Deliberate Sin

I remember as a young Christian, reading one particular scripture that flat out scared me.  Concern or worry might best describe my feelings, but as I read it (taken out of context of course) it alluded to what I thought would be ... my running out of, or using up ... the sacrifice Jesus made for my sin.

So today, I want to take another look at this very same scripture that must be somewhat confusing to more people than just me.  We don't even know who wrote it, because it's author did not sign his name, although many people attribute the writing style of this book to the Apostle Paul.  But for whatever reason the author of the book of Hebrews remains anonymous.
 
About 50 years ago I read these sobering words in Hebrews 10:26 ... "For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins ..."   (KJV)    

As a young Christian that got my attention.  I didn't like what I was reading one bit.  You see, I was just learning how to keep myself from continuing to walk "willfully" in my old sinful ways.  Becoming that new creature in Christ is a slow process ... at least it was for me.

Oh, many things dropped off right away.  I didn't have too many of the outward sins like smoking, drinking, chasing girls or raising hell all the time and causing trouble.  But I still sinned ... and yes, sometimes even willfully.

What was I to do after finding this scripture?  I had sinned willfully after becoming a Christian.  Did that mean Jesus' sacrifice no longer remained for me?  Do you understand the concern I had as a young believer?    

Is there anyone reading this today who can say they haven't sinned willfully after excepting Jesus and starting the process of making Him Lord?  Haven't we all done that?  Deliberate sin.  Knowing it's wrong and going ahead and doing it ... even after we became Christians.  If so, then we all need to look at this scripture in Hebrews 10:26 a little closer.

This verse in the New King James Version reads slightly different from the (KJV) I have already given you ... "For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins ..."

Does this mean that our deliberate sin cancels out Jesus' death on the cross?  Absolutely not.  This same chapter of Hebrews declares in verses 10 thru 14 ...

"We are sanctified (declared holy) through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all ... but this man, (Jesus) after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God ... for by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."

Jesus died one time, and one time only.  Jesus was God's only sacrifice for sin and it will not be repeated.  Once was enough ... nothing else can or should be done ... which leads us to the meaning of Hebrews 10:26.

In trying to explain verse 26, I find my words are simply inadequate.  But I did find some other Bible versions that might help us gain a more complete understanding of the intended meaning.  The following phrases from verse 26 are transposed as written ...

"... if we deliberately continue sinning ..."  (NLT)

"If we deliberately keep on sinning ..."  (NIV)
 
"... if we willfully persist in sin ..."  (The Voice)

And then I found this in "The Message Bible" and it seems to be the closest to the meaning of Hebrews 10:26 ...

"If we give up and turn our backs on all we've learned, all we've been given, all the truth we now know, we repudiate Christ's sacrifice and are left on our own to face Judgment."

The phrase ... "we repudiate Christ's sacrifice" ... explains why there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.  The word repudiate means ... "refuse to accept or be associated with."   It's our choice.  Left on our own ... now that's a scary thought.
  
It's not that Jesus' sacrifice is canceled out.  Sin can be forgiven.  (See 1st John 1:8-10)  It's only when we turn our backs on Jesus and persist willfully and deliberately to continue and pursue a life of sin once again.  This scripture is not speaking about just committing one sin ... it's speaking about going back to a sinful lifestyle.  

It's all up to you.  If you choose to go back into sin and you reject or refuse to accept Jesus' sacrifice, then it's true ... "there no longer remains a sacrifice for sin."

Whether you are sinner or saint ... there is no other sacrifice for sin other than Jesus.

For me today, this scripture means ... if in your heart and mind you can't or won't accept what Jesus has done, the price He paid on the cross ... then it becomes true.  I say again ... for you ... there no longer remains a sacrifice for your sin. 

And that sacrifice was and always will be Jesus.

It's Jesus or nothing.


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The Book of Life

When I was attending Sunday School as a young boy, I was taught about a book that God had in His possession called, "The Book Of Life."  I had some other teachers call it, "The Lambs Book Of Life."  Both terms are found in scripture.

The common teaching was and still is today that a person's name is written down in this book when they are born again, when they accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord.

The representation here is ... that God keeps a book or register, in which are recorded the names of all who shall obtain everlasting life.  The term, "the book of life" is found eight times in the K.J.V; once in the Apostle Paul's letter to the church at Philippi, and seven times in the Book of Revelation.

In reference to Paul's letter in Philippians 4:3, Paul is speaking about his fellow laborers ... "whose names are in the book of life."

But a few people say, no, it's something else.  This book is a list of all the names, of all those who have ever lived.  They say that's why it is called ... "The Book Of Life."  Evidently with this theory, God places everyone's name in the book that has ever lived thru out history, and then removes only the names of those who never except His plan of salvation. 

I say ... does it really matter?  They can both be scripturally correct.

Both the Old and New Testament contain scripture affirming the removal or the blotting out of the names of the unrighteous, unsaved ... those who are not born again.

When Moses came down from the mountain after he had received the Ten Commandments, and saw that the people had made a golden calf to worship, he pleaded unto God to forgive the people of their sin.  So we find Moses in conversation with God about this in ...

Exodus 32:32-33 ... "Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin; and if not, blot me I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.  And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against Me, him will I blot out of my book."

Moses was willing to trade himself in place of his people losing their salvation if that was the price required for forgiveness.  But God would have no part of that.  God would judge each of them, just as He will us ... and if our sin hasn't been covered by the blood of the Lamb ... then God Himself will remove our name from the book of Life, or so it seems. 

And now for the good part ...
 
In Revelation 3:5, Jesus is speaking to the seven churches, and even as imperfect as they were, they were still His church, covered by His blood; and as such He says to those who overcome ... "I will not blot out your name from the book of life."

The righteous, those saved by the blood of Jesus ... will be safe ... whose name is found in the book of life.

Albert Barnes, the old Presbyterian biblical scholar and theologian made this comment about this verse ...

"The expression 'I will not blot out' means, the names would be found there on the day of judgment, the final account, and would be found there forever.  It may be remarked, that as no one can have access to that book but He who keeps it, there is the most positive assurance that it will never be done, and the salvation of the redeemed will be, therefore, secure forever."

Going on now to judgment ...

Revelation 20:12 ... "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is that of life.  And the dead were judged out of the things written in the books according to their works."

And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life ... the book containing the record of the names of all who shall enter into life ... or into heaven.  No other use seems to be made of this book in the judgment of sinners, than only to observe whose names were not written in it.

Revelation 20:13-15 ... "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged each according to their works; and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.  This is the second death, even the lake of fire.  And if any one was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire."

In regard to the lost, if your name is not found in the book of life, that means either you never accepted Jesus as your Savior and it was never placed there; or if it is a book of all the living ... then God removed it, blotted it out because you died a lost sinner.    

Revelation 21:27 ... "And there shall no wise enter into it (Heaven) any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lambs Book of Life."

There is a "Book of Life" with names in it.

There are also "other books" which shall be opened if your name isn't found in the book of life.  They are full of your deeds and works which won't be good enough to satisfy the righteousness demanded by God.  No one will be safe who is to have his eternal destiny determined by his own deeds.

Only Jesus can put your name in the book of life, and only Jesus can keep the other books closed at judgment. 

Is your name in the Lamb's Book of life?

It had better be.



(Comments welcome, and will be posted by moderator.)