Willful Sin - Can Anyone Be Saved? Heb.

10:26-27

Heb. 10:26-27 "For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth,
there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. But a certain fearful expectation of
judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries." (NKJV)

These verses have probably caused Christians about as much anguish as any you will find
in the pages of the New Testament. Make no mistake about it the verses are directed at
Christians as is the whole book of Hebrews. Each one of us knows we are guilty of
having committed willful sin and this passage troubles us. When we read the verses in
the larger context of verses 24 through 31 it is very easy to become fearful and feel it is
hopeless, we are lost and undone without remedy. We are sorry about our sins but we
feel it is too late.

However, there are a number of things we ought to consider before reaching that kind of
conclusion. When we take a look at verse 26 in the New American Standard version we
readily see that the verse is not talking about a single act of willful sin. It reads as
follows, "For if we go on sinning willfully", thus the sin of verse 26 is a way of life rather
than individual acts of sin.

Then there are other things we need to consider. All sin other than sins of ignorance is
willful sin. One may struggle mightily before committing the sin that has enticed him but
nevertheless it was his decision to take the leap and commit it. If a willful sin necessarily
led to condemnation without hope then who could be saved? Would it be Peter?

Peter, according to Paul, stood condemned (Gal. 2:11). Why? Because "he began to
withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision" (Gal. 2:12 NAS)
refusing to eat with the Gentile Christians. Barnabas did the same thing. Do you think
this was a sin of ignorance? Paul gives the cause, not ignorance but fear of the
circumcision party. It was a willful sin in the sense that Peter knew what he was doing.

How about the man in 1 Cor. 5:1, "It is actually reported that there is immorality among
you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that
someone has his father's wife." (NAS) Did this man who was doing this not know it was
sin? You know he did. Yet, in 2 Cor. 2:7 Paul urges the Corinthians to forgive the man as
he had repented. I remind the reader Paul wrote and spoke by inspiration of the Holy
Spirit.

2 Cor. 12:21 clinches the meaning of Heb. 10:26 for me. It reads as follows, "I am afraid
that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over
many of those who have sinned in the past and not repented of the impurity, immorality
and sensuality which they have practiced." (NAS) What do we have here? Christians
practicing sin. That implies certainly that we are not talking of one time acts. Are they
lost?
Yes, if they do not repent but please note that is the very thing Paul is saying they can do.
Why is Paul fearful that he may end up mourning? Because they have not repented but
that implies they could if they would and thus would be saved. We also understand they
knew what they were doing. The word translated "immorality" in this verse in the NAS
is translated in the NKJV and others as "fornication". It is the Greek word "porneia." Do
you really believe these people did not know fornication was sinful? They were
committing willful sin and yet we see they could be forgiven if they would but repent.

What then is the meaning of Heb. 10:26-27? Any sin you are knowingly committing and
continuing in is a willful sin as long as you continue in it and fail (refuse) to repent.
While involved in that there is no sacrifice for that sin that can save you as a willful
practicing sinner. When you repent that is another matter.

I believe verse 27 bears the truth of this interpretation out. It says of such a person (a
Christian involved in a sin on a continual basis willfully) that there is "a certain fearful
expectation of judgment." (NKJV) Why would you fear judgment if you were a
complete apostate who no longer believed? What you are is a man who believes but
willing persists in sin. Such a man fears judgment.

I hope this post has been helpful to you and encouraging. Do not despair because you
knowingly did that which was wrong even if you engaged in such a sin over a period of
time. Do not despair but rather repent and turn back to God.