For If We Sin Wilfully

2001-11-16

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins (Hebrews 10:26)

Introduction

Paul, with vast knowledge of Old Testament law and history, writes this letter to show the difference between the New Covenant age the readers lived in and the Old Covenant of the Law. The author does not choose to open with his name as he does with his other epistles; instead, the first name mentioned is God. He wrote this during a time of intense persecution, during the few short years preceding the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and towards the end of his life (MacArthur 1894). The intent of the Holy Spirit working through Paul is to clearly set apart Jesus Christ from any other person, and distinguish His sacrificial work on the cross from any other sacrifice in world history. In the ‘greeting’ of the epistle, he elevates Jesus above any prophet or angel, for Jesus is the express image of God, and yet is at the right hand of God the Father. It is worthy to note that this Jesus is said to be “upholding all things by the word of his power,” and by Himself He “purged” all of our sins (Hebrews 1:3).

Syntax and Context of 10:26

In saying this, Paul testifies of who Jesus is by using many Old Testament references. He does this throughout the entire first chapter. Beginning in chapter two, the author begins with the word ‘therefore’. Often during his exhortation, Paul follows with the word ‘for.’ This will be a familiar pattern throughout the book. It is good to notice that the author shares doctrine with the recipients, and then follows it with practical living. In other words, a rough way of putting it might be as follows: ‘because Jesus Christ is like this, you should be like this.’ Niemelä notes that the author divides the book into five doctrine-and-practice sections (Niemelä 1:9-10).

The target audience is important to mention at this point. Niemelä shows that the usage of brethren in Hebrews is defined only in 2:11 (Niemelä 1:4). Paul then calls them in his next doctrinal section ‘holy brethren.’ Niemelä points out as an example that a particular commentary divides a sentence and says that the audience of Hebrews is split into both believers (encouragement) and non-believers (warnings) in 3:12-13. This however, is a continuous thought, saying, that they should not fall away from God, but on the other hand should ‘exhort one another’ (see Niemelä 1:5). This homogenous audience of believers (seemingly primarily Jewish because of the extensive use of Old Testament quotes and thought) is important to understand before attempting to examine the target passage in 10:19-26. This letter is to believers, saved through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The theme of the book continues to show how God speaks in these last days (i.e. through His Son Jesus) is greater than anything the world has ever known. Moses was faithful (Hebrews 3:2), but was a mere servant as opposed to Christ who is the “son over his own house” (Hebrews 3:6). Therefore, the audience is the “house” if they “hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end” (Hebrews 3:6). Continuing, he says to them, “harden not your hearts, as in the provocation” that they might not experience the anger of God (Hebrews 3:7 ff).

Priesthoods of Levi and Melchizedek

The priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek was superior in that Levi paid tribute to this mysterious king of Salem while still unborn in the body of Abraham (Hebrews 7:1-19, see also Genesis 14:18-20 for the narrative and also Psalm 110). The offerings of the Levite priesthood were continuous until Jesus offered His sacrifice once and for all (Hebrews 9:11-12, 25-28). This will be the main thrust of what Jesus came to do for humankind as it is written in Hebrews 10:5-7 (Psalm 40:6-8): Jesus did not come to offer more sacrifices under the Levitical system, but to do God’s will (cf. Hebrews 10:7). Paul writes that “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect” (Hebrews 10:1). He writes again, “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). He argues that these perpetual sin offerings are continually offered because they do not in themselves cleanse from sins, for “without faith it is impossible to please him” (Hebrews 11:6).

With these things in mind, the author of Hebrews shows how Jesus came into the world to end Levitical sacrifice because they are not truly desired of God (Hebrews 10:5-7). The ‘first’ (sacrifice and offering) is removed so that He might establish the ‘second’ (the true will of God, Hebrews 10:8-9). Again, the author juxtaposes the innumerable Levitical sacrifices with the once-for-all offering in Jesus (10:11-12). Niemelä stresses that the words ‘for ever’ in Hebrews 10:12 is the same word in Hebrews 10:1, meaning ‘continually’ (Niemelä 2:17). Jesus continually sits at the right hand of God, because His sacrificial work is finished for all time (10:14). If the law is written on the hearts of men, and the sins and lawless deeds of 10:17 are remembered no more, the author logically concludes in Hebrews 10:18, “Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.” Niemelä compares this verse to a later statement in Hebrews 10:26b (the verse of interest). The former verse states that there is no longer sacrifice for sins, and the latter verse, which states a similar statement that even if one sins willfully, the sacrifice of Jesus is still at completion (see Niemelä 2:12). These verses are in the same section, reinforcing the same point: Jesus did His sacrificial work, and it is finished once for all.

Exhortations

It is important to remember that starting in Hebrews 10:19, there is a new section according to Niemelä’s doctrine-practice divisions (Niemelä 1:9). This is clear in the flow of the passage. After Paul concludes a lengthy doctrinal portion that started in Hebrews 7:1, he begins his exhortation with three ‘let us’ commands. The first one is “let us draw near.” This is a natural corollary to what was said, that they as believers have bold access to enter the holy of holies by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:19). The second is to “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)” (Hebrews 10:23). We ought to be faithful to Him because He is always faithful. The last phrase is that they might not forsake the assembly, but abound in love and good works (Hebrews 10:24-25). This is the willful choice that people can make: to either be obedient to these exhortations, or not.

The Sacrifice Covered Intentional Sin

Beginning in verse 26, Paul uses the word ‘for,’ connecting the subsequent text with the previous exhortation. If one does not live according to ways that the author spoke of in the preceding verses, but lives with scorn for the Lord, there still is no other sacrifice but the sacrifice of Jesus, which was once for all. In other words, such a person is a legitimate believer that trusts Jesus Christ alone for salvation, yet does not live for Him. No sin can undo the sacrifice of Jesus, even intentional sin in which the Law had no sacrifice or means of reconciliation (see Numbers 15:30-31, Niemelä 2:23). Niemelä calls this willful sin of believers as rejecting known truth (Niemelä 2:7). Paul also himself defines the willful sin in Hebrews 10:29, that one counts the blood of the covenant as common, insulting the Spirit of grace. Yet this passage still focuses on believers, because only believers have received the knowledge of truth as discussed in 10:26. Niemelä demonstrates this by citing Luke’s writings as using the same or similar phrases in Luke and Acts (see Luke 8:12-13 and Niemelä’s discussion in his footnote on 2:7; Acts 2:41; 8:14; 11:1; 17:11). Furthermore, those who were sanctified by Christ’s blood are the ones receiving the punishment mentioned in Hebrews 10:27-29. These are people who have eternal security in Jesus, but who will nonetheless face a harsh judgment or disciplining.

The recipients of this letter in ‘former days’ endured with great sufferings (Hebrews 10:32ff). They know that they have a greater inheritance in heaven than their plight in this world (Hebrews 10:34). Continuing in confidence has a reward. Nonetheless, the author warns them that they have become ‘dull of hearing’ and have been infantile in their actions by not striving for perfection (Hebrews 5:11-14). For this reason, the author warns them as treating the New Covenant of Christ’s blood lightly. Closing the section that ends in chapter 10, Paul quotes Habakkuk 2:3-4: “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” This is the interpretation the author writes, which sums up his section. Like the harrowing times of the Babylonian conquests in the seventh century B.C., those days were much the same: that they must live out their lives by faith.

With all of these things in mind, this carries over to the believer of today. If Christ died once for sins, the righteous one in place of sinners, that we might be saved, why should we sin willfully and treat His sacrifice as nothing, or as another Levitical sacrifice as the millions that happened in history? Though we are still saved through faith, we will otherwise experience the ‘fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation.’ How can we experience His faithfulness if we are not faithful (cf. Hebrews 10:23)? If we were justified (past tense) and will be glorified (future tense), why should we live now as if the cross were of no effect? With this in mind, we might also draw closer to God who has opened the veil to the Holy of Holies, and also hold fast to the confession of our hope, and also abound in love and good works and exhort one another (cf. Hebrews 10:22-25) so we might press onward for the reward (cf. Hebrews 10:35).

Conclusion

The message remains the same. Jesus Christ suffered, died, and rose from the dead because of His great love for us. If we trust in Him and His sacrifice alone, we will have eternal life! Why should we turn away from Him and live life our own way after trusting Him? He is the only one who can heal us from the effects of sin and pain, and He is the only one who can truly guide us in this life. Are we secure and truly saved if we turn from Him? Yes, His one sacrifice was big enough to cover all sins of all people for all time: past, present, and future. Yet, if we decide not to seek Him after we have come to trust Him, this passage is telling us that we can expect His discipline.

Sources

MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Study Bible. Nashville: Word Publishing, 1997.

Mounce, William D. Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1993.

Niemelä, John. No More Sacrifice, Part 1 of 2. CTS Journal, Vol 4 No 4 (October 1998). Formerly available on the web: http://www.chafer.edu/journal/back_issues/v4n4-Niem.pdf.

Niemelä, John. No More Sacrifice, Part 2 of 2. CTS Journal, Vol 5 No 1 (March 1999). Formerly available on the web: http://www.chafer.edu/journal/back_issues/v5n1a.pdf.