Many people believe that Hebrews 10:26 teaches that people lose their salvation for willful sin. This passage has perplexed Christians for centuries.
Hebrews 10:26 says that “if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins” (NKJV).
Many people believe Hebrews 10:26 is teaching that intentional, willful sin causes them to lose their salvation. It is sometimes taught that God forgives unintentional sin, but not intentional. That is, if we know something is wrong, and we do it anyway, we lose eternal life because according to Hebrews 10:26, there is no sacrifice that covers willful sin.
Part of the problem with this way of thinking is that there are very few sins which are not willful. When most people sin, they know good and well that what they are doing is wrong. So if Hebrews 10:26 means what some people claim, then nobody has eternal life, or at least, nobody is able to keep it for any length of time.
Furthermore, we have numerous examples of biblical saints who knowingly and willfully commit terrible sins. All the fathers of the faith committed willful sin, include Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So also, some of the best kings of Israel, like David and Solomon, performed terrible deeds of darkness. Even some of the prophets, like Jonah, behaved in ways they knew were terrible acts of rebellion against God. But we fully expect to see all of these people in heaven.
So what about Hebrews 10:26?
Well, it says what it says: there is no sacrifice for willful sin.
And this was true under the Levitical law. If you go through and read all the different sacrifices that are described in Leviticus and Deuteronomy for all the various types of sin, you will see that God never provides a sacrifice for willful sin. All the sacrifices are for sins that were committed in ignorance (since the law was so complex, many people transgressed the law without recognizing it until later), and for regaining purity after something in life caused uncleanness. But if someone purposefully, knowingly, and willfully transgressed the Law of God, there was no sacrifice available to them for such sins.
So was there nothing they could do?
Of course not! They committed willful sins just as frequently as we do today, and God loved them just as much as He loves us today, and God did not want to abandon them to despair any more than He wants to abandon us today. So what avenue was available to people who committed willful sin?
The same avenue that is available to us today: falling completely and solely upon the grace of God.
Forgiveness for Willful Sin
Forgiveness for willful sin has always been received through the grace of God.
Today we know that this grace is available to us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but prior to His death and resurrection, the grace of God was still available, but they just did not understand the means by which God made it available. Instead, they just had to depend, rely, and trust on the goodness of God and His grace extended to them.
When the author of Hebrews writes his letter, he is writing to people who want to reject the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross as sufficient for our sins, and return to dependence and reliance upon the Levitical Law. In numerous warning passages (Heb 2:1-4; 3:7-19; 5:11–6:12; 10:19-39; 12:14-29), the author of Hebrews tells his readers that if the life, death, resurrection, and High Priestly ministry of Jesus is not sufficient, then we have no hope, no forgiveness, no grace, no mercy, and no eternal life.
When the author of Hebrews writes that there is no sacrifice in the Mosaic Law for willful sin, he means exactly what he says. Hebrews 10:26 means that there is no sacrifice in the law for willful sin. All depends solely on grace.
If we reject the complete and all-encompassing sacrifice of Jesus, no sacrifice for willful sin remains. If we reject the means by which God extends grace and mercy to us, and want to depend instead on the blood of bulls and goats, then there is no chance of forgiveness, but instead have only a “certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation” (Heb 10:27).
So thank God for Jesus, and thank God for grace!
One final note about Hebrews 10:26
As I pointed out in my study on Hebrews 6:1-8, the book of Hebrews is written to Hebrew Christians who were facing severe persecution for being a Christian. Some of them were thinking about returning to Judaism in order to avoid persecution.
By stating that no sacrifice for sin is left in Hebrews 10:26, the author of Hebrews is making a very similar point to that made in Hebrews 6, namely, that the Hebrew Christians came to recognize that the Levitical sacrificial system did not grant them eternal life or forgiveness of sins. This came only through Jesus.
So now, the author of Hebrews says, if these Hebrew Christians return to the sacrificial system, then there is not sacrifice there which can offer forgiveness of sins or eternal life. And if they reject forgiveness through Jesus, then where will they turn for forgiveness? If forgiveness isn’t in the Law, and by returning to the Law, they announce that forgiveness isn’t in Jesus, then “no sacrifice for sin is left.” Where else can they go to receive forgiveness? Nowhere!
Nowhere is the author making the point that if people sin willfully, or even if they return to an empty form of religion which accomplished nothing, that this proves that they do not have eternal life, lost their eternal life, or never had it in the first place. No, the author pretty clearly states throughout this letter that he knows his readers do have eternal life. So this warning passage in Hebrews 10, like the others in this letter, should be read as an invitation and encouragement for the Hebrew Christians to stick with Jesus Christ through thick and thin, come what may.
For the worst life with Jesus is far better than the best life without Him.
Only in Jesus is eternal life and the forgiveness of sins. If people rejected their religion to come to Jesus, but then later reject Jesus, what is there to go back to except for empty religion? So it is better to stick with Jesus.
Tit 1:15 Unto the pure all things [are] pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving [is] nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
Tit 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny [him], being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
It is not enough just to quote a verse. Even the devil can do that.
But only the Spirit of Yahweh can cause a person to understand, and then receive the Word into their hearts, submitting to It.
Those of us that have received the true gospel, are expecting to be totally purified from all sin, in this earth, and in this lifetime, through faith in Yahshua! ALL things are going to be pure in us, the ekklesia! We are believing for, and expecting it! Nothing less is acceptable to us! We have received the truth into our hearts that the resurrection power of Yahshua is working in us unto salvation from sin! We are not to be saved from it, while still being captured by it at the same time! That is double mindedness! But those that say that even the saints of Yahweh will always be sinners, and that their purification will only be fully had when we get to heaven, undercut the gospel covenant. Without even knowing it, they are making provision for the flesh! Without even knowing it, they are teaching faithlessness! Without even knowing it, they teach that the salvation from sin, and death, bought for us by our Savior’s life, suffering, death, and resurrection, is a salvation that leaves us at least partially in the grip of the sin that He came to save us from! This is what is referred to as “denying the power of the gospel”!
I submit that a faith in Yahshua that is less than a faith for total salvation is NOT a true gospel salvation! No provision has been made for willful sinners in ANY covenant that Yahweh has ever been a part of! We have been given grace whereby we serve Yahweh with reverence, and godly fear! Grace is the power to serve Yahweh properly! Anyone that teaches that our Savior paid the price for someone’s sin that, after receiving the knowledge of what our Savior has done for them, they can decide to disobey Him anyway, is teaching a false gospel – a “gospel” that does not conform you to godliness!
I agree 100% that no provision for willful sinners has ever been made in any covenant… but this doesn’t mean that willful sinners are damned, but rather that willful sinners (like everyone else) must rely solely and completely on the grace of God in Jesus Christ.
If you read Hebrews 10 again, I think that you will see that willful sin is trampling our Savior under foot, and that a worse judgment falls on the person that does that than what fell on the Israelite that was in the desert with Moses that gathered sticks on the sabbath day. And that person was stoned to death. In other words, they didn’t make it! Trampling our Savior under foot, according to what you say here in your article, can be a regular part of a believer’s walk and they still spend eternity in heaven with the One that they are trampling.
Also, if getting to go to heaven is “no provision”, what is?
Yes, the person was stoned to death. That is, they died. But physical death is not spiritual death.
They didn’t go to heaven for breaking Yahweh’s law, and neither will we, even if we sit on the front row at a meetin’ hall every single day, sayin’ “Jesus is Lord!”! Gettin’ killed is not good! It is not a type, and/or a shadow of eternal life! It is a type of spiritual destruction, and a warning for us in these last days! Read Hebrews 3, and 4, and see that if we fail to go in faith to take the land we are meant to take, we will die in the wilderness the way that most of Israel did. Once again, getting killed in the wilderness is not good, and it says right there that this example is a warning to us. You can make it about controversial questions if you wish, but I recommend, for myself, and everyone else, humbly submitting to these warnings.
Yes, they are serious warnings. But again, they are warnings about physical death and other consequences, which are not tied to our eternal destiny or whether or not we have eternal life. Eternal life is a gift of God to anyone who believes in Jesus for them.
Anyone that “believes in Jesus” believes in Him for the power to do what is right in His eyes, and to walk as He walked! And He honors that faith, and brings it to pass! There is no option for believing for eternity in heaven without believing for this! Yahweh gives His Spirit to those that obey Him! You are either walking in faith, and by the Spirit, pleasing Him, or you are walking in faithlessness, and in the flesh, and disobeying His Word! You can’t be in faithlessness, and in faith at the same time! You can’t be drowning, and safe on the river bank at the same time! Willful sinners are not in faith, don’t please God, and have no part in Messiah! Don’t be deceived! Those that do what is right in God’s eyes are the only ones that God considers righteous! We are instructed “not to sin!” But if we stumble, we have an advocate with the Father, our Savior. Tunnel vision caused by lying traditions of men will have you leading others through the wide gate that leads to destruction. And destruction is not good! We judge ourselves by our fruit to see if we are in the faith, or not. Yahweh wants us to know that we know we are in faith. And the only way that we can know that we know we are in the faith is if we find ourselves thinking, speaking, and acting like Yahshua, our Forerunner. That leaves out willful sinners – even the ones that say nice words about Him! You can’t be saved by faith if you aren’t in faith to begin with! We act on what we really believe, and willful sinners believe they can deliberately disobey God, trample Yahshua under foot, and still go to heaven. They are faithless, and unbelieving! Persons of faith believe that Yahshua can live out His life through them by His Spirit, bringing honor to Himself, and the Father.
Now, I am not saying that a faithless person cannot become a person of faith! They certainly can! But if they don’t recognize, and acknowledge their faithlessness, and turn from it, and seek forgiveness for it, they can’t! And if you keep teaching faithless persons that they are faithful enough to go to heaven, but just may suffer some gruesome things here on earth for their willful rebellion toward God, you are partly responsible for what happens to them!
So if I hear you correctly, you obey God perfectly? You have never sinned willfully? Not once?
The Spirit of Yahshuah obeys Yahweh perfectly, so anyone that walks by faith in Him, and by the Spirit, also walks, by grace, in that godly perfection with Them! It’s not about me! It’s about what They do if They have control of your life – the mystery of godliness at work – Yahshua in me, the Hope of glory! I no longer walk as the pagans do, and as I once did! I no longer live, but Yahshua lives in me in my place! I am being built up into the full stature of my Messiah, in this earth, and in this lifetime! They are working in me to will, and to want to do Their good pleasure! That’s a lot of God’s power working in someone! To willfully sin with all of this grace being poured on us to enable us to walk right in God’s eyes is a horrible sin against that Grace, and a despising of that Grace! How many people that despise God’s Grace do you think will be in heaven? Lots, apparently! But there won’t be!
You will have to be willing to rewrite some of your books if you want to move forward with your Savior! Protecting doctrines with controversial questions, and arguments about words is where you are presently living. Until you accept the sound words of our Savior, and His very plain teachings that conform you to godliness, in this earth, and in this lifetime, you will continue to be deprived of the Truth! But the very minute that you are willing to let God rewrite your books, if He would want to, is the moment that He would have all of your heart, and that He would open your eyes to see all of His very plain words! As long as you love your doctrines more than you love Them, you are an idolater! Idolaters don’t make it, even if they have followings, and “do stuff for God”.
It’s a good thing to find out if I am in idolatry, because, since I love God more than anything, I will be glad to repent of anything so that I can move closer to Them! So, I am not condemning anyone here! I am hoping for the very best for you! I trust that the Truth is the only Thing that will get anyone there, though, so I bring it in hope that it achieves that good purpose!
If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Yes, and in 1 Corinthians immature Christians practiced strife and jealousy. But he did not stop there and say that it was just dandy! In 2 Corinthians he told them that he feared for them that that strife and jealousy that was in them might still be in them when he came to them again. And that his ministry to them might have been in vain. In vain means “for nothing”. Strife, and jealousy are listed among the works of the flesh that are not to even be named among the brethren, right along with murder! And Paul said at one time that he did sinful things that he hated, and failed to do the good that he wanted to do. But he did not stop there! He said that Yahshua was going to deliver him from that body of sin, and death, and he was going to overcome, and be a mature man, blameless in ALL his behavior. Just like Paul, I say what he says! I overcome by the body, and blood of Yahshua, and the word of my testimony!
Jas 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
Jas 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but [is] earthly, sensual, devilish.
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Do you contend that inheriting the kingdom of God is different than going to heaven? Apparently you do! But Paul says otherwise! I believe Paul!
I am giving you numerous scriptures in context, and in balance. All you have is isolated scriptures, and doctrines of men that do not conform you to godliness.
1Ti 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, [even] the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
1Ti 6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
I believe what the Word says, ahead of nice folks any day of the week! Is your heart going toward gain? You can’t make a lot in this world saying what the Word really says! It separates!
David,
I have nowhere said sin was okay. Sin is not okay. Don’t put words into my mouth. There are serious temporal and eternal consequences for sin.
Jeremy, I am glad that you agree with the Word that sin is rebellion toward God! But you have been teaching that willfully rebellious persons will be going to heaven. This is my point of contention, because I want to make sure that, like Paul, and Yahshua, I warn everyone that the consequences of rebellion toward our Maker is everlasting damnation! And that includes if you claim to have faith in Yahshua, too, while in this rebellion! Deceived persons all over the place are claiming/thinking to have saving faith in our Savior when they don’t! The Word very plainly instructs us to examine the fruit of our lives to make sure that we are in the faith. That is what I am echoing here! The Word is very clear, when read in balance, and context, in saying that willfully rebellious persons have no place in the kingdom of God! And, as I have already repeated, that includes if you think you are going to heaven!
I think that a traditional doctrine of men/demons is responsible for this kind of teaching. “Once saved, always saved!” is not found in the scriptures! Now I certainly believe in the security of the believer! But, I certainly do not believe in the security of the non believer that thinks that they are a believer, that has been convinced, through false teachings, that they are believers when they are not! These kinds of teachings like the one you have here is having false converts never find out that they are not really in the faith! And never finding out, they never have reason/opportunity to repent, and enter into the faith. This is a horrible tragedy, in my thinking, and I cannot stand by idly when I see it!
I called out to God to save me when I was 21. He miraculously worked in response to my cry! But I was 44 before I could say with assurance that I was in Yahshua. I looked back on all of the willful sin that had still been in my life after crying out, and I could see that I had been loving that sin more than I loved the Father, and the Son. Until I came to a place where I was ready to lay it all down, I did not have eyes to see, or an ability to face the truth about myself! I saw that I had not been in the faith, but had only really acknowledged that I needed to be in the faith. I was in a wilderness where God was getting me to a place where I could even conceive of entering in to His promised land. This is the context of all of my previous statements here. I know that I know that I am in Them now because I find myself in continuous surrender to Them! I am in faith based on the fruit of my life. I continue to inspect my life as the Word shines it’s marvelous Light, in hopes of being further conformed to Their image, through repentance from all dead works! I am not trying to earn my salvation! I am just cooperating with the Spirit in me, to the praise, and honor of the Father, and the Son! Having seen all of this, how the promised land is attainable, and meant to be possessed, I want everyone to have opportunity to go in! I am in agreement with God on this!
David,
I think you don’t know much about what I believe. You keep assuming certain things about my belief, and then accusing me of these things.
Here is my suggestion. Before we continue this conversation, study up on what I believe, and then bring your questions. Just look through the archives of this blog, or do some searches using the Google Search button. If you don’t want to do this, then the conversation needs to end here.
I am glad that you want to teach the truth as you see it, but my blog is not the location for you to do that. Instead, I recommend you start a blog of your own and let people come to you to ask questions and to learn.
Hebrews 10:26 is the verse that “got me saved”. When I received the truth in that verse, I could no longer justify being a willful sinner. God had got me to a place where I could face the truth about my sins, and about how I was really a lost sinner that knew his need for a Savior, but had not really repented of ALL my sins. The Spirit of God used that verse to convict me, and bring me to repentance for ALL my sins, and THEN, ever increasing faith in Yahshua. Your explanation of this verse would not have accomplished this in my life, but would have allowed me to continue justifying the sin in my life, to the glory of satan! When I interpret a difficult passage, I now ask, “How will this best conform me to godliness?”. That is the best test that I know of for interpreting hard passages, and for determining whether someone has really received the true gospel! I know what I know ONLY because I have been caused to believe what God says!
I am probably ill equipped to post a reply to this discussion but I have some questions?
If a person commits a sin is it not he or she that commits the sin and ultimately resposible for the consequences? That would seem to make the sinner the responsible party for the sin according to the New Covenant and making all sin “willful” and short of the Glory of God? Is not the consequence of sin death? How many “unwillful” sins does it take to equal a “willful” sin in God’s Eyes? Is there anyone who is righteous who walks or has walked this earth as a human being, except Jesus Christ? Can people attain Godly perfection in their lives by their own doings? If our fleshly, carnal bodies can become perfect, why do they die? Where is it stated that we can attain forgiveness and heaven by anything other than believing the Grace of God through, in and of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ? If not for Jesus Christ would not just one sin qualify the sinner for an eternity without God?
I am not trying to be a wise acre with this post! I don’t know much about the above people who have posted. It seems to me that we are all sinners and always will be as long as we are in these bodies and there is no hope in anything we can do of or by our own selves. Jesus Christ has been alone in qualifying, the rest of us can’t comprehend how utterly miserable we have, do and continue to fail. My intention has not been to be mean spirited to anyone or in anyway.
Uber,
I think you pretty much have it right, you seem to be pretty well equipped to me. Just like those in Paul’s time, there are those today that want to add something to salvation. Repentance is a work and if we really had to repent of all of our sins before God could save us then there would be no hope for any of us. Jesus even went as far as calling out our sinful thoughts even when they don’t lead to action. So I think it truly impossible to repent of all our sin, I would even say that just confessing all our sin is impossible. The fact is, that the Good news is not that God gives us the power to keep the law better, Romans 7 pretty much rules this out, no the good news is that God DID what the law could not do and in Christ fulfilled the just requirements of the law as we see in Romans 8. The Gospel is not that God makes it so we can somehow do it, but THAT GOD HAS DONE IT. Just as you say, our duty is to recognize our helplessness and inability and throw ourselves on God’s gracious provision in Christ’s sacrifice.
If you think that Yahshua had special powers over, and above what we have access to that enabled Him to obey God, that would be saying that He did not come in the same flesh that we are living in. That would be saying that He did not really lay down all of His power when He came to this world, and that none of us could ever follow in His foot steps. But He did! And since He is our Forerunner, we are supposed to run after Him, and run the same way that He ran! He lived by the Spirit, and we are given grace to do the same, if we only could believe! And then, after throwing ourselves on the mercy of God for forgiveness, we would also throw ourselves on His mercy to cause us to will, and to want to do His good pleasure. If you don’t believe, or want to believe, that it is possible, then for you it will not be! But for the believing, He is faithful to bring it to pass!
Repentance from all known dead works is the first teaching of Our Savior. (You can’t repent of dead works that you don’t know about yet.) Then after that He taught faith in God. You can’t do the latter until you’ve done the first! I would know because I tried to do it the other way, but like the Word predicts, it does not work!
Shalom!
I am sorry that you are of this mind! You want to demonstrate “your” truth by signs and works that you have been part of and experienced but show no scriptural support or choose to apply scripture as your own private interpretation! Romans 3:10-23 is clear in defining your, our(every person) state of and in sin! You have been deceived and I hope and pray that you find the TRUTH!
You should include these verses:
Rom 3:7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
Rom 3:8 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.
You tell a true brother that he is deceived for believing that the resurrection power of Yahshua is strong enough to cause him to die to all sin, becoming a mature man, giving Yahshua a place to live in the earth in him by His Spirit, and so have a place in the earth to live out His nature, and character, to His glory, and the glory of the Father. But you tell a false brother that he is doing very well in his ongoing practice of sin, as he acknowledges his absolute, and unchangeable inability to ever leave sin behind.
Rom 5:19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
Just as sin was passed down to us from Adam, doing what is right in God’s eyes has been passed down to us from Yahshuah, unless we have something else worked out!
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of [his] resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
When you repent – turn away from – all known sin, you are dying, and being buried with your Savior. Only AFTER that can you rise to live in this newness of life! You must die before you can rise! You teach that we can never really die to all of the world, the flesh, and the demonic, so for you, that is your confession, and that is your reality.
Rom 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members [as] instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members [as] instruments of righteousness unto God.
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Rom 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Rom 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
My confession is that I am dead to sin, and alive to God, so, God honors my faith, and brings to pass what I am confessing! I am not condemning anyone here! I am hoping that you can get in on this newness of life! Is there anything wrong with finding yourself as the recipient of the free gift of walking in the God kind of love, where you see God loving through you, and manifesting His fruit instead of the fruit of the devil? Or do you really think, as it seems you are saying here, that God gets more glory from those that confess that, as long as they are in this world, they will be in bondage to a certain amount of sin, than from those, like myself, that confess that they are free from sin, and servants of righteousness through the power of Yahshua? By the way, even though I have not quoted chapter, and verse on all of my comments, everything I have said has been straight from the Word! I WAS a servant of sin, but NOW, I am a servant of doing what is right in God’s eyes! And I do it by faith in my Savior, Who is my only boast! This is all the gift of God!
I believe you are sincere in your understanding but your position is not quite reconciled with the Bible in its entirety. You treat the sin issue appropriately by attributing great importance to not sinning, but in your zeal you do not treat the human imperfection and sanctification and glorification processes of God correctly. or at least your position does not allow in your position appropriate room for what scripture says these divine works accomplish within the believer.
My advice is that we should not interpret the bible we should take it as it, and do what it says. Many tough passages in the bible have been interpreted wrongly, including 1 John 3:9 , which says No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. In Matthew 7:21 says that, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. This are warning that we are given, we should not talk about grace to excuse our self from the will of God. We should try by all means to please God. Forgiveness is not automatically, he doesn’t just forgive sins, we should sacrifices something in our lives in order for him to forgive us i.e we should repent , we should stay away from sins. Hebrew 10:26 it doesn’t mean that there is no hope for you, you still have the chance to be forgiven, given that you will stop committing sin willingly. No one knows whether he will see heaven or hell, I’m telling you even those pastor that you praise there is no guarantee that they will see heaven, only God who knows, so to increase your chance to go to heaven, try by all means to stay away from sins. everyday we commit sins without knowing that we commit sins, hence we are praying for forgiveness of our sins. But some of the sins we do them knowing that we are committing a sin, this sin are adultery, murder, hate and etc. one thing that I realized from most christian is that, we use grace of God to defend ourselves from heavy sins that we are committing, and we are deceiving ourselves. The day of judgement will come, they will be no excuses on that day, every man will be facing his own judgement.
I repeat not everyone who says lord lord will see the kingdom of God, if u read that bible you will know who are those people. The question is are you the one, then do something about it. My advice is, if you know that you are committing sins willingly stop now, don’t do that any more, pray every day because you may commit a sin without knowing. Don’t use the word grace to defend yourself from sins, you will find yourself in danger. If you are truly born again the holly spirit will guide you.
Everyone interprets the Bible. Even you. There is no such things a straightforward reading of the Bible. Check out this post https://redeeminggod.com/nobody-believes-the-bible/
Come on get real samson old testement its in there wilful sin my definition is walking away from the Lord and doing opur own thing knowing what you should do but still do what you want to do.In the life of Samson WE SEE Gods forgiveness and the sacrifice is the same as today repentence we are saved by the grace of God if we turn from our own way.He was disobedient to his parents and to the Lord his heart was no different from ours wilfully disobedient he chose sin over the Lord all the time sleeping with prostites and lying with foreign woman going his own way and yet God saves him not only that he was Gods chosen instrument to deliver his people.The sad part is his term was only 20 years if he had walking in the ways of the Lord he should have had that ministry for 40 years that is the term of completion.We cut ourselves short when we choose sin over the Lord which is an idol by the way.We all have those areas in our lives that we keep to ourselves thats wilful they are our demons and our comforters.Until we surrender all to the Lord we cannot be overcomers and will be influenced by satan like samson it is clear warning to us wilful sin or making sin an idol in our lives has consequences better to serve the Lord with all our hearts even though samson didnt for much of his life God still showed him his grace and faithfullness.You can also see wilful sin in the Life of David yet God saves him but not all were saved in the life of saul as he wouldnt listen to the Lord and kept walking according to his flesh.
Thank you for helping me have a better understanding of Willful sin. I needed to hear this message as an ex- Cult member from the Children of God I have been without hope for such a long time. When I say been with out hope I mean to say the struggle I had for many years in the flesh. Been saved by the grace of Jesus Christ since 1977 born again, and still struggle with an on going sin that makes me feel without hope.
If you’ve ever studied European history, you might have read some of Josef Goebbels’ propaganda. He used exclamation marks about as often as you do in these posts. In my view, anything that needs so many exclamation marks needs them to try to uphold the message where it would not stand without them. And it makes it less believable because of that. Go easy on the exclamation marks, please 😉
When writing, I do, in fact, struggle with where to include exclamation points. I feel, sometimes, that I might be using them in too many places. But, when a command is given by our heavenly Father, and our Savior, I am compelled to include them, especially in this day when these very teachings are being trampled under foot. So many are emphasizing His never ending willingness to overlook sin, which is a lie. There is an end to His willingness to forgive, and many presumptuously end up in that place like Esau, who sought repentance with tears, and could not find it. That is why we are warned in Hebrews not to make that mistake. That is why we are told that if we hear His voice Today, not to harden our hearts, because there is no promise of Him calling us tomorrow! I have purposed to emphasize these Truths so as to fulfill my obligation to my Maker to warn about His coming judgment. If in my motivation to obey His command I have fallen short in my use of punctuation, please forgive me! I am purposing to write as I am instructed by the Set Apart Spirit.
@Washington
You wrote:
>”No one knows whether he will see heaven or hell, I’m telling you even those pastor that you praise there is no guarantee that they will see heaven, only God who knows, so to increase your chance to go to heaven, try by all means to stay away from sins.”
I am probably not qualified to comment, but I believe that Paul teaches we are to have confidence in our salvation if we obey the Gospel? Also we cannot “add to our salvation” it belongs to the Lord!
So yes, by all means we should refrain from sin, but I do not believe this will increase your chances of getting to Heaven per say. Saying this would seem to imply we can “add to our salvation”, which is impossible because Jesus died for our us and provides 100% of our salvation. Thoughts?
Amen brother.
Esau did not seek “repentance” with tears, he sought the gift (his birth right). He was an ungodly man.
Nice ! I love this, very well said of the Truth. To many are being led to think we can receive God’s Salvation and keep hold of what he’s delivering us from. When delivered just says go and sin No more. Can two walk together except that they agree. Be yee Holy etc.
So there is no grace at all are you for real what about revival?
Paul, by the Spirit, warns us of a day, today, when cleverly devised fables would be taught in place of the gospel Truth. Demonic beings come along side of these false teachers to help them craft these lies. Then these “teachers” conspire together to make their stories jive. Ezekiel 22 talks about this. When one determines to go ahead with what they know is sinful, they are sinning against the Grace of Elohim, and trampling Yahshua under foot ! We are told this in Hebrews chapter 10. Even in what is referred to today as the “old covenant” there was provision only for sins of ignorance. Look at Leviticus 4:2. The blood of animals did not pay for self determined knowing sin then, and our Savior’s blood does not pay for it now. If we receive the grace of Elohim, we will be able to, and want to serve Elohim with reverence, and godly fear. We see this in Hebrews 12. Anyone that has truly repented of ALL of their sins, and then subjected themselves to Elohim understands what I am saying. If you don’t understand this, it is likely that your heart is still going after some things in this world. Our Savior explains this in John 8.
2Corinthians 10:6 says that we are to take revenge on disobedience WHEN our obedience is fulfilled.
Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk [is] unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
We are to become skillful in doing what is right in the eyes of our King, and THEN we can bring “revival” to others by taking revenge on the unrighteousness that has them in it’s grip – preaching the Gospel, healing the sick, and casting out demons. Spiritual maturity is the goal, and is attainable! It’s time that we receive this in our hearts, and stop listening to all the fables that condition us to accept sin as a way of life! Those that listen to that lie get what they are believing for! And if you have received the fable that, well, at least you are still going to heaven, look at Romans 8:1 & 8:9, and see if that is true. If you live after the flesh, you are none of His. If you are “none of His”, do you think that you make it?
David, I am a born again believer and I believe, to my knowledge that I experienced all the blessings in Hebrews. I have not been able to rest in God’s promise for salvation and fear that I hardened my heart and fell away in unbelief. I believe the gospel, but I got confused when I read warning passages and began to be terrified of losing salvation. Please pray. I was saved a little over a year ago, had peace and joy for about 3 months, then fell into terror. My heart literally feels hard. I am terrified I am in a place of no repentance.
HJ, I am praying right now for you. Salvation is a walk that begins when you are born again. It is continuous. We cry out to Elohim to continue saving us. We cry out to Him to work in us to love Him properly. We cry out to Him that He would work in us in a way that would make us worthy of spending forever with Him. We believe that when we ask for good things like this, He does it! It is a continuous walk of faith. When we entertain fear, we must recognize our participation with it as sin, repent of it, renounce it, remove it – tell it to leave in our Savior’s Name – stand ready against it’s attempt to return, and rejoice in the deliverance promised to us. He did not give us a spirit of fear. Sometimes you have to cast a demon out, tell it to leave! We must not be passive! He is faithful, and just to forgive us, and to cleanse us – remove that tormenting sin from us. We take every thought captive to the obedience of our Messiah. We cast down every thought that does not agree with what He says. You have authority in the spiritual realm over all the powers of darkness, in Jesus’ Name, including fear, worry, anxiety, and dread! If you are willing to obey the Father in any area of your life, and stand ready to repent of anything He tells you to, and your faith is in Yahshuah alone, you are walking in covenant. If you have sinned, it is normal to lose your peace for a time determined by your Father. He is disciplining you. It may continue for a time after you repent, but you WILL get your peace back if you stick to your Father, and Savior. He disciplines those that are His own, and that He loves, so thank Him for that love. Joy comes in the morning, and it’s so good to know that He cares enough to correct you.
Thank you, Father, for your lovingkindness, Your covenant love, Your mercy on us, and patience! Please forgive us for our sins because of what Yahshuah has done on our behalf. Please give us wisdom, and lead us back into the paths of Peace, and we praise You, and thank You for it in Yahshuah’s precious Name. Please cause us to receive these scripture promises/instructions into our hearts, and to believe them. Please cause our faith in You to increase so that You will be honored in us, and we thank you for it in Yahshuah’s Name!
Hi HJ, my name is Julien i’m a born again believer who hardened his heart like you. Do you have a new heart since your last comment ? Have you been healed ? I’m waiting for your answer. I’m in the same situation.
Have no faith in your self for salvation ford is not by works we are saved have faith that Jesus Christ will continue his work and you continue to repent and asked to Lord for forgiveness and trust in him and his grace and love and mercy
Are you still in the faith today ?
I was living like hell itself living unrepentant even after I confessed Jesus as my Lord and Savior and it’s all clicking with me and I never want to practice habitual sinful lifestyle against my Lord and Savior any longer I truly want to change my mind of sin and want to fully commit my life to Christ Jesus today and I want to make a public apology for knowingly doing this knowing it offends God I was such a monster professing to know him and did many terrible and abominable things and I’m sincerely sorry for all of it. I want to live as God loves us and want his blood to cleanse me. I put him to open shame for months and I feel so bad about it. I just want to be eternally secured in him ❤️
Sorry, but I would have to agree with DavidFRAN on this one. Notice that John the Baptist (who was baptizing people unto REPENTANCE) was the precursor to the Savior. The Korban was the sacrifice for the repeated and unintentional sins but REPENTANCE and even restitution was required for intentional sins and ONLY once a year was the priest able to enter the sanctuary to obtain forgiveness for the intentional sins. So, when Jesus died, he indeed wiped away ALL of our intentional and un-intentional sins. HOWEVER, in enters Hebrew 10:26 in that there is no more sacrifice, thereafter, for CONTINUED AND intentional sins. If you are saved and if you fall into sexual sin, as an example, repent and call upon the blood and you will be saved. But if you continue (without repentance), knowing the truth, there is no sacrifice that can help you. This is referred to as blasphemy in the OT. There IS NO FORGIVENESS WITHOUT REPENTANCE. This error in understanding is why our churches are filled with adultery and filled with homosexuality and filled with divorce; hardly a bride dressed in white. We are to judge sin correctly but leaving the judgement of the individual to the Father. The Good News is that GRACE abounds for the repentant heart.
This is simply not true; this speaks to willful sin. Even in Hebrews it acknowledges that people sinned in ignorance. Have you ever been driving somewhere while talking to someone and looked down and saw that you were speeding? Were you intentionally speeding? In short, many sins are committed without thoughtful intent.
There is a HUGE difference between that and saying in your mind that “I know God tells me not to do this” in advance of the sin and then resolve to sin anyway. Even that however can be forgiven with repentance and seeking forgiveness, however ongoing commitment to sin WILL cause you to lose your salvation.
I believe if we were to consider this thought as a way to maybe think before we act…it goes like this: Intentional sin may separate us from God for the duration of said sin. As a true Christian, God has given this thought to me as I try to understand why so many who attend a place of worship continue to sin like they have a permission slip to do so.
Intentional sin can separate you forever. Example: Israel decided to go in to the promised land AFTER they had tested Elohim ten times in the wilderness. It was too late for them! To presume upon the grace of Elohim is like playing Russian roulette with your soul.
Today, the predominate doctrine taught in what is called “church” today is that “you can practice some sin, and you surely shall not die.” Sound familiar? If that is the most widely held doctrine there, who is in charge there? An image of a beast has been set up in what is supposed to be a place set apart to Elohim. And when the music begins to play, everyone must rise up to give worship to that image that has been fashioned to suit their worldly lusts.
I’m so confused! I think I am saved, but I backslide all the time! David is making it sound like we never will sin. I constantly struggle with doubts of my Salvation. I never get joy and peace! I just want Jesus! Yes, I want to stay away from sin, and I want to please the Lord. But, I am just so confused. I don’t know who to believe. I don’t know which one of you is right. I need help! I don’t want to go to Hell! I want to be sure if I am saved.
There seems to be a great misunderstanding of what it means to be a Christian. It’s not God puts forth some effort and you put forth some effort. It’s not you trying to persuade God, impress God, or accomplish some level of righteousness in order to get God to save you. It’s not God saving you and then Him leaving it up to you to keep yourself saved through your performance or works. Salvation is a finished work based on Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. He offers salvation as a gift to any person who believes the gospel and by faith receives His gift. Once a person is saved they are indwelt and sealed by the Holy Spirit. They are united with Christ and placed into His body. They are accepted by God and imputed with the righteousness of Christ. They are a new creation in Christ Jesus. God saves and keeps those who have believed the gospel of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The key is to focus on the facts and not on your experience.
..Amen Brother!
I agree. And honestly saying one can lose faith in following Christ with every ones interpretation of scripture. For me I’m a simple women and listening and reading the comments makes me feel like throwing in the towel. I’m a sinner and still struggle everyday but the Jesus that I know is my father and we talk about how he can help me to overcome the sin in my life. We have a relationship and I believe he knows my heart even though at times I don’t measure up to his grace and love. Where else can I go but to my father when I fall. It’s just this simple for me.
When God first showed up in my room(i was seeking Him best i knew how)
His first words were”why dont you talk to me all the time?” my suggestion is
Love the Lord with all your heart keep your nose in his word dailey walk in such a wzy as to show your love for him and IF you stumble ask for his forgiveness and grace and a change of heart so as to NOT repeat it again.
I have had willful sin in my life and i do believe that hanging onto what we know is wrong not only makes one very uncomfortable ill at ease but will drag that soul to hell.God holds a high standard and expects his children to honestly try n follow His example. Work out your salvation with fear n trembling because hell is real n grace is not to be trampled on.
None of us are so blind as to not know when someone is not being sinsere God is no different
When Adam sinned what kind of ‘death’ did he experience? His conscience condemned him and he hid from God. His relationship was severed and he passed that ‘death’ unto all mankind. What did we have to do with being ‘born in sin?’ It was a gift from Adam. IN the same manner of justice, Jesus gifted mankind with life by restoring what Adam lost and reconciling mankind again to their father. When Adam became a prodigal son, there was of necessity, a mediator between the two parties until the time of reconciliation. God used prophets, priests, the temple cultus as middle men, mediators, until Jesus completed his mission and removed all elements of the temple cultus, 70 AD. Now that we’ve been reconciled to our Father via the spirit, no mediators are required. The ‘wages of sin’ is what? Spiritual death or separation from one’s father. The gift of God is what? Spiritual reconciliation. Paul taught the gospel of reconciliation. 2 Cor 5:20-24. Please go to biblehub.com and do a search for all words that relate to ‘reconcile.’ Among those would be ‘reconciled, reconciliation.’ All the old temple cultus, priesthood of Aaron, prophets and the use of mediators was ‘passing away’ in the first century. Heb 8:13. The END of all things was Near. 1 Pet 4:7. The ‘telos’ was near. The Greek word actually means ‘goal’ or ‘fulfillment.’ The goal of all the previous ages was to reconcile mankind to their father again. The Law of Firstfruits declares that all are HOLY to the LORD. When the 144,000 firstfruits from the tribes of Israel were offered as fall firstfruits in the first century, then ‘the whole lump of dough was declared HOLY.’ We are not bondservants to a Master or firstfruits from the tribes of Israel. We are sons and daughters and have no need of mediators as we have direct access to our Father, any time, any where, any how. ‘No longer will they say, ‘Know the Lord, for they will all know me from the least to the greatest.’
Heb 8:11,12 12For I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sins no more.”
We have been ‘raised with Christ’ to the former position that Adam had. That is the “ainion’ life that comes with hearing and accepting the good news of reconciliation made complete in Christ Jesus.
God is not an author of confusion even a child can have salvation we are to constantly stay in prayer repent praying for others Walk in faith Jesus Christ is the perfect example of how we are to live our lives have faith in him that he will finish the work he started in us!! We are to be ready to confess our sins quicklyGod knows everything about each and everyone of us he knows our hearts he knows if we believe in his son Jesus Christ
One battle unbelievers never face or have knowledge of, is the battle a born again believer has with sin. Thank God that your sin bothers you. It tells me that you have a desire to draw near to the Lord in perfection. You’re being pruned by the Lord. We will never be perfect until we are given our Resurrection bodies. When I consider the sin nature that still wrestles with my spirit nature, (that the Lord gave me), I realize how much I’ve been saved from. If your sins do not bother you, you are in mortal danger.
hello, I remember when I was 19 or 20 I got upset with God and told him I didn’t want to be a Christian anymore because of what I thought was strictness, so after about 9 months of ranting I asked God for forgiveness and asked him to take me back, but I wonder now, was there a sacrifice for me left?
could u message me please. I backslid after being saved and I’m scared it’s too late. I sinned willfully will some bad sins and have recently repented of them but I’m scared it’s too late. please get back to me.
Austin,
God’s love for you is greater than any sin you might have committed. Backsliding is not going to remove you from His love and forgiveness. Rather than being afraid of God, thank Him for His love, grace, and forgiveness in your life.
Praying for you.
I’ve made a few mistakes in my life that I really regret. I still have nightmares, and whenever I think of them, a sense of deep shame. Somethings I did, somethings I didn’t do.
I do find comfort in knowing that I’ve learnt from those mistakes. As long as we learn and change it’s not too late.
If you can make amends for whatever you’ve done do so sensitively, honestly and courageously, you won’t regret it. If you can and you don’t it’s not repentance that you feel but fear of being found out. That’s a problem.
Be faithful my friend. Peace.
Remember how even Peter denied the Lord, what 3 times? How Kind David committed adultery and impregnated the wife of Uriah and had Uriah sent to the battle in a place he was probably more sure to be killed. God rebuked David out of mercy and love and extended his grace, I believe David was forgiven even though he sinned. Was he not already a believer? I believe its because He counts God as true by willingly acknowledging and hoping for God’s grace, thereby saying God is faithful and counts His Love as true, calling God’s grace true. I believe we will see our brother David in heaven, because of God’s work of love and grace through John 3:16, that He will forgive is, cleanse us, save us, deliver us, and see is through by His own hand and righteousness, not ours, but Immanuel’s, the Lord and Messiah, Christ Jesus of Nazareth. Satan quotes Scripture in Matthew chapter 4 doesn’t he? I think He quotes from the Law even. Brother I am not saying you aren’t saved, but that John 3:16 is true and remains and God will see us through for He is faithful and just.
I think you are right. People have been set up. They have been lead to believe that people can keep sinning and go to heaven. Or better yet that they can live a sin free life.
I see heaven as a huge arena with only a folding table set up in the middle of the field with a few chairs around it with a handful of people setting around wondering where everyone is.
I just think though that instead of throwing people alive into a lake of fire that God would have compassion and just since no one can live a sin free life that he would just instantaneously at our deaths cause our existence to disappear. I just don’t understand why Jesus would die for a handful of millions of people that have ever lived.
Thanks for your time,
Condemned from the foundation of the world
It’s not about us being perfect, because our past lives are full of sin, so we will never be. It’s about us dying so that our Savior can live His life in us in our place starting now. And He is perfect always! If we say that this can never be in us, then we are arguing against the Word, and against our Savior, Who is the Word. We must come to a place where we no longer have to side step certain parts of scripture. It says that we have yet to make peace with Him if we are keeping any idols in our life. And it says that we don’t truly love Him if we are keeping them in our life. He says that He has made provision in Yahshua for us to overcome. It won’t happen in one years time. But we must believe Him when He says it is possible, or He will not bring it to pass for us. And the only thing that would keep us from receiving it in our hearts is if we love something in this world more than we love Him. Once we are able to face the truth about ourselves as scripture defines us, we will be at a place where we can face anything. I faced it some years ago is how I know this. I faced it, and died that day to anything that was contrary to our Maker. And I continue to die to things as they are exposed. I repent of them, and He washes them out of my life. I come out of agreement with those sins, and one day I look up, and they are no longer manifesting through me. He has removed them as I waited patiently for the righteousness that He promises. It’s not a righteousness that I produced, but one that I trusted Him to produce. This is the salvation road, and I highly recommend it. It is sometimes a lonely road, but it’s rest, and peace, and safety here inside Yahshuah – the Salvation of Yah.
When you believe something, your actions always prove that belief. You can say any words that you decide to say, but your actions bear out what you really believe.
1Jo 3:2 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.
1Jo 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
This is the Word! If you believe, you will be purifying yourself in preparation for His return. That means that you have to seek His kingdom, and righteousness in order to find out how all of this works so that He will find you on the Path. If you don’t believe, then you will agree with the untold numbers that say “You will always be a little like the devil, so just surrender to that, and trust in His grace!”. I will point out that His grace is His provision for us to serve Him acceptably in reverence, and godly fear. In Hebrews 10 it says that willfull sin is a sin against that Grace!
Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Heb 12:29 For our God [is] a consuming fire.
David much as I love you as a brother I believe that you are in slavery. You idea of Grace is flawed.You sound like a pharisee full of works and striving day in day out where Christ has set you free.You are pre-occupied with sin and self righteousness.As for me I am content to rest in His Grace and Mercy with all my faults, which are many and for which I daily look too His finished perfect work at the cross..I cant go 50-50 with Christ..He did it all. I am just the recipient of His perfect sacrifice.I am hidden in Him.I live by the Faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me..I have nothing to declare except his name and Him only..I can see you are perfect and sinless and it seems you are a zealot, better than most and I admire you for that.Even Abraham, King David, King Solomon, Moses, or any of the God called people in the scriptures dont seem to have your righteousness. You are amazing.!!! But I have some advice for you, a lot of folks would be scared off by your sinless righteousness, you might not have any followers, not even your family.
David,
You said “If you think that Yahshua had special powers over, and above what we have access to that enabled Him to obey God, that would be saying that He did not come in the same flesh that we are living in”. Peccablity = Able not to sin. Impeccability = Not able to sin. I believe Jesus was Impeccable. He is fully human and fully God at the same time.
Hi David, may I ask a question? Your first comments really scared me because it sounded as if there was no hope but after reading about your experience, it made more sense.
I grew up in a household and region where everyone calls themselves Christian but no one is very serious about it, like really sacrificing everything for Christ or even thinking about it.
I decided to follow the Lord two years ago. It’s been a long way with many surprises as I thought the Christian walk was like what I saw daily in the lifes of those around me.
My eagerness to please God initially led to a works-based belief only. It was God who delivered me from it. But I still had so much to learn. And the day I realized I trust Jesus for my salvation and his work in me I sinned. I gave in to temptation and didn’t fight it. I didn’t flee from it as I was supposed to do. And one day later I sinned again, willingly. I knew what I was doing. It was a very very stupid response to the relief I felt to no longer feeling condemned.
It occurred to me only later that I basically spit God in the face and trampled on his grace by doing so. I have never read the entire Bible yet simply because I have only started to truly follow him. I am currently reading it but there are so many things I still have to learn.
Interestingly, because of the terrible thing I did, I appreciate his grace now more than ever and am motivated and determined to live for him only and be transformed by the holy spirit into the image of Jesus a bit more each day. Hebrews 10:26 hit hard but it definitely caused me to be more careful and more determined and to depend more on his grace. And it has only further enhanced my awareness of the need of my savior Jesus. I want nothing more than to live for him. The most wonderful place on earth would be utterly terrible without Jesus but I could be the happiest person on earth living with nothing and in the wilderness with Jesus. Life without him is no life that’s worth living.
However, I am so afraid now that my willful sin has destroyed it all. The Realisation has caused me to love God even more and hate sin much more.
Do you think this was simply a wake up call and warning since it has nugded me in the proper direction (closer to God!) or is it all over now? I don’t wish to return to where I was and God’s love is what caused this change.
PS: you wrote this on December 19,which is my birthday!
It’s not over because God forgives the repentant. Read Psalm 51.
David, this thread is so old, I don’t know if you’ll get this. If so, I have been confronted by many of the verses you have referenced. I also have felt terror of the wrath of God and that I have committed apostasy due to willful sin. My question to you is, is it possible to repent and receive forgiveness and renew a right relationship with God, or am I doomed to hell? By the way, what church do you attend? Thanks
David Fran what about the ones that are so tempted and fall into that temptation meaning they willfully sin from that temptation but hate it and strive to follow Christ ? I’m not going to fight you on your truths that you speak only because I’m searching and feel that you could very well be right only cause Jesus said plain and clear that only a few will make it.
1Jo 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
If there are areas of our lives where we really don’t want to obey our King, then we must come to a place where we can face that, and say that we are not walking in the Light as we should be.
1Jo 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
When we face these issues, allowing Him to put His finger on our spiritual problems, we are in fellowship, and are going to be cleansed of those defects.
1Jo 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
We won’t get anywhere if we don’t face the truth about ourselves.
1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
This is where I have placed my hope, and faith. I admit to, and confess as sin whatever I see in myself that He says is sin. And I do it in faith believing that He forgives me, and that He will also remove that sin from me. I keep this hope firm unto the end! He will forgive me, and remove every sin that I face, confess, and repent of as long as I do not lose hope, and discontinue believing/doing this until the end.
1Jo 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
We walk in the Light when we walk transparently before our Maker, and before one another. We can face anything because we love the Father, and the Son more than anything. We forgive ourselves because They forgive us, and tell us to forgive always. We are not condemned when we walk this way because we are receiving the object of our faith – being like our Savior – over time, by faith. You come to a place of overcoming when you walk this way, and it is not by your efforts. It is by believing that They will bring it to pass. We must continue to look at sin as They see it while at the same time trusting Their promise in this matter. This is the dying that we do daily. They do the sin removing!
The inability to overcome can sometimes be because we really love that sin more than we love our Savior. We can be deceived, and think that we love Him more. It could be that we need ministry – the removal of an unclean spirit can compel us to do what we do not want to do, and hinder us in doing what we would like to do. It is biblical to command unclean spirits to leave a person in Yahshua’s Name. Then they must stand ready, filled with the Spirit, and Word against their attempt to come back in. You don’t want 7 worse coming back with it.
The key, as I see it, is to pray that we would love the Father, and Son as we should. Ask Them to cause us to love Them, and They will! And as we lose our love for the things of this world, and die to them, They bring us to a place where we want to please Them as an over riding desire. And you won’t be caught up in the fleshiness of speculating about how you will get to heaven with willful sin in your life. You move on to maturity past the elementary teachings about dying to all dead works. But once again, if you stumble every day in a thing, put your faith in the promises of forgiveness, and cleansing of that sin, and never give up believing for that! That is obedience, and it is good, and it is our provision in our Savior for being saved from/out of all sin.
Thank you for responding so quickly and for your prayers. God lead me to Hebrews not long after getting saved. I’m scared I fell into unbelief, then He was delivering me but I disobeyed His leading. Prior to this deliverance He had (about 2 weeks previous) he had impressed upon me Today if you hear his voice… For whatever reason, I sinned by disobeying. It was like none of the warnings from the year came back to mind and I had this false sense of security. I failed a faith test as a result. The next day, my heart was hard, like Hebrews warns. That was 4 months ago and I’ve been “trying” to believe I’m still saved, but all day, every day I live in a fear of falling away by the unpardonable sin. I can’t believe my life has become what it has. I can believe and rest in every single word of the bible…except for my personal salvation. I am struggling just to function at this point, and can barely sleep. The comforting feeling in my belt of truth area has been relaxed by a hollow, empty feeling that won’t go away.
I will continue to pray for you!
It is not about trying to get your peace back as much as it is about wanting your heavenly Father, and your Savior to be honored by what you do in the future. We have all fallen. We have all stumbled. We have all let our Savior down. They are not surprised to see one of Their little children stumble. They are trying to get us to follow Their instructions for what to do when we do. They are training us. We must believe what They say, and cling to Their promises. They tell us not to sin, but that if we do, They are faithful, and just to forgive us, and to cleanse us of that unrighteousness. You must receive this forgiveness as an act of obedience to Them! The Word says that you are the righteousness of God, seated at His right hand with our Savior, and that is right now. And if you aren’t righteous in every area of your life right now, by faith you are, and will be! Do you remember where our Savior told the disciples to forgive 70 times 7 times, in other words, be forgiving all the time? Think of how much more forgiving our Father is to His little children. Be forgiving toward others, and He wants to forgive you! He can’t wait! And learn from your mistakes. He will be so pleased with your progress! And if you stumble again, get back up, repent, receive forgiveness again in faith believing that He will see that you are cleaned up. He will bring it to pass!
My sin has been struggling to believe aND rest in his promise. Have you known anyone who experienced a spiritual hardening of the heart? I am terrified that this is permanent. I hate my sin, and did not enjoy doubting and falling into unbelief. I battled the doubts constantly with scripture but the condemnation became overwhelming no matter how much I prayed and cried out for relief. I did not want to believe a lie, bUT I fear I did and cannot unbeliever it because I have fallen away. I don’t sense the Holy Spirit working in my heart anymore. There is no love at all anymore inside, I am cold and empty. Everything I was afraid of happening seems to have happened. Why would God allow this to happen when I begged and confessed and prayed for the grace to be humble, and be obedient. I still sinned against him….possibly the unpardonable sin. My life is in ruins. I still wish to glorify him and live my life in a holy manner, but chains that he had broken are back again. He had broken more chains than I realized. I became terrified when I read about how the trees that don’t produce fruit are chopped down and burned, so out of fear I went out and helped the homeless, etc not realizing this was a works mentality. I was so terrified and confused, only now do I realize that JESUS was producing the fruit while I was resting and believing…the fear of condemnation and trying to keep the law ruined my faith. I misunderstood so many key biblical passages. I was rebelling for so long without realizing it…not believing. The I Never knew you passage terrified me. I fear I “un” believed myself out of his hand and exchanged the truth for a lie. I pray endlessly, but my heart just seems to get harder.
Our heavenly Father understands when we have trouble believing. Just be open, and honest with Him, and make up your mind to hold onto hope in Him until He speaks to you. Don’t let go! Would you serve Him forever even if He never gave you anything? Then tell Him that. As I tried to tell you before, accepting His forgiveness as an act of your will is part of obeying Him, too. Once you repent, and receive the forgiveness He promises through His wonderful Son, you have a clean slate, and are back in full covenant standing with Him.
Right now in Jesus’ Name I bind up every demonic stronghold that would interfere with you peacefully seeking after the Father through His Son. And now Father, with those creatures bound, would you please send your Spirit to minister to HJ in a very tender, special way that assures him/her of your love for them? Please bind up the wounds. Please fill with faith. Please minister joy, and thanksgiving in the heart, and the assurance that you have not forsaken them, and never would.
Today is a brand new day. Our Father wants to love you. Please make up your mind to let Him. And since, like me, you have no where else to turn, keep turning to Him. Ask Him to keep on saving you, and believe that He will as best as you can. You have at least a mustard seed’s worth of faith to start with. So use that. Keep reading the Word, which builds faith. Keep praising Him, which builds joy. Keep casting down thoughts that are contrary to what you read there. Speak the Word over yourself. You are who God says you are! You are not sin! Remove every thing from your home that has any connection with occult, or any kind of sinful nature. Stay away from tv unless something faith building.
Right now in Jesus’ Name I break every word curse, and spell that has been spoken over HJ. You are seled by the blood, and bound. You cannot minister to them any more. Now in Jesus’ Name I speak peace, deliverance, healing, and liberty, and freedom on HJ according to the promises in Your Word. And I thank You, Father for all these blessings in Yahshuah’s wonderful Name!
HJ,
The fact that you are struggling with this and that you “worry” about God accepting you tells me He is very active in your life right now. Otherwise you wouldn’t care at all and be given over to your sins, but that is not what is going on here. I see God working in your life by what you wrote. Please don’t give up. Even if you don’t get an answer right away you still have your FAITH. Please never abandon that. Remember that God is not bound by space and time like we are. A day is no different than a thousand years and visa versa to Him. He is Eternal!!! Where you see hopelessness he sees one of His children struggling to follow Him with all their heart! This is why it is so important not to quit. God is very patient and we should strive to be as well. This very well could be a faith building experience that He is putting you through. You will come out on the other end stronger in your faith and love than before!
Also, watch out for those “feelings” Feelings can deceive us. Just because you feel one way or another doesn’t mean that it is true. No, in your case I see quite the opposite. Satan is trying his hardest to drag you down, so put on the full armor of God and fight back. Satan will flee if you do this. He cannot stand against the Holy Lamb of God who you accepted into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins. Keep repenting and keep praying for a breakthrough.
I struggled with a particular sin for about 40 years. Then one day my prayers were answered and I became victorious over it. See God is faithful, but his time for you may not be what you expect. This is why you need to hold fast to those promises and never give up no matter how long it takes. Keep your heart open to him. His Kingdom come, His Will be done!!!
May God bless you and shine His face upon you and sprinkle you with blessings galore!
Jeff
David and Jeff,
Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. I continue to pray and cry out every day. I’m exhausted from living every moment in dread of eternal damnation. It’s gotten to the point where I fear going near anything hot, or even showering.
Over the summer, I received conviction that blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is resisting the convictions of the HS. When I first got saved, I.like many others, ended up on a vicious cycle of terror fearing I had committed this sin. It lead to fear, chaos and panic attacks that would not go away.
In April, I was fired from my job of 15 years because the nights of terror and fear lead to no sleep and I could not function. Then, over the summer I began to receive conviction that God was with me and that the “heavenly gift” mentioned in Hebrews was the gift of the spirit. He revealed to me that I was to pray and ask others to pray to be blessed with the spiritual gift of faith. I did this immediately, and the next day he gave me this gift. At first, I assumed the gift would just become a part of me. Later, He was guiding me into speaking aloud the In Christ promises as a way of building up this faith. I spoke a few of these promises, but I was so mesmerized with the fact that He was communicating with me directly in prayer after so long a time, that I was more attuned to the feelings of peace this prayer brought, and I was not seeing the importance of His message: which was that my faith in Christ for salvation was weak and this was why I needed to speak the promises. At the time, I was not aware that this was a command and I was to follow, and not to follow was sin. The feelings of peace and happiness were so strong that I had a sense that everything was going to be ok, and I didn’t need to do anything. Shortly after this, he tested my faith, and I failed the test. The next day, my heart was hard. I woke up to this. I had a sense that He had removed his spirit. The words “Renew Repentance” flashed in my mind, and I don’t think they came from me because I was not thinking about Hebrews at all.
Prior to this deliverance, He had given me words to indicate that the deliverance was coming and to “submit to God.” I fear I blasphemed the Spirit, since why else would I have received conviction, as a warning, beforehand? People say that if you still struggle, the Spirit is working, and I pray this is true. However, Hebrews warns that if we “fall away from the faith” we cannot be renewed to repentance in terms of renewing our faith in God for eternal judgment. This is why I fear I have come to no repentance.
I pray for mercy due to my being so young in the Lord. He lead me to Hebrews two months after getting saved. I asked several Christians for help regarding this and they all said, word for word, the same thing: Why would God lead a baby Christian to Hebrews? But I knew that he had, even though I didn’t fully understand at the time why. The warnings terrified me more, and I began to to focus on my own performance as a way of preventing myself from falling away, which is the opposite of what we are to do. But every time I read Paul’s words about being “justified by our faith” I was confused and didn’t understand what he meant. There was a blockage there, and I could not get understanding or wisdom. I also didn’t understand the difference between law and grace. Many times, the Spirit gave me messages about faith instead of works, but I was not understanding the full meaning of faith. Now, I believe that God was telling me to rely on Him for EVERYTHING. HE would tell me when I needed to confess, HE would enlighten me with scripture as needed. I was to live my life in faith with everything. This is what I did not understand at the time. I also didn’t understand the full meaning of Jesus’ sacrifice until much later. (After I disobeyed the Spirit) Because I was in so much fear for so long, I struggled to stand on His promises, but I did the best I could. One of the few promises I was able to stand on was “I will never leave you nor forsake you” even though in Jude the word speaks of those who no longer have the spirit. (waterless clouds who have not the spirit) I believed this promise wholeheartedly. This is why I feel so devastated that He may have taken his spirit away from me, like Saul.
I continue to claim his promises each night, namely “He who began a good work in me will complete it.” I acknowledge all the chains he broke and ask Him not to send me back to the world. I pray for rest in his promises.
Prior to the deliverance, I felt drawn by the spirit, but I don’t anymore. I want Jesus, I want to walk with Him and glorify Him, but it is not the same yearning/hunger I had as before the deliverance. Jesus blessed me with the faith of Abraham-he was going to make me mighty in the faith for Him. All he wanted me to do was to speak the promises to build up the gift, and I failed to do this. “This will we do if God permit” God permitted this, by giving me a second chance at faith in salvation, and I failed to follow his lead. “My sheep hear my voice and they FOLLOW.” I did not follow. I know what he wanted me to do, and I did not do it.
Yesterday, I prayed for truth regarding my standing with Him. I confessed my sin, and for the first time acknowledge it was my fault along with my belief that He loved me and would use even the worst circumstances to help me. I had fallen into a pattern of blaming God for my failures. I acknowledged that despite my feelings, I knew He would always keep his end of the bargain. I pray for healing of my heart. Many people have been praying for me for months regarding this, but I have not found relief. I know of one other person who woke up with a hard heart after continuing willfully in a sin that he was warned to give up.
One of the parts of Hebrews that spoke to me was the story of the Israelites. Eventually, I began to see that God was warning me to believe and rest in his promise of salvation, and not be like the Israelites who kept doubting, testing Him, and eventually fell away in unbelief. Prior to the deliverance, I saw this in myself, and confessed my rebellion. I was shocked by it, because I hadn’t even realized I was testing Him! My entire walk, I was struggling to not kindle his wrath because I was in terror of the warnings. And yes, David, like you I believe those warnings are aimed at believers, not the unsaved. The unsaved don’t experience the blessings of the Spirit that are mentioned. I had a completely different reading of Hebrews than most Christians I know. It’s obvious that Hebrews is aimed at believers. “God is not unrighteous to forget your work of ministering to the saints.” Who else ministers to the saints, except believers? I also believe that when the bible speaks of death, it is speaking of spiritual death. I have not been able to find a place where the bible speaks of two different deaths. It’s always “this way leads to life, and this way leads to death.” “Death is God’s enemy.” “Let the dead bury their dead.” “The last enemy to be destroyed was death.” “If you live by the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the flesh, you will live” I don’t believe God takes away salvation, but we do have a role and this is what I have always struggled to understand. I now know that our role is to believe, and keep on believing. But part of believing is obeying his voice and following Him where he leads. I failed to do this.
How are you doing HJ? I hope things have improved for you?
Many Christians misunderstand the meaning of “No Sacrifice for Willful Sin is Left”.
The author of Hebrews (supposedly Paul) was warning many of the new Christian converts because some of them were committing apostasy and “willfully” giving up their new found faith in Christ and returning to Judaism. This is totally rejecting Christ after receiving Him and going back to their original faith (a very bad situation).
You have not done this! You still have faith in Christ! You are having some doubts (we all do at times), but you have not abandoned your faith. Satan is attacking you and trying to get you to abandon your faith all together by believing something that isn’t true! Don’t fall for it. Also, don’t let how you “feel” ever get between you and your faith in the Lord. Feelings are not reliable, but God’s promises are….
Finally, it’s very easy to read into something too much. Being so intent on trying to understand every aspect of it, but missing the simple meaning or purpose all together. I’m guilty of this. Take a step back and take a deep breath.
Keep praying, keep believing, and NEVER give-up your faith in Christ. Like I said earlier, we all have doubts occasionally, but that’s not the same as turning your back on Christ. Ask the Lord for guidance and to strengthen you.
Perhaps go back and read some of the books before Hebrews (especially if you haven’t yet) too build your faith and knowledge. Romans is a good one. They all are good 🙂
Try not to worry. I struggled with similar issues as well. My thoughts and prayers are with you friend.
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
Thank you for asking after me. I received a word telling me that I have not been delivered from a spirit of fear since the beginseng of my salvation experience. I must recognize that I believed a lie. The word was a bit confusing because I have acknowledged that I believed a lie, but I need the Spirit’s help to replace that lie with truth. I continue to seek God. He delivered me from many bonds, and now I find myself back in many of them- not by choice, but just by realizing it. I pray He will finish the work and forgive me. How are you doing with your walk?
Hi there, I certainly am not one who glory at the thought of someone losing their soul. I have never heard this scripture is teaching a person can lose their salvation. However, I do believe willful sin is very different from sinning while knowing right from wrong. Willful sin would be “like” premeditated murder. Such a person consciously intends to commit a sin and goes past every warning and obstacle to commit that sin. Others may and do sin out of bad choices, weakness, unfortunate circumstances and even out of fear etc. These two people fall into two different categories. The one who premeditated his crime, the sacrifice of Jesus does not cover that. For such a crime is of the same nature of the devil. NOW! That person does not lose their salvation. However, the full consequences of their crime will fall upon them without mercy. Why? Because his insurance policy doesn’t cover “willful sin.”
The other person is different. They know right from wrong, but out of fear, lack or weakness, they sinned. That’s the real condition of humanity. Sin enslaved us and demanded a true sacrifice that we could be saved. So, when we fall, we acknowledge our sacrifice (Jesus).
The people who Crhist denies knowing…they are the people who did great things in Christ’s name. Yet, they were rejected. “I wonder if it was because they were purposely not doing what they were supposed to do?”
Just to clarify, are you saying there is no hope for the one who chooses to sin—knowing what is right ahead of time and sinning anyway? No possibility of repenting and being forgiven?
After struggling for many years thanks to people like DavidnFran I was finally freed from hell by Jeremy’s, and other amazing teachers’, lessons. God loves you, has grace for you, and forgives you unconditionally. There is nothing you have to do to earn, keep, or prove that you have eternal life. It is already there for you to freely have, and no amount of sin, willful or not, will ever take it from you. Quite the opposite, once you believe in God’s unconditional grace you will truly feel his power and love.
I will give DavidnFran the benefit of the doubt and assume he is simply lost himself. Don’t follow another lost person, or you will see the fruit that they will bring to your life through the spirits of fear and doubt. These spirits that don’t come from God will not bring you the fruits of the holy spirit: love, peace, joy, hope, etc. DavidnFran’s words will only bring destruction and ruin to your life through fear and legalistic religion.
There are things that I struggle with that I often wonder if I should be as a Christian. There are certain things I do that I know I shouldn’t, that I know God won’t be happy with…..but I do them anyway. it’s called temptation and me not being strong enough to resist. Paul, if I’m understanding him correctly, talks about what he wants to do but can’t, and what he doesn’t want to do but does anyway:
We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. (Romans 7:14-20)
This has helped me make sense of I why I continue to struggle things even though I am in Christ. Also is a powerful statement as to the nature of sin. Gods grace doesn’t come with fine print or caveats. Doesn’t give me free reign to do what I want but then, it isn’t me that’s doing it (though that does sound a bit of a cop out)
I am so glad that Paul was honest about his struggles! And I am also very glad that he told us that he was going on to overcome! We need to have faith for overcoming even when we are not! This is a process that we will not continue in if we have decided that it cannot be done. That is why I emphasize believing for overcoming the same way that Paul did. Paul went on to say that he would be delivered from those sins that were operating from within him. He did not accept them, and encouraged us to believe God for total freedom from them as well. That is gospel faith! And that is what our heavenly Father is trying to get us to receive!
1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Peter was telling believers that satan would devour them if he got the chance. Being devoured is not good!
1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
1Pe 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle [you].
1Pe 5:11 To him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
When we resist temptation, the devil cannot devour us, although we will suffer for a little while. But if we keep resisting through that suffering, God will establish us as mature overcomers to His honor forever. He is faithful to bring it to pass! He gets us through to a place of freedom, and peace, but we must believe that He will do it because He says it, and because He is true to His Word!
What if you seen what Satan was going to do and then started showing everybody you could about what is happening and what might happen and then Satan has his army after you. Thousands of people casting magick on you temping you in any way they can? This is really happening to me.
Our Savior had everything in the book, so to speak, thrown at Him. He overcame the same way that He has made provision for us to overcome. First of all, submit completely to Elohim. There can be nothing in your life that you won’t let God be Master of! All known sin is repented of, and any sin that is made known will be quickly repented of as well! Then resist the devil! A dead man cannot be reached with temptations to do anything! Be dead to sin, and worldliness! It’s easy to die, but it’s impossible to resist sin when you are still alive to it! God is faithful to forgive us when we repent of sin, and promises to remove all unrighteousness from us when we consistently repent of ALL sin! Then satan will flee from you! As with our Savior, he will not be able to find any place in you to plant a temptation. You overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and the Word of your testimony! You say what God says everywhere you go IF you believe God, and have made up your mind to overcome!
Satan, and the demons have no authority to attack you unless our heavenly Father allows it! They actually are doing God’s bidding. No curse can fall on you without a cause! And sin in your life would be the only open door. This does not mean that you won’t come under attack, but that you will be able to stand as you go through it. We are actually instructed to take revenge on sin, when our obedience is fulfilled. So, in faith, and in your God given authority, bind up every demonic stronghold that tries to come against you in the powerful Name of Yahshua the Messiah! Open your mouth because they can’t hear your thoughts! And with them bound, and still in faith, call on your Maker to deploy His angels, and to send His Spirit to work mighty deeds that will protect you as you seek to bring the Father, and Son honor in this earth!
Me too. I’ve been going through this for a while now and I have no body of Christ to lean on or be encouraged by. Please pray for me
You are on the right track. The love and grace of God inspires and challenges us to live for Jesus and follow God, but it does not give us an “you better do this, or else” threat.
Any overcoming of sin that we experience in our life comes not from our own strength or resolve, but simply because we are learning to trust in the Father’s love, and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit.
I would say that Yahshua living inside any person that has died to this world, the flesh, and the demonic allows them to experience the mystery of godliness – Yahshua in them living out the God kind of love, in which there is no flaw of any kind. This has nothing to do with them having become a better person because they have nice thoughts, and feelings about God! Those thoughts and feelings toward God are certainly there in every true disciple! It only comes from seeking, and then finding out that the way to life is through death! All the nice feelings for God are for nothing if we fail to die, and so go in to the promised land of rest from all sinful works! We die so that They have a place to live out Their nature, and character! We get in on it because we have bothered to check on how They have all of this set up, and we are doing it Their way! And it is all by grace so that no man can boast of “living for Jesus”, because They are doing all of the living through us! It is not about us!
Paul warns us that we can fall away from the faith if we treat this grace with contempt. This is no threat, but it is a sure word as to how God has set things up. This is a grace that totally removes, if we receive it in faith, the mystery of iniquity from us so that the mystery of godliness has somewhere to operate! It is not about putting more of Jesus on! It is about getting rid of the world, the flesh, and the demonic through dying to it! (Dying is not an action, by the way, so it is not works! Sinning is works!) God picks it up from there!
Let me show you a more perfect way: Brother there are many who struggle with this and there is an answer
located in this very text that solves your dilemma, and the above
explanation is NOT it! Any time you reason the answer to scripture from
your opinion and once you say this is what the scripture means then you
can find other scripture to back up what you say because you just up and
changed the meaning of the original text. This text does not speak
about the law or the old testament times. It is speaking about New
Testament and the covering of sins by the blood of our savior Jesus the
Christ! Now, the first thing we must do with all scripture is to
understand its context in history and culture and to take it literally
if it is spoken to be taken literally. I believe this scripture is to be
taken literally and not metaphorically explained away. Secondly and
most importantly we need to understand what is actually being said. We
need to look at the grammar and the meanings of the important
theological words and wording. IE “willful” I will not go into deep
explanation but simply stated, this passage is not speaking to people
who commit sins on purpose but to people who practice sin as an accepted
way of life.not people like you and I and the apostle Paul who says in
Phillipians 312Not
that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I
press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold
of by Christ Jesus. 13Brethren,
I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I
do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies
ahead,…fighting
the good fight and willfully sinning are two different things!
Therefore, if people think they can willfully go on sinning and the
sacrifice of Jesus on the cross covers them, they are sadly mistaken,
But if we sin (on purpose) out of weakness and imperfection then as 1
John writes, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so
that you may not
sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ
the righteous;” So you see this does not do violence to the text like
the above explanation. We can not just make up answers to hard questions
concerning scripture. We must stay as close as possible to the text and
reason it out guided by other text of scripture according to what is
written and not according to some random explanation of men. So I pray
that this helps you to understand and appreciate God;’s word on this
topic. P.S. An excellent method of approaching biblical interpretation
is the Historical-Grammatical method. http://www.endtimes.org/gramma…
Thanks brother. God bless you. I just committed a terrible sexual sin. I am a Christian. I realize that I can lose my salvation. But I am determined to go back to the Lord. I will not shrink back and still try to fix whatever makes me defiled. I am willing for God’s punishment as long as I won’t lose my salvation. I am resolute to resist temptations but I am afraid I made a terrible sin. Would it still worth the try?
You can’t lose your salvation. If your salvation depends *in any way* upon behaviour, then Jesus died for nothing. Here’s my take on it: http://www.flyinginthespirit.cuttys.net/2015/05/27/once-saved-always-saved/
David Fran ..I hate to say this but you are spreading fear and despondency and condemnation among brethren..Jesus Christ came to save by His sacrifice so he might deliver us from fear and condemnation..
Brother there are many who struggle with this and there is an answer
located in this very text that solves your dilemma, and the above
explanation is NOT it! Any time you reason the answer to scripture from
your opinion and once you say this is what the scripture means then you
can find other scripture to back up what you say because you just up and
changed the meaning of the original text. This text does not speak
about the law or the old testament times. It is speaking about New
Testament and the covering of sins by the blood of our savior Jesus the
Christ! Now, the first thing we must do with all scripture is to
understand its context in history and culture and to take it literally
if it is spoken to be taken literally. I believe this scripture is to be
taken literally and not metaphorically explained away. Secondly and
most importantly we need to understand what is actually being said. We
need to look at the grammar and the meanings of the important
theological words and wording. IE “willful” I will not go into deep
explanation but simply stated, this passage is not speaking to people
who commit sins on purpose but to people who practice sin as an accepted
way of life.not people like you and I and the apostle Paul who says in
Phillipians 312Not
that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I
press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold
of by Christ Jesus. 13Brethren,
I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I
do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies
ahead,…fighting
the good fight and willfully sinning are two different things!
Therefore, if people think they can willfully go on sinning and the
sacrifice of Jesus on the cross covers them, they are sadly mistaken,
But if we sin (on purpose) out of weakness and imperfection then as 1
John writes, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so
that you may not
sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ
the righteous;” So you see this does not do violence to the text like
the above explanation. We can not just make up answers to hard questions
concerning scripture. We must stay as close as possible to the text and
reason it out guided by other text of scripture according to what is
written and not according to some random explanation of men. So I pray
that this helps you to understand and appreciate God;’s word on this
topic. P.S. An excellent method of approaching biblical interpretation
is the Historical-Grammatical method. http://www.endtimes.org/gramma…
Sanctification is what you are describing and your right but what you are saying does not deal with the scripture commands to 1. Be a hearer and a doer of God’s word and Jesus’ statement concerning keeping his commandments. Shouldn’t you address those as well so that you don’t lead people to think that the process is somehow simply ” learning to trust in the Father’s love, and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit.”? These kinds of incomplete responses are what leads people to claim to be saints but live unruly lives and just say things like “God is not through with me yet” or “everybody sins” IE. Its okay. Its not okay and one must WORK out their salvation and FIGHT the good fight. Saved by grace thru faith (NOT OF WORKS) but James says he will show his faith with words, because faith without works is DEAD! Its not just simply learning to trust in the Father’s love, and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit.
Hello brother. I call you brother because I hear the sincerity for Jesus in your post. Brother there are many who struggle with this and there is an answer located in this very text that solves your dilemma, and the above explanation is NOT it! Any time you reason the answer to scripture from your opinion and once you say this is what the scripture means then you can find other scripture to back up what you say because you just up and changed the meaning of the original text. This text does not speak about the law or the old testament times. It is speaking about New Testament and the covering of sins by the blood of our savior Jesus the Christ! Now, the first thing we must do with all scripture is to understand its context in history and culture and to take it literally if it is spoken to be taken literally. I believe this scripture is to be taken literally and not metaphorically explained away. Secondly and most importantly we need to understand what is actually being said. We need to look at the grammar and the meanings of the important theological words and wording. IE “willful” I will not go into deep explanation but simply stated, this passage is not speaking to people who commit sins on purpose but to people who practice sin as an accepted way of life.not people like you and I and the apostle Paul who says in Phillipians 312Not
that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I
press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold
of by Christ Jesus. 13Brethren,
I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I
do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies
ahead,…fighting the good fight and willfully sinning are two different things! Therefore, if people think they can willfully go on sinning and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross covers them, they are sadly mistaken, But if we sin (on purpose) out of weakness and imperfection then as 1 John writes, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not
sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous;” So you see this does not do violence to the text like the above explanation. We can not just make up answers to hard questions concerning scripture. We must stay as close as possible to the text and reason it out guided by other text of scripture according to what is written and not according to some random explanation of men. So I pray that this helps you to understand and appreciate God;’s word on this topic. P.S. An excellent method of approaching biblical interpretation is the Historical-Grammatical method. http://www.endtimes.org/grammat.html
what does it mean when it says adulterers will be judged. Jesus says all sin is forgivable ?
This whole discussion here is a little strange. I am not exactly sure what is being said or who is arguing against whom.
But Fo, be careful. You say that people should not use their opinions on what the text means, but it appears to me that you have done exactly that in your explanation of the text.
No man is an infallible interpreter of Scripture, stating simply what the text says. Even a Bible translation is an act of providing a human interpretive opinion.
There is only one correct interpretation if scripture is clear and all the rest are misinterpretations! One interpretation and many applications. We do come to the text with biases and preconceived notions that may influence our interpretations even if we are extremely careful and practice the critical art of historical-grammatical interpretation method. Yes humans are falliable but if you take that to mean that we can not be sure and speak authoritatively concerning scriptural truths then your mistaken. we send people to death chambers based on reason, deductively and inductively, and ponder evidence that is often extremely unclear and formulate an opinion of truth or in court cases beyond a reasonable doubt. When it comes to scripture though we have a written record that yes must be read and therefore interpreted but has been done so throughout the history of the Church and corrected by the same through the oversight and guidance of God himself and it endures even till today. We validate scripture by other scripture (In context) we validate the context of a passage within the book it is found and then in the chapter its found and then in the book that it is found and finally in the context of the whole Bible. We validate the meaning of a scripture in light of Christian history and the writings of those who have laid the foundations of our faith through history such as Josephus who knew Paul and we compare and see if what we understand the text to be saying is in agreement or disagreement with history and the working and leading of the Holy Spirit throughout history. We must research the Greek and Hebrew and even beyond to the Acadian era and see how words have changed and the literary usage of words not only in religious writings but in extra-biblical and literary and common writings that relate to the scripture that we are interpreting. This is why God appointed ELDERS and TEACHERS to equip the saints for service! We are fallible but God is not and he has made a way for us to KNOW him and his word for CERTAIN!
Hi thanks for this cos that scripture has given mea lot of sleeplessnights. Jesus came for freedom and could it be? Could it just be that there is even more grace for me. I need grace. Could it be?
Yes! Not only could it be true… it IS true.
There is infinite, outrageous grace through Jesus Christ. No matter what you have said or done, He loves you and forgives you. His grace is given to you.
I’m not nitpicking. I am trying to get you to understand that you must be careful to instruct properly if you are going to instruct. Jesus says in Matt. 12:31 “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.” So it is not true that
“No matter what you have said or done, He loves you and forgives you.” unless the Bible is wrong and your right.
Fo,
You must be careful to instruct properly if you are going to instruct. I have a different understanding of Matthew 12:31 than you do. So it is not “me vs. the Bible” but my understanding vs. your understanding.
Here is the verse, and I am open and willing to see what is written here and understand so show me how this scripture that speaks so emphatically and forthrightly can mean something other than a certain sin can not and will not be forgiven, namely the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 12:31-32
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
31 “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 32 Whoever [a]speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever [b]speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
Fo,
I have written a 100-page book on this verse. It is available there in the sidebar. I am not going to try to summarize the book or debate the points I made in the book here in the comments.
Here is the point. Obviously, there is a sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit which will not be forgiven. I don’t argue that point. But I was responding directly to a person named “Tanny” when I said that no matter what they had said or done, God had forgiven them. The way I understand Matthew 12:31-32, if someone had committed that sin, they would not be concerned about committing it. Tanny obviously was concerned, which means the convicting work of the Holy Spirit was upon them, and therefore, they had not committed it.
That’s fine. I may read the book and I appreciate your answer although I must say that if a person asked if God forgave every sin I would say yes, except for the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. One last question please. Can you tell me a little about your theological background? IE. Where you went to school, denomination or doctrinal affiliation you may share with a particular denomination or camp.
Thank you .
I found your “Story” and I must say that I am saddened that you left orthodox Christianity for whatever it is that you have now. You said in the article that people were mean and that Jesus loved everyone and this led to you reading books by people branded heretics and it changed your view on CHristianity and how you read the Bible.. 1. Mean people come in all religions, races, and otherwise. THe crusades were supposed to be CHristian but they weren’t they were wars fought in the name of God but not for God! That is not Christianity. Those mean people are not living Christ but they may or may not have been Christian. Jesus loved the world while they were yet sinners but he came preaching REPENTANCE and openly confronted and angrily opposed sin, but still died for all. So Jesus just loving everybody is true but loving someone does not mean approving or accepting everything they do. As for your schooling, I’d like to know what seminary that was because I don’t know what kind of seminary would not want you to read a book because it was written by a “Heretic” lol! At Washington Bible College and Capital Bible Seminary they taught you how to think thru heretical arguments in light of scripture and come to reason it out for yourself AND how can any CHristian Apologist be worth anything if they don’t know and understand the heretical views that oppose Orthodox Christianity!? What Seminary did you attend and why are you so open about how your history shaped who you are today but you hide the actual names and specific places and institutions. If they are not good places shouldn’t you warn others so that they will not fall into the same snare and learn from your life? Why so secretive in this and forthcoming in everything else?
In the mouth of 2-3 witnesses. Checked 2 other websites at random. Saying exactly the same thing. Now I’ve got my kind God back. Thanks
Wonderful. What were the other sites, if I might ask?
Bible study manuals said that same thing.I’ve also had a scare over this .I love Our grace full Father God
God truly is full of grace!
You”re in serious trouble if you think Hebrews 10:26 doesn’t mean what it’s says. You can also read 1 John 3:6-10 and many other verses related to this. With true faith comes obedience to God’s word. The two go hand and hand. If you are in an adulterous relationship, for example, and you claim to know the Lord and continue to live in that lifestyle that is very strong proof that you are not really saved. The Lord knows we sin and are not perfect (moments of weakness, ignorance etc) and when we do we repent but we don’t live in a lifestyle of sin if we are truly saved. That’s what Hebrews 10:26 is talking about.
Ha! Well, actually, I do believe Hebrews 10:26 means what it says. I just think it says something different than what you think it says. I believe that your take on these passages is leading to a works-based salvation, which is the same thing that every religion in the world teaches.
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46) Jesus said it Himself. He’s not talking about any kind of works here He’s talking about obeying His commands. He’s talking about people who claim to know Him but really don’t because they are not obedient to Him. They’re lifestyle is proof they don’t know Him. He not only becomes our Savior, when you’re truly saved, He becomes our “Lord”. He’s talking about obeying His commands it has nothing to do with works (fasting, tithes etc..). He commands and we obey that’s why He is “Lord and Savior” not just Savior. So going back to the point you will not continue in a lifestyle of sin adultery,homosexuality, etc.. if you are truly saved. That’s what Hebrews 10:26 means. Jesus was the final sacrifice for sin. If you know this and continue to stay in a lifestyle of sin you are mocking His sacrifice.
Lifestyle is proof of nothing. Many of the nicest and most “obedient” people I know, do not know Jesus. So if it’s works we are comparing, then many Buddhists and Mormons are getting in to heaven before most Christians.
Do you still sin? How long has it been since you last sinned? How long can you go without sinning? A minute? Two? An hour? If you are honest with yourself, probably not much more than that. So if you cannot go more than hour without sinning, then you are continuing in sin. And if continuing in sin proves that someone is not a Christian, then you, my friend, are not a Christian.
Jeremy we are not comparing works I’m talking about obedience, a joyful obedience that comes upon you through the Holy Spirit. Obedience is not a burden like “works”. There are a lot of nice people that live good moral lives but like you said don’t know Jesus. That’s why you have to have both faith + obedience not just faith and not just obedience. Let’s take adultery because the Bible talks a lot about sexual sin. You can’t sit there and willfully sin (disobedience) (have sex with a married man/woman or you yourself are married) then say well Lord I’m sorry for that. Go do it again and then say Lord I’m sorry for that. Go do it again and say Lord I’m sorry for that. Like I said we sin when we are saved but we don’t continue in a pattern of sin. It’s called “cheap” grace and there is no such thing.
In 1 Corinthians Paul (through the power of the Holy Spirit) is writing to the church of Corinth. He’s writing his letter to believers not non-believers. He’s writing to people of the church who claim to know Christ. He’s writing to them after he heard of the way they were living and being disobedient to the Lord. If obedience doesn’t matter then why does Paul through the power of the Holy Spirit write the letter?
I do not believe in cheap grace, that is for sure. I believe in free grace. Completely free, with no strings attached. Shocking, outrageous, scandalous grace.
Jeremy, lifestyle is everything, It’s called fruits. I would be careful if I were you. You cannot preach once saved always saved in a disguised manor as you are, and not think you are leading people astray. People who think they have been saved and continue in a habitual and very willfully sinful lifestyle without regard to the truth, are not really saved. (Think bible thumpers with regular mistresses, or decons stealing money every Sunday) But if people like you go are going around teaching that it’s all good and whatever goes, hey Jesus died your good, no! I mean, I have a very liberal approach to life in general, but I fear the Lord enough to stay away from preaching something that might be a false doctrine. You can take this warning and search your heart, or you can write me off and go about being prideful. Your choice.
Its not work based its proof that you have been saved by grace THROUGH FAITH! James 2:17Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. 18But
someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your
faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” 19You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.…James is not preaching a works based salvation, He is preaching or rather God through him is telling us that TRUE believers have works that prove their faith is a living Saving FAITH!
Fo Hunter,
I am quite aware of James 2 and have written about it on this blog in numerous places. Just do a search for “James 2” in the search box on the right.
Please understand that every Bible verse you think contradicts my position has been studied in detail. I have read scores of books from your position, and even used to believe the same way you do. But over the course of study, teaching, and writing, have come to a different conclusion of what those texts mean.
That’s what I told him like 5 threads ago.!!
The popular notion that defines the grace of Yahweh as “unmerited favor” is at least partly to blame for the common confusion seen in many comments here. Grace is defined in the Word as “the power to serve Elohim with reverence, and godly fear”, which is a good thing, by the way. We certainly experience unmerited favor in our relationship with our Creator, but that does not justify redefining the word “grace”. This has it’s beginnings in the hand-me-down traditions of men.
Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Heb 12:29 For our God [is] a consuming fire.
It mentions here that the One that we say that we serve is a “Consuming Fire” because, if you do not make good use of the grace that He makes available to you to empower you to serve Him properly, you will get burned up! That is not a problem for those of us that find the Father, Son, and Spirit working within them to do His will! We like it this way because They do! We are in agreement with Them, in other words. That’s why in Hebrews 10:29 we are told that sinning against the grace of God has terrible consequences. Having been given, through Yahshua, the power to serve God properly, which is Their grace toward us, and then to willfully do otherwise is a horrible thing to do, to put it lightly!
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,
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Heb 10:28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Heb 10:29 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?
This theme runs all through Hebrews, but some smart folks have written some thick books to explain away the simple words written there.
Heb 3:8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Heb 3:9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
Heb 3:10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in [their] heart; and they have not known my ways.
Heb 3:11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Heb 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Heb 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end;
Believers can become hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. That is why we are warned here. Hebrews 10;26 is also a warning not to be deceived by sin, with it’s destructive outcome.
Heb 3:17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? [was it] not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
Heb 3:18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
Heb 3:19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Heb 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left [us] of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
Heb 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it].
It very plainly says here that most of Israel was practicing sin, and they were faithless. That is because these 2 characteristics go hand in hand together. It also states that they were unable, because of these characteristics, to enter in to God’s rest. And if you think, as I do, that this is addressed to us, you will make note here that we are warned not to do what they did! This is a pattern of teaching all though Hebrews!
What do you make of the following verses? I know that “obeying Him” is the same thing as “believing in Him”! What do thick books say about these verses? How do they explain away this simple statement?
Heb 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Heb 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
Here we go again – more scriptures in Hebrews about doing what is right in God’s eyes! It says here that you are not mature if you don’t teach “righteousness”. And by the way, if Yahshua lives in you, His righteousness will be manifested through you!
Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which [be] the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk [is] unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
These next verses are some doozies! It says that repenting of sin is a basic, foundational principal regarding your walk with God, and that every baby christian should be doing that! And they need to move on past that to perfection! What is the explanation of this from some thick books? Oh, and it puts repentance before faith in God right here for a reason, too! You don’t have faith in God without a lifestyle of ongoing repentance from all dead works!
Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
These next verses are some hard ones, but if we love God, should we not love the way that He has set things up? We say that we love Him!
Heb 6:4 For [it is] impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put [him] to an open shame.
Do you see a pattern here? I do! This book is a warning against falling away from the faith! Israel was saved out of Egypt, but most of them got destroyed later on. We are warned not to end up like them! How many times does it have to say the same thing over, and over before we listen to the Word here instead of thick books that try to explain it all away? The best test for understanding scripture is to ask, “How does this conform me to the image of my Savior, in this earth, and in this lifetime?” That is how you interpret scripture if your heart is to follow our Forerunner! He learned obedience through the things that He suffered. But we are seemingly supposed to block out the word “obedience” from our vocabulary to prove that we are not in “works”? “Works” is practicing sin, for cryin’ out loud! When you enter the rest of God you no longer want to sin. You are in liberty, and freedom, and repent quickly if you stumble. It is a natural thing to WANT to obey God when you love Him! If I WANT to obey God, that means that my will is lining up with His. If my feelings line up, too, with His, is that OK with you’ll? Or do thick books say that is wrong also? He came to save my soul, you know! Could saving my soul actually mean bringing them out of alignment with the world, the flesh, and the demonic, and in to alignment with Elohim? Yes! Our Forerunner did it here, and so, by faith, will I! Since He came to save me from thinking, speaking, and acting like the devil, then it is only normal to mature into a perfect man! This is the greatest miracle that a person can get in on, but that is precisely what is available to us in the grace of God! And no man can boast because we are just getting in on the life of our Savior as He indwells us by His Spirit, causing us to will, and to want to do His good pleasure!
Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Heb 10:16 This [is] the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
Heb 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Heb 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if [any man] draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Heb 10:39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
What do you need to be chastened for if you aren’t being washed by your Heavenly Father of all of your sins? That IS salvation! It says here that if you are not receiving correction, you are a bastard, and no son! You have to be a son to make it to heaven!
Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be partakers of his holiness.
Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
What do thick books say about being partakers of His holiness? Just “believe” in Jesus and God will count you as “holy”! I think we should teach the whole gospel that says that God is able to set us apart to Himself in thought word, and deed, and bring our mind, will, and emotions into harmony with His! If you don’t believe that He can do it, how will you ever get in on it? You can’t! Please remember, Israel did not believe that God could take them in to this land, so God fixed it to where they would never be able to. They never made it, and neither will we, if we don’t believe!
Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God;
If grace is unmerited favor, how could anyone fail in making use of it?
Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant,
If we have come here, who are these just men made perfect? Do you think that maybe that is supposed to be us? It’s supposed to be, if we can move on past the basic foundational principles, and the thick books, and the traditions of men that make God’s Word null, and void!
TL;DR
Nor have I read all of your books. Your comments here are sufficient for me! Thank you!
David your views promote an Armenian view of salvation. I believe that saints can not lose their salvation but that is not at issue here but needed to comment since Hebrews is being quoted here. . I also hold that your definition of Grace is not sufficient in and of itself to dismiss “unmerited favor” I DO agree that it (unmerited favor) is also incomplete and a bit misleading. I AGREE that grace is God’s “Enabling Power” that he gives to us even though we do not deserve it! (IE. Unmerited favor) And I see Grace as more than “the power to serve Elohim with reverence, and godly fear” In face the Bible verse you sited does not offer a definition of Grace but speaks to a byproduct of Grace. IE. BY GRACE we can do this… Grace is used as the agent which enables us to achieve “the power to serve Elohim with reverence, and godly fear” which is at best one of (imo) the many RESULTS of grace but not grace in and of itself. In addition, if you apply your definition to other verses of scripture (within their context) your definition does not fit without doing violence to the text. IE. Romans 11:6.And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works. So this verse would read And if by ([God giving us] power to serve Elohim with reverence, and godly fear then it cannot be based on works. This is circular in reasoning, meaning that if grace is God enabling us to do works by grace then it can not be based on works! It just doesn’t fit unless one tries to MAKE it fit. That being said, I DO AGREE with most of the rest of your assertions, not that this carries any weight but for what its worth I do agree. OH, And the thickness of a book is not a valid measure of validity or worth. lol.
It does no violence to the text because Yahshua in you is responsible for ALL of the good that is lived out through you, unless you are still doing the living, and so, rightly taking credit for it! If you die, and Yahshua takes your place, as it is supposed to be, what credit do you get any good done through you? None! When God gets you to a place where you can believe for entering in to the promised land of perfect love, then you can see things that you never saw before! If, however, one were to insist, as almost all of Israel insisted, that it is impossible to enter in completely to that land of rest, then, as Hebrews plainly explains, one would be in danger of being disallowed that opportunity forever! Hebrews states that this example is a warning to us!
The reason that I talk about “thick books” is because it takes a lot of words to explain away what the true gospel says over, and over in many very simple, straightforward ways. It gets complicated when we start justifying anything but being conformed to our Savior in thought, word, and deed, in this world, and in this lifetime.
As far as circular reasoning goes, I think it is more of a linear reasoning. Believers are obedient, and unbelievers are disobedient! It is straightforward, and plain! The minute that a person believes what the Word says about being enabled to walk like our Savior walked, our heavenly Father honors that faith by bringing that very thing to pass! If, on the other hand, a person insists that it is impossible to do anything but practice sin to a certain extent, then, being like faithless Israel, they are in a place where they will never be able to enter in to the promised land of rest, and peace. It gets complicated when we try to keep pet sins – idols – while still trying to be set apart to God – holy. It is a lot worse than circular!
Heb 3:18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
Heb 3:19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Thanks for your response!
To David and Fran, Thank you for you comments. I think I need your prayers, if you could?
I’m a struggling Christian and I see how your comments support Alicia’s. And I’m concerned about living in willful sin
I agree. But it seems that you err on the other side of that extreme. Do you believe that you have no responsibility to do your best to live holy unto God? AND if you willfully (practice) a sinful life that you are still saved? Believers Enabled by the Holy Spirit can not live that way! It is impossible and therefore if one lives this way they could have never been born again to start with.
Jeremy,
Thank you for this wonderful post. It can’t get any clearer, and more in line with scripture, than how you have described it. I love it!
Mark g.
I have been reading with much interest all the posts here concerning Hebrews, and the person who treads underfoot Yahshua and sinning that there is no longer any atonement for doing this. I have pondered this myself as we all have for many years. Here tonight something I had never considered before came to me reading all of these posts. This puts me in the mind of Satan’s character here is a being that was so very close to God himself, that most assuredly communed with God often. Then basically sinned against God (rebelled) and now seems because of this there is no hope for him. That is a very close parallel to the Hebrews topic to me. No one could have been any more believing in God than Satan. Yet he sinned grievously, and it seems that he has hardened his heart so that he will not be able to repent if that is even possible because of it. He is totally alien to God now and his ways. Couldn’t this also be said about the willful sinner ? Satan it seems is so hardened he will never come back, but if you do, sin and do not harden your heart and can still beg for forgiveness at some point in your life change, or the holy spirit is still working with you. I feel you could stop and be forgiven. King David was indwelt by the holy spirit and sinned willfully and begged for the spirit not to be taken away from him. I believe that he will be resurrected and in Gods holy Kingdom. This spiritual change may not happen all at once but take some time, I’m not certain, just a thought. Anyway I was in this same scenario and I grew so sick of myself and sinning against Yahshua that it did finally stop after much praying and soul searching. Now Its like I am a totally different person, I have to be honest that the thoughts are still there but I never act upon the sin any more. My relationship with God has returned and I feel like I have been forgiven, even though Hebrews is still haunting me. What I did was terrible I know. I can only hope that Gods grace abounds and is available for all of us who are sincere. If not it is a terrible thing to fall in to the hands of the living God!!!
Raphael,
You make a good point. There is one primary difference between Satan and us humans, however. Jesus never died for the sins of Satan, nor did Jesus ever offer eternal life to Satan if Satan would believe in Him for it. You have been forgiven, and if you believe in Jesus for eternal life, you have it, no matter what you might have said or done.
Honestly, everyone is pretty spot on with just an issue of misunderstanding each other. It goes like this. Faith in Christ produces salvation which then enables the holy spirit to reside within which in turn exercises his will over mine and through his power perfects me producing good works. You cannot have one part of the equation without the rest. If you are not producing works then the issue is, are you truly saved? It is not that works produce salvation but true faith equals good fruit or works in the end. Being truly saved boils down to allowing the holy spirit to work within you. It means surrendering your will to god. It means dying to your flesh. It means saying I want to give up all sin for god. When a person lives in perpetual sin, they have not fully submitted their will to god. The verse isn’t discussing a sin done knowingly, but a constant state of rebellious sin. Let me put it this way, being a christian, when you sin does it feel good? No. You feel ucky. You feel convicted. Nowwhere does conviction come from? The holy spirit who dwells within me. So working backwards, sin produces conviction by the holy spirit who dwells within me because I surrender my will and because I received him through salvation by my faith. So you take out one part of the equation: conviction. ask yourself, if I am not convicted, am I truly saved? It is not that we lose our salvation but that were we ever saved to begin with? The scripture talks about many who believe but few will enter the kingdom. It says even demons believed and they shudder. It says many will come saying lord lord we did all these things in your name, but god will say he never knew them. Believing in Christ is the only way to salvation, yes, and by gods grace we are saved, and by faith we are saved, and true faith produces works… do you see the pattern? It is all conclusive.not one or the other. But if it was just belief than you would have to throw out a lot of scripture about the many who won’t enter even after belivig. If it was just grace than everyone would go to heaven because grace is a free gift to all. But you have to chose it. If it was works many false religions would enter and so the pharisees. Do you see the point? The arguments here chose one but ignore the other, but in fact you all are correct. It is a package deal. You have to take all verses into consideration. It is in fact an epidemic that many people confuse gods grace with the go ahead to just keep sinning because he will forgive you. But as a true child of god, we wouldn’t want to. So it is safe to deduct that those who perpetually live in sin do not truly love god or desire for him to do his will, for it says you cannot serve two masters, you cannot produce both fruit and thorns. You either love god or you don’t. So the advice in the scripture is a good one. Examine your fruit to test your salvation . Does your life echo gods love or are you crucifying him day after day?
So if you do not have good works, then you will not enter heaven/glorification.
Therefore, you are making good works a condition for entrance into heaven.
I appreciate you trying to simplify things for the reader, but in reality, you have added good works as a condition for glorification, which only confuses things.
I did not say that at all. Good works is not a condition, but a result of the Holy spirit at work inside you. How do we receive the Holy spirit? Through salvation. How do we receive Salvation? Through belief in Jesus Christ as our Savior that rose again and is God in the flesh. I do not know how you deducted my explanation down to good works is a condition.
Also I just have a few scriptures if you could explain the other part of the topic. We all know works cannot save you, the bible is clear on that, but it does seem pretty clear that willfully living in perpetual sin will have a pretty strong consequence… why are we being taught this isn’t so when the bible makes it very clear?
Hebrews 10:26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
If we break this verse down it says: We had a sacrifice for sin. There no longer remains one. Why? Because we lived in deliberate sin after knowing the truth. The punishment will be much more severe for those who trample Jesus’ act of love by dying on the cross, which was much more precious the Moses’ law.. Who is under that new covenant? Those who accept it. Who accepts it? Christians. This clearly isn’t referring to unbelievers. By not taking the Son of God’s sacrifice seriously we anger the spirit of grace. What is Grace? Unmerited favor and God’s awesome power that works through us enabling us to live for Him. People who sinned against Moses’ law died without mercy on just the witness of two or three people, it says here that those who are under the new covenant will receive worse punishment…..
So please explain how you interpret this verse, because I really cannot make it say anything different that supports deliberate constant sin does not result in severe punishment.
Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”
Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him who he has sent.” (John 6: 28-29)
According to Jesus, belief in Himself is the “work” that is necessary for eternal life.
Our relationship with Him is the “proof” of our eternal life, not the works we do or do not do.
Faith is not a “work” as is pretty clear from the rest of Scripture. It is the opposite of works (Cf. Rom 4:4-5).
Jesus is saying, ‘Oh, you want a work? Ok, here’s the “work” – just believe!” It’s a satirical way of saying that no works are required to gain, keep, or prove eternal life. Faith alone in Christ alone.
I have a question. I am a born again Christian, who had in past been addicted to pornography. I have been free of this dirty sin for over a year. Today, the wife was away, and I got this incredible urge. I gave into temptation, and now I am feeling extremely dirty. The problem I am having is the Hebrews 10:26. I knew exactly what I was doing as I was looking at the porn over the course of a few hours. Even thinking it was wrong as I was doing it. Now asking for forgiveness is extremely tough. Any insights?
Please keep me in your prayers
Thanks
Do not ask for forgiveness. Instead, thank God for the forgiveness He has already given to you.
The only way to defeat sin and temptation is to recognize that no matter what, you are loved and accepted by God. The grace of God’s love leads us to deny sin and ungodliness. Nothing else will work.
I was trying to be satirical as well! It didn’t come through in print. That is why I had “work” in quotation marks. Your paraphrase works much better.
I believe Jesus is saying in this verse that there is no work, only believing, to gain eternal life.
If a Lordship Salvation proponent insists there must be good works in order to prove the reality of someone’s salvation, I would refer to this verse in which Jesus says the “work” is to believe. So those who look for works in others’ lives should be looking for belief, not works. Am I making any sense?
Oh, I see. Sorry! Ha! You are absolutely right about how that verse is sometimes used. You make perfect sense.
( my phrase “looking for belief” is facetious)
I’m just digging in deeper 8-P
bottom line: I do not believe works earn eternal life for us. I do not believe faith is a work.
It is not that works is what earns us righteousness, but that proof that the holy spirit is at work within us produces good fruit. Many get it backwards. But like I’ve said a bunch of times, true faith begets true salvation, which then we receive the holy spirit who dwells within us and by his power we are convicted and unable to live in perpetual sin and as long as we allow him to do his will he produces good works or fruit. But if someone belives in Christ not really submitting their selves to him or really meaning it, the holy spirit cannot dwell within him thus not producing fruit or cconvicting them. So that’s how you get false believes who somehow live in perpetual sin and don’t seem to emulate Christ.
Sorry to hop in so late but what I believe he is trying to say here is that when you have an indwelling of the Holy Spirit it will produce fruit. Gal. 5:22 talks about this fruit.
However, if we do not have an indwelling of the Holy Spirit we have not been born again. This means we have not laid our sins at the cross and have not accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
So the actions of an individual are not a requirement but rather and indication and a byproduct of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Like our Lord Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).
According to the Scriptures, however, it is very clear that among the born again children of God there are also wolves in sheeps’ clothing. This means every individual that claims to be Christian but hasn’t been born again and laid their sins on the cross. These people do not take God, Jesus, the Bible and such seriously and are headed to destruction.
The one mistake born again believers make sometimes is that they try and force wolves to become actual sheep. This is something that only God can do because no one can get faith without God who is the gifter of faith to the ones asking for it.
So, in conclusion, us born again followers of Jesus Christ should not argue against each other but rather try and listen to our fellow siblings in Christ. All of those who share the same Spirit share the same inward understanding but we tend to word it out differently. Often times this leads to bloody clashes between believers and there is no one to benefit out of it. Not even the Devil, but he still does it because he is so lost in the darkness. That’s why he loves to cause chaos. But no matter what the Devil does, our Lord is a God of order and justice and he is not a God who wants to nitpick. No. He is a God who shares his Spirit to whoever asks for it out of their pure heart. These are the sheep that hear his voice and follow him. Yeshua is a good shepherd.
TL;DR:
1) A born again believer doesn’t sin 100% willfully because their Spirit is of God who hates sin
2) The indwelling of the Holy Spirit causes sanctification
3) The indwelling of the Holy Spirit cannot be replaced by a try-hard theology; it has to be the real thing
4) Whoever has the Holy Spirit cannot be snatched out of our Father’s hand
5) We sometimes get into argument over misunderstanding, let us pray before replying and seek the Lord before judging; let us be righteous in our judgement
Grace be upon you brethren!
This verse also supports what I said that if a person lives in sin, there is reason to doubt they were saved in the first place. So it is not that a pattern of deliberate sinning looses your salvation, but that a person who truly knows Christ won’t live in deliberate sin. This verse lays it out pretty clear.
1 John 3:4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s[b] seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
Alicia,
But 1 John 1:8 says that if we claim we are without sin, we are a liar and the truth is not in us (a double whammy sin!) So whatever 1 John 3:4-10 means, it cannot mean that Christians don’t live in sin. And note that it is not about “deliberate sin” vs. accidental sin. This distinction is not made anywhere in the text and must be read into the verses. If you want to make this distinction in 1 John 3:4-10, then you must also apply it to 1 John 1:8 “Anyone who claims to be without deliberate sin is a liar and the truth is not in him.”
No its just saying if you say you aren’t a sinner you are a liar. I don’t know what that has to do with proving that perpetual sin is not condemnable.
Because almost all sin is perpetual sin. There are very few sins that are one-time events. Also, you cannot define sin as “perpetual sin” in one context, and “regular sin” in the other. So one could read 1 John 1:10 as saying, “If anyone says he does not have perpetual sin, he is a liar.”
Notice in this verse it talks about those of lawlessness, just as the above verses mentioned that those that lived in constant sin were those that practiced lawlessness…
Matthew 7:13-14
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Matthew 7:21-27
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
Luke 13:22-35
He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’
If everyone who believed in God and Christ would automatically go to heaven, there would be MANY that would go to heaven. Now this does not in any way say that works earn you a rightful place in heaven, but that many will claim to be saved, know of God but continue to be evil, or get saved just to save their butt and not because they truly love and honor Christ. That is why it is so dangerous to preach that anyone who believes in Christ will have true salvation. If that were true than this verse would be contradicting what you say:
James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
This verse even further explains what I was saying when I said that the whole Faith/Salvation/Grace/Works is a whole package deal….
James 2:14
Faith and Deeds
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[d]? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[e] and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
Furthermore, the bible also explains that those who are true believers are those that hear God’s word and obey it, thus living in perpetual sin does not show you are a true believer.
Luke 8:20-21
And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”
John 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
John 14:15
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
Matthew 5:17-20
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 19:16-17
16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
So once again, who causes us to obey? How are we enabled to obey? The Holy spirit who dwells within us after we become saved and is a part of God’s Grace and power:
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
So in conclusion, saying it is ONLY grace that saves us, or ONLY believing that saves us, or ONLY works that saves us is unbiblical. It is a WHOLE package! This is what the Bible clearly teaches us. It is kind of like a car, you can say it is only through the engine that a car is enabled to run, although that is a main component, complex interactions between other parts cause the whole car to work together enabling it to run.
Only God truly knows our hearts and whether or not a person is truly saved, that is not for us to judge.
Shotgun hermeneutics alert! https://redeeminggod.com/shotgun-hermeneutics/
You know, being rude isn’t necessary. I gave all those verses to back up what I said for those who don’t know where my references are in the scripture. I do that so people can decide for themselves instead of being told by someone what to think. Like I said please explain why the verse says that after knowing the truth and you continue to sin that there no longer remains a sacrifice. And please stop twisting my words into an issue of works. I’ve stated over and over it is not works based. Maybe you are not able to understand what I mean by whole package. If you truly have faith, god will do the rest. But false faith brings about a false salvation and that is how some can live in perpetual sin and not bear fruit. How hard is that to understand? Or are you that prideful you cannot just say thanks for trying to make if clearer?
I am a believer for 28 years but everyday I sin in my thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions.
Whatever is not from faith is sin (Romans 14:23) – so that probably means there is a whole lot more sin in my life than I even recognize!
So I would say I am living in perpetual sin.
Perhaps to say a believer cannot live in perpetual sin is a positional truth, rather than an experiential truth. We are in Christ, and He is in us and somehow in God’s plan, that enables Him to take our sins away by Christ’s work. God lives in eternity and we live in time so that confuses the issue from our perspective.
Some Christians believe we can achieve sinlessness in this life but I have never met anyone who has.
Also according to the author, because we have grace I can live in perpetual sin and still remain saved. So that means tomorrow I can go out, murder and rape a few people, set up a asherah pole in my home, make sacrifices to it, lie about the murders, call up my parentsand call them all sorts of nnames, rob a few houses, use the GD word all day, and molest my children and do all of it without repenting because god gave us grace and forgiveness the day we just said we believe in Christ. According to the author, if I did all that without repenting I would still enter heaven….
But the thing is, a true believer in Christ would never do that and if they did they would feel so miserable and be so convicted they would repent as soon as their pride stepped aside. That is the whole meaning to the verse about how if someone has Christ they cannot sin. It does not mean they physically cannot sin, but that sin is very uncomfortable and they cannot just sin willy nilly without feeling the pain of it.
Alicia,
I am not trying to be rude. I am sorry that my short response seemed rude.
But here’s the thing: a list of verses proves nothing. I obviously know those verses are there. I have written on a couple of them on this very blog. I simply have different understandings to those verses than you do. Those who tend to just quote verse after verse do not seem to realize that there are different explanations for those verses than the interpretations they personally hold.
I am all for people knowing the pertinent texts and studying them on their own. What I am not in favor of is people quoting lots of verses and saying, “See? He’s wrong! This verse proves it.” No, that verse doesn’t prove it. Nor do all the other verses that might be quoted. I have studied those verses quite extensively and have come to different conclusions about what they teach.
The verse is not talking about just normal human fleshly sin, but decidedly day after day purposeful rebellious sin. Its the difference between me getting angry and saying something I don’t mean where I later repent for my actions as opposed to knowing god hates adultery and having an affair for a year, day after day without repentance. That’s the thing. God is just to forgive us when we repent and forgiveness erases all memory of the transgression but when we live in deliberate rebellious sin, there is no true sorry that leads to godly repentance. I think that is why there is a difference between the two. Jesus did make a sacrifice for our sins, yes, but we still have to repent to be forgiven. The bible makes that pretty clear.
@ Alicia, DavidNFran, Jeremy,or anyone else that can answer biblically… During my teens I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins and to live in me so that I could be born again. I attended a church that teached OSAS. However, during a terrible period (a long season of about 10 years) I wilfully committed many sins believing that I could do those sins, continue to do them, confess them to God and all would be fine since OSAS. Eventhough I knew what I was doing was wrong, I mistakenly thought it was ok.(OSAS). My error was probably due to unbelief, deceitfulness, hypocrisy, not understanding scripture, rebellion, or a combination of all on my part. Therefore, that presents a dilemma… I was 1. Either never saved to begin with even though i thought I was 2. I was saved and the grace of God kept me saved and pulled me through my error 3. I’m eternally lost because of Numbers 15:24-31; Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-31, 2Peter 2:20-22; & 1 John 5:16, 4. I was saved, lost my salvation and regained it. 4. I’m now saved(for the 1st time) because I have truly seen the error of my ways(Need of a Saviour), repented to God, turned from all known sin, and have trusted in Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice as the only means of my salvation. Hebrews presents to me many problems for both the OSAS position and the Armenian position as well. I’ve read on other websites that states a person can be saved, lose their salvation and come back to God numeous times. To me that doesn’t seem to coincide with scripture (Hebrews 6:4-6 “Impossible to renew them to repentance”). So, getting saved more than 1x doesn’t seem correct.(Armenian view). The Calvinistic view seems to disregard the many conditional “ifs” of scripture such as John 15:7, 1 Cor 15:2; 2 Peter1:8. God’s Word doesn’t contradict itself so there must be a misunderstanding of both view points on my end. However, my view regarding eternal security, would be yes and no. I know that sounds contradictory but I will try to explain. You are secure as long as you’re abiding in the Vine(Jesus Christ). However, they is no security if you’re not abiding in the True Vine (Jesus Christ) . There can be no security in sin.
After reading every comment on this thread, I’m more uncertain as to whether there is any forgiveness left for me as many different positions have been stated. There have been many enlightening and thought provoking replies in this thread. Which makes me realize that I must study the Word of God more so that I can discern his Word and commandments better. Also, It’s been many years since I committed those wilful sins that deceived me into thinking grace gave me a license to sin. I have since earnestly asked God to forgive me, to cleanse me from all iniquity and sin, to give me a clean heart and mind. I truly want to be a child of God and no longer an enemy of Christ. Scripture says to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” and to “Test yourself to see if you’re in the faith”, and “you will know them by their fruit”. I can’t see much fruit in my life, but others have said that they can, and that they have seen a radical change in my life(for the better) and that I must be saved. However, man is not the Judge and only God has the authority to make that decision. One thing is for sure, I can no longer commit sin without feeling so overwhelming guilty. I can no longer commit sin and feel good about it. When I do sin, I feel the need to confess it to God right away for His forgiveness, and ask Him for the strength to overcome that sin. Some have told me that since I feel this way and desire to repent and obey God, then that means that the Holy Spirit is at work in my life and hasn’t abandoned me because I would not even want to obey God without the prompting of the Holy Spirit. One thing that’s disturbing is that some days I feel forgiven and other days I don’t. I know that one cannot go by feelings, but doesn’t Romans 8:16 (The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God”) mean that if one is a true child of God he/she will have confirmation by the Holy Spirit that he/she is a child of God and as such “feel” saved?
Seeker- First let me state that no one can judge whether or not you were truly saved in your teens. Only God knows your heart. The good thing is that you see you error and you know what you did wasn’t right. That right there is proof that the Holy spirit is working inside you. Conviction comes from Him and only Him… so it is a good thing. On the other side, it seems to me the devil has and is trying to get you caught up in shame or guilt. That is called condemnation. That is never from God. He wants you to stay in a state of low self esteem so at some point you shrink and hide from God. Remember back to Adam and Eve? God asked them when they hid, “Who told you that you were naked?” He knew the devil was the culprit, just as now he is trying to tell you lies that when you repent it is not good enough. How do we know that is a lie? Well anything that does not line up with scripture is a lie. So what does the Bible say about repentance?
Look up these verses- Luke 15:7, 1 John 1:5-10
2 Corinthians 7:9-11
As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. >>>>For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret,<<<< whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.
So God promises, He will always forgive us if we repent with true repentance. No other conditions. Since you did repent with a real sorrow, He has now forgiven you. But does that mean now he has forgiven you, you don't need to repent again? No. So the once saved always saved contradicts this. If you are saved regardless, what would be the point of repenting? Why would the Bible command it over and over?
Jeremy made a point that there was no sacrifice for willful sin in the old testament. Only for accidental or ignorant sin. The result of willful sinning was certain death. Now the Bible says that God is never changing. So let's explore this. Hebrews 10 thoroughly explains the new covenant. The scriptures say, Jesus didn't come to do away with the law, but fulfill it(Matthew 5:17). It says that not a word will disappear from the law till the end(Matthew 5:18). So how did Jesus fulfill it? He became the most pure, blameless, undefiled sacrifice for our sins. So instead of needing to sacrifice animals and do all these rituals, we have Christ who is the sacrifice, and since he is alive for all eternity, we don't need new ones. Same as He became a high priest, perfect and sinless so that He doesn't have to make an atonement for his sins and once again, he is forever alive so that there is no need for another priest. What did High priests do? They were the ones who made atonement for sins and interceded between us and God. No one could come to God without the High priest. But now that Christ is the High priest, He can now intercede for us on our behalf (Hebrews 4:15). So here's where it gets good… When we truly repent and belive in him, he comes to dwell within us(Acts 2:38). Now when we sin and we repent, He cries out from within us, interceding for us on our behalf for the forgiveness of our sins(Romans 8:26).
So if God is never changing, and all that was FULFILLED was sacrifices and high priests, then why do we think he also did away with the idea of repentance and the consequences that come from unrepentance? So in the old testament, what happened when someone did not repent for their sins? They would surely die and didn't have salvation. Now does it say anywhere Jesus came to fulfill or abolish the need for repentance? No, just that He intercedes so that we can boldly ask for forgiveness from God anytime we sin(Hebrews 4:16). Now it says Jesus died so that we may be forgiven, but does it say anywhere He died so that He can repent on our behalf? No. Do you see where I'm getting at?
So in the old Testament, you would realize you sinned, go to the High Preist (Jesus), offer the prescribed sacrifice (Jesus's Death on the cross) and repent (?), and then you would be cleansed from sin and be able to have salvation. So if there is no substitute for repentance as a part of the equation from being cleansed, then why is it a surprise that unrepentance can bring you to a consequence of not having the salvation that was given to you? God is never changing. Over and over it was not because of their sins that people were destroyed but their hardened hearts and lack of repentance. Essentially that is also what pride was. Why would that be the constant theme, God telling people over and over to repent, even believers or else they will be destroyed or die? Even so, He declared if they would just turn and repent He would take them back, forget their sins, and restore them to Him. So why do we think He has changed?
He hasn't. He just loved us so much He offered His one and only Son to now pay the price for our sins, but we still have to repent.
So, working backwards- What brings death? Sin. How does sin remain in our life? unrepentance or lack of salvation. How are we able to repent or have salvation? Through Jesus Christ our savior.
People say it is by grace we have been saved. True. But does it say "by grace ONLY"? No. In fact there seems to be a few things that the bible says we have been saved by… Jesus(Romans 5:9), grace and faith,(Ephesians 2:8) believing (mark 16:16), confessing that Jesus is Lord and believing Jesus was raised from the dead by God(Romans 10:9), Love God and your Neighbor (Luke 10:25-28), repentance(2 Corinthians 7:10), baptism(1 Peter 3:21), Endurance (Matthew 24:13), works (which is best described as actions and not good deeds)(James 2:24) and obeying(Matthew 7:21). So why is it that we choose the one that easiest and ignore the rest?
Also Grace is often used in the new testament, not as an attribute of God, but a constant state of action. Meaning, grace can be easily understood as His power or Spirit. In fact I challange you to read the parts where grace is described and substitue grace for power and spirit and it would make a lot more sense. For example- Titus 2:11 "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people". Of course it is by His spirit and power we have been saved! (Titus 3:5) He sent Jesus (His spirit), who then died and enabled us to be filled with the holy spirit (His Spirit) who then gives us the POWER to bear fruit, be convicted, repent, obey, love ect. So as you can see, like I said before, it is not grace alone, but a hole kit and kaboodle!
Again, it says by faith we are saved. But James 2:14-26 Says faith without works is dead. So what exactly is works? Well it is action. Obedience is action. That is why there are many verses talking about how you should not just hear the word but do it (James 1:22-27)… So he is not necessarily talking about doing things to look good, but obeying what god asks us. That is also why it says by their fruits you will know His children(Matthew 6:17), because they live in obedience, their life will reflect that. So once again, it is by God's grace(power, spirit-Jesus and Holy spirit, and unmerited favor) we are saved, through faith, which is dead without works, which are evident the holy spirit is in us, which is proof you are saved…. It comes around full circle. It is woven together beautifully to make a cord no one can break.
The wrench in all this, is God graciously gives you all this as a gift, but since we have free will, we have to choose to accept it. We can choose to allow Him to do HIS WILL. We can choose to obey Him. We choose to forgive. We can choose to repent. We can choose to love and to sin…. He will never force salvation on us.(Romans 2:4) Without repentance, obedience or forgiveness, there is no cleansing, there is no valid sacrifice, there is no salvation. These verses make that blatantly clear: Ezekiel 33:10-20, Romans 6:15-19, Matthew 18:21-35, Hebrews 12:12-17, Hebrews 10:16-26, James 2:14-26, Romans 2:1-16, Titus 3:1-11, Hebrews 4:1-8, And the letters to the churches in Revelation is talking about the different type of Believers, it is a warning to turn and repent, to do the works we first did. Notice the faithful are rewarded by being kept from the hour of trial (End times, or more specifically the day of the Lord's wrath) Revelation 2:1-7, 18-23, Revelation 3:1-5, 14-21
But God knows we are weak. He knows we will make mistakes, that is why He is patient with us and is slow to anger. "2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." Even if we turn away but come back with repentance, it says He can restore us, so I see no biblical basis for never being able to be redeemed again(Romans 11:23) (unless it is blasphemy against the Holy spirit(Mark 3:29), but that's a whole nother topic…)
So the difference between willful sinning and just sinning out of being a sinful man, is that willful sinning usually keeps a person in a state of unrepentance, and sinning because that's just what we do, results in true repentance if we are filled with the holy spirit that convicts us to do so. We all sin, that's a fact. But whether we choose to stay in it comes down to our free will.
See it isn't about the type of sin that "looses" salvation, or not doing works that make you good enough, or that you should constantly wonder if you are pleasing God enough, but that repentance is a part of salvation. But the good news is, if you really are a true believer, you will always desire to repent, and God is gracious enough to show you your error and correct you so that you may walk in salvation…. "For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret"
I am not sure if this will answer all your questions, but the bottom line is that knowing whether or not you have eternal life has nothing whatsoever to do with what you do (or don’t do) or how you feel (or don’t feel).
Our eternal life is based solely and completely on the promises of Jesus Christ. If you believe in Jesus for His promise of eternal life, then you have eternal life. He promises it! (John 3:16; 5:24; 6:47, etc).
I think the whole book of romans is a great book to read about faith and grace 🙂 Jeremy, I am sure I may frustrate you at times, but just understand all this interaction is growing me. God is gracious and he gives wisdom to those who seek it. I honestly believe you are right, but that some points I have made are right too. After reading romans, I feel very clear that it is by grace we are saved, but I do also still believe that scripture teaches that a real believer abides in grace and that there can be those never saved to begin with. I also still believed it is a whole package, but not by any of your own doing, but by gods power. Anyways, thanks for inspiring me to learn the word even more… maybe my mind will change on some matters, god knows my heart and I am sure he would not want me left in the dark.
Alicia,
We are all growing together! Keep reading, studying, and thinking! I appreciate you and the questions you ask. I will try to write much more in the future to explain some of the questions you have asked and verses you have mentioned.
Hi Want To Know what Hebrew 12:17 Mean about Not To sell Your Birthright i Read it But Im Confuse Because I want to Repent from all my Sin But This Confuse me
He basically gave up something very precious for something so insignificant. So when it came time to inherit what was rightfully his, he could not have it because he gave it up. Because he never repented before that final day, he forever lost what he had wasted. Asa rresult, he was in anguish over it because he could never have it. I personally feel this is a representation either of those who received salvation and threw it away for insignificant satisfaction (fleshly desires) or those that could have received salvation and traded it for a life of sin. Then it describes the day in the end when everyone receives their inheritance (the kingdom of god and eternal life) and those that traded salvation for sin found out they couldn’t get their inheritance back. Even though they may cry and wail, they never repented before that day came. I wouldn’t worry too much.. if you desire to repent, that’s awesome! God knows your heart and he will forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Just have faith in him, faith that he will forgive you. Like I mentioned above, he is very patient so that we may come to him in repentance. He won’t just discard you the moment you sin. Read the book of romans for encouragement.
Thank You Replying I Commit Lots of sin when i Struggling I want to serve God By Doing his will But I Have hard Time Doing It I Hope he will Help Me Any Time Soon But I Hope I Will Respond to Him There a lot of Bible Verse That Scare me I Believe That God Will Saved Any One IF They Truly Want to Be Saved I Want to Be Saved I Did Accept Jesus Christ As My Lord And Savior i HOPE I Did it in Faith Because i Keep Doubting Because my Double mind and James Mention This
The thing is Anthony, you can’t do it. That’s the point. That’s why we need God! It is a great place to realize you are unable to do it on your own. Then you can really reach out for God and ask him to his will. When I struggle (which I do everyday) I just tell god I can’t do it and I ask him to live through me and use his power to change me. God understands your heart. Screwing up is not what upsets god. Really take that to heart. He knows sin is difficult to resist. He too was tempted so he could understand our struggles. Understand the devil wants you to feel not good enough. He wants you to worry and have fear. If you didn’t wonder or didn’t feel bad about your sin, that’s when I would start to worry. But obviously you do. I think that throughout your life you have had people tell you that you weren’t good enough, people put you down, people didn’t validate you. But that’s not God. He loves you so much and knew all the mistakes you would make before you even make them. At no point is he ashamed or angry with you. He instead is patient, working out all your imperfections in his due time. Just trust him and realize he won’t forsake you even if you doubt. The bible has a lot of do’s and donts but you musnt worry that you haven’t done them all perfectly. That’s the holy spirits jjob, to do his will and grow good fruit. Not yours. All you need to do is just make sure you submit to him and obey him when he convicts your heart. If you screw up just confess it to god and know his mercies are new everyday. He will be just to forgive you.
Great question. I will add it to my list of Bible questions to answer on this blog when I get the chance.
Thanks for all the above replies to my query. Another verse that is puzzling to me is 1 Timothy 1:13. Is this verse saying that Paul was forgiven only because he sinned ignorantly and if he sinned knowingly he wouldn’t have been forgiven? Seems like this verse parallels and supports Numbers 15:22-31 and Hebrews 10:26-31.
I really think unless it really comes out there and says it without a doubt, then I wouldn’t draw any hefty conclusions from it. I think he is just describing why he did what he did. Which everything he did was not with malicious intent, he really thought he was doing gods will, but he was ignorant of the truth. He uses this as an example of the greatness of gods grace, not a reason why god hhad grace on him. The bible says that it is better for the man who had never known the truth than the one who had. God has a lot of mercy on those who have never known his love.
To Alicia, Thank you for you comments. I think I need your prayers, if you could?
I’m a struggling Christian and I see how your comments support David’s. And I’m concerned about living in willful sin
Good question. I should try to answer that one also in a future post. I think the basic answer is that God forgives all sin in Jesus Christ, but when we are in a relationship with God, sin damages the relationship (just as in any relationship), and so to get forgiveness and help mend the rift in the relationship, we must say we are sorry and ask for forgiveness. Paul is saying something similar, and is speaking of his conversion experience, I think.
It’s hard to get salvation assurance when one, such as myself, has sinned so grievously after claiming to know Christ. All I can do is throw myself at the feet of Christ in humble submission and hopefully God will forgive my wilfull sin and give me the assurance that I need. I pray for God’s forgiveness and His indwelling of the Holy Spirit to help me live the rest of my life for Him and uprightly in His sight.
God is a loving God, but He also is to be revered and feared. Holy, Holy is His name!
Thanks for all the replies.
SeekerofTruth,
Here’s the encouragement: forgiveness and eternal life are not dependent one tiny little bit on your past behavior or your future behavior, but solely and completely on the finished work of Jesus Christ. And He PROMISES that anyone who believes in Him has everlasting life. So don’t look to your past mistakes as putting you outside of God’s grace, and don’t fear future mistakes either (for you will make them… we all do). Instead, just thank Jesus for the eternal life He has given you as a free gift.
Thank you and God Bless!
Jeremy Myers, i think you are wrong and David is right, so many out there are preaching you can live any way you want and be right that Grace covers any sin, they really believe that, that is not what the bible says, God was very concerned about sin so much he sent Jesus his son to die on a cross for us, if we accept Jesus as our savor then we are to obey his commandments, not break them, we are to live a righteous and holy life as possible, the bible plainly list a whole list of things if we live in will not to to heaven unless we repent, if we die while in these sins, we will not go to heaven, what is the difference, between someone who said a prayer and someone who did not, and they are living the same way, none, i think, if we are truly saved it should be hard to do these things let alone live and do them everyday, i would be afraid to tell people that it does not matte grace covers their sins, i really think it is the slip ups that we are convicted of by the Holy Spirit and we ask for forgivness, how can anyones heart be right with God and they have sex all the time out of marriage, lie, break every commandment of God, i don’t think this is meaning grace covers those sins, until they repent and ask for forgiveness, a lot of people will end up in hell because preachers teach Grace the wrong way,,and those preachers will answer to God for leading these people the wrong way, not saying you are one of them, but be careful , everything we teach or preach must line up with the word of God, God hates sin,
I need help and answers ALICIA, DAVID and JEREMY
I have think I may have sinned deliberately, I sinned today or yesterday at 1am with my own will to watch pornography and spill my seed, and three days after that I seen some images on my friends facebook page and I noticed these images which caused me to have lustful intent and I went to these images and looked at them then when to go spill my seed elsewhere, and then I did the same thing before when I recently became christian but that time I did it three times, I,m 18 years old and I felt convicted when I had done them i didn’t feel right, because I felt grievy, and I didn’t know anything about willfully sinning until I read this article and I,m still learning and i feel ashamed and scared of my eternity.
But during the times before I did it today or yesterday at 1am I asked for forgiveness and I feel that I should ask for forgiveness again.
You can ask for forgiveness, and you maybe should, but also know that you have already been forgiven.
We all sin deliberately and willfully. In fact, I think most sin is deliberate and willful.
So don’t beat yourself up over it. Recognize that God knows about your sin, and has already forgiven you for it. He loves you still. This post is not really about pornography and masturbation, but such things are big issues for many men. The path toward victory is not through beating yourself up every time you fall, but through coming to know and understand the infinite love of God for you.
I agree with you Alicia and thank you Jeremy for believing in the Good news of the Gospel! I have contended for some time now, that the Gospel just remains too good to be true and so with a little help from the enemy of our Souls, we pervert it and Rob it of its true Joy and the Freedom for which Christ suffered and died to set us Free! It is true. When you realize what God has done for you, this unfathomable Forgiveness, Mercy and Grace, you want to please Him and Obey Him! It seems as if some people feel responsible for the work of the Holy Spirit which is to convict the World of Sin, and to make sure no body gets away with anything LoL! I wholeheartedly believe in the need of Repentance, in fact I call it the “Gift of Repentance” but once this has been done he is Faithful and Just to forgives us our Sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness! PS I have appropriately used exclamation marks!! ; )
Hey Jeremy,
Reading through the comments I’m in agreement with David. In fact I say we don’t differ at all. I’m helping a brother out here.
We are called to be holy just as God is. I used to shy away from this Hebrew verse and like David said it was because of my unbelief. I believed (unbelief) that it was impossible not to willfully sin, but that was just me folowing the flesh. I believed that sin had more power then Jesus Christ, that sin could still control me even though he who is in me is greater than he who is in the world.
People have to move past Romans 3 and start living in Romans 6.
The True Gospel is a call to godliness (holiness). Repenting turning away from unrighteousness. Having faith that we are now dead. We have to fear the Lord. The Gospel requires obedience, obedience to the Spirit.
If Hebrews 10:26 does not make you change your life radically, you still have unbelief. Yes faith is obedience.
Also that first John verse you quoted, if you read the previous verses is says God is light and if we say we have fellowship with Him but walk in darkness (live in sin), we lie, and do not the truth. Then it says if we walk in the light, we have fellowship AND the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.
The book of Hebrews says Jesus died once for ALL sin. What then happens if we keep sinning?
David never said he has no sin. Free FROM sin not OF sin. Each day we are being cleansed from sins that we do not know as we conform ourselves to godliness.
Remember Jesus came to save us FROM sin not IN our sins.
But yes David was right that you missed the part where the writer warns of how much trouble you become IF you trample on the blood of Jesus Christ. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. At the end of chapter 10 the writer says this, ” Now the just shall live by faith….”. Faith is merely saying you believe, faith is obedience to the word of God.
Read Chapter 11. Faith is obedience to what God wants.
Jordan, I am not sure I really understand what it is you are trying to say….
On the one hand, you say, “…what happens if we keep sinning?” but then you say, “Each day we are being cleansed from sins that we do not know…”
So do we keep sinning or do we not?
Then at the end you say, “Faith is merely saying you believe, faith is obedience to the word of God.” What?
Oh, and I have read Hebrews 11. Many, many times.
A little analogy for you, let’s say I was a sinner but then turned toward God. In my sin I would commit adultery, not the lusting definition but sleeping with a married woman.
As soon as I repented, God in His mercy and Grace forgave me, giving me that saving faith, a new heart and allowing His Spirit to dwell within me. I’m now a new creation, on fire for God. Now say me being ignorant of this Hebrew verse and the whole book itself continued with this sin, even though I know that adultery is wrong because as you say, “thank God for Grace”.
People like you nullify the meaning behind the warnings in these verses.
Continuing in the analogy….now me still claiming grace one day after someone shows me these verses, decide to read it but these confronting verses ring fear through me and shakes the ground I stand on. Now I start to doubt whether I’m still under the mercy of God.
But reading just a verse does no good especially when it’s confronting as this.
So say I start reading the whole book of Hebrews. And a resounding thing happens as God starts showing me things. God leads me to those of faith mentioned in ch 11. But then He leads me to the story of Esau, and then it hits me. The meaning of Heb 10:26-31.
The writer is trying to bring us back to the fear of the LORD. Not the fear of judgement and punishment. The true fear of the LORD.
Proverbs 8:13 KJV
[13] The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
Before I continue, is this what you teach here? Do you teach people to hate sin with a passion? what you teach line up with what the rest of the bible teaches? “Dead to sin”, “slave of righteousness not of sin”, “Be holy just as He is holy”.
Galatians 5:24 KJV
[24] And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
You go on to give a few examples of people in the bible who sinned wilfuly such as Abraham and David etc. you forget that these people came back with right standing with God after repenting and seeking mercy and forgiveness. They did not continue in that sin.
That’s what Hebrews 10:26 is saying. We cant play around with the Spirit of Grace. Cause if you continue to sin wilfuly it’s not the 2-3 witness that will carry out the punishment, it’s God Himself. But God has mercy on those who repent when convicted by Him. Sin wilfuly once God may have mercy and forgive you. Twice He may again forgive you. Keep doing the same sin AND you are not ignorant of the word, there may be a time where you are disqualified from the race.
I’m not game to try sinning wilfuly.
Ananias and Sapphira….both had a chance to come clean and repent when the Holy Spirit through Peter asked them about their money. And what did they do. They lied. God had shown mercy and had given them a chance to repent. Both knew I was wrong and I’m sure the Holy Spirit was convicting them to repent. But what attitude did they show? No fear of the LORD, no care in the world of sininig and they paid dearly.
The same with Esau. Traded his birth right for food. Traded what was unpresihable, the riches to come through God’s promises to Abraham, for something perishable and worthless.
The writer of Hebrews is talking about those in the convenant made by Jesus Christ.
If we trade the promise of eternal life for pleasures of this world, there is no more sacrifice for us because to come back into the covenant again one would have to crucify the Son of God again.
As for your question if we keep sinning or not….do you know of every sin in your life? Are you aware of every sin in your life?
If you have conscious sin in your life, you have to repent from it. That is God convicting you and conforming you to the likeness of His Son. As you walk in faith, as you live you life out in faith, the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanses sin that is revealed to you by God through the Holy Spirit.
Proverbs 16:6 KJV
[6] By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.
That verse describes how the life of someone in faith should be like. It says iniquity, sin, is purged. Removed! Removed by truth and God’s enduring mercy. He knows sins in our life that we are not aware of, ignorant of, but He shows us patience and mercy. By truth we shall be free of sin and cleansed by the Blood of Jesus Christ.
But you have you have the fear of the Lord to depart from sin stay away from it.
For your question on faith. Read Hebrews 3 and 4. It was because of unbelief, disobedience, that most of the Israelistes did not enter the promise land.
So what I’m trying to say is in this post you have taken out obedience to the word of God by saying that we are under grace, and we all sin wilfuly, God forgives if we go out murdering people, commit adultery, steal, take His name in vain etc.
People walking after the Holy Spirit STILL need to obey the Spirit. They are NOT lawless.
1 Peter 1:14 KJV
[14] As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
[15] But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
[16] Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
I guess I’m going to hell then, for I cannot think of a sin that I have not committed which I didn’t know was wrong beforehand.
And just in case there are some, it is better for me to stop reading the Bible and seeking to become more like Jesus because this only leads me to see more and more where I sin.
I jest, of course. I fully expect to see Ananias and Sapphira in heaven. In fact, – are you ready for a shock? – probably Judas as well!
Anyway, you have left a very long comment so I cannot respond to it adequately. Please try to keep your comments short and concise. Blog comments are for dialogue, not for preaching sermons.
I’m just wondering Jeremy, i am a christian a god fearing one who loves the word, church and prayer and Jesus. what i get from this is that (and i may be incorrect) but i can rape, murder, lie, and commit adultery (and i choose these because these are some of the types of sin i would call willful) and still have my free gift of salvation, meaning simply i will go to heaven.
You got that from this post?! That’s amazing, especially since I believe nothing of the sort and have written nothing of the sort above!
I would be curious to know the thought process and logical steps you took to arrive at that idea from what I have written above…
There’s definitely a bit of complexity when it comes to questions like this. I’m hoping I can choose my words carefully because I don’t want to sound like I’m condoning sin. Scott mentions some examples of grievous willful sins such as murder, rape, sexual immorality, etc. and wonder what they mean in light of the gift of salvation freely given by faith in Christ.
If we today would see a Christian, and we have seen some well known names in the Christian world, commit one of these sins there would be a whole lot of doubt concerning the state of their soul (I think it is biblical to have concerns but I don’t agree with self-righteous fruit inspecting). But what about the great biblical heroes who did these exact things? I’m sure we’re all familiar with King David’s adultery and murder cover up trying to hide his sin, Jonah’s sins when he ran from God (which Jeremy talked about in another post), Paul’s non-specific yet powerful account of his sinful struggles, etc. These all had their own rough journeys to repentance as well. I don’t think that things were any different for them than they are for us.
There are many, many more examples of whom we consider to be God’s best and brightest and their sins. These sins when they were committed were willful. Unless you have no clue that what you are doing is wrong there is always that varying length of time where you have the choice to sin or not. Temptation presents a choice and there is always a way out. There may be minimal conviction because you don’t see the sin as a big deal, there may be a lot of conviction yet you are not able to overcome your urges, and there are probably, if you’re honest with yourself, urges that have your flesh making you feel like you don’t want to give them up.
The questions that I ultimately come to because of all this deal with all these lines that nobody really knows how to draw. We see many great people of God throughout the Bible at their lowest points and how their faith in God led them to be used for great things (and so despite their grievous sin we see them as holy because they grew and showed great faith and fruit) but what about those in the Bible who are said to have believed but are never heard from again in the text? Are we to assume that they all did just as great things as the apostles or did many of them struggle with the same sinful choices we do? If a true believer’s life isn’t characterized by a life controlled by sin just how much sin defines living in sin? Were there sins in the lives of the apostles that were persistent and that they continued to choose to do? If so why are we so quick to use the false convert charge for us and not for them?
Again I’ll have to apologize for rambling but this hits very close to home. I let all these questions build up and tear me down until I can’t take it and have to spill it out on the blogosphere. One of the only things I’ve noticed was that all those biblical heroes I’ve mentioned turned to faith in God because of their sin and did not parade them about or try to justify them in the end. Some of them took longer to repent than others but isn’t it the same for us? In the midst of our willful and grievous sin isn’t our solution to turn to faith in Christ just like they did? I ask because recently in my growth I feel I’ve hit a growth spurt thanks to the fellowship I’ve had on this blog, but although I can rejoice that some of my sinful attitudes and habits have changed or weakened I can now see even worse sin in my life that has me feeling wrecked because to deny it would devastate me. I’m hoping for growth but if real Christians don’t struggle with willful sin I am once again doomed.
Christians at best are people, and people at best are sinners. There is no such thing as a Christian without sin, which is proof that the doctrine of Lordship Salvation is of the Devil. The word “advocate” in 1st John 2:1 is the Greek parakletos and means “one who pleads another’s cause before a judge, a pleader; an intercessor, of Christ in His exaltation at God’s right hand, pleading with God the Father for the pardon of our sins” (SOURCE: ENHANCED STRONG’S LEXICON). What a wonderful truth… Jesus is our Lawyer in Heaven (and not like all the lying, cut-throat, lawyers here on earth). The Word of God comforts us, by informing us that Jesus Christ will plead on our behalf, for the sins we have committed. Why would Jesus do this? It’s because of the precious blood that Jesus shed for our sins, and our faith in Him alone. When a Christian sins, we have a Heavenly Intercessor, i.e., an Eternal Highpriest; namely, Christ Jesus. If you are unsaved, then you have NO legal representation. You will stand on your own before the Judge, and be cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15).
The connection between YAHWEH’S choosing and the work of the Spirit, along with the word obey comes out with equal clearness in Kepha, “according to the foreknowledge of YAHWEH our ABBA in separation from evil by the Spirit, to obedience and sprinkling of the blood of YAHSHUA the MESSIYAH.” Kepha Alef 1:2. The SetApart Spirit is the Spirit of the life of the MESSIYAH YAHSHUA. As we come to know, honour, and trust YAHSHUA, we will learn and experience that in the New Covenant, separation from evil, which the Spirit works in us, is our New Covenant right! Then we will be assured that as YAHWEH promised, so the Spirit will work it in us, that we “should serve YAHWEH without fear, in righteousness and pureness before YAHWEH, all the days of our life.” With the pureness from evil in YAHSHUA and YAHSHUA’S Spirit of pureness in our hearts, we can live a life SetApart from evil, a life SetApart unto YAHWEH! That is if we believe and trust YAHWEH, who will do it in us!
In light of this New Covenant promise, with the MESSIYAH and the SetApart Spirit to work it out in us, there comes new meaning to the teaching of the New Covenant. Take the first letter Sha’ul wrote. It was directed to believers who had only a few months previously been turned away from worshipping idols, to serve the living Mighty One, and they were waiting for YAHSHUA, who had risen into the heavens, to return. Sha’ul tells them in regard to their being SetApart from evil that they were to receive and expect this, because YAHWEH was working it in them, this work many believers pass right by as obscure, “Now YAHWEH our ABBA, and our Master YAHSHUA, may they direct our way to you and may our Master increase and overflow your love, one to another, to all people also, even as we love you. This will establish your hearts, blameless in separation from evil before YAHWEH our ABBA, in the presence of our Master YAHSHUA with all HIS SetApart from evil Ones-(saints). TesloniqYah Alef-(1 Thessalonians) 3:11-13. (NOTE: English versions translate the Greek hagios and its variances as; holy, holiness, sanctify, sanctification, hallowed, sanctuary, saints, sacred. The literal meaning is-to be separated from evil and SetApart unto YAHWEH. Vine’s pg. 307).
This promise, to be SetApart from evil, blameless in heart, is established by YAHWEH through YAHSHUA! Sha’ul might have indeed said “Who has believed our report?” He had written of himself: “You are our witnesses, as is YAHWEH, how SetApart from evil, right before YAHWEH (righteous), and blameless we were with you, the ones that believe.” TesloniqYah Alef 2:10. Sha’ul assured them of what YAHWEH had done for him, and what YAHWEH would do for them–give them hearts that are blameless, SetApart from evil! The Assembly (church) believes so little in the mighty power of YAHWEH and the truth of YAHWEH’S SetApart Covenant, so that such a heart of pureness from evil is hardly ever spoken of. This verse is often quoted in connection with the coming of YAHSHUA with HIS SetApart Ones, but its real point is that when HE does come, we will meet HIM with our hearts established, blameless in separation from evil, which YAHWEH does through the SetApart Spirit! All of this is not understood nor proclaimed nor expected.
Let us look at another verse in this letter. “YAHWEH the Mighty One of peace,” this is a key to the New Covenant; what you cannot do YAHWEH will work in you, “Set you Apart from evil completely, “this you can ask for and expect”, and your entire spirit, inner being and body be kept blameless in the presence of our Master YAHSHUA the MESSIYAH.” TesloniqYah Alef- 5:24. This is the truth revealed of the New Covenant, that, that which has not entered into the mind nor the heart of man, YAHWEH WILL work in all those who wait on YAHWEH! Until the Assembly awakes to see and believe that being SetApart from evil is the gift of YAHWEH, through YAHSHUA, and worked out by the Spirit in us, and that our whole belief system must be an unceasing dependence to receive it direct from YAHWEH by the Spirit, all of these promises will remain a sealed book!
To grant us. It is a gift from above, the promise given with the Covenant was “I YAHWEH have spoken it, I will do it! “We need to ask YAHWEH to show us both what YAHWEH will do, and that YAHWEH will do it all in us. When we believe and trust, expecting all from YAHWEH, then the promises will be found. “Who have been delivered out of the hand of our enemies.” ZecharYah has just before this said: YAHWEH has raised a horn of deliverance for us in the house of David, deliverance from our enemies and the hand that hates us. It is only a free people who can serve a Pure Mighty One, or be pure themselves. It is only as the teaching of RomiYah-(Romans) 6:5-14 is experienced and we come to know that we are “freed from Law breaking and “freed from the Law” and that “the Spirit of life in the MESSIYAH YAHSHUA has made us free from the Law of Law breaking and death,” that in perfect freedom from every evil power that can hinder us, we will expect YAHWEH to do YAHWEH’S
I agree on many points, and disagree on others. I wouldn’t necessarily say that Lordship salvation is of the devil … that’s a little too strong for my taste. But you make great points about the advocate in 1 John 2:1 and how Jesus intercedes for us.
What About Professed Believers who Live in Unrepentant Sin?
What about professed Christians who live in unrepentant sin, i.e., they have no desire to repent of their sins? Are they genuinely saved? The Apostle John stated… “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother” (1st John 3:8-10). Obviously, we cannot live above sin as long as we are living in this corrupt, carnal, flesh. 1st John 1:8 confirms this, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” No mortal can live above sin (Romans 3:23).
So then what does 1st John 38-10 mean? It simply means this–there should be a sincere desire in the soul of every born-again believer to live righteously to please the Lord. A professed Christian, such as Marsha Stevens, who openly boasts of having a homosexual marriage, is not a true Christian according to 1st John 3:8-10. When a person truly repents, i.e., has a change of mind that causes him or her to turn to Christ in faith for salvation, then a change in that person’s life should follow afterwards. This is exactly what James meant when he said… “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works” (James 2:18). James wasn’t speaking of salvation. In Romans, Paul speaks of the ROOT of our faith (Romans 4:5); BUT James speaks of the FRUIT of our faith. Although Lot in the Old testament lived in sinful Sodom, he DIDN’T brag and boast of it; rather, he felt convicted from day to day concerning sin (2nd Peter 2:7). So to answer the above question concerning professed believers who choose to live in sin… a genuine Christian should feel much conviction when they live in unrepentant sin. This is evidenced in Hebrews 12:7,8, “If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.” A professed “Christian” who lives in unrepentant sin, and has no conviction from the Holy Spirit to forsake those sins, is a LIAR, certainly no Christian in any sense. If Marsha Stevens were a true Christian, then God’s Holy Spirit would convict her continually about the sin of homosexuality, and her need to repent of such wickedness
It is so strange what you write here in comparison with what you wrote elsewhere on this comment thread about Lordship salvation being of the devil, because as far as I can tell, this comment fits in perfectly with what proponents of Lordship salvation teach….
When a Christian sins, we are to humbly go to the Lord in prayer and seek His forgiveness. This is clearly taught in 1st John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” A man once argued with me, saying that believers were already forgiven in Christ, and there is no need to ask God for forgiveness on a daily basis. He was wrong. Although God lives in eternity, where there is no time, we mortals live within the box of time. If I sin today, then I have a need to make things right with God today. Although my sins are already eternally forgiven in Christ Jesus, I am still expected to maintain a close fellowship with my God. So we must differentiate between salvation (which is our relationship with Christ), and our Christian walk (which is our fellowship with Christ). Many believers today are saved certain in Christ Jesus, but fail to walk with God, and are asleep concerning righteousness. These are the believers who go to church regularly; but never go soulwinning, never contend for the faith, and never do anything for Christ. We learn in 1st Corinthians 3:1 that the church at Corinth was CARNAL. Soulwinning wasn’t even a concern to them. They were saved, but not walking in the Spirit (i.e., with God).
If you’re a Christian, and you’ve sinned, then 1st John 1:9 is for you… “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Here’s an illustration. I am my father’s son, and nothing can change that. No matter what crime or sin I may commit, even if my father disowns me, I am still his son forever. Now, I may have a broken fellowship with my father, but he is still my father nonetheless. If I return to my father, as the prodigal son did, asking for forgiveness, I am not asking to be his literal son again. I am seeking reconciliation concerning my fellowship, but not my sonship. The same is true with God. When we sin as believers, we are still God’s child, but we have a broken fellowship with our Heavenly Father.
Oh! Listen my brother or sister, God will forgive you of any sin, if you’ll simply humble yourself at the throne of grace. Your sins are already washed away by the blood of Jesus if you’re a believer, which gives you a right to BOLDLY come before God’s throne of grace… “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” You’re not asking God to forgive you in the sense of washing your sins away; but in the sense of a child who has disobeyed and disappointed a loving Father.
When sinners came to Jesus for forgiveness, He never berated them with harsh words. No, rather, Jesus encouraged them as a loving Savior, saying, “Go and sin no more” (John 5:14; 8:11). What’s in the past is over–water under the bridge. The past is gone forever. Assuming we’ve made reconciliation with anyone we may have sinned against, we need to place our guilt of past sins under the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus died so we could have PEACE. “There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked” (Isaiah 48:22). It’s the blood of Jesus that brings peace with God… “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
And let me say this, you cannot have a proper fellowship with God if you are wrong with man (Matthew 5:23,24). If you want to be right with God in your Christian walk, then you need to apologize and/or make restitution with anyone you may have hurt. They may not accept your apology, but at least you tried. God only holds you accountable for your words and actions. Some believers live in a delusional world, thinking they can mistreat people and simultaneously please God. No sir! The hallmark quality of being a Christian is CARING. As believers, we should care about our testimony, and that we honor our Savior in our words and actions. We are to exemplify Christ in our life. Although we will sin at times as believers, because we are still in the flesh, we need to make things right with those we hurt. No wrong should go unrighted. 1st Thessalonians 4:6 promises that God will avenge those we defraud, and vise versa.
Proverb 24:16 states, “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.” Every Christian falls. The Hebrew word for falleth means TO STUMBLE. Hence, no matter how much we try to live for the Lord in the Holy Spirit’s power, we will stumble in this carnal flesh. The second mention of the word fall in Proverb 26:16 means TO QUIT. The wicked don’t even try to live right, because they don’t care about the things of God. So at best, the believer tries to live right but struggles, falling, and getting up, and falling again, and getting up. This is pleasing to the Lord because at least we are making an attempt to do right. This applies to the born-again Christian of course, as no amount of self-righteousness can get us into Heaven. I’m speaking about Christian living here, not salvation. To be saved, you need His Righteousness. The wicked don’t even try to live right, but gnash upon the righteous with their criticisms and hatred because we are of God.
Obedience is possible! The thought of a demand which a man cannot possibly deliver, cuts at the very root of true hope and strength. The secret thought; No man can obey YAHWEH, throws thousands back into the Old Covenant life and into a false peace that YAHWEH does not expect more than that we do our best. Obedience is possible, the whole New Covenant promises and secures this. Only understand rightly what obedience means. The renewed believer still has the flesh, with its evil nature, out of which arises involuntary evil thoughts, and dispositions. These may also be found in a truly obedient believer. Obedience deals with the doing of what is known to be YAHWEH’S will, as taught by the Word, the SetApart Spirit and our conscience. When George Mueller spoke of the great happiness he had for more than sixty years in YAHWEH’S service, he attributed it to two things, he loved YAHWEH’S Word and he had maintained a good conscience, not willingly going on in a course he knew to be against the will of YAHWEH. When the full light of YAHWEH came upon Gerhard Tersteegen, he wrote; “I promise with your help and power, to rather give up the last drop of my blood, than knowingly and willingly in my heart or life be untrue and disobedient to YOU.” Such obedience is an attainable degree of unmerited favor. Obedience is possible. When the Law is written on the heart, when the heart is circumcised to love YAHWEH with all our heart and to obey YAHWEH, when the love of YAHWEH is shed throughout the heart, then it means that the love of YAHWEH’S Law and of YAHWEH has become the moving power of our life. This love is no vague sentiment, in man’s imagination of something that only exists in the heavens, but a living, mighty power of YAHWEH in the heart, working effectually according to YAHWEH’S working, which works in us powerfully. A Life Of Obedience is Possible
This obedience is of belief and trust: “By belief and trust, Avraham- (Abraham) obeyed.” Ivrim (Hebrews) 11:8, Bereshith (Genesis) 22:9-18. By belief and trust, the promises of the Covenant, the presence of the Guarantor of the Covenant, the hidden workings of the SetApart Spirit, the love of YAHWEH in power to make true in us all YAHWEH’S love and promises, must live in us. Belief and trust can bring them near and make us live in the very midst of them. YAHSHUA and HIS wonderful redemption do not remain at a distance from us in the heavens, but can become our continual experience. However cold or weak we may feel, belief and trust knows that the new heart is in us, that the love of YAHWEH’S Law is our very nature, that the teaching and power of the Spirit are within us. This kind of belief and trust knows it can obey!
Let us hear the voice of our Deliverer, the Guarantor of the Covenant, as HE says with a deeper fuller meaning than when HE was on earth: “Only believe. If you can believe, all things are possible to those that believe.” And last of all, let us understand; Obedience is Happiness! Do not regard it only as the way to the joy and happiness of the New Covenant, but as itself joy and happiness. To have the voice of YAHWEH teaching and guiding you, to be what YAHWEH wills you to be, in working out what YAHWEH works in you by the Spirit, in doing YAHWEH’S will and pleasing YAHWEH, truly all this is unspeakable joy and full of honour. To a healthy person it is a delight to walk or work, to put forth your strength and conquer difficulties. To a slave or a hireling it is bondage and weariness. The Old Covenant demanded obedience with a relentless must, and the threat that followed it. The New Covenant changes the must, to can and will. Do ask YAHWEH, by the SetApart Spirit, to show you how: “you have been created in the MESSIYAH YAHSHUA unto good works,” and how as fitted as a vine is for bearing grapes, your new nature is perfectly prepared for every good work. Ask YAHWEH to show you that YAHWEH means obedience not only to be a possible thing, but the most delightful and attractive gift that YAHWEH has to give, and the entrance into YAHWEH’S love and all its blessings. In the New Covenant the chief thing is not the wonderful treasure of strength and unmerited favor it contains, nor even the heavenly security that that treasure never can fail, but this, that the living mighty ONE gives of this One’s self, and makes the Spirit of YAHWEH known, and takes possession of us as our Mighty One. For this reason mankind was created, for this YAHWEH has restored our relationship once again, for this, that it will be our actual experience-the SetApart Spirit has been given and is dwelling in us. Between what YAHWEH has already worked out in us and what YAHWEH waits to work, obedience is the blessed link!
Let us seek to walk before YAHWEH in the confidence that we are of those who live in a pure conscience (a conscience turned away from evil, and SetApart unto YAHWEH), my one work is to obey YAHWEH!
What can the reason be, I ask again, that so many believers have seen so little of the beauty of this New Covenant life, with its power to set us apart from evil, and its joyful obedience? YAHSHUA was with the students, but their hearts were blind, it is still so today! It is as with Elishua’s servant, all messengers surrounded him, and he did not know it! Nothing will help but prayer: “ YAHWEH open his eyes, so that he will see.” Melechim Bet- (2 Kings) 6:14-17. YAHWEH is there not someone who may be reading this, who needs one touch to see it all? Oh, give that touch!
Just listen my brothers and sisters, Your ABBA loves you with an infinite love and longs to make you, even this very day, YAHWEH’S pure (separated from evil), happy and obedient child. Hear YAHWEH’S message: YAHWEH has for you an entirely different life from what you are now living. A life in which YAHWEH’S unmerited favor will actually work in you every moment, all YAHWEH asks you to be. A life of simple child- like obedience, doing each day only what YAHWEH shows you to be YAHWEH’S will. A life in which the abiding love of your ABBA, and the abiding presence of your Saviour YAHSHUA, and the joy of the Separate Spirit, can keep you, and make you glad and strong. This is YAHWEH’S message. This life is for you. Do not fear to accept this life, to give yourself up to it and its entire obedience. In the MESSIYAH it is possible, it is a sure thing.
Now my brothers and sisters, just turn and ask the ABBA, by the SetApart Spirit, to show you the beautiful heavenly life. Ask and expect it. Keep your eyes and heart fixed upon it. The great blessing of the Covenant is obedience, the wonderful power to will and do as YAHWEH wills
Raphael,
Your comments are way too long. Going forward, please interact with the other people in the comment thread and with the content of the post.
It is possible to live a life for Yahweh through his son Yahushua without sin and be untainted when you are Spirit filled and set apart, otherwise what was the reason and advantage of Yahushua introducing and implementing the New Covenant . What advantage is there to be in Yahushua if there is not a change possible for all that follow him and are Spirit filled what was the use of all of it. If no change Then Yahushua died and was resurrected in vain, Yahweh forbid. We are to be Spirit filled and Spirit led, Yahweh said he will make it happen so it is no longer on us to be the weak link in the chain, we are strengthened and made heirs to Yahushuas great power through almighty Yahweh. We have died and a new creation is born, We just have to believe if not we are still under the Law. Now you can see what Paul is speaking of by no longer under the Law. When you are Spirit filled and set apart the Law no longer holds you, it is as if you are above it and in truth you are. This is the wonderful truth and the mystery Yahweh is talking about revealed in due time. We are all heirs being set apart first and cleansed then on to Yahushuas works.
Raphe,
If what you mean is that according to Paul, in 1 Corinthians 6 and 10, that there is no longer anything that is unlawful for the person who has trusted in Christ, then, yes, I agree, it is not possible for a believer to sin, because all things are now lawful, and no longer capable of placing the believer under the condemnation of the law.
I suspect that this is not what you mean, however. I suspect that what you believe is that now that we have new life in us, it is possible to live life perfectly and without ever once messing up the sanctified life. Trading legalism for pietism is really no improvement, we are no longer under the power of the law, and no longer slaves to sin, we still can and do fall short of perfection, in fact, Romans 7 gives us a pretty clear picture of the kind of abject failure that results from trying to live a pious life under our own power.
Also, can you explain why you feel the need to use the Jewish names for Jesus and God, the audience here is not largely Hebrew, and to us continued use of words like Yahushua and Yahweh simply sound like you are trying to sound superior in some way. I promise you that God does not care if you use the Hebrew form of His name in preference to any other language. He knows who you are talking about, even when you are spelling Yahweh wrong.
Pastor FedEx
I would like to acknowledge that since my last post, I detected willful sin in my life. It was willful because I had not taken the time to consider what I was doing, even though I had opportunities to consider it. I could argue that I was not fully aware of my sin, and I really wasn’t, but I could have been aware, I think. This all seems to support what Jeremy is saying, at least to some extent, if I am understanding him right. And I also found provision from Yahweh – I call Him Yahweh because His name is not “God” – to acknowledge that willful sin, and for repentance from it. I found the mercy of Yahweh obtained for me by Yahshua! He set me free from that sin, and I no longer am held captive by it! And Jeremy is right that the scriptures will show you where you have fallen short! That is why I read, so that I can be instructed, corrected, led, and even chastened by my heavenly Father. When you do that, the Word says that you are a true son (or daughter), because Yahovah (the spelling I am not sure about) disciplines His children. When you receive that discipline, you are walking in the Light! His will for our lives, after all, is sanctification – I read this in the bible! Reading the Word that exposes our utter sinfulness without exercising faith for it’s removal will doom us to a life of bondage to it! That is not the faith that saves us! You can’t be drowning in a river of sin, and on the bank safe, and secure at the same time! And if you are believing for drowning, that is what will happen! People have drowned in 6 inches of water because they were believing for drowning!
Some people seem to have a one track mind about spiritual things. They seem to focus on who goes to heaven. I submit that a mature man goes beyond this, and gives consideration to bringing honor to the Father, and the Son! That is the context in which I have written here. The Father, and the Son are honored when They are allowed to indwell us without interference from us. They are honored when we have faith for that, and then They bring it to pass. They don’t get honor from us when we are believing for unrighteousness! If we insist that we will always practice some sin as long as we live on earth, we are believing for unrighteousness, and it will be done to us according to our faith! Faith is supposed to be used not just for escaping the flames of hell, and going to heaven, but even more for righteousness – thinking, speaking, and acting like Them, which brings Them honor in the earth!
This is a process, and our Father knows our hearts. Our spiritual neediness is without question, so He is not shocked by our problems. We can more than trust Him to love us while we work through our stuff! And if we want to be like Him, we must love ourselves while we work through it, too! Anyone that is willing to let go of anything that He tells them to let go of, and walks transparently before Him, can be led in to all Truth! This is the salvation walk, and this is true Peace! If we lose our peace, we need to ask our Father why right away! Peace is good! Don’t wait until your sick! Get right with Him as quickly as you can, and stay in peace!
I hope that I have kept this short enough!
King David said ‘Keep your servant also from willful sins, may they not rule over me.’ meaning that King David, a man after God’s own heart, struggled with willful sin. We know that he did terrible things. Was this because he did not have the Spirit? I think not. We know that even the Israelite in the desert had the Spirit. According to Corinthians ‘They all passed through the cloud and were baptized. They all drank from the spiritual water of Christ’ (Not direct quotation, in a hurry, sorry). Therefore, if the man who was like God could kill, commit adultery and repent, I doubt we would be condemned for our mistakes.
David found his way to repentance. Esau sought repentance with tears, but could not find his way to it. If we fear God like we should, we will not want to take any chances of ending up like Esau! He wanted to repent, but he had been trapped forever by that sin!
So, in your perception of things, God only saves a person who’s mind is CONSTANTLY focused on sin, making sure they find it and repent of it? Your telling me that you don’t have ungodly thoughts, that you don’t stumble on the line between regular attraction and lust, that you never idolize anything?
It is clear that the sin of Esua was a rejection of God’s gifts altogether, not just some little breach of the moral law.
“Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”
A human cannot remain sinless, nor, sometimes, can we even be sure what IS and ISN’T a sin (There is mosaic law, moral law, some points that Paul makes are legitimately not culturally relevant anymore). And it is by FAITH that we carry on through the fear of condemnation.
I will not worship a god who demands that we be obsessive compulsive. Fortunately, I do not have to.
I have been adopted by a new “Daddy”. He is raising me to be like Himself. I cling to Him, and love to be with Him, and want to be like Him. Since I am going a way that I have never been before, and since He knows all things, I can trust Him to have my best interest at heart, which He certainly does! It is a normal thing in any relationship to be sensitive to the other party, especially if you love them! I am sensitive to what my Father’s desires are because I love Him. Since He sent His only begotten Son to save me from sin, it is only natural for me to pay close attention to His instructions in this regard! I am paying attention, and He is cluing me in to how His kingdom works! It is a natural thing to want to please someone that you really love! I like the purifying process that He is leading me through because it pleases Him, and honors Him when I cooperate with that process! The fact that it is the salvation process is certainly a bonus for me, but not the motivation for it!
Your words reveal an idolatrous heart! There is something in your life that you are not at peace with, and you know that it is not supposed to be there! And because of that, the only way that you can make your fleshly version of the gospel work is to say that you will always be a practicing sinner, because you either have no plans to leave certain sins, and/or have believed the lie that those sins will always be more powerful than the body, and blood of Yahshua, so you say that they cannot be overcome. (I know that what I am saying is true because scripture reveals it, and also because I have been where you are now.) Israel could not enter the promised land for the same reason! I repeat, Israel could not enter the promised land for the same reason! They said that they would never be able, even with Yahweh’s help, to overcome the giants in that land. Yahweh counted that as faithlessness, and after being disbelieved by them ten times, He cut them off from that promised land forever. The promised land for us is that same land that Abraham looked for, where we live with the Father, Son, Spirit, and righteous men being made perfect through faith in Them! You are saying what they said back then. They did not make it! Hebrews 3 and 4 says that this is a warning to us! Please tell me how you can explain this away!
We take every thought captive and make it obey Yahshua! If we are buffeted by unwholesome thoughts, we find a brother, confess our faults, and get them to cast that demon out of us so that we can walk in love without hindrance! That is the promised land of liberty, and freedom, and stopping short of that is faithlessness!
We are not talking about what a human can do! We are talking about the gospel! The gospel has us trusting our Creator to indwell us, and live His life through us miraculously! But that is not a reality to you yet because you have not been willing to die so that They can take your place! It’s not about us! I repeat, it is not about us! But fleshly persons reveal their fleshliness when they make these faithless statements!
This is good news if you let these Words have their way with you! Thank Elohim that we do not have to remain faithless, but can be quickly on the path to faithfulness by simply acknowledging our sin to our Father, repent of it, and then trust in Yahshua to overcome it! That’s what I finally did, by the grace of Elohim! Thank you, Father!
You are obviously not familiar with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. It is real, just as real as Biblical truth. It will always accuse not matter what we do. There will always be another sin, always a way in which we don’t measure up. You use many Godly sounding words and phrases, but you have no clue what some people go through. You lay burdens on men that are too heavy for them to bare. Your faith is a faith that is only for the strong. It is useless to real suffering sinners, to people who perceive the sins that are in all things.
I used to believe what you believe, but it doesn’t work, it isn’t real. No one can fully stop sinning without lying to themselves, and driving themselves to the point of insanity in the process.
Remember ‘By one sacrifice he has purified forever all who are being made perfect.’ I see him working in my life, helping me to gradually overcome one sin after another, gradually. This is real and true, God works in me, even when I don’t really want him to, sometimes.
I know that if I have to focus all of my energy on being saved, I cannot be saved; but a God who works that way would be a cruel and merciless God. Your faith sounds good, but in reality it lacks love. No one who is that busy being perfect can ever really love. Christ is perfecting us, it is our duty to love. My conscience testifies to this.
‘Perfect love casts out fear.’
Brother, I said that this is a process where we can rely on our Heavenly Father to mercifully lead us, and so we can love ourselves, and forgive ourselves as we go through it. And I agree He leads us through overcoming one sin at a time. But He can’t lead a willful idolater past their idol! And He cannot lead someone in to total victory if they don’t believe that He can do it! I am just saying that once we are willing to let God put His finger an anything in our life, He can then lead us in to all truth. This walk of salvation works for someone just starting out with God, persons that have walked with Him for 100 years, and everyone in between! You believe that He is leading you to a place where you are like Him in thought, word, and deed. Is there anything wrong with that? Anybody can believe for continuing to be like the devil, or not being as much like the devil as they used to be! I am submitting to you that until you believe for walking like Yahshua, you will never even get a good start in that direction! But, the moment that our Father gets you to a place where you can receive this mystery of godliness, you will find Him showing up inside you even more, in response to your faith! And instead of teaching that you will always be a little like the devil, you will proclaim, in faith, along with me, that we will walk by the Spirit, and so never break God’s law of love. We will make it there because God is honoring the faith that He has placed within us for just that purpose!
If we trust our heavenly Father to deliver us out of all sin – we can’t deliver ourselves – from the day that we start with Him, until the very end, while also trusting Him to forgive us every time we repent of a discovered sin, and so, are able to receive that forgiveness without any continuing guilt, or shame, what is wrong with that? I live this way, and have real peace. I am seeing sin the way that God sees it, and yet I am in no condemnation whatsoever. It is because my conscience is clear! I have given up struggling against my Maker! I am simply going with Him!
Contrast that with what you are proposing, where in order to scrape up some sort of sanity, you have to downplay sin altogether as a coping mechanism. Anxiety looms over you, no matter how hard you try to escape it. From time, to time you have to go and ask others if they think that you are really saved, or not. Eventually you need sleeping pills to try and sleep. You may have to take prozac to try and cope with everyday life. Your conscience is not clear! Different physical ailments begin to creep in to your body. And a sense of condemnation will not leave you just because you quote the verse that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
This is good news IF you recognize from it that you are trapped by the enemy, because you know Whom to go to to get untrapped! It is “works” to someone that will not give up the idol that is destroying them!
“Trust, and obey is the only way to be happy in Yahshua!” is as true a verse from song that has ever been sung!
I would just like to add that our heavenly Father is saving me out of the most vile, filthy, perverted sinful past, and I am forever grateful that He would even consider doing that for me! I know what I am being saved out of, and I don’t want to ever go back! I know what I am being rescued from, and I receive it thankfully! I was being destroyed by sin! My life was a disaster! He stooped down to me, and pulled me out of much hellish trouble, and to this day, He still rescues me when I am in trouble! And still, while knowing all about my spiritual neediness, I confess that He is taking me to a place where I will experience thinking, speaking, and acting just like Him. I wish that someone had told me about this when I started out with Him! I might not have been able to receive it right away, but if this was a pattern in the church, I expect that I could have received it much sooner than I did. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe we all have to be led for years through a wilderness before He can get us to a place where we can receive this faith. I am hoping that we can somehow pass this along so that some might not have to spend so long in that wilderness!
What is greater?
That we scorn the sinner? or that we love the sinner?
That we demand we are right and refuse to forgive? or Humbly listen to another and respect another opinion?
That we pray for the hungry and the sick? or we feed and comfort them?
That we lie and deceive one another? or Tell the truth in a loving way even if it hurts?
The thing that breaks my heart is how some prideful some people are who actually think they don’t sin anymore. I sin still in one way or another. I don’t like it, but I am still in the flesh and I believe that one this side of heaven I will never be without sin. To define sin it’s anything that goes against God’s law. So here’s the kicker if you wear mixed fabrics as most people do you sin. If you are a man and you have long hair guess what? That’s a sin too. If you have a beard you better not shave it why? because that’s a sin too. If your clean shaven yep! sin. You like rare or medium rare steak? Can’t eat it Why? because it has blood in it. Yea it has fat juices too but it still has blood in it even if it’s a small amount, no pork chops either or any pork for that matter bye bye bacon. I could go on and on but frankly I don’t feel like covering all 620 Mosaic laws. Now some of you may say well those are Levitical laws true but they are still part of God’s law to say otherwise would mean that your are changing and even taking away from the God’s word. Which is also a sin. So if you wish to talk about the ten commandments then I think every person dead and alive have broken all of it too. James 2:10 says that very thing. If salvation hinged on our performance no one would be saved. Now I do believe that if a person is just living a lifestyle of sin and not really caring one way or another then that person is certainly headed for trouble,but if your a born again you will have a new nature and it takes time to grow in maturity. So as we lean on Christ and trust in Him alone He will guide us in rightouness , but we must be vigilant and heed the holy spirit and obey His will.
I willfully sinned. i committed a sexual sin and other sin i forget about . i know full well what i was doing, i knew it was a sin but i still committed it. i didn’t consider the consequences, i thought that Grace was Big which it is big but it dosent cover willful sin i find website that talk about that willful sin and they say nothing comforting to calm me down and the scripture also condemn these acts i am a foolish person who commits sin i’m not a christian if i was i wouldn’t commit willful sin. yes christian sin but they do it out of temptation and weakness i didn’t now i doomed to hell there no sacrifice to cover my sin i didn’t reject Christ or his sacrifice but my action speak louder than words all because i like to masturbate and think of women the bible say but i don’t know what verse it is but it say something like this christian is born of god they don’t sin because the seed abide in them now i fearful for my life and i should be
i know how you feel anthony. i’m scared and bothered by this as well. i believe That The Father well forgive you if you repent of that and never do it again.
A quick glance at the context of vs 26-39 talks about “we” and “the blood of the covenant by which HE was sanctified, and “The Lord will judge His people.” There are many other indicators in this context, as well as the chapter, that the writer of Hebrews is not talking about loss of the deliverance from hell to heaven, but loss of the blessings of sanctification and rewards, and the loss of “saving of the life” in vs 39. I think a better translation of Habakuk 2:3,4 is “The Righteous by faith shall (potentially) live.” It is the same deliverance Paul taught in Romans, which is, from temporal (i.e. non-eternal) wrath for Jew and Gentile believers which deliverance is obtained not by walking by the power of indwelling sin, but by walking in the Spirit (Rom 8). I think under the law there was provision for high-handed or willful sin, but now there is no longer a need for that provision. The person who sins this way needs to repent, and stop that particular sin with the resources now available to the believer. – Don
Proud of my hubby, Donald Reiher’s, succinct insight into this “troubling” passage!
Absolutely, Don! I 100% agree. Thanks for the additional input on this passage.
Don, you are 100% right here and that is the conclusion I have come to with much thought and prayer. We as believers can still get Judged by the Lord, and if you are a believer and fall into willful high handed sin (like I did) we will be judged by the Lord and that is in this life not in the next!
Noticed how the Hebrews verse says that they died without mercy under mosses, that death mentioned is physical death now, NOT ETERNAL DEATH, so is the punishment for despising the spirit of grace.
Guess who also died a physical death from being Judged by the Lord? The Corinthian’s! “1st Corinthians 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” Sounds a lot like this “Hebrews 10:30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord.” And again, “The Lord shall judge HIS people.”
The Lord Judges HIS people! They are still HIS people and this is a Godly chastisement, its very grievous and sometimes leads to death. Hebrews mentions a sorer punishment but is every wit as strong as wording as a Christian drinking damnation to himself, and the Corinthians were saved but Chastened with sickness, weekness and death. “1st Corinthians 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.”
Hebrews also mentioned burning, “But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.” But noticed so does “1st Corinthians 3:13 there is another burning for believers “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” “1st Corinthians 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” That sounds like “his end shall be burned!” ” But he shall be saved yet so as by fire.” The burning saves! But you didn’t mention thorns and briers being rejected, well is wood and hay about the same as thorns and briers that get burned? “1st Corinthians 3:12-13 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw”. Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. These are saved people, the scriptures complement each other.
Noticed also, in Hebrews, “Hebrews 10:29 and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was SANCTIFIED.” These in this verse were sanctified! These are the Lords children! 1st Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were SANCTIFIED, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. And if we are SANCTIFIED, you know what the next step in that unbreakable sanctification chain is? GLORIFICATION!! Romans 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he JUSTIFIED, them he also GLORIFIED. These in Hebrews 10:26 and in 1st Corinthians 11:32 will be in heaven and they will be Glorified. God sometimes produces sanctification in stubborn sinful believers by chastening them very grievously and sometimes to death. During this chastisement, God works in them to sanctify them. God works these chastisements all over the Old Testament to get his children to come back. Even David said “the Lord has chastened me sore but has not given me over to death”.
Also, look at the children of Israel after the day of provocation (massive willful sin) and a living example of Hebrews 10:26 and Hebrews 6 4-6. The children (these are saved children of God because they were baptized into Moses which was a type of Christ and I will show you they were forgiven still). They sinned against the Lord and wanted to repent because they knew they did wrong. 39 And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly. 40 And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised: for we have sinned. They repented that they had sinned but Moses told them they would not prosper and the Lord had already made up his mind for judgment/chastening. 41 And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the Lord? but it shall not prosper. Instead God chastened them to death. 43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the Lord, therefore the Lord will not be with you. 45 Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah. And you wonder, why this happened, you can see it in Hebrews 10:26 and Corinthians 11:32. They were judged by the Lord so they wouldn’t be condemned with the world. How do I know that they were forgiven for this? Because Moses, a type of Christ, prayed to the Father that these provocateurs would be forgiven, and they were! 19 Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now. 20 And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word: Even though forgiven, they were still killed. And are in heaven. God is merciful. I am thinking by that chastening they all grievously repented.
You can do the same analogy for Hebrews 6 4-6.
God is merciful and just in all his chastisements with his Children. The Devil will get you to try and give up Christ. Don’t do it, rely on his mercy and goodness. Gracious is our God and righteous, yeah our God is merciful!
I did not mean to capitalize devil.
I have a completely different take on the whole book of Hebrews. It was written by an unknown author, specifically for Jews, with much reference to Old Testament patriarchs. It was also one of the more controversial books to be selected by the Roman Catholic church to be included as scripture. There is some weird stuff in it about angels. Melchizedek, Sabbath etc. Insinuations that Melchizedek was on the same level as Jesus (Hebrews 7:3 Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever’).
There is just some things in this book which grate against my Spirit and I question their validity as being ‘God’s Word’. Hebrews 10:26 is one such verse as its out of sync with other scriptures except of course other verses in Hebrews like 6:4-6 about crucifying the Son of God all over again. So who wrote the book of Hebrews? We don’t know. Why was it included in the New Testament? Because the majority of Catholic bishops in the 4th century thought it worthy of be canonical.
The book of Hebrews is however one of the ‘antilegomena’ (disputed) books making up the bible. Inspired? Probably. Infallible? Unlikely. But I have no doubt it was written by a Jewish believer from the 1st or 2nd century who was writing to other Jewish believers.
I know this will upset the legalists who have posted here, but I think God (I use this English word which comes from the German word Gott – rather than Yahweh since I am writing to English readers as opposed to Israelis) is not going to damn any believer who knowingly sins and later regrets doing so and repents (changes their mind/heart).
Jeremy, Not sure who the “many people” are that you refer to. But I think it’s also important to look at translation issues. One translation has “deliberately KEEP ON sinning.” Also context here might be helpful, and it appears that in these famous apostasy sections of Hebrews it is addressed to people consideingr returning to Judaism as a way of being right with God. That’s how the letter of Hebrews comes across.
Yes, you are absolutely right about the warning passages in Hebrews and why the author included them. The Christians were formerly Jewish, and were now facing persecution for converting to Chrsitianity, and were considering returning to it. The author of Hebrews says, “No! Don’t do it”
The question then becomes, “What does the author of Hebrews think will happen to these Hebrew Christians if they do return to Judaism?”
Jeremy, I don’t know but I assume the author of Hebrews anticipates a hardening process. Something like the deserters saying, “I’m a child of Abraham. I follow the law. Why do I need Christ?” These deserters were probably pursuaded that their Jewish identity was enough and all this emphasis on Jesus was really only for those outsiders, namely gentiles. I think we won’t fully know how extremely novel Jesus was for them. And I don’t think we’ll know what’s it like to have let go of an identity that is so integral to our being that to give it a diminished role would be like Americans saying the Constitiution isn’t really that important and hardly what makes you an American.
Loved this! Your Hebrews 9:22 blog a few months ago was the first time I ever realized the sacrifices were only for unintentional sins.
Sin is never unintentional, because our willingness to do so is exactly why we sin, otherwise why would someone do something they have no will or obligation to do? Everyone does something in their life that they know is sin but do anyway because they still like it, including people insistent on your philosophy and that they themselves don’t regularly do things they like that are sinful. The bible assures us that no believer is without that willing sinful nature so the people who believe faith+consistent works= salvation are lying to themselves about their own integrity. God does guide us away from sin but he doesn’t control us to just stop doing it. No one would ever be accepted into heaven by that standard. This of course doesn’t excuse sin, but the bible makes it clear that we will remain sinful our whole lives, which is exactly why Jesus died for us, because we can’t meet his standards, and why faith in who he says he is is the only thing that can save us from hell.
It’s topics like this that a lot of thorough study of original context of the original documents are required, because there are lots of verses that suggest faith alone is required for salvation and others that suggest that faith plus consistent good behavior are required and the bible can’t contradict itself if it’s inspired by God.
Hello all. I am in need of some advice. I struggle with scrupulosity (religious OCD) and am plagued with anxiety every single day. It is always centered around being unforgivable and condemned. It always has to do with a certain scary Bible verse or theme and for the past couple of days it has been these verses in Hebrews. I’ve worried about these before, but it comes and goes as I will probably remember something more worrisome in a few days to feel anxious about. I have been trying to find God through different approach over the past few months, and have learned more about Him than I have with all my fruitless efforts over years past. I came to knowledge in Christ when I was still a child, and rebelled as a teen, committing willful sins and telling myself I would just ask forgiveness later. Even today I struggle with impulsive sinning, like gossip for instance. I will blurt something out and only half way through saying it I will realize what I am doing and will finish my sentence anyway. I feel intense guilt afterwards to, and always tell myself just to keep my mouth shut, but it never works. I struggle with this almost daily. Reading the responses on this article has filled me with so much fear, and it feels so contrary to what I feel God has revealed about Himself to me. I felt so horrid and condemned I had lost my appetite and I could only sob relentlessly. I guess what I’m ultimately asking is this: what advice would you give to someone like me? Is there ever a point where you could tell someone they are condemned and behind hope? Just to wait out their days here on earth before going to Hell?
Kelli, You’ve convinced me that you do struggle with religious OCD. Listen to what God has revealed to you. Read about Jesus and his life in the Bible. Jesus loves you, this we know, for the Bible tells us so. If you have come to Jesus, believed in him and followed him, you are not condemned. You are loved. Jesus is very fond of you. You are not beyond hope. No way. You are loved. Rest in Jesus and ignore those troubling comments. I usually comment on Jeremy’s posts, but when I saw the direction those comments were going, I refrained lest I say some unkind things to some of those who were unkind, unloving and so certain they were right and others were wrong. Some people love to argue, and never consider the impact on real people of some of the things they say. Such arguments are not profitable, for them or others. Believe what God reveals to you about himself. Do not listen to everything people say or you will be hopelessly confused.
Kelli,
I agree with what Sam has said. I am also sorry that some of the comments on this post have filled you with fear. I have left comments open so that they will provide hope and healing to people who have similar fears as you.
Know this: I do not think there is ever a time where anybody should ever say that a particular person is beyond hope in this life.
As long as there is breath in a person’s body, there is hope.
Furthermore, know that gossip is nowhere near a sin so grievous as to put you beyond hope.
I would highly recommend seeing someone who can help you with your OCD, and more than anything, I would recommend that (if possible) you turn your OCD toward a constant reminder that you are loved and forgiven. Memorize John 3:16 and 1 John 4:18 and every time the OCD pops negative ideas into your head, use the ability of OCD to quote the positive promises of God from those two texts (and similar ones).
In this way, you might be able to re-train your brain to remember that you are loved beyond measure, and forgiven beyond limit.
Thank you both for replying to me, and so quickly, too. Anytime I open the Bible I read condemnation into it, no matter where I read from. Ive been worried about the story of Esau, as well. He seemed to be sadly beyond hope. It even says God hated him. My hope is that it is a process of hardening oneself to the things of God and not some single act of sin or even a struggle with sin. My father was very abusive and demanding of me as a child, I walked on eggshells around him, and found myself in trouble a lot, many times in a huge amount of trouble for something small. Or something he had imagined I had done. I’m trying not to relate that image to God as well, which is hard. what I found a really great website that only talks about Gods love and forgiveness, and it helped me to come out of a very dark place I was in a few months ago.
Jesus reserved his harshest words for the Pharisees. I am trying to understand where previous commentators are coming from, and I sort of can, but the way it is worded just comes off very harsh. How exactly does one submit completely to God? Is it just a matter of identifying every single sin one does each day and committing to not doing it? Reference has been made to ‘it is God that does it, not me’ how do you reach that point ? Because I’ve fallen prey to the former,hopelessly trying to live each day without committing a single sin, but to someone who believes (probably close to almost literally) everything is sin, what does that leave me? A lot of what I do in a single day can be tied back to selfish motives, pride, envy, etc. I work in a clothing store, rather large. When people come in and shop, they end up leaving things without hanging them up. Other workers or even shoppers will come through and just hang them on any hanger, regardless of if it is the correct size. I feel guilty about this, because many times I have shoppers come to me and complain they they thought this shirt was a medium but it is a small on a medium hanger. This I feel is deceiving people, which is a sin. Technically I could spend my work days checking each and every shirt and hanger, making them match, should I do this? I have other things to do as well. Bringing out new clothes, helping shoppers, cleaning, etc. This is how I’ve dealt with my sin in the past. I used to check each hanger and clothing item, and I would get a small area done in five hours. It’s awful and riddled with anxiety.
Kelli, this is my personal opinion, but unless you are personally hanging clothes on the wrong hangers with the intention of deceiving people to cause problems for the store so they will lose customers or something like that, I don’t see that this is a sin. I’ve also worked in a couple of clothing stores. It was almost impossible to keep everything exactly where it should be. Customers are constantly putting things back in the wrong place after they look at them.
Part of this is also how we define sin. That’s a big topic of discussion for some, but many think we sin every day. Jesus has taken care of that. Trust in Him. Try to show His love to others. Maybe you are one of those people who instead of looking into the mirror every moment looking for every tiny flaw would do better looking at Jesus and see yourself in Him, how He loves you. I like “Fear not, for behold. I bring you tidings of great joy. For unto you is born this day….” If you have found Him who was born that day and has been born in you, fear not. Google “fear not for” and you will find many “fear not” verses. Jesus came not to bring fear to you, but peace in Him. May you find peace and joy in Him.
That would be sin of omission though, right? Everyday is filled with numerous counts of sins like that for me. It’s simply awful and overwhelming.
Oh never mind, I looked up definition and it doesn’t fit that at all. Thank you for all your replies.
Blessings to you Kelli. You may have identified the source of your feelings about God in what you learned from your father. I have known people who think they have to walk on eggshells around God, like He is looking for every small thing that we do wrong. If God was like that, we’d all be in big trouble. Instead of sending His Son to show us who He really is, surely He would have wiped us from the face of he earth long ago. But he didn’t. He came in love to show us He loves us. He is not who your father was. Find peace and love in Jesus. He has forgiven you. He loves you. Memorize the verses Jeremy gave you. There are many other verses that also provide assurance. Remain in Jesus and trust in Him and His great love.
I have read on other websites where people will tell other people like me to simply ‘pray and hope God will decide to have mercy on you’ that’s all I have ?! Just hoping God MIGHT decide to have mercy on me?! How awful is that? But it is explained in that, God didnt have to offer a way out for anyone so we are just lucky He offered a way for some, and we should be thankful for the time we have on Earth before eternity in Hell, because we don’t even deserve that. And that it is just unfortunate that some people squandered their only chance, and only have hell to look forward to. And the scary thing is, that it is true that God didn’t have to give a chance to anyone, so it all seems to make sense. Ugh.
Also someone has likened running out of chances/willful sin to those in Noah’s time, where they were warned, yet chose not to believe him, and weren’t allowed into the ark when the floods came, even though they cried out and begged. Sorry for all the comments, this is how my mind works, I guess.
Kelli,
This is late and I don’t know if you’ll even read this, but I think finding some meaningful volunteer work, may work wonders for you. Find a job that requires compassion, and jump in with both feet. Stop thinking of your situation, and put your thoughts into the person or people you’re helping. Fill your life with giving, and not taking. It will work a miracle in your life. I hope you take this the right way?
Maybe you need to stay away from religious blogs. You can find just about anything. If I believed everything everyone says on those blogs and websites, I’d be hopelessly confused. Jesus work is completed. He did what he did. “It is finished.” Trust in Him and what He said. Don’t believe any of us. Believe Him and what He said and says. I don’t believe that anyone has squandered their only chance unless they are already dead. From our perspective maybe God didn’t have to do anything. But He did. You might say the necessity to do what He did is part of who He is. Remember “It is finished.” Jesus’ mission is accomplished. If you trust in Him may you find permanent, lasting peace in Him.
Another question has been burning in my mind for the past few hours, in the verses after the one mentioned in this article in Hebrews, it talks about Esau seeking repentance and not being able to find it though he sought it with tears. Could this maybe be a metaphor for salvation?
Hebrews 12:15-17King James Version (KJV)
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
Kelli, the people that have committed the unpardonable sin are in such deception that they never agonize about how they are doing with God. They think that are doing fine.Your concerns tell me that you care deeply about pleasing Him, and that you are not complacent. That is good! It just takes time to enter into the land of peace, and rest. We walk in His light, never turning back, repenting of all sin that is exposed, trusting that He forgives us, and that He cleanses us of that sin. He does it! Staying in His light, repenting, and trusting is our part. He does the rest. Condemnation leaves forever when we live in covenant with the Godhead in this manner. But we must continue after Them through trials! They will lead you! Don’t ever give up!
Since Jeremy is the theological expert and this is his blog, maybe he would like to answer this one.
This is to davidnfran hay David you might have brought this up in a previous post I haven’t read, but i did read quit a bit about your previous comments and replies at the beginning of this blog, so I was just wondering in light of what hebrews 6 and 10 say how would you enterprite passages like romans 8 verses 28 thrue 39 what point could paul have been trying to make in saying thoughs amazing things in romans chapter 8 verses 28 thrue 39 in light of hebrews 6 and 10, Pauls says that god foreknew and also predestined thoughs whom he called to be conformed to the image of his son so that he would be the first born among many brothers and then he goes on saying that neither death nor life nor angels nor rulers nor things present nor things to come nor powers nor hight nor death can ever separate us from the love of god in christ jesus so how would i inturprate that in light of that warning in hebrews 6 and 10,
Hi Tyler! I am not sure that Jeremy would appreciate any more of my comments, or you asking for more.;) But here goes!
Paul, like the others used by Yahweh to write His Word, is found continuously warning the brethren to be alert, sober, on guard, vigilant, and aware of our enemies schemes. His heart is that each of us would be presented to the Father, through our fervent faith in Yahshuah, His Son, spotless, and blameless before Him in love. This is all in line with the sound teachings of our Savior that conform us to godliness. WHEN we lay down our lives, and die to this world so that Yahshua can have the preeminence in us, we are in covenant with the Father through the Son! We are then like Abraham in that we believe what God says, receive it into our hearts, and act on it. We believe what is likely the most inconceivable thing to a natural mind – that when we believe that They can conform us, They honor that faith, and bring it to pass! No thing can ever separate anyone that is in this covenant with God! But Tyler, if I get distracted, drawn away, or if I faint in the trials, and become faithless, and unbelieving, it is not because Our heavenly Father has failed in some way to fulfill His promise to me to keep me! It would only be because I had been drawn away by lust. He never allows us to be tempted beyond our ability to withstand! And He always provides grace to stand! That means that I would literally have to sidestep, so to speak, all of those keeping protections. He provides them always, but I have to receive them, and use them! God is not at fault if I fall away! He is good all the time!
Romans 8 explains all of this so well! If we are led by the Spirit, we will obey God, and be His children! If we find that we are really fleshly, worldly persons, we need to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith! We may want to be God’s children, and we may have some good feelings for God, but are we His children? If not, then we need to move in His direction according to truth! I had to find out that I was not in the faith! So I faced the truth! I went to God and talked to Him about it. And He forgave me, and led me, in time, to where I could receive this utterly fantastic truth that He can wash me, and cause the life of His Son to be lived out in me. When He got me believing this, He began bringing it to pass. Nothing can separate me from Them as long as I am a dead man! But if I raise up to live, then I am out of covenant until I lay back down. You know that you are in Yahshua if you are quick to repent of everything that is contrary to holiness! We are quickened by God, made alive, when we die. There is no other way! If we won’t do that, then those promises in Romans that you mention are not for us. In other words, if we won’t do the first part of Romans 8, we don’t get the last part.
Once again, I will repeat what I said in an earlier post. Dieing to sin is not works! Dead men do nothing! It is sinning that is described in Scripture as an ongoing work of the flesh, so dieing to dead works cannot be construed as earning your salvation! That is nonsense!
I posted a longer reply last night, or early this morning, but I don’t see it here now. To be brief, Tyler, we don’t get the promises outlined in those passages in Romans that you mention unless you fit the description of a saint that is outlined in many ways in the earlier parts of that same chapter. Those promises are for those that love God, that live by the Spirit, and not the flesh, and obligate themselves not to live after the flesh. If you love God, you obey Him! God is asking us through Paul to make sure that we actually are His children. I may have good feelings toward God, and may want to be His, but if I find myself really wanting to live for this world, I need to be honest about where my heart is, and admit that I am not loving God as I should. In that instance I am an idolater because I love something else as much, or more than I love God. God is not obligated to keep anyone safe, as outlined in that last part of Romans, if they are not really His.
Many years ago I received specific instruction from The Lord when I was in (a Godly!) relationship that I knew wasn’t for me. Romans 12:1-2 and Hebrews 12:1. The Lord was telling me to present myself as a living sacrifice daily and prove His will along the way. A working out of my salvation if you will. I did NOT obey. I married that man, but in order to do so, in my heart of hearts I felt that I was laying down my relationship with the Lord. It was an AWFUL struggle in an AWFUL time in life. I have NOT heard from the Lord since and cannot find my salvation. I don’t believe it’s about disobedience for me. I feel that I made a choice to walk away from God and go my own way. Well, obviously I did. Life has been horrible ever since. I think we have to walk carefully with the Lord and treat our salvation with the upmost respect. I wasn’t a hugely mature Christian when I did these things, but I KNEW what I was doing was wrong and the possible implications of it. I did it anyway. After all, He was at work in my life, giving me the Rhema Word for instruction for that time and I didn’t listen. I rejected it. At any rate…I haven’t lived my life for Him. I went down a road of my OWN choosing. It doesn’t work. I am pretty sure what I did qualifies as blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. It’s been 22 years and I still have NO peace with God.
God did not going to abandon you. It sounds like you are dealing with some guilt and fear from your choice. But know that God has already forgiven you and He loves you dearly and completely. You absolutely did NOT commit blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
The Word of God in Jesus Christ reveals that God loves you completely, has forgiven you of everything, and wants to have a deep and intimate friendship with you. Do not live in fear of the past any longer.
Teresa,
Israel, myself, yourself, and most everyone has gone away from God at some time when He had given them every reason not to. I know how many times that I went back, and forth on Him. And like yourself, I came to a point where I thought that He likely would never take me back. So like the prodigal son, I called out to Him, and I told Him that even if He would never save me, I still wanted to serve Him for the sake of those that I would lead astray if I did not. In spite of my horrible rejection of His love, He began to turn my heart back to Himself, exactly as I continuously asked Him to do. And this time around, He had me in a place where I placed much value on this salvation, as it is to this day. Yes, He has convinced me that I will be with Him forever. You already know that what He does for one, He will do for another. But don’t delay in responding when you hear His voice! We are not promised another day.
DaveNFran – This is also for you. I have read your previous comments, especially the one’s to Tyler. I think you give very sound and scriptural answers. I don’t know what teachers you have listened to and learned from (that is often a touchy subject among Christians), but my beliefs are similar to yours. I don’t wish to go on and on, but I do want to tell my story in a very clear way. I got born again (or introduced to a living Jesus) when i was 15. I did not live in a Christian home and my parents didn’t embrace my new discovery kindly. I was not allowed to practice it. On top of that, my knowledge was so very limited regarding these things that I began to doubt it and panic. The Lord was faithful over the years and whatever paths I wandered (and I wandered!), He always drew me back to Him. I always doubted my personal salvation and I was always in and out of church, never really laying down my life once and for all. I say very carefully that “I don’t think I had it in me”. I was fleshly, worldly and full of unbelief. But I thought I was saved! I always had peace in going to God and when I was trying to walk with Him/seek Him, I always had the confidence that He was there. His word was mine. I had a lot of head knowledge but no heart knowledge. During a time of doing really well in my walk I became horrifically ill. It happened over night and it was devastating. I could NOT cope with life, as it ceased to exist the way that I had always known it. It was DARK. On top on that I had a little boy that I was raising by myself and I was so afraid. This sort of thing was no accepted in the church I went to and the pastors wife told me that she would not pray for me and told me to “read the word”. No blame here. Just facts. At this time a very nice, older Christian man came into my life and in a very dark and feeble time he became a source of comfort and dependency for me. (Our relationship was Godly btw) But it wasn’t long before I knew that something was wrong. I got a check in my heart and I knew I had to lay it down. Then in my search of scriptures The Holy Spirit quickened two verses to me. Romans 12:1-2 and Hebrews 12:1. God was saying “present yourself a living sacrifice”, “find the will of God along the race that you must run” and set aside every weight that would keep you from pursuing this. I knew He was talking about this relationship. I did not do it. In fact, this man got a job out of state and he had to leave. I was in a state of total fear and panic. I couldn’t marry this man and do what God said. I chose: to marry him, to disobey God and in essence walk away from being a living sacrifice. The marriage was built on lies and sand and I found myself in a place where I knew I had disobeyed God and was L-O-S-T. When I tell people the whole story, they make it all about my marriage, and it’s not about that. It’s about my relationship with God and how I laid down my salvation to marry someone for all the wrong reasons. I feel like I forfeited my salvation in complete knowing. I have gone to God, but the fear and anxiety (like Jeremy mentioned) are over whelming. Kenneth Hagin taught that the unpardonable sin was one that involved saying “I don’t want to be saved anymore” and walking away. I didn’t say that when I made my choice, but I demonstrated it and I devalued my salvation enough to do what I did. Again: not a deep relationship with God, but enough of one to knowingly make the decision that I made. I can’t seem to shake the dread, the despair or fear. Yes, David, Peter, Jonah and others sinned and received forgiveness, but which of them told God they were not going to be living sacrifices any more in the face of Holy Spirit conviction? I guess Ananias and Saphira tried…I’m just saying. That’s my situation. BTW: I was healed from the darkness that I experienced one year later, with a word that came with it: “That my wrists were still bound”.
Teresa, thank you for sharing! We are told that when we realize that we have sinned, we are to come back, and repent. That is all that we can do, and They know that. It is not about us! It is about the Father, and the Son! We need to understand that They are in charge, and if They say “Don’t sin, but if you do, come back, repent, and I will gladly receive you!”, then we need to receive that as the instruction, and promise that it is! They are in charge! Do what They say, and wait in faith for the promises of peace, and assurance that They know that you need! They will not let you down!
The idea that all your sins are already forgiven so they shouldn’t bother you,
What about Simon the magician of Acts 8? Why did Peter prescribe repentance and prayer for forgiveness-v22 for a man who had BELIEVED- v13 ?
The forgiveness in Acts 8:22 is “aphesis” forgiveness. It is very different than the type of universal forgiveness which God has freely granted to all people out of His love. See this article for more: Types of Forgiveness
EXCEPT the distinction between aphesis, charzomai,apoluo when applied to God relating to man are totally arbitrary.
All verses that have time and forgiveness of sins talk of PAST sins and never future.
Forgiveness of future sins is an extension of Calvinism perseverance of saints which waters down the consequences of sin to the present and not eternity.
Galatians 5:19-21 (KJV)
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
It seems to me like inheriting the kingdom of God is bigger than temporal pain and inconvenience caused by sin as you claim
Totally arbitrary? I disagree.
As for the Kingdom of God, yes, it is more. But inheriting the Kingdom of God is not at all the same thing as going to heaven when you die. It is living within the rule and reign of God right now in this life (and then also for eternity).
So all Paul is saying is those who do these things shall not live ‘within the rule and reign of God ‘ NOW but in eternity they will?
Good stuff here Jeremy. Amen.
Can people who leave Yahusha for Judaism, then come back to Yahusha and be saved? If they can’t come back again to salvation I see no point of the father breathing life in them day after day.
First of all, I thank God for this article, and for the grace shown by the author in the face of much contention and strife (which are works of the flesh, and those who practice it them are in trouble!). Also for the critics who have raised important questions for consideration, may God be thanked. I would like to share a reflection on this article and the conversations that followed it, for the purpose of encouragement.
Hallelujah! The believer is justified freely by the grace of God apart from works (the things that he does, willingly or unwillingly). That’s what it says in Romans 3. But we are saved UNTO good works, like it says in Ephesians 2. Those good works DON’T save us, but God DID prepare them for us beforehand, that we might walk in them. And if we who believe are unfaithful, will that negate the faithfulness of God? Of course not! What he has promised, he will do. Whom he has justified, he will not turn around and condemn.
The burning question is: if we can’t lose our salvation by committing sins after we come to Christ, then what keeps us following Him? … I think the answer is that He Himself does. That fits with John 10, “…none can snatch them from My hand.” There is no other explanation that I can see, because I know that if He Himself didn’t save me, I wouldn’t be saved. Naturally, then, if He didn’t keep me, I would wander away; and if He doesn’t sanctify me, I will not be sanctified. After all, what good am I for sanctifying myself? “In sin did my mother conceive me!”
Am I now advocating sin? NO! If we can’t sanctify ourselves, then what can we do? We can believe what God has said about us. We are dead to sin, and alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:11). If we really believe that, we will act like it. And there are many other verses, that one is just my favorite for now. 🙂 We can’t be righteous by trying to be, rather, “The just shall live by faith.”
God knows those that are His, and the rest of that verse is, “and all who name the name of the Lord are to abstain from wickedness.” Why, then, are they to abstain? Well, there are many reasons, but not one of them includes God disowning us.
One reason is that it causes God’s name to be dragged through the mud, as the world sees Christians who sin and say, “If that is their God, I’m better off without him.” Another reason is that it causes weaker believers to stumble, as they see older “mature” Christians who sin and say, “If he does it, maybe it isn’t so bad.” Furthermore, sin in the life of a believer will render his life on this earth miserable, since his fellowship with God (the Source of all joy) is being interrupted. Lastly, Christians will give an account for everything they have done at the Judgment Seat of Christ, whether good or bad (See 1 Corinthians 3:10-15).
Aaaah! Late for work!! Blessings to you all.
–Lloyd Maharas
In a nutshell, I know that when I finally got down on my knees and I gave all of my attention to my Heavenly Father and cleared everything out of my mind…and asked God to please take complete control over my life. As I prayed to him, I said that if he would like to bring me home now, then please do it as I have seen all of the wrongdoing going on in this corrupted world…everywhere. I also asked that if I am to remain here until that day of calling me home, please help me understand more of what he wants me to do and teach me more of what he feels that I can handle. Well, let me tell you what happened before I could even come up off of my knees. The Prince Of Peace allowed the true peace to enter me as I now had the Holy Spirit. Since this evening of taking place, I now know what is truly righteous and have no wants or desires to commit willful sin. I have no desire to gossip, judge or cause others to sin, not that I really did these things to any previous level before but I could now see the wrong in such. Receiving the Holy Spirit is a true gift that until a person receives it, they will settle for such a false gift in the flesh or other sinful acts. It is sad that a lot of places of worship are so full of self wealth building that they want people to stay lost and keep coming back with their wallets. It is also some of these people that think they are saved but continue to willfully sin thinking that it is okay, since this is what they are taught, most politicians and world leaders and many others. Remember now, no one can gain you the Holy Spirit except God through Jesus Christ. This world is lost because the people are lost…not you True Christians and myself.
Thank you very much for this article it has been extremely helpful to me.
Understanding the connections in Letters to the Hebrews is the only way to correctly understand these verses. So sad that some people use this verses to condemn when it really is the exact
opposite.
Angela
I stumbled across this blog while looking for something else. I started reading and found the discussion fascinating. It also seems to me that it is being made far more complicated than it needs to be. Maybe I am just naive.
I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour when I was 18. I spent the next 45 years being, at best, a lukewarm Christian. Recently, I believe the Spirit has led me to a closer relationship with the Lord, and I have started learning more. I cannot know everything today. The process of learning and coming to a closer relationship with the Lord will take time. If He gave me everything at one time I doubt I could handle it all.
The one thing I know is that I have been saved through grace. I have done nothing to deserve salvation. I also know that it is an ongoing struggle resisting the temptations that satan puts in front of me. I don’t always succeed, but I know that the Lord has already forgiven ALL of my sins. I know that I still must confess my sins, but I know they are forgiven.
have you ever consider that, its not the devil at all! only reason y i say this is because of Santification, once we give our life to the Lord, we streight way (so to speak) begin the process of Santification, this is Christ making us like him, and this Is SUFFERING It doesnt happen over night, but for the duration of our time here, as you have said, its sort of like sin being done unto us, and we are handleing it just like Christ did, (with Love) of coarse with the help of the Holy Spirit, This Does NOT feel Good At ALL since our soulful flesh is Corrupt, ( but our spirit is saved) This is were your trails and tribulation, your own desire, and All play apart, Now Moment by Moment we choose by our own will, And Jesus helps in these times, as he was tempeted, but without sin, The devil can do nothing but try and decieve the Christian into thinking that he has to work for his salvation as you have said, this thing here is about your Inheritance In Christ, Its gonna be some show nought broke christian in Heaven, because their trying to set of for themseleve trasure on earth, and their is going to be weeping and gnat of teeth, but it wont be, because of their going to Hell, It will be cause they miss out on what they could have had, and it is Devistation , cause they waste so much time, and they wont be able to attend the wedding, supper of the lamb, they wont be, getting the position over city, galacy, ectt… just check it out some of the points i have made, God Bless you! i have enjoyed your reading, and thank God for You Knowing that He has forgiven your past, present, future sins, many people are still trying to work for Salvation( old coveneat)
Thank you for your message, I am saved by Grace, past, present, and future sins. I recognize and the Holy Spirit comforts and I confess my Wrong doings, to Jesus and ask for forgiveness in Jesus name. God Bless You
Repent actually means to turn away. You have to turn from your sins. I myself became saved,lived a life that served the Lord. Then I started to fall & committed sexual sin. I myself struggled with the thoughts of never going to heaven. Then I realized that if I don’t confess & repent I would be going to hell. There’s no way around this fact. If you want to believe you can keep sinning & will be ok,you’re not only fooling yourself but leading others astray. Giving what your tingling ears want won’t change the core of God’s word. In the end many will be led astray, if that were even possible. Well this here proves how easy it is. All you need is one person to tell you it’s OK to continue to sin & there is the wide and open road to hell.
Ironically, what many people want to hear is that they need to reform their lives and live good lives in order to go to heaven. This is why works-based religion is so popular, even within Christianity. The gospel message is one of pure grace from first to last.
I think you need to examine what the word says regarding this. It’s not about works. It’s a heart issue. Either I live in sin,and keep disobeying God’s decrees. Or I choose to repent & turn from my sin. Choosing to follow His decrees the best I can. No one is perfect but we strive to be what Jesus has set for an example. If we could live in sin & have no repercussions then Jesus died in vain.
Obviously you’re set in your way of thinking.
It’s easier to convince someone of a lie than it is to convince them they’ve been lied to.
I struggled alot with Hebrews Chapters 6 and 10 on this same subject of willful sin or falling away. I was 17 when I realized Jesus was God in the flesh and what His purpose was. I was filled with immense joy coming from a basically atheist/agnostic family. It was as if I was high on Jesus. I was so happy and praying all the time. But for such a brief time. I never settled into a regular church and soon I was back with the world… the drinking, the sex, the smoking… part of me still longed for Jesus as I felt the despair that comes with living in sin. So I attempted to return to church because I missed God and worshiping Him and I wanted to feel the way I did back then. Unfortunately (or maybe for God’s purpose), at around 20 I read Hebrews 6 and it jumped out and stabbed me in the chest. I felt intense fear about those verses and I felt as if they applied to me. My head became so confused and I was so distraught. I thought about it every single day, nearly quit college, saw a psychiatrist and had to stop going to this church because my family saw what was going on and blamed them even though it was my own doing. But I left anyhow because I just felt I could not stop applying the verses to me so I had to stop reading them. It was like a decision to avoid watching a horror movie before bed. To get my mind back down to earth, I needed to avoid the fear I felt of being eternally doomed.
I’m examining myself again and my faith and heart as best I can. I committed 5 lifetimes of sins of the flesh, immorality, lies, cowardice. I’m now 36 and I still want to serve God again. I know that even though I was dishonoring him and believe unfaithful, He was there for me every day and was faithful to me. Maybe something went wrong with my profession of faith and I really wasn’t saved before… Maybe I’m going through the true saving process now as I try and repent and totally give my life to the Lord. I don’t know. Hebrews 6 says it’s impossible that they be brought back to repentance. But, some translations say it’s impossible to be brought back to repentance “since they have crucified the son of man again to themselves”. Other translations read more like “while they are crucifying the son of man again to themselves”
Are those not two separate statements? The first implies that Y is impossible because THEY have done X.
While the other version suggests Y is impossible WHILE THEY are DOING X.
One offers a ray of hope, the other does not.
One offers a hopeless, unforgivable sinner doomed to hell should he be hit in the chest with those verses. The other says, “Well it’s impossible to restore you to repentance while you’re still doing that. So stop doing that and it will be possible again” (of course you can’t repent while you’re in the middle of siding with Christ’s enemies by taking refuge in the their tents – whether it be by going back to the Law for the Jews, or going back into a life of sin.
Any help or comments are appreciated. I’ve certainly struggled with this ALOT and for several years. I’ve become depressed, suicidal, etc. I’ve actually even said to myself “You’re doomed so just get it over with now and go hang yourself or jump off a building since there’s no eternal hope for you anyways”
Hebrews 6:4-6 is teaching that it is impossible for a believer to fall away because if they did then Jesus would have to be crucified again which would go against passages such as Hebrews 9:12 and 10:14. Hebrews 10:26 is referring to a person who has heard the gospel, but refuses to accept Jesus’ sacrificial death as payment for their sins.
Paul plainly teaches that salvation is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9), that it is available for those who believe, (Ephesians 1:13) and that believers are sealed unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30).
Thank you for responding to me. But what if someone reads Hebrews 10:26 and clearly can apply this to themselves. I believed in the deity of Jesus as a very young man, but I definitely did fall away in willful sin after knowing the truth and I fell miserably for many many years. Now does this mean I have no hope? I’ve heard it said “repent and receive forgiveness” but that’s a catch 22 bc it’s God who grants repentance and Hebrews 6 already said repentance is impossible for such a person. Herein lies my confusion and despair.
Believing in the deity of Jesus (only) doesn’t save you. Even the devils knew who Jesus was. You must come to the point that you realize you have sinned and offended a Holy God and deserve His wrath; eternity in hell, and that there is no way through any works of your own that can be saved. The gospel is that God was manifest in the flesh, walked among sinful man yet Jesus didn’t sin and that He (Jesus) willingly gave His life on the cross to pay for your sins. You must believe the gospel in order to be saved. Once a person is saved their sins are forgiven (Colossians 1:14), the righteousness of Christ is imputed to them (2 Corinthians 5:21) , they are baptized into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13), indwelt and sealed with the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13 and 4:30). Once a person is saved they are preserved in Christ Jesus (Jude 1). You don’t do anything to keep it and you can’t do anything to lose it. You live the Christian life the way you started it; by faith (Colossians 2:6). The book of Hebrews was primarily written to; well, Hebrews. Many Jewish believers and Jews who were considering the truths of Christ, but not yet saved in danger of falling back into Judaism. There are many wonderful truths for us in the book of Hebrews, but if you want to get firmly grounded in doctrinal truths for the believer you need to be studying Paul’s other epistles (Hebrews may have written by Paul too). Read John’s gospel then read/study the book of Romans and then Paul’s other epistles. It’s perfectly clear that once a person is saved God keeps them saved!
Amando i dont get the battle you either trust God to save you and live your life for him or wallow in self pity and despair.Do you want to be saved or just talk about it.Trust God and he will save you but give up your old lifestyle tell God you blew it and that it is hard for you to live a christian life you need his help.The holy spirit is the one who is our helper insteaqd of choosing sin we choose to walk in the spirit.You need to surrender your life to him because you are making a mess of your life living your way be sincere.If you are not serious about this discision walk away and live your life for yourself theres is no other options.You need to decide but choose to follow the Lord with all your heart that is the right decison you cant have both. brentnz
These are really good questions. I have a third approach which says that Hebrews 6 and 10 have nothing whatsoever to do with keeping eternal life. I suppose it is somewhat close to your second option, but even then, when we understand the overall message of Hebrews, the author is not too concerned with sin itself, and is instead concerned with people going back to living under the law instead of living in fellowship with Jesus.
Either way, make sure you follow the way of love and hope as revealed in Jesus rather than the way of fear. “There is no fear in love…”
I am currently creating an online course which answers more of these types of questions. Make sure you subscribe to my email newsletter to be notified of the course when it becomes available (Probably in September 2016).
praise The Lord, When he Talks about that Scripture, hebrew 6;4 He is saying ( so to speak ) I have forgiven all your sins, you tasted the goodness of the Lord, you know a few things from experience, from the word, ect…. Now for you, to try and go over the same thing ( as someone whom has never excepted , Christ or tasted and seem that the Lord is good) you can not Do that process over, its like nickcadimus saying can I go back through my mother”s wound to be born again, he is saying , when you act in this matter you put him to open shame, Christ has Already Paid the Penalty for our sins, what God wants from you is RELATIONSHIP, he is dealing with Mans HEART not so much as man’s SIN this is not about a DOING but BE-ING , Your spot is secure in Heaven, Because you Believe That Jesus died for your sins, and rose on calvery the 3nd day, and he is coming back. i dont know wheather you are still living in Law or Grace, but thats what i encourage you to find out, cause nothing seem to make since, when your still trying to live under the Law, you must except the free gift of righteousness by grace through faith, if not, you will always come under condemnation, I experience this for years, Oh Thank God I Am Free, Read Romans, Galation, and ephisans, and Hebews
There is a huge misunderstanding about sin and what it means to a Christian. We are to repent from sin, does that mean we sin no more? No it doesn’t. Does committing a sin mean we are “holding hands with the devil”? No. We still sin because we are trapped in our sinful bodies, and will be prone to sin for the rest of our lives. Sin can be slowly removed from our lives through reading scripture, spending time with God, talking to him about it, asking for help, surrounding ourselves with other Christians who believe in the same morals and hold each other accountable for sin. Do not fear sin, Jesus took that away from you at the cross, instead focus on Jesus, ask for forgiveness daily. Eventually things will change, sins that you once thought impossible to overcome, seem to slowly fade away, the temptation removed almost completely. I know this to be truth because I have experienced this. Just because a life change isnt immediate, doesn’t meant a life was not changed, this takes time and spiritual maturity. Jesus saved you forever by grace through faith in him. A true believer in Christ can never lose his salvation unless he stops believing in Christ, which is impossible if a life was truly changed. Live in the peace Jesus longs for you to have, he’s got you if you have him.
One more post I wanted to add:
So you get saved, get tempted by sin, sin, then Jesus throws you aside like an old sock. Great message, but you’re kinda missing that part where he never leaves the believer that has fully entrusted him to keep them forever. There’s plenty in the bible about that. Some of you will hit me with a bunch of scripture later about apostasy and scripture that is against eternal security. The real truth is that without eternal security, none of this works. Some may further object that Scripture says that murderers, adulterers, homosexuals and the like will not inherit the kingdom (1 Cor 6:9-11; Gal 5:19-21). Thus while all believers sin habitually in the sense that they sin daily, true believers never habitually commit big sins. This argument doesn’t hold up under scrutiny either. For one thing the vice lists of 1 Cor 6:9-11 and Gal 5:19-21 contain sins which many don’t think of as “big sins.” Those lists include, for example, the sins of strife, envy, jealousy, covetousness, hatred, and selfish ambitions. I have never had anyone ask me if a covetous or jealous or selfish person could get into the kingdom. Instead they ask about sins on the list like murder, drunkenness, and homosexuality. Why? The answer is because it is easier to feel smug about one’s performance in external areas than it is in matters of the heart.
Everywhere people want to know whether the backslider is saved or lost. After one has sinned, is he still a child of God? When he has lost the joy of salvation, does he still have the salvation?
Well, the answer to this question is that the backslider does not deserve to be saved but deserves to go to Hell; that other people will often think that he is not saved; that he himself is likely to doubt his salvation or to believe that God has forsaken him utterly; but, thank God, the backslider still is a child of God. He is a disobedient child of God and he will be punished for it, yet every born-again child of God who falls into sin is still God’s child.
It is true that the backslider does not deserve salvation. What a tragedy when a child of God brings reproach on the cause of Christ! It may be an outrageous sin such as drunkenness or adultery. Or it may be sins like the sins of those other backsliders – Noah, Lot, David. Or it may be a backsliding in the heart that does not seem so bad to outsiders but really results in damning souls that might have been won.
Who knows whether in God’ s sight a cold heart, that does not win souls and never has the anointing for power, may be more wicked than the man who is tempted and falls into drink or blasphemy or adultery! What could be worse than letting a soul go to Hell for millions of years because of our carelessness, our love for the things of this life? But in either case, the backslider deserves nothing good from God. That means that I ought to have gone to Hell long ago! How many times I have failed God! How many vows I have broken! How many duties I have neglected!
But then the same thing could be said about every Christian in the world. We deserve nothing good from God. No one does. It would have served us right for Him to let us all go to Hell.
But, thanks be to God, my salvation is not depending upon my works. I did not deserve salvation when I got it, and I have never deserved it any thirty seconds since that time! Salvation is all of grace. How sweet to all of us poor sinners is Ephesians 2:8,9, “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” And when we get to Heaven there will not be one living soul who can say, “I deserved this. I earned my way to Heaven.” No, how our hearts will run over with gratitude and rejoicing when we say there that
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
You seem to have highlighted particular sins as though some are worse than others all sin leads to death not just the big ones because we all are sinners.All have gone astray none are righteous.I believe the worst sin is pride idolatry is the first commandment we set ourselves as Gods.Regardless of what the sin is, our hearts are condemned by our pride.It wasnt the sin of homosexuality or sexual deviance that destroyed sodom.It was there pride and it is one of our biggest stumbling blocks in our christian walk or it certainly was for me.We look at the story of the adulterous woman and we think adultery is a terrible crime but the story is for our benefit to show that we all are sinners that Jesus doesnt condemn us but came to save us.And when Jesus says go and sin no more he was not only talking to the woman but everyone else that was around judging her for her sin its a universal message that we all need to see that we all are condemned because of our sin that Jesus came to save us and that we turn from our sin and follow him.Because he is the way the truth and the life.brentnz
oh Say That! Glory To GOD. This Is NOT about Sin But the HEART and your so right we look on the things that you can see, but the list you gave jelousy, pride, self righteousness, greed, unforgiveness, hatred, envy all these have to do with the curupt soulish flesh, these are the things that keep us out of his presence!
Must we redeem God? Given how brutal, apathetic, deceitful, and child-ISH He Himself proves to be as He even writes in His own inspired word! Albeit always calling it otherwise. All the false witness He bears against the neighbouring people’s He vowed to exterminate…at least the Philistines survived to rear the Palestinians of today. And the modern Hebrew alphabet is actually identical to the Assyrian script of ancient times. Heaven knows why God never turned His proverbial fists on Phoenicia.
Not sure if this is a good place to jump into this discussion or not but I will give it a shot. I do not understand Jeremy to be saying that willful sin is okay at all for the Christian or professing Christian. I believe he is getting at the fact that there are very few sins we commit that don`t involve a knowing choice to do wrong. That willful sin that brings us close to being cursed and in serious trouble is knowingly rejecting God`s way for another way. That amounts to trampling under the blood of the covenant and insulting the Spirit of grace by saying `well, yeah, God I know that the cross and the blood are the REAL and ONLY way of salvation, but I prefer the futility of the law because its easier and won`t get me in trouble with my fellow man. That is knowing, willful sin in the sense of rejecting the Son of God and the cross for the approval of man. Jesus gave the Pharisees major rebuke for that, because they could see who He really was but chosen to reject Him in favor of hanging on to their power and position.
Re willful sin, , there is NO WAY that David, being the man after God`s heart that he was, did not know that it was wrong to gaze upon the naked body of a woman who was not his wife. Esp. when the dude had more than one wife and no shortage of legitimate means to meet his needs. He did not need to commit immorality to enjoy sexual pleasure.
And when he inquired about her, he clearly knew she was a married woman and that, a woman married to one of his most loyal men. He made a knowing decision to say yes to his lust anyway, even though he had to cut across the trust and lawful rights of others . He knew God had placed him as king. He knew he was there only because of God`s faithfulness to him. Yet he knowingly abused his position to elict sexual access to a citizen of his kingdom and seduced a married woman. Then he again used his authority to unjusty order the death of an innocent man and then took his wife. It appeared lawful and I`ve even heard some try to say David`s marriage to Bathsheba was lawful because Uriah was dead. However I`m pretty sure the Onan situation makes it clear that God doesn`t buy `technical`lawfulness anymore than he buys technical virginity. So, David made a clear and willful choice to sin. God said to David of his sin, `You have despised ME“. There is always a clear connection to willful sin and despising God. It is always a situation that gives one serious pause to consider their ways. And it was true. David cast God aside in an instant, because he wanted what he wanted and was willing to sin to gratify his lust. It was an act of seditious idolatry as much as murder and adultery. Yet God took the initiative and wiped the sin away. David wasn`t even repentant yet when God took the initiative. Some say that God only did this because David was part of Jesus`line and God`s plan of redemption. I am not sure that is as biblical as it sounds, given that Jesus said God could raise up children of Abraham out of the stones on the ground. God could easily have replaced David with a more obedient man who would fulfill His purposes just as He had done before but He did not. I think perhaps part of it was just who God is and how great His mercy is. It is quite possible that God also knew that though David`s sin was willful and gross, it didn`t reflect David`s overall heart attitude. David did not love sin and disobedience. He got caught in a trespass and like most sins, it mushroomed .
I think the Hebrews portion discussed here may be dealing with the fact that the jewish Christians would be commiting willful sin in knowingly returning to things they knew couldn`t save them and that constituted casting aside the work of the Holy Spirit and the cross, effectively counting the blood of the covenant and unclean , ie. casting it away as if it was a thing of no value, and rejecting the Spirit of grace in favor of returning to the law which was never meant to save anyone. We moderns who have not been raised in the law do something similar when we return to legalism or religion or some other means of idolatrous coping even though we know it is wrong and not God`s way. For instance those of us that struggle with self hatred would rather punish ourselves and others than accept God`s grace. It`s a form of self made religion with its own system of reward and punishment, checks and balances but it is not Jesus, the way the truth and the life. We cannot come to God in that way and if we reject Him there is indeed nothing more God can do for us if we reject the only way to be saved.
David seems to be suggesting that if you are a real Christian you will not sin. However if that is so, why does scripture say of Jesus that if any man sins ,we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, who lives to make intercession for the saints? Saints who do not ever sin have no need of an intercessor who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. John said that who among us does not sin? He also said one born of God does not PRACTICE sin. So I think there is a clear distinction between the falls we all take, and of which Paul wrote when he said `the evil I do not wish to do, this I do, and the good I wish to do, this I do not do.` I doubt anyone would argue, that Paul, who clearly sinned, was not a believer. Scripture is obviously making a distinction between someone who falls ( the righteous man falls seven times and rises again) and someone who makes a regular practice of sin because they have no concern for truth or righteousness and do not want to have Jesus as Lord.
I believe the human heart chooses to sin because our old nature is sinful that is why we need a new heart the old one is rotten to the core we all sin.
Why do we struggle so much because its our old nature that fights against our new nature in Christ which ever one we give into is the one that rules us.But as a born again believer sin shall not have dominion over us.The battle has been won by Christ so by believing in him we also walk as he does as a victor not a victim.Its his holy spirit that empowers us to do what is impossible in the flesh.But to do that our old nature or heart must be crucified with Christ.brentnz
Good
Just wondering if the over use of exclamation points is the unforgivable sin?
For me i believe wilful sin is the nature of all our hearts thats what sinners are that is why God calls our hearts wicked and deceitful until we realise this we carry on trying to live a good life theres no point as the flesh cannot be redeemed by any other way than the blood of Christ.In that process though our old nature has been crucified with Christ we still must turn from the flesh and walk according to the spirit otherwise we will find that our old life patterns will return.To be an overcomer in Christ we must walk in submission to the holy spirit and obedience unto the word not by effort but by grace daily leaning on the holy spirit to help us in our weakness we all can find ourselves committing wilful sin if we turn our eyes off jesus and trust in our flesh as David that is a lesson to us to keep our eyes on the Lord..brentnz
I have written many things in this thread, and I stand by them. I would like to add that Paul was not saying that we should give up trusting in the Father, and the Son if we find that we have committed willfull sin. He is NOT recommending that we give up, and believe that we are lost forever when we have done that! He is saying that once we realize that we have willfully sinned, and that that is equal to nailing our precious Savior back to that tree with our sin, we should stop, and repent, and remember how in the beginning of our walk with Him we would have endured any hardship rather than do any thing to hurt Him. Paul said that there is no place to put this sin if you keep on with it. Just let’s don’t keep on with it out of love for our Savior! Let’s die to it, and move on to maturity. Let’s be found in peace, and with a clear conscience, and without idols. That’s what he’s saying, isn’t he?
Reading over this thread, with people so intense on arguing their position, I can’t help but wonder whether a person without God would be attracted to our Lord after reading it? What I love about Jeremy is he seems to be calling out, “Come to Jesus! There is life here, and forgiveness and freedom.” And I would add, there is a sweet communion, a real relationship that satisfies all your deepest hungers. Just come to Jesus!
Carol, I agree. “Arguing” people into the Kingdom of Heaven rarely happens. Being among people, showing them love in tangible ways, listening to their stories, not feeling that we need to correct their faulty theology at every point, in other words allowing them to see the Spirit of Christ in us, is doing what Jesus modeled and what he told us to do.
Living a life that honors the Lord is truly beautiful and important. The way you describe what you do truly makes me feel lacking (something I need to work on).
Jesus also told us to spread the gospel to all the earth. I believe “forcing” it upon people is definitely not what He wants us to do (as you mentioned). I also believe the Holy Spirit can guide us when to talk about the Lord to others and what to say (at least to some degree). It is very important to do this, but the “timing” is important as well. It is often referred to as “The Great Commission”.
“Forcing” the gospel on people rarely, if ever, works. In my experience, those who really believe it will try to live it out, and this is especially evident in the way they treat others. Most people will recognize there is something different in the way we treat them. Some recognize this as identifying that we follow Jesus. Others are puzzled and ask. Sometimes, but not always, both groups of people ask questions about these things. Those who ask will listen to our answers. Those who never asked don’t usually appreciate supposed answers to their unasked, presumed “questions.”
I can’t help but wonder how many ‘widows and orphans ‘ we could have helped in the time it has taken to list/type/think and read the above – shame on us as the body of Christ.
I’m a grumpy old Christian with more years of ups and downs than the Hebrews in the wilderness but I’m secure in my salvation and more interested in taking Christ to the lost and helping the needy.
My advice to you Jeremey is to write the things that God wants you to write and DONT allow for comments – we could feed the world with the time we save!!!
Jeremy,
As usual I appreciate your perspective, and I am finding myself agreeing with some of what you say but not 100%. For example, you have written somewhere that the “do not forsake the gathering of yourselves” does not refer to physically meeting, when I think if you closely check the context and as well as the intended audience and reason for the letter, the conclusion is that it DOES refer to physically meeting with other believers. The author of Hebrews was admonishing the Hebrew Christians not to give in to persecution and stop meeting as Christians as the Pharisees wanted them to do.
The author uses the words “sin willfully” (note that in the Greek it does NOT say “go on sinning”) which can be taken out of context to mean just about anything, but IN context it specifically is referring to the forsaking of Christ in the face of persecution.
Do you think a person can purposely forsake Christ in the face of persecution, never repent of it, and then wind up in heaven? While I don’t believe we are judged on our works for salvation, to me that would be equivalent to committing Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and would demonstrate you were a false convert who never knew Christ.
I am trying to move further and further away from legalism in my thinking, because like so many others here it has caused me much grief. Nonetheless, I think it may be going too far to say that a person is saved EVEN IF they willfully deny Christ after having been fully exposed to the Holy Spirit. I know that Peter denied Christ, but firstly that happened PRIOR to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit so one might say it was done in a type of ignorance. But secondly it was not a permanent rejection- Peter repented of this.
I have a very hard time accepting the idea that a person can willfully reject Christ, unto death, after having been exposed previously to the Holy Spirit, and STILL be saved. I have a very hard time with that. If you reject Christ due to some kind of ignorance or confusion, I think that would be a different story though, and might not “prove” you are unsaved.
For example:
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.
1 John 2:19
These were not people who lost their salvation, they were wolves in sheeps clothing who were never saved because they did not truly trust Jesus. I do not believe anyone who truly trusts Jesus for salvation would ever conceivably deny Christ unto death under persecution. The Bible seems to teach that such a “sin” is unforgiveable (because it is not really a sin as much as it is a rejection of Christ’s grace).
The author of Hebrews here seems to be referring to Hebrew Christians who, after knowing full well who the Holy Spirit is and who Jesus is, give in to the Pharisees and deny Christ and forsake meeting together as Christians, going back to Pharisaical Judaism. He seems to be saying they are not going to be saved (is that not what judgment is? the opposite of grace?). Is he not saying they have committed the Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? (I can see this is NOT talking about committing just any willful sin).
I hope you have time to read this and consider it and perhaps even respond if there is time.
Great question.
I have different takes on all the passages you mentioned, but rather than deal with them, I will just say that the Bible seems to present joining the family of God in a way that is similar to joining any other family. Once a son, always a son. Even if you say you hate your family and never wanted to part of the family in the first place, and you go out and change your name, and never see your parents or siblings again, etc., etc., you are still part of the family.
To better understand this Hebrew text, you also need to study the words “saved” (it does mean “eternal life), judgment (does not mean going to hell), and several other key concepts. Thanks for studying along with me!
I have made a big error in judgement. I thought I was eternally secure after baptism, then weeks after I feel i was convicted of willful sin while reading verse 26 🙁 now im filled with worry and anxiety and fear that fiery judgement is all that awaits me. I sinned and feel i presumed upon the good lords grace and blood to save in
I like what you said about once a son (or daughter), always one. But just like any family, there are disobedient sons and daughters. If we don’t obey God (as an example, say we stop repenting after only being saved for a short time) then we could still find ourselves in a bad situation.
Matthew 7:21
21 ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
To me this verse makes it clear that we must be in the Father’s Will in order to enter heaven. This applies to Christians as well. I believe you can be “saved”, but still fall away into sin and be outside of God’s will. However, He is patient, not wanting anyone to perish. I believe (based on personal experience) that even if we (Christians) find ourselves in this situation, He will help us to return to Him. He may cause things (sometimes painful) to happen in our lives to open our eyes to our situation and come to our senses. What will become of us if we don’t stop and repent? At this point it is still up to us. God won’t force us to comply of course, but to consider the consequences if we don’t. It’s a matter of Life and Death (Eternal Life or Eternal Death).
Here’s another verse to help in understanding – with Love: 2 Thessalonians 1.
There are many, many more throughout the Bible.
Remember, God will always take you back if you truly repent and return to Him through Christ (see the parable of the Prodigal Son (aka Lost Son): Luke 15:11-32.
Originally and as long as we live, our good L-RD desires that all humanity live a righteous life. This is evident from guidelines given to Adam and Eve, Torah given to Israel, Jesus teachings to us all. But…
I don’t know about you but I and most people around me have failed. And here GRACE comes in..
My thought on this is, G-Dz grace has lines or limits which is also evident by the fact that there is hell for some. To me, judgement by grace should mean freeing or to condemn one by considering not only his unrighteous living BUT,
hows, whys, whens, wheres, or in a word, circumstances around the subject person. Especially, the willingness, unwillingness, ignorance to what is required of us all right from Adam that is, righteous living. Sometimes i find myself believing that some people who never knew Jesus through ignorance having had no any chance to know him and the very truth about G-Dz kingdom might be received by him by GRACE.
My believing husband is living in adultery. Jesus said adulterers will not enter the kingdom of heaven. He is purposely sinning. Does he get to go to heaven if he dies in adultery? His name is Don, pray for him please.
When I first became a Christian there was something not right with the Pastor but I didn’t understand what made me feel this. He too was in adultery with someone in the church and eventually left the ministry, his wife and children. Sin attacks the heart and the more we do it, the harder our hearts becomes. The hardness puts a barrier between us and hearing and repenting. I believe we can choose not to repent which shows our allegiance to the enemy. We cannot serve two masters, we will love and serve one and hate the other. God hears your prayers and He is powerful to change the heart of the blind and open their eyes to where they are.
There was sacrifice for intentional sin as long as one repented and changed his ways. Only the ‘defiant’ sins were not atoned for under the old covenant. We have a new and better covenant based on what Jesus did for mankind. Therein lies the problem as what religion has taught has led many astray. Adam’s gifted mankind with spiritual death or separation from our father through no fault of our own. Jesus came to reverse that Adamic curse and reconcile mankind to their father again so that we could have the same relationship Adam had with his father before he sinned. His conscience being under condemnation, he hid from God. Jesus cleanses our conscience so that we no longer hid and speak ‘face to face’ with him. From the time Adam became a prodigal son to the time of reconciliation, God used mediators, middle men, prophets,priests, the temple cultus to mediate between himself and mankind. Jesus came to removed all ‘power,dominion and authority’ over mankind by removing the temple cultus and himself being the mediator, made peace between God and mankind. We are no longer prodigals but sons and daughters. The law of firstfruits prove that all have been declared HOLY to the LORD. ‘There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.’ Ro 8:1. Be reconciled to your Father and never have to doubt again or ever give room to any condemnation. The spirit will assist you to overcome the flesh and walk in newness of life. 2 Cor 5:20-24. Fear and doubt are the opposites of Faith. Faith speaks the words of God to fear and doubt causing them to be slain by that powerful sword of the spirit. Praying for you to learn the truth.
It would be good to consider our Lord’s answer to the disciple’s question about how many times should we forgive someone if they sin the same sin against us in the same day, 7 tines? Jesus told them 70 times 7 in one day for the same sin… SO, if He expects this of us who are only an image in of Him… and not usually a very good one (through a glass darkly.. like a carnival mirror), how much MORE will He, Jesus who is The Lord God do? How much will He forgive? If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive. Also, remember. When He does the veil in the temple separating the most holy place was ripped in two from top to bottom. He entered in and we with Him. As we were in Adam in the flesh so we are in Christ in the spirit. As Eve was in Adam before she was taken out and became his bride so we were in Christ and are now His bride. What loving husband is going to forsake his bride. Even men can overlook and forgive, love and keep a wife who they love… how much more our Lord and God? He WILL cover us and He will keep us if we are His. Remember what He said: Whoever that My Father gives me will come to me and whoever comes to me I will in no wise cast out. Our life is hid with God in Christ.. how much more secure can we be? We’re already there. Let your fruit grow. You can’t make it grow but it will grow if we are His. We may be laden with much fruit or there may be a piece or two hidden in the high branches but it’s there. Hold fast to your hope in Him and in Him alone. Hi is willing and able!!!
I have being reading about the whole Sin issue and if we can lose our salvation because of it. I too have struggled to understand the truth of this issue so that I hold to the truth. When I am not walking closely with Jesus, I know it. My heart and joy does a shift in the wrong direction, The bible says that I cannot service two masters. I must love one and hate the other. I slip up all too often and often it is the ‘attitude’ of thought and speech leading to judgments. All I know is that I sin and I have to come to God and repent, asking Him to give me His Heart and love and that I might die to my flesh and live a surrendered life unto Him. I don’t want to serve the enemy or participate in his works of sin, but I do want to love Jesus and feel His welcoming smile when I sit with Him and share the day.
I would like to say that I believe that if a person continues in sin and refuses to repent, it is possible that their heart becomes hard towards God and they reject His salvation. I believe that Jesus loves us so much that He will pursue us with His love, knocking on our hearts until our dying breathe. God never stops loving those He created but I believe we can reject his salvation. If we ever do that, we will know without doubt we have done that. When the Holy Spirit is working in our lives to bring us back to a walk of holiness, He may make us feel very uncomfortable until we are back under the covering of God.
I agree with you one hundred percent if the spirit of god is in you he will bring to your attention those will full sins that we commit and we will recognize them ask for forgiveness confess and move on because you believe in the son of God his spirit is here to convict us of are sins if it wasn’t important to god to allow us to see and convict us of our sins we wouldn’t need the holy spirit john 16:8 and when he comes he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment of sin because they believe not of me.
I believe its all about the obedience towards the holy spirit to listen to him and allow him to lead are steps and if we reject listening to him we reject god himself .
Under the old covenant there was no holy spirit in man to help them obey but for believers today there is no excuse cause we have the empowering of the holy spirit to help us today to be obedient Revelation 22:14(Bless are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city obedience is the key.
When I think of my former life and the sins I committed, now after becoming born again, I have no desire to go back to that lifestyle. I’ve thought about this quite a bit. It’s the Lord, and the love for him that He’s put into my heart that preserves me. Make knowing and loving God with all your heart your prayer, and He will honor that request.
Um, i am still very confused right now, so … as long as we believe in God, even if we do sins, we are still saved??… I’m sorry for my stupid question, as i am still kind of a new Christian searching for her way to get closer to God… but please answer my question… thank you ?
Yes, if you believe in Jesus for eternal life, then you have eternal life. Jesus guarantees it. Even if you sin. The reason we should stop sinning is because sin hurts us and damages our life, relationships, and everything else we hold dear.
Would it be safe to say that wherever you are or have been, that doing what 1 john 1:9 says by acknowledging our sins and our need for a savior and moving forward would satisfy most of the arguments concerning the original topic. Since we are not the final judge, no one can know for sure what another person may do in the future based on what we see them do today, and by judging that’s kind of what we’re doing. I believe our goal should be to lovingly seek restoration for those we encounter whether they have never come to know Christ or are backslidden. We must take heed that stand lest we fall ourselves because of our own pride.
There is no condemnation for those who are “in Christ” .. it’s a matter of the ❤️.. and only He knows the ❤️..
I agree.
I’m with Jeremy Myers on this one….
Don’t forget the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). The parable Jesus told. That was just an earthly example of what he is telling us spiritually. He want’s us to return to the Father through Him and ask for forgiveness. So ALL have sinned and fall short of God’s Glory!!! Even Christians except only through Christ we have perfection. But NOT through our works, but through HIS works! His sacrifice!!!
I rest my case!!!
if they did return to the sacrificial system what does it matter since they were already sanctified? hence the passage cannot be interpreted as suggested. Most sins we commit should absolutely not be willful. that is why there were different penalties in the OT for unintentional and presumptuous sins and the penalties for presumptuous sins were much worse.
To Davidn Fran: My willful sin was is an addiction, I have sinned shamefully, a lot of backsliding, I have known the truth but still sinned. I am tired of hurting our Lord Jesus Christ and have had voices in my head full of blasphemy. But I repented of my sins and asked God for forgiveness, I pray all day and ask for his mercy. the voices have gone quiet, I fill my head with his word and hymns just about every day. I Repent of any sin I might have done daily, I feel better in myself and at times unexplained happiness. I have turned from my sinful ways though it is hard, but I will not give up this time. I have hope and will stay faithful to Christ no matter how hard it is. I have no doubt I am forgiven, If I stay with Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
I do Like and believe what you say Davidn Fran
In Christ you are doing so well. That is what a Christian does –he repents. Repenting becomes our lifestyle. Praying for you.
Indeed there are sacrifices for intentional sin in the OT. See Leviticus 6 the guilt offering. And Leviticus 16 Yom Kippor. The rest of your points were well taken.
Sinning willfully or not, sin is sin. it is either forgiven us by our faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross (John 3:16 )or we have never accepted his gift of forgiveness and only have fear and expectation of bad things coming like being lost eternally. you are either in or you are out. its that simple friends. saved or lost”.” Good news or “Bad news”.its not what we have done”, but what he did for us”. Jesus has forgiven all our sin’.”Past, Present and Future”. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”. (Hebrews 13:8)..
Thank you! This helped me regain confidence after a fall and encouragement to not give into shame and to trust in Jesus for full forgiveness after repentance, there’s nothing I can do, He has already accomplished it . I’m so grateful. THANK YOU GOD FOR JESUS !
Thank you for deep and accurate insight into this scripture
Blessings and grace
Reading the comments was initially unsettling but eventually I figured out I was never a partaker of the Holy Spirit and never knew God(I knew this 2 or 3 years ago but forgot until now), I’m sure many in the comments are on the same boat.
I wanted to be Christian in around the middle of 2013 when I was around 20 and watched church videos, read the bible and I prayed but eventually mostly stopped by 2016, looking back I was living for myself and didn’t really change. Alittle later I found out about spiritual death and other truths.
In early 2018 when Anxiety was attacking me I believe I did decide to really try and give my life to Jesus and follow some examples such as youtube street preaching videos but eventually by the middle of the year I found out about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and knew I wasn’t living for Jesus. I went to the field over a course of 3 days as I read you should afflict yourself and just cryed and screamed for forgiveness I even got somewhat mad about some of things ive done previously.
On the last day at the field I decided I should try talking to my closest cousin and telling him the truths I knew and maybe we could try together but he’d changed and wasnt much help since I wasn’t talking often with him at that point.
I did return home but I never gave up the faith, I just set it aside and had the thought that maybe I’d meet a true believer with the Holy Spirit in them one day and he could tell me/help me what I should do or if there was any hope for me. Eventually things returned to normal for me after a couple of days until 2021, I did do a few things I regret doing such as returning to some sins.
Around 3 weeks ago I woke up in the middle of the night and thought about my life and eternal death and was very frightened, up until today I’ve cleared my mind alot and stopped doing anything bad I know of and would like to know what I should do. I started talking to my sisters and family and started to honor and listen to my parents alot more, I started praying again in a very long time 2-3 years I think. I don’t believe im going to get anywhere living where I am with my parents but I can’t just run away from home.
Inbetween the 3 weeks mentioned above I did go to the market where I calm myself down and bought ice cream.
I greatly appreciate if you read, I would like to help others aswell anyway I can, just comment.
Hi Andre, I understand how you feel because I have been in a similar situation. I believe I can help you, but I will need to take more time, so give me a few days and I’ll get back to you. Till then don’t despair, because you are not lost my friend!
Jeff
Hello, I have hope in Jesus Christ The Son of God and in the blood he shed that mercy may be there for me and God’s grace as well, only God knows the heart.
God is good and just.
Hi, I was just thinking about you my friend. Wow, perfectly said. Hide this truth in your heart and you will never be lost even if you feel lost. Feelings are important in our life, but His truth and love trumps everything.
Hello friend, I have found much comfort in Jesus Christ and have started reading Luke, Matthew and John, their are interesting differences in each.
Also I just read Job 33:14-30 and wanted to share with everyone that I believe it was from God that I woke and had a terrible realization, please see my first post toward the end.
I still believe I need to learn more before I can help anyone but be careful everyone and don’t be deceived.
The sins I committed all my life have been committed willfully with the thinking that God will always forgive and there will no limit to His patience and tolerance. Hebrews 10:26 implies that this is not the case. I fear that I have completed gone against the truths of Hebrews 10:26, and that I can only expect divine judgment from now on. Is there a way out for me on this? Have I reached the point of no return with God? What do people (like me?) do when they have possibly reached the point of no return, they have rejected the Holy Spirit (disobeyed Him outrightly) and sinned?
Friend, forgive me for not answering you but I just read Luke 9:62 and am really anxious and scared, I’m looking into it online and it’s not a good thing for me, I hope im just being rash but I have hope still.
I love God, He’s given us life.
If anyone has any questions I’d like to try and help.
Luke 9:62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the Kingdom of God.”
Just a few thoughts on this. We really aren’t clear on what the “looking back” is (even though it may seem so obvious) except for the one example He gave in the previous verse. If I may be so bold, I don’t think Jesus is saying you could never be fit. Perhaps many of us have “fit” this description initially at the start or some other point in our spiritual journey. Maybe this is something some of us go through and then we will know when we are ready after repenting of this “looking back” business. I don’t know for certain, but these are some things that came to mind right away when I read this. I do know this much. The Lord will always accept a truly repentant person into or “back into” the flock. Try not to overthink some of these challenging versus. This is what got me into an endless cycle of grief for years! It was horrible.
Remember the parable of the Prodigal Son…
Also don’t be under the assumption you had the Holy Spirit to begin with, don’t panic please like I did.
Friend, don’t lose hope, you are still alive read the gospel
Actually forget everything ive said and just read this:
James 4
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He careth for you,” and followed by the words, “And the God of all grace … shall Himself perfect, stablish, strengthen you
Take care friends
Several years ago, I believed that Jesus died for my sins. I was happy and felt the forgiveness. One day, I accidentally speak against the holy spirit. After that, I thought that I lost my salvation and am hopeless. Plus, I heard the wrong doctrine that Jesus paid only for the past sins. (not for the future sins). After that, I thought that Jesus could not save me at all. Then, I stop living in Christian Life (Losing faith and falling away from the Christ) around 5 years. One day, I heard the true Gospel. Jesus paid all sins (Past, Present, Future) After hearing the Gospel, I changed my mind and wanted turn back to Jesus. But, some pastors said that Falling away from Christ is unforgiven sin (based on Hebrew 10:26) Which mean I already committed the unforgiven sin. I do not have second chance to come back to Christ ? Is there any solution to way out? I thought I am already hopeless.
Hi saw, I do not believe you have fallen away from Christ. The devil brings many new believers under condemnation of fear about this sin to the point where we are afraid to speak at all. I went through a lot of fear myself in this area and the devil convinced me I was lost too. It was only when I decided to believe what God had to say, not the devil, that God turned me around.
The commandment is this: Believe that Jesus Christ paid for your sins on the cross. He was crucified, died, was buried and rose again on the third day. He now sits at the right hand of the Father. If you believe this you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. He will dwell in you by grace through faith. I lovingly recommend you get into God’s word immediately. Start in the New Testament. Turn off the distractions. Read the word. Start memorizing scripture. Pray and ask Jesus to help you learn.
Hello HJ
Thank you for your kindness. Actually, I am not the one you thought. As I had explained, I had believed that Jesus died for my sins. One day, I got the blasphemous thought in my mind. Blasphemous thought (” Fuck you Holy Spirit”) came into my mind. Actually, I did not say with my mouth. It was a bad thought suddenly came into my mind. I thought I’ve committed the unforgiven sin. I was so scared and discussed with one friend about my problem. He had advised me, you have to confess this sin. After I’ve got his advised, I returned home, knee down and open my mouth and said “Lord, please forgive me for saying that Fuck you Holy Spirit in my mind. I had done confession to God like this. A few days later, I read the Bible. ” Unforgiven sin is speak against the Holy Spirit, Not by thoughts. After reading, I was realized that I was totally so wrong and it was too late to know. I know I will go to hell . I am afraid to be dead. I am the most unluckiest man ever in the world. I thought I was the only one who committed the unforgiven sin among the millions of Christians. According to my study, other Christians had only the blasphemous thoughts. They are so lucky to get forgiveness. I felt my bad idea (Mouth’s Confession) is the same meaning of speak against the Holy Spirit. I want to cut off my tongue so that God might forgive me. (It is just my feeling) But, my family never allow me to cut off my tongue.
Oh, thank Goodness! I was confused with those other scriptures about cutting off your hand or plucking out your eye. My husband did drugs n cheated on me for years n said he lived Jesus- but then he died 2 years ago overdosing in a hotel room with a boomer. I was thinking that he didn’t live like he loved Jesus n really, he didn’t live like he loved me or our kids. We hv suffered a lot of pain n feelings of worthlessness because he chose his ways of life over us. I’m glad that he made it to heaven.
… but what did Jesus mean when He says to depart from Him cause He didn’t know them because they worked iniquity? They seemed surprised. When He said if we loved Him we would obey Him. …That a tree is known by their fruit? Why did He constantly say, when He confronted people’s sin to go n sin no more? When He healed that crippled man, He told him to stop sinning or something worse would happen to him? … I guess I just don’t get it. – some Christian told me that Jesus came to save His people from their sin, not for or thru their sin. What’s the point in His suffering if we cn stay sinful? What did He do that for? Thank u for teaching me how nice He is- but If He’s the way u say- it doesn’t seem to make a difference. R u sure what you’re teaching is right?
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this article. I have struggled with guilt and condemnation my entire life over intentional disobedience, and although I have repented and do my best to obey God, I still struggle with believing that my past sins are TRULY covered by the blood of Jesus Christ. Your writing and perspective has helped me to see God’s overwhelming mercy in a new light. Thank you so much for your work.
In numbers 15:31 by the wording seems willful sins were punished severely. Was this loss of salvation?
Does this mean that one cannot come back after they reject Him?? 🙁
I’m fearful I can’t be saved.
I believe Jesus is the Lord but I backslide or fell away all the way to spending time with mormans and having them pray over me, which in 2 John it says I am partaker of there evil way… What do I do am I guilty of this
Good day sir. My name is Praise.im 19 years old. I gave my life to christ 9 years ago and I have been going through up and downs recently. I am a person who finds playing games as a hobby. I recently found out that some games that I play/played nowadays are bad to play as a Christian and I also came across Hebrews 10:26. I’m afraid that playing some of these games again would automatically mean that I willfully sin and I would no longer be forgiven again. I’m even afraid that I have willfully sinned and will never be forgiven again.
The truth is that I actually never want to sin again but….. in the past, I thought that overcoming for me is usually a very slow and gradual thing. After finding out the truth about these games and the truth in the bible verse, I planned on playing these games one more time, so that I would never look back at them again I.e. I play the game/games one more time, then decide to never ever play them again, then repent and then move on as a Christian from then on. My goal on this “plan” was to “clear the way of all distractions” and move on from then without thinking about going back to the past(playing the games) at all.
I’m sorry of my English wasn’t clear.
I just wish to make you understand that I’m not planning on consciously sinning from now on, I just want to play the games at least one more time, then decide to never ever go back to playing the games ever again.
Sorry i meant “clear the way of all spiritual distractions” not “clear the way of all distractions”
Hebrews 10:26, over and over again, I seem to keep falling back to this sinful addiction of pornography, I was headed to a bible study and had my bible in the car and passed by these 2 adult theaters and went to both , and felt real guilty after that. Am I going to Hell for that? I’ve struggled with porn for 36 years. Please help me Lord Jesus Christ… I can’t fight this alone….
Please pray for me Jeremy, Hebrews 10;26 scares me, because I have done things and need deliverance from addictions, hope God forgives me.
Love overcomes sin and lust so overcomes that addiction by love
don’t push that addiction away first by actions it will make it worst but ask God to bring you through the process to heal you back becuase without love you are nothing
Love him and obey his word will save you
but don’t be afraid if this was to condems you you wouldn’t feel afraid of commiting it or you wouldn’t even care about repentance
but if you not afraid I have to say you lack love and faith
but don’t be afraid Love is to remember the time Jesus saves you keep that love with you
and faith is that becuase you love Jesus you obey his commandments
you are loved so follow God don’t be afraid come to him through Jesus
Jesus wasn’t a nobody instead except from God and the spirit of God no one else
no one else can save you and through only Jesus you can accept the spirit of God and God himself
so through Jesus is your redemption
come to Jesus he is the kings of kings who holds the key to the kingdom of God
and if he opens the door with his key he can open it and allow thoose who come to get in and he also can cast anyone out
remember this in prayer God resist the proud but he exalt the humble and will save thoose who calls his name
God is Love and Love overcomes everything
remember your love when you accepted Jesus for the first time will help your journey to Go more than you can before just stay there no matter what troubles you have face just go to him proof of love is the meaning that you have him you have JESUS CHRIST as your Lord and savior
if you can’t love Jesus and God you know you have to fix somethings
but do what you must now keep on praying and fast from your phone often at times of your addictions or anything you used to do it just do that much so you can be free all I can say is that
Joined Jesus Christ in his loveliness and walk of obedience so you won’t fall into temptations it can save you greatly be with him now
dose Hebrew 10 26 basically mean the same thing Ezekiel ch 18 v 24 – 28
Can sin cause sickness and how do you heal from it
I was living like hell itself living unrepentant even after I confessed Jesus as my Lord and Savior and it’s all clicking with me and I never want to practice habitual sinful lifestyle against my Lord and Savior any longer I truly want to change my mind of sin and want to fully commit my life to Christ Jesus today and I want to make a public apology for knowingly doing this knowing it offends God I was such a monster professing to know him and did many terrible and abominable things and I’m sincerely sorry for all of it. I want to live as God loves us and want his blood to cleanse me. I put him to open shame for months and I feel so bad about it. I just want to be eternally secured in him with the Holy Spirit❤️
Just wow – Trying to read all the comments had me sad, scared, and ended up with a headache-
Obviously many paths lead to destruction but my Hope is in the One that was able to walk that narrow path all the way to the Cross
Romans 4:5 makes it very clear we are justified by faith and not works
I believe once we rest in the assurance of being made righteous by believing in Jesus who paid for our sins
It’s His Love that motivates us to become obedient
Jesus gets all the glory
If I try to be Freddy the Fruit inspector I take my eyes off Christ and on my works or others
my meyers I know I have asked this question to you on several occasions but why can’t I be forgiven for saying god was evil and cussing at the spirit you said that you can’t blasphemy the spirit ño more but does not say that in the bible
I really think this is talking about something that has yet to be revealed to all, there will 100% be a day when the Ark is found and Christ’s blood is made impure by mixing the Mercy seats contents, or by sitting on the Mercy seat, I’m not sure exactly how the abomination the makes desolation works, I know the Arc on Earth is God’s Footstool, and the Ark in Heaven is God’s Seat, it is literally where Jesus is sitting right now this very moment, with tons and tons of incense as a burnt offering, it’s where he is making intercession for the Saints to the Father. I think this is what is being discussed here in Hebrews, Paul was shown the mysteries, and one of the biggest is that one day the Arc will be removed from God’s secret place and the Man of Sin is going to Sit on the Arc, (bruising Eves Seeds Heel, and Jesus is going to Crush His Head for it!) The willful Sin will be made when the Arc is made known to the entire world, and then everyone on Earth will know for a fact that it was Jesus who was Crusified, and is his Blood Water and Earth(John) that makes Witness to the Spirit (Of God who sits on the Mercy Seat).. when this days comes and the Abomination that Makes Desolation occurs, NO Sacrifice will be Left for Sin and the CUP of God’s Wrath will overflow all the way up to Heaven and that’s the Day of the Lord which we absolutely do NOT want to happen. Until that day comes, we are daily covered and every Sin of Mankind is paid for in full.. bit once the knowledge of the Truth is made known and the Desolation Happens, no sacrifice for Sin remains and knowing what the Arc was, and Knowing that Christ’s Sacrifice covers the Earth, it will be one day finished (Rev voice out of Heaven, It is Done) not to be confused with Jesus when on Earth saying it is finished (then becoming the daily Sacrifice for Sin for mankind from that day on)
Should we Sin because grace abounds? NO it would just accrue up for yourself Wrath all Sin is still wicked and in rebellion to the Will of God. We have a daily Sacrifice for Sins currently, but one day, this will not be the case anymore, and this is what Hebrews is touching on. It is one of the Mysteries Paul is given, who then gives it to the Hebrews.
God will always forgive a contrite heart that comes to Him in Repentance, because God IS LOVE.. but if you just go on living like God doesn’t exsist, when you know he does, that’s a pretty insulting thing to do! Will he forgive you?
That is between You and Him. Which I would highly, highly suggest picking up the Bible and studying His Word so you get to know, exactly, who God is, what you mean to him, how much he loves and wants nothing more for you to truthfully, openly, honestly come to him with all of your Strength, Mind, and Heart. That’s What He wants from all of us, it’s all He has ever wanted for all of us, and when we do that, he counts us as Righteous, and throws our iniquities so far away from us that they can never be seen again.
Go to the Father with an open honest and contrite heart, confess everything on your heart mind and soul to Him, spill out everything you have to Him, and he will be Faithful and Forgive you, and Love you, and place peace within your Heart.
Then accept and believe that what you have given to Him is taken, because that is His promise to us, to anyone that Loves Him, to anyone that Fears Him, Fear is the beginning of understanding, and abounding unending unstoppable LOVE is the fullness of God made manifest in US. Praise God and give Glory to Him all who fear and love Him, because He loves you more than you will ever be able to comprehend. God is Spirit, Love, Truth.. seek Him with Open honesty, Truth, and trembling and he will never forsake you, and nothing will ever pluck you out of His hand. Once you understand, and comprehend that Love is what your purpose on Earth is, towards everyone, than you will know that you have overcome the World and have been Counted Righteous thanks to Jesus Sacrifice for your Atonement.
There will come a day when the Sacrifice is taken away, but thankfully His Grace yet abounds!
Some believe if under a certain age you can not willfully sin? and if they die are forgiven?