, that someone has his father's wife." (NAS) | | | | a sin over a period of time. Do not despair but rather |
| Did this man who was doing this not know it was sin? | | | | repent and turn back to God. |