Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Can we lose our salvation if we deliberately sin?


 Our sins are washed away and we are made clean because Christ gave His own body as a gift to God. He did this once for all time.    Hebrews 10:10

  In these last few articles we have been in a series entitled "Loving it, leaving it, losing it". We are concluding it today. Allow me again to explain the title. Loving it, because we love our eternally secure salvation Jesus purchased for us. Leaving it because many religiously concerned folk believe we can forfeit a free gift or freely walk away from our new identity. Losing it, because some religious tradition bound folk believe that we can sin away God's grace.

  Today I want to elaborate on one of the main passages that religion cites that we can just sin away His grace. I want to answer the concerning questions some have. What about Hebrews 10:26?

26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  Hebrews 10:26-31

26 Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. Hebrews 10:26 NLT 
  This one passage has troubled so many. What if I have willingly or deliberately sinned? Then am I lost forever? Am I the one who has "trodden under foot" the sacrifice of Christ with my performance? Have I sinned just once to much? Is this sin I just committed gotten me removed from God's family? Doesn't seem to convey any good news to the hearer of this passage. 
  Now, Law minded legalistic believers will revel in passages such as this. They make statements like, "God wants you holy not happy." "Strong warnings are really preaching the gospel." "We need more preachers telling it like it is!" "Minister so and so is letting those sinners have it!"
  Is this the message Jesus came to bring? Is this the message of the New Covenant? The sad part is the delusion religion is trapped in. Their eyes are oblivious to the damage this type of preaching does to folk. The Word declares the strength of sin is the Law not grace preaching. When some folk believe their sin has insulted the spirit of grace and there is no more sacrifice for their sin they give themselves over to living a more sinful life. Why? Because they are already lost (in their minds) so what is the point of going further? 
 This is the danger of legalism. We have perpetuated traditions of men not rooted in the Word and caused so many to stumble and go further into bondage of addictions and bad habits. Religion just surmises that the person quit Jesus and wanted sin and darkness more. So we let people go instead of rescuing them with the truth of His grace.
 Now lets explore this passage further. Is the writer stating that if we "deliberately" sin we are lost forever? Absolutely not! The truth is each and every sin one commits is a willful or deliberate sin. If not what are you saying? Are you under the control of something else? Does satan so dominate Christians that he can literally make them do something they have no desire to do? 
 We know that's not possible because James details what happens in the process of sin. We are tempted or enticed by our own desire. If we give in then we have sinned. So the enticement comes from our own desire. These desires would be those in our thinking we have not yet renewed with the Word. This then removes the idea we can unwillingly sin. 
 What then is the portion of Scripture teaching? First, context is key. If we would just interpret the Word in context we would have more truth instead of so much tradition in the Body of Christ. As Pastor Prince says so often, when we take a text from it context we are only left with a con. 
 What is the context of Hebrews 10? First, the context is the entire Epistle. It is an Epistle written to the Hebrews, not to the Church. It is addressing two types of Jews. Ones who have received Jesus and are being persecuted for it by their brethren. It is also written to Jews who have heard the truth of Jesus and the New Covenant and have not yet made that full commitment to trust in Christ from their heart. 
 Secondly, it is in context of the entire tenth chapter. In the beginning of this chapter the writer is line upon line teaching about the New Covenant and Jesus once for all sacrifice for all sin. The writer goes into great detail to reveal that the Old was fulfilled in Christ and with the sacrifice of Christ the New has come. 
 Then the chapter goes into encouraging others into fellowship and acceptance of the New Covenant, ( The writer uses the word we throughout the chapter because the writer was obviously a Jewish believer and is identifying with his fellow Jewish brethren.) Now we get to Hebrews 10:26. What it's admonishing is Jewish brethren to fully receive this New Covenant and one time sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, and not to reject it. If you reject this New Covenant and rather put your trust in temple sacrifices and afterwards decide to sin there is no more sacrifice for your sins. Therefore, you would be lost.
 If Jesus was the once for all time sacrifice, what possible sheep or dove or any other animal would cover anyone's sin today? Obviously, no animal sacrifice would be acceptable. If you trusted in temple sacrifices you would be rejecting Jesus offering and insulting the spirit of grace saying Jesus blood wasn't enough. That the Old Covenant sacrificial system is better. This is what the writer is warning against. Trust in Jesus one time offering for sin don't reject it for if you do, no other sacrifice can save you or cover your sins.
  To further illustrate the writer isn't referring to Christians, look at the last statement of the chapter ten.

39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. Hebrews 10:39
Drawing back conveys the one who has heard the truth of the New Covenant and Jesus once for all time sacrifice and has rejected it. Believing unto the saving of the soul means to fully commit to Christ and put all our trust in Him from our hearts.
  This understanding sets men free from fear of losing their salvation. Is this passage then teaching if you sin you've lost your salvation? Unequivocally, without hesitation no!  In the New Covenant He said He would remember your sins and iniquities no more. So if He is not remembering our sins why then would our sin, no matter how willing cause us to lose our salvation now? The Word of God doesn't contradict itself. We can however take away a great truth to live by from this passage.
 Our salvation is through Christ alone. His blood and one time sacrifice for sins was enough. No amount of performance or good deeds on our part will count us worthy to receive anything. It is truly, Jesus plus nothing!
  In conclusion, can we ever leave or lose our salvation? Lets, quickly review what we've learned to answer this. We have seen from the Word that Jesus guaranteed our eternal security because we are forever in His hands and nothing can ever take us out. We can't leave or walk away from our salvation because by virtue of the new birth Jesus abides in us and His life is flowing through us. The new heart cannot choose to abandon God because God Himself abides in it. Also, Jesus is faithful even when we are faithless. We can't sin away His grace because where sin abounds grace much more abounds. We cannot exhaust His supply of grace and forgiveness. So can we leave it or lose it? Absolutely no, not ever! We are eternally secure in Christ. Rejoice in this glad news.
 I trust this study has blessed and strengthened you in your walk with God. Abandon yourself in Him. It is a finished work. We are forever forgiven, righteous, cleansed and accepted in Him. Let's further this grace awakening. It is all about Him! 




3 comments:

Anonymous said...

This was an awesome series!! Loved it!

John W Reed said...

Thanks so much Drew. I truly wanted to bless people with this wonderful truth of God's everlasting love and amazing grace.
Please feel free to use any portion of these blogs to help others...

Christina said...

But it says the Lord will judge His people, isn't he talking about Gods judgment, he isn't saying we are loosong our salvation but it is saying if you willfully continue to sin you are mocking the grace of God and the blood that was shed for that sin, almost like...who cares if I do XYZ im under grace, no fear or reverence for God. This is to the believer this is to someone who has accepted Jesus as their savior. He also goes onto say that when the law of moses people were judged how much more now that the SON OF GOD shed his blood for your sin. Please exlain that...he never says loose salvation but he does say VENGENCE is mine says the Lord, I hear judgment and consequence not loss of salvation but judgment.