Hebrews 10:26-31: For If We Sin Wilfully
2023-05-20
Hebrews 10:26
What does it mean to sin wilfully? The word for “wilfully” is used one other time in the Scriptures: “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind” (1 Peter 5:1-2).
The word “willingly” is the same word. Here, the Spirit compares the word “willingly” with “by constraint.” To do something willingly is to do something without compulsion. You freely choose to do whatever it is. These elders are to nurture the others not because they are forced to do it; they should do it because they want to do so. Therefore, to “sin wilfully” is to freely choose to do so from your own desires. Nobody else lured you into it either. The concept will be developed in future verses.
Notice this subject of the verse is “we.” One could argue that this is referring to the Jewish nation, and this “we” refers to the collective nation. I think this limits the application of this verse. The “we” is born-again believers that includes the author of this epistle, Paul.
The Spirit warns against willfully sinning “after that we have received the knowledge of the truth.” The unconverted and unbeliever sins all the time by nature. The government restrains a lot of what awful anarchy would prevail.
Consider Romans 13:1-4. The government was established by God to have order in the world and restrain evil. These rulers are there to stop murder, theft, and all other disorder from happening. Most people agree that murder and theft should be punished. But imagine if the government and laws were not there? Everyone would kill each other over the most trivial things. “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment” (Matthew 5:21-22). There would be no consequences in this life. Fear of consequences stops people from doing the most heinous things. They do it by nature.
Recall Lamech, son of Methusael, who killed someone who injured him. He appealed to the grace shown to his forefather Cain. “And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold” (Genesis 4:23-24). This was the attitude of many before the Flood: “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence” (Genesis 6:11). After the Flood came capital punishment for murder.
Without consequences, you begin to see how human nature leads to a complete degradation of society. This is the state of unsaved humankind. We were like them, but one day, we “received the knowledge of the truth.” We received forgiveness for sins, eternal life, and salvation from eternal death. We received the command to do good works empowered by the Spirit and to remain unspotted from the world. We have studied the Scriptures and know much about what God requires. We know the facts about God, but one day, we could say, “No, I am going to go my own way.” We decide to do evil despite all we know and have experienced, walking in our own strength and deciding to not seek the Lord in a definite decisive way.
This is the difference between the unsaved and ignorant who sin, and those who have heard the good news of Jesus and were freed from the bondage of sin, yet chose to do it anyway.
For an oversimplified and benign example, but for one that we can all relate with, there is a difference between driving 55 MPH in a 25 MPH zone, where we know the law and did it anyway, or we are from out of town and were fully ignorant of the matter. Here are some further examples.
Note that after one sins willfully, “there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.” This is reminiscent of a previous verse: “Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin” (Hebrews 10:18). Jesus does not sacrifice Himself again. What do we anticipate instead?
Hebrews 10:27
The willful sinner anticipates judgment. It is “certain” and “fearful.” It is God’s indignation. God’s angry zealous judgment will fall on such a person, not in hell, but in this life. That person could be us. It is the same type of judgment that will fall on God’s enemies. Why not? If we act like God’s adversaries, He will treat us like adversaries to a degree.
Consider some examples. First, there is Ananias and Sapphira, in Acts 5:1-11. Many people, such as Barnabas, had sold their properties and gave it to the apostles to distribute to those Christians in need. This couple decided to do the same thing, but they decided to secretly keep some of the money they received from the sale. They wanted accolades with some of the cash for their own. However, God’s judgment was swift. He slew each of them the moment each of them lied. The result was “great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things” (Acts 5:11). He used this as an example and warning for the entire church.
Second, there are those who showed scorn for the Lord’s supper. Consider 1 Corinthians 11:20-32. We see that the Lord’s supper is a solemn assembly when we remember the Lord’s death for our sins. His death is our eternal sustenance and His blood is the payment for our sins. This should cause us to look inward to see if our faith is really in Him and if we have been walking with Him. Are we treating Him with contempt, thinking that what He did for us a light thing?
But what do we see here? “For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep” (1 Corinthians 11:29-30). People died because they took communion willy-nilly without regard to the Lord.
This does not seem to be exactly the same as we see in Hebrews 10:27. Consider this: “But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world” (1 Corinthians 11:32). The example of Hebrews 10:27 seems more severe than the Corinthians, for compare that example with this: “which shall devour the adversaries.” However, the likeness can be seen in the next verses.
Other examples would include John 15:6; Romans 8:13; and 1 Corinthians 10:1-12.
The consequences of hell for the truly saved may be removed, but the consequences in this life and your role in the kingdom to come are surely affected.
Hebrews 10:28
Here, we receive an Old Testament example. First, consider Deuteronomy 17:2-7. Here, we see the example of someone serving other gods. A serious examination needed to take place to make sure it was true, for it was a serious charge. However, two or three witnesses were required for the death penalty.
Again, consider Deuteronomy 19:15-21. Here, we see that part of the enquiring is to see if the witness is valid. This use of witnesses and examining them and punishing false ones is to ensure the fear of the Lord. The plaintiff and the defendant alike need to fear the Lord and the consequences of their actions.
Why two or three? We are told one is not enough, so two is the minimum. The reason seems to be that three is preferred. We are told a serious examination had to take place. If two seem to not agree completely, and there seems to be some doubt, then a third seems to be necessary.
Compare Matthew 26:59-61 and Mark 14:57-59. Two men came forward to accuse Jesus of plotting to destroy the Temple, but their witnesses did not agree. Even the priests and the scribes knew they needed something better to convict Him.
The concept of having two or three witnesses was used throughout the Bible: In Boaz’s purchasing of Elimelech’s property and marriage to Ruth as kinsmen redeemer (Ruth 4:11), in church discipline (Matthew 18:16, 20), Paul’s trips to Corinth to exhort them (2 Corinthians 13:1), examining the sins of elders in the church (1 Timothy 5:19), and the two witnesses testifying against Jerusalem (Revelation 11:1-13).
In our Hebrews 10:28 passage, we see that under the system of witnesses in a criminal trial caused death “without mercy.” If you had solid witnesses that someone did such a crime, they would get death. There were no appeals like we see in our society. There were no plea bargains. There was no guilty by reason of insanity. There was no mercy for the murderer, the idolater, or the adulterer. If you did things like this, you were put to death.
Hebrews 10:29
We have discussed at length the superiority of Jesus and the old covenant. To willfully sin is to tread on Jesus the Son of God under foot. One treating Christ lightly and as common or unholy can expect something worse than the Mosaic punishment.
What is it to trodden Him under foot? Let us look at the phrase elsewhere. Consider the death of Jezebel. “And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot” (2 Kings 9:33). Jehu commanded the eunuchs to throw this wicked woman out the window. She died on impact, and he and perhaps the horses crushed her with their feet. She was eventually eaten almost completely by dogs. To willfully sin is to esteem our Lord as we would esteem Jezebel.
The Lord treaded on Jerusalem under His feet. “The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress” (Lamentations 1:15). He crushed it down like in a winepress.
Jesus said, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men” (Matthew 5:13). We as believers are like salt in our society. Salt preserves and gives flavor. If it no longer serves its purpose, it will be thrown out. If something no longer serves its purpose in our own personal lives, we throw it away. It is trodden under foot. It is trash. To willfully sin is to treat the Lord as no longer serving His purpose and throwing Him away.
Jesus said again, “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you” (Matthew 7:6). The word “trample” is the same word as “trodden under foot.” The context is when you go to correct someone, and they do not want to hear it. You do not try to pursue them any further. They will crush you, tear you, and treat you with contempt. The willful sinner does this to Jesus Christ.
Putting this picture together, we see that treading Christ under foot is to treat Him with contempt, to crush Him, and to throw Him away like you would throw away trash.
Recall our discussion of the footstool. We are supposed to be at His footstool. His enemies are supposed to be His footstool. Willful sin reverses our place with Christ’s place.
We also spoke at length about the blood of Christ and its superiority to the blood of the Levitical animal sacrifices. His blood is most precious, since it procured our salvation once for all. The Father was satisfied when He saw the blood. What if we decided His blood was unholy? You negate the only grounds for our salvation. There is no other sacrifice for sin. The punishment would be sore if we treated that with disdain.
Note the phrase, “wherewith he was sanctified.” Recall Hebrews 10:14: “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” This is how we know this passage refers to genuine believers and that this is not loss of salvation. The sanctified are perfected forever. These willful sinners were sanctified. This punishment and judgment is not the fires of hell, but some other judgment, and it is carried out in this life and the judgment seat of Christ.
These things have been done “despite unto the Spirit of grace.” This is a personal deep insult. It is an insult to the Holy Spirit who has opened the eyes of the spiritually blind. This is taking advantage of grace. “For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just” (Romans 3:7-8). Do you hear that? The attitude of doing evil for good deserves damnation. Taking advantage of grace to sin more will bring a divine reaction.
Hebrews 10:30
Here we see quotations from Deuteronomy 32:35-36. “To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left” (Deuteronomy 32:35-36).
The LORD pays back for sin. It is in His character to be sure that sin has consequences. We are blessed to have Jesus who paid for our sins. But if we as Christians continue walk away from Christ, the eternal penalty is still paid for, but He will get us back on track or He will remove us from the world in some cases, as was the case with those in Corinth that we mentioned.
“...their foot shall slide in due time” is the famous verse in which Jonathan Edwards’ sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” was derived. It is in our nature to backslide, even as Christians. “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). Knowing that self-confidence will lead to downfall, we need to take heed to walk with the Lord always.
When it says, “the LORD shall judge his people,” it means He is the judge of His own covenant people. In the Old Testament, clearly that means the Israelites. When it is applied here in Hebrews 10:30, it would apply to any believer in the Lord. We see again that this applies to saved people. He turns against them to turn them to Himself. This was done in the form of the Assyrians and Babylonians in the Old Testament. Many died, many went into exile, but either way, they learned that the Lord alone is God, and the same goes to us when He deals with us.
“For we know him that hath said...” Having been enlightened by the Spirit, we know Him and the judgment from which we were saved. These verses are a reminder about where we came from and how we were saved. He exhorts us to continue with Him, and if we do not, we will face consequences. He loves whom He chastises, and He is zealous in protecting the Gospel from those who abuse grace.
Hebrews 10:31
We read about “a certain fearful looking for of judgment” for the willful sinner. If Jesus Christ is Lord of all, but we treat Him as worthless, He will judge us. “Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him” (Psalms 2:11-12).
Why is it a fearful thing? Because He is the living God. The other gods are non-living idols. Consider Psalm 115:1-8. The idol cannot speak, hear, see, smell, handle, or walk. Those who trust in them are like them in that they are powerless and know nothing of spiritual reality. Unlike those gods that are literally dead rocks, the LORD is alive. He does speak, hear, see and the like. And unlike us, He does so perfectly. He is the perfect judge that sees and hears all.