“For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. 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?” (Hebrews 10:26-29).
In this passage, the Hebrew writer addressed the problem of those who would “go on sinning willfully” (Hebrews 10:26). These individuals previously had their “hearts sprinkled clean” and their “bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22). In other words, they were Christians – forgiven of their sins after obeying the gospel. However, in the verses above, the Hebrew writer made three indictments against the ones who were “sinning willfully.”
What do we mean by using the term indictment? An indictment is a formal charge or accusation of a serious crime. In the passage above, the Hebrew writer was not just indicting these brethren of sin. It was more than that. There were three things they were doing because they continued in sin.
The warning in this passage is helpful for us to consider. Understanding this passage will help us recognize the severity of sin and how we should behave instead.
Who Was Being Indicted?
The Hebrew writer used three traits to describe the ones under consideration:
- Those who “go on sinning willfully” (Hebrews 10:26). Sin is a serious offense against God. It is defined by the apostle John as “lawlessness” (1 John 3:4). He warned, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth” (1 John 1:6). This is not to be taken lightly. Paul wrote, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2). When we become a Christian, we are putting away our old life of sin. Therefore, it should be unthinkable for us to “go on sinning willfully” and continue in the practices that we should have given up.
- Those who have already received “the knowledge of the truth” (Hebrews 10:26). God’s desire is for “all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Therefore, we can conclude that since these brethren received “the knowledge of the truth,” they had been saved. Knowledge of the truth leads to obedience, which results in salvation. The Hebrew writer declared that Jesus is “to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation” (Hebrews 5:9). If we know the truth, we should practice the truth.
- Those who are under the law of Christ (Hebrews 10:28-29). Throughout the book of Hebrews, the writer described the superiority of Christ over every part of the old covenant. He did this to admonish his brethren not to turn back to the old law which had been “nailed…to the cross” (Colossians 2:14). Just after explaining that he was “under the law of Christ” (1 Corinthians 9:21), Paul described how he would “discipline [his] body and make it [his] slave,” so that he would “not be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27). When we recognize that we are “under the law of Christ,” we must do what He has instructed, not do what is contrary to His will.
Remember what we noticed at the beginning – these were Christians. So as Christians, we should ask ourselves a few questions:
- Are we under the law of Christ? Yes.
- Do we have a knowledge of the truth? Yes.
- Are we sinning willfully?
To answer that third question requires some honest self-evaluation. Some will dismiss the question because they refuse to entertain the thought that they could be wrong and need to change. Others will dismiss the question because they have been led to believe that, because they are in the flesh, they cannot help but sin. Neither of those responses is correct because they lead us to become so used to sin that we remain in it. The Hebrew writer was addressing Christians who were expected to overcome sin. That same expectation exists for us today, so it is important that we heed this warning.
What Was the Punishment?
First of all, notice that he said there is “no longer…a sacrifice for sins” (Hebrews 10:26). The animal sacrifices under the law of Moses could not take away sins. In fact, the Hebrew writer told them that it was “impossible” for these sacrifices to provide forgiveness (Hebrews 10:4). However, these sacrifices looked ahead to the perfect sacrifice of Christ. They taught the people that “all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22), and it is “the blood of Christ” which is able to “cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:14).
Without the sacrifice of Christ, we have no hope. Paul described the condition of the Gentiles when they were “separate from Christ” as “having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). However, through His sacrifice, those who “formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13). Yet if we reject His sacrifice by “sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth,” we end up in the same hopeless position and with the same “terrifying expectation of judgment” (Hebrews 10:26-27).
Paul warned the brethren in Corinth about the certainty of our appearing before the Lord to be judged by Him: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). After this, there will be punishment for those who are not faithful, as John described in the revelation he received of the judgment scene: “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:14-15). This punishment was “prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41; cf. Revelation 20:10), but it will also be for the unfaithful. It is what we “earn” for our sin, as Paul wrote, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
What Are the Three Indictments?
The Hebrew writer issued three additional indictments against these brethren beyond the charge that they were “sinning willfully.”
- They had “trampled under foot the Son of God” (Hebrews 10:29). Jesus died on the cross for our sins (1 Peter 2:24); not so that we could “continue in sin,” but that we might be “freed from sin” (Romans 6:1, 7). Paul wrote, “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?” (Romans 6:15-16). Yet when a Christian continues in sin, he shows contempt for the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross.
- They had “regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant” (Hebrews 10:29). It was “through the blood of His cross” that we are reconciled to God (Colossians 1:20). But by continuing in sin, one aligns himself with the chief priests who considered Jesus’ death to be no different from the execution of a criminal (John 19:21).
- They had “insulted the Spirit of grace” (Hebrews 10:29). Paul explained that the Holy Spirit revealed God’s will to us: “For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. […] Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God” (1 Corinthians 2:10, 12). Disregarding the teachings revealed by the Spirit is like the “blasphemy of the Spirit” that Jesus warned so strongly against (Matthew 12:31).
How Do We Avoid This?
While this warning was for specific brethren in the Hebrew writer’s audience, it is just as important for us today. If we sin willfully, we are guilty of the same things that they were doing. How do we keep from “sinning willfully” and being guilty of the very things they were indicted for?
- Instead of trampling under foot the Son of God, we must honor Christ. The psalmist wrote, “Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” (Psalm 2:12). We treat Jesus as Lord by doing His will. If we refuse to do His will, we have no right to claim Him as our Lord. Jesus Himself said, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). If we want to honor Christ, we must obey Him.
- Rather than regarding the blood of Christ as unclean, we need to recognize the great value of His sacrifice. Peter explained that we were “not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold…but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19). This precious blood of Christ was shed to “redeem us from every lawless deed” so that we would be “zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:14). If we appreciate the great price that was paid to redeem us from sin, we must put away sin and practice good works.
- Instead of insulting the Spirit of grace, let us follow the instructions of the Spirit. Paul said that those who are “led by the Spirit of God…are sons of God” (Romans 8:14). The Spirit was sent to “guide [the apostles] into all the truth” (John 16:13), and they were commissioned by Christ to make disciples and teach them “to observe all that [He] commanded” (Matthew 28:20). Rather than disregarding the message that was handed down from the Holy Spirit to the apostles and other inspired men, we need to do the things He has revealed for us to do.
Conclusion
Sin is not to be taken lightly, nor are we to continue in it. When we sin willfully, we disrespect Christ, disregard His sacrifice, and insult the Holy Spirit. Rather than doing this, let us take advantage of Jesus’ sacrifice, follow the word that the Spirit revealed, and honor Christ in all that we say and do.
