Hbr 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
I think it speaks of one who refuses to accept the chastening of the Lord, who,though warned and punished, continuies in disobedience, rebellion, unbelief, and unrepentance turned over to a rebrobate mind.
I don't think people can backslide and get saved again. I think we would classify someone as backslid, when many times they are being disobedient and subjecting themselves to the chaseting of God (such as David w/ Basheeba). BUT if one truly backslides and does get to the point spoken of in Hebrews 10:26, I think that is where the warning in Hebrews 6 comes in so strongly "it is impossible to rnew them to repentance..."
Basically in my view, I don't believe your once saved, always saved, nor do I believe salvation is so fickle that you (can possibly) posess it and lose it multiple times in a lifetime. I think once you have been saved, it is difficult to be lost, but still possible. But IF someone did lose their salvation, it would be impossible to "get saved again". I think the Bible backs up my point, though I admit this hasn't been one of the topics I've spent much time on.
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"Resolved: That all men should live to the glory of God. Resolved, secondly: That whether or not anyone else does, I will." ~Jonathan Edwards
"The only man who has the right to say he is justified by grace alone is the man who has left all to follow Christ." ~Dietrich Bonheoffer, The Cost of Discipleship
"Preachers who should be fishing for men are now too often fishing for compliments from men." ~Leonard Ravenhill
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If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:8 KJV
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2 KJV
Remember, he was writing to the Jews. There are a few clues in the verses following the one that I've often heard quoted that give better understanding, at least in my opinion.
Quote:
Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Adversaries? This indicates "sinning willfully" isn't just making a mistake or doing something that our conscience smites us for. (As a matter of fact if we are in the state he's talking about here, I doubt we'd feel remorse-since through it God would draw us back to Himself.)
Quote:
28He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Despised? Scorned. Spurned. Many Israelites did wrong. They complained. They worshiped idols. They doubted. There are only a few passages that record someone being put to death for their actions "under two or three witnesses" (indicating corporal punishment, not God's wrath as when the ground opened and swallowed them or they died by plagues or snakes). So this "willful sin" may not just be anything we hear condemned as sin today, as I've been often taught it was.
Quote:
29Of 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?
I believe this might show more what is being discussed. If the Jews converted to Christianity and then turned back to the law and denied Christ, they might border on doing these things. Yet I think even most of them didn't get to the point being described here.
Quote:
30For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 32But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; 33Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. 34For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. 35Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
Well, I'll let you do what you will with the bolded parts especially. This passage tormented me for a long time because I was taught if a person got the Holy Ghost they had to live perfect from then on or face judgment. That doesn't fit with the rest of the New Testament, though.
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What we make of the Bible will never be as great a thing as what the Bible will - if we let it - make of us.~Rich Mullins
I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.~Galileo Galilei
I think it speaks of one who refuses to accept the chastening of the Lord, who,though warned and punished, continuies in disobedience, rebellion, unbelief, and unrepentance turned over to a rebrobate mind.
I don't think people can backslide and get saved again. I think we would classify someone as backslid, when many times they are being disobedient and subjecting themselves to the chaseting of God (such as David w/ Basheeba). BUT if one truly backslides and does get to the point spoken of in Hebrews 10:26, I think that is where the warning in Hebrews 6 comes in so strongly "it is impossible to rnew them to repentance..."
Basically in my view, I don't believe your once saved, always saved, nor do I believe salvation is so fickle that you (can possibly) posess it and lose it multiple times in a lifetime. I think once you have been saved, it is difficult to be lost, but still possible. But IF someone did lose their salvation, it would be impossible to "get saved again". I think the Bible backs up my point, though I admit this hasn't been one of the topics I've spent much time on.
OBAB.
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
If we give up and turn our backs on all we've learned, all we've been given, all the truth we now know, we repudiate Christ's sacrifice and are left on our own to face the Judgment—and a mighty fierce judgment it will be! If the penalty for breaking the law of Moses is physical death, what do you think will happen if you turn on God's Son, spit on the sacrifice that made you whole, and insult this most gracious Spirit? This is no light matter. God has warned us that he'll hold us to account and make us pay. He was quite explicit: "Vengeance is mine, and I won't overlook a thing" and "God will judge his people." Nobody's getting by with anything, believe me.
Well this is for my Sunday School lesson next week. The kids brought this question up. (I strongly encourage biblical questions to be brought up that we will all study together to find the truest interpretation)
I remember studying this before and I remember seeing something in it that was different than what taking that one verse on it's own seems to say. But, for the life of me, I'm drawing a blank so far.
I always find that when you open up a verse like this for discussion that in a spirit of discussion among several that we will all learn something.
So... to answer your question. My thoughts are that it probably isn't saying in context exactly what it appears to be saying on it's own which seems to be... that if one does something... anything... that they know is wrong then they can never be forgiven.
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