"well yes I will get back to you with more but the greatest misused scripture against losing salvation is this.,..I'm bed bound as in Uk so will give more tomorrow eve..***IF WE SIN WILFULLY***
One of the most misunderstood passages in all of the Bible (2nd only to "judge not") is Hebrews 10:26. We recently discovered John Hagee's butchering of this verse to try and teach his false view that eternal life can be lost. Here is what the verse says:
Hebrews 10:26 KJV
"For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,"
Ok, what does this verse mean? First of all, it is absolutely imperative with any verse in the Bible to understand the context in which it was written. We must look at the chapter as a whole, the overall topic of that chapter, who it was written to and for what reason.
So, let's figure out the context for Hebrews 10:26 by looking at a few things. First of all, who was the book of Hebrews written to? Well, it is pretty obvious considering one of the first names Jewish people were called were Hebrews. Hebrews was written to Jewish believers. Secondly, what is, one, the book of Hebrews about, and two, what is chapter 10 talking about specifically.
The book of Hebrews was written to the Jews concerning the ultimate sacrificial Lamb found in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Jews received under Moses at Mt Sinai the Old Covenant where once a year the High Priest would take the blood of an innocent lamb and go into the Holy of holies to atone for the sins of the nation. However, that was just a foreshadowing of what was to come. God would send His own Lamb to be sacrificed for the sins of the whole world, once and for all. So, the main theme of Hebrews is to show the Jews a new and better covenant than what they had under the Mosaic Law. That the Lamb of God was offered as final payment for sin and there is now no more need for animal sacrifices.
So, now we get to chapter 10 specifically. The first verse explains perfectly the context of the chapter:
Hebrews 10:1 KJV
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.
In keeping with the overall theme of the book, this verse is saying that the sacrifices under the old covenant were only a foreshadow of good things to come. The following verses go on to explain the finality of the sacrifice that the Lord Jesus Christ made at Calvary.
Now that we have established the context of chapter 10, there are some key verses that actually help to explain verse 26. First of all, verse 14 rules out the idea that it teaches one can lose their salvation.
Hebrews 10:14 KJV
For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
Notice, them that are sanctified are perfected forever. They ARE sanctified and they already have been perfected. A person is sanctified the moment he places faith in Christ. If salvation could be lost then not everyone who is sanctified will be perfected forever, as this verse positively states.
We will look at other verses in this chapter to help explain verse 26, but let's breakdown this verse.
"If we sin wilfully..."- Keep in mind, the context of chapter 10 is sacrifice for sin, comparing the old with the new. The understanding here is if we continue on IN sin. If we wilfully remain in an unregenerate state having never received forgiveness from God. This is talking about the unredeemed, the unsaved individual who is still lost in his sins.
"After that we have received the knowledge of the truth..."-
This particular phrase is often badly butchered! Many interpret this to mean that since they have received the knowledge of the truth, they must be saved . This is NOT what this means. Notice, it says that "we have RECEIVED THE KNOWLEDGE of the truth", not BELIEVED the truth. This is referring to, the Jews particularly, who are introduced to the truth of Jesus Christ, they have knowledge of that truth, concerning His death, burial, and resurrection, but that is all it is, knowledge. Knowledge of truth does not save anyone; we must BELIEVE the truth from the heart. We see this very principle in Simon the sorcerer in Acts 8. He had knowledge of the gospel, he saw the working of the Holy Spirit, but he was lost. So, we understand that the individuals here are not saved at all.
"there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins"- This phrase is very important in understanding this verse. Since we know that the context of chapter 10 is sacrifice for sin and the difference between the old and the new, we can see the connection and how there is now only one viable sacrifice and that is through Christ. Verse 18 has virtually the same phrase:
Hebrews 10:18 KJV
Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
In a nutshell, this phrase simply means that since Jesus Christ is the final sacrifice for sin, there is no other.
To summarize...
Chapter 10 of Hebrews is a message to the Jews, explaining how the old covenant was replaced by the new and better covenant found in the Lord Jesus Christ. The old covenant sacrifices only covered sin for one year and had to be repeated over and over again. When Christ came, He was sacrificed once and for all, never to be sacrificed again. The cross is God's final and only sacrifice for sins and there is none else. Verse 26 tells unbelievers if they wilfully remain in sin, unforgiven, having not been cleansed by the blood of God's only sacrifice, and having received the knowledge (not believed) of the truth of the gospel, there remains no more sacrifice for sins. In other words, there is nothing else they can do to be forgiven and be saved. They have knowledge of the truth, yet they continue on as unforgiven sinners. They shun God's ultimate provision for sin. Verse 29 tells of the harsh penalty for dismissing the work of the Son of God for sinners.
Hebrews 10:29 KJV
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
The bottom line here is Hebrews 10:26 does not teach that a saved person can lose their salvation, as the individuals being referred to are lost, still holding onto the old covenant which does not save. Once saved always saved is Biblical truth...hold fast to it!
God bless"
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