Radical Liberty = Spiritual Victory

Hebrews 10:26 is frequently mischaracterized as proving that you can not be secure in your salvation. It is distorted to proclaim that you can lose your salvation. This is incorrect. It is actually proclaiming that salvation is a one time for all transaction.

The book of Hebrews was written to proclaim that the Jerusalem temple sacrificial system is dead, because Christ is risen. The temple is dead, because the body of Christ is the true temple. The Levitical priesthood is dead, because Jesus is our eternal High Priest. The sacrificial system is dead because by one offering Jesus Christ made atonement for all sins for ever.

By running through the entire Chapter 10 of the book of Hebrew we can see that the reason why there is no more sacrifice for sins is because the sacrifice made by Jesus worked, and you cease to offer sacrifices when the sin is atoned, but that the sacrifices offered by the traditional priesthood of the traditional temple never worked, and therefore, never ceased.

(Hebrews 10:1) “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.”

The law was a foreshadowing of Jesus, and the Levitical sacrifices never made perfect atonement. Atonement is At_One_Ment, meaning reconciliation.

(Hebrews 10:2-4) “For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. {3} But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. {4} For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”

This is setting the stage that there is now no more sacrifice for sins. They were continual under the temple system, because they were ineffective. The offerings of bulls and goats did not purge sins. If they had, then the offerings would have stopped. They did not stop because the consciousness of sins remained.

(Hebrews 10:5-6) “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: {6} In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.”

The wages of sin is death. This doesn’t mean that we need to pay God a penalty fine of death for sinful behavior. It means that SIN, as an employer, pays death as a wage.

(Romans 6:22-23) “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. {23} For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Basically, sin kills. Christ is life.

(James 1:15) “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

Ultimately sin has provoked us to take the flesh and blood life of God Himself made manifest in the flesh, as Jesus Christ. He was born of a woman, lived as a man, and died as a man. He suffered and endured everything that we do. Our Creator knows what it is to be one of us, because He was one of us.

Even though we killed our Creator, He forgave us, in the very act, because all is forgiven.

Hebrews 10:26 proves the true Gospel message is that Jesus Christ is the victorious Savior of the World.

(Hebrews 10:7-9) “Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. {8} Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; {9} Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.”

This is referencing Exodus 19:9 by quoting Psalms 40:7. In the book of Exodus this is where the stone tablets of the ten commandments are about to be given. That is the covenant with death.

In verse 9 Jesus is taking away the covenant of ordinances written in stone to establish a new covenant. The covenant with death is dis-annulled. It is voided. It is replaced with an inheritance as sons of God.

(Hebrews 10:10) “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

The offering of Jesus was made once, and for all sins, for all people, throughout all time, forever. This is about to be contrasted with the Levitical sacrifices.

(Hebrews 10:11-13) “And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: {12} But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; {13} From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.”

The Levitical priesthood made daily sacrifices to continue to attempt to atone for sins. Their work was never finished. There were always more sins that required more sacrifices.

By contrast, Jesus made one sacrifice, and was finished, so He sat down at the right hand of the Father in heaven.

(Hebrews 10:14) “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”

The offering was perfect, and is everlasting. It was one offering, for all, for ever. It does not conform to the Levitical offerings which were never finished. The offering made by Jesus was sufficient, where as the Levitical offerings were not.

(Hebrews 10:15-17) “Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, {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; {17} And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”

It is again emphasized that all sins for all time have been put away. The Holy Ghost bears witness to the efficacy of the offering. Jeremiah 31:33-34 is referenced in verses 16-17. This demonstrates the fulfillment of prophecy.

(Hebrews 10:18) “Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.”

You make offerings for sin because it is yet to be atoned, but now that we have remission of sins, there is no further need for the offering. The one offering was once and for all. You see that it states that there is no more offering for sin due to it’s successfulness and effectiveness. Remember that when we get to verse 26.

(Hebrews 10:19-22) “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, {20} By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; {21} And having an high priest over the house of God; {22} Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Since we are fully and completely purged of all sin for all time, we now have boldness and assurance in drawing near to and facing God Himself. This is unthinkable in the Jerusalem temple system.

Look at the amount of confident assurance this passage is conveying. We have full assurance. (This is not a commandment.
It is telling us what we have already inherited). Is four more verses away going to undermine the full assurance we are now being given? By no means. Not even close.

(Hebrews 10:23) “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)”

This is re-emphasizing our assurance. Why should our faith waver when we can know with complete certainty that the One who promised is faithful to keep His promises? He will not break His promise, so we are to find comfort in that.

(Hebrews 10:24-25) “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: {25} Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

We should, therefore, encourage one another to be faithful in service, knowing that the service we perform is not by necessity to earn our righteousness, but of joy and peace that righteousness has been freely given, never to be revoked.

They feared persecution for assembling as believers. They feared what the religious establishment could and would do to them. They were to exhort one another to know that No matter what man did, God was faithful. This verse exhorts them to gather even in the face of fear. It is saying neither return to the temple system, nor fear it.

So now we reach the critical and controversial verse.

(Hebrews 10:26-27) “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, {27} But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.”

This could just as well read, “for though we sin willfully… there remains no more sacrifice for sins.” Remember back a few verses? They have **all** been purged, once and for all. There are no more sacrifices to be made. The work is finished. Jesus sat down. **All sins** are in remission.

“If we sin willfully” is stating that even future sins are purged. For ever. There is no more sacrifice. It was one sacrifice for all. It then transitions to threatening that there will be a price to pay for those who persecute believers. Their persecutors will face retribution. Do not fear what man can do. The persecutors have a fiery judgment to face.

(Hebrews 10:28-29) “He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: {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?”

The continued Levitical sacrifices trod underfoot the Son of God, who made a perfect atonement. By continuing to make sacrifices, they are proclaiming that the offering made by Jesus was unholy, but calves and ox blood are holy. They are not trusting in the sufficiency of the offering made by the Son of God Himself.

They think that their sacrifices are needed to continue to make atonement for new sins, but there is no more offering for sins. Jesus made one sacrifice for all.

A rhetorical question is asked, that if the penalty for despising the Mosaic law was death by stoning, how much worse is the penalty for despising the offering made by our Savior Jesus Christ? Persisting in making Levitical sacrifices is calling the Son of God’s offering an unholy thing. It’s saying that His blood was not good enough, and you need to add a little ox-blood into the mix to get rid of your new sins.

Now, consider the lack of value there is in your own bloodless sacrifice of confession, and self-abuse? That is today’s version of attempting to self-sacrifice your way to atonement. It’s not even a blood sacrifice.

It’s easy sacrificial system-ism. You don’t even have to feel bad about killing an animal. You just feel bad about sinning, call the blood of Jesus unholy, and think your bloodless offering is going to make atonement. The blood of Jesus finished the job, once and for all. So He sat down.

Now again, about those persecutors:

(Hebrews 10:30-31) “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. {31} It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

It is a fearful thing for those persecutors of God’s people to fall into His hands. He will exact vengeance, so the believers need not fear assembly. Even if they are persecuted, the persecutors will be rewarded for their persecution by the hand of God Himself. And they did. It’s a past tense, done deal. The temple is gone. The priesthood is gone, and the sacrificial system is gone.

This is intended to comfort the believers, not scare them that they may lose their salvation and face never-ending torture at the hand of of Almighty God.

(Hebrews 10:32-34) “But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; {33} Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. {34} For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.”

Remember that God’s people being persecuted is no new thing, but in the past God has fought for His people and despoiled the oppressors. He is faithful to continue to do so. Also, remember that there is a much better reward after this life.

(Hebrews 10:35) “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.”

Again, it tells us that we are to have confidence that our reward is great. Why would we have confidence if we were just threatened with perpetual torture for sinning on purpose? We wouldn’t, but that is not what just happened. We were told that the persecutors in the first century will have their system removed.

Good news. Everyone being threatened is already dead, and has been for nearly 2000 years. The temple is gone, and belongs to the Muslims now. God made sure the temple stayed gone.

(Hebrews 10:36-37) “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. {37} For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.”

This is an exhortation to have patience in the face of persecution. The reward is coming. It is promised. It is assured to all that have done the will of God.

And what is the will of God? But to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior of the world. That is how you receive the promise. The promise is given whether you believe it or not, but you receive it and know it was a promise made to YOU by believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

(John 6:37-40) “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. {38} For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. {39} And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. {40} And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.“

If you believe on Jesus as Savior, be patient. All sins are forgiven. Your persecutors will be recompensed. There are no more sacrifices to be offered. It is finished. Once and for all.

(Hebrews 10:38-39) “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. {39} But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”

The final two verses of the chapter again affirm security, and that saving of the soul is by faith. Habakkuk 2:4 is quoted, that the just shall live by his faith. Verses 38-39 posits a contrast between believers and their religious establishment persecutors, for the purpose of restating the certainty of assurance for believers that is given in verse 39.

We are of them who believe to the saving of the soul. Salvation of the soul comes by belief in the Savior Jesus Christ, not by Levitical sacrifice, or worse, bloodless confession.

Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World, and this is proven beyond the shadow of doubt by Hebrews 10:26. There are no more sacrifices for sins. The offering made by Jesus was perfect to purge all sins, for all people, through all time, once and for all.

• See also the Playlist for an In Depth Study on the Book of Hebrews.