“For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.”
There is a similarity between these words, and—those we have considered in chapter 6. It is the impossibility of being restored to repentance by Jewish ordinances, of those who give up Christianity and go back to Judaism. This impossibility will be still more clear if we examine these words in chapter 10:26, &c. Only there is this difference, the apostle had now gone on to the perfect truth, as to eternal redemption by the one sacrifice of Christ. And when that is once known and understood, it becomes a self-evident fact, that to go back from that, to the Imperfection of the law, with all its imperfect sacrifices, makes restoration by those impossible.
There are four things in this scripture.
1. “For if we sin willfully.”
2. “After we have received the knowledge of the truth.”
3. “There remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.”
4. “But a certain fearful looking for of judgment.”
1. Willful sin is an awful thing. In the law there was no provision for willful, or presumptuous, sin. If a man sinned through ignorance, he might bring his sin-offering, atonement was made for him, and he was forgiven. Not so he that did anything presumptuously, and despised the word of the Lord. “That soul shall be cut off from among his people.” (Num. 15:27-3127And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering. 28And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the Lord, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. 29Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them. 30But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 31Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him. (Numbers 15:27‑31).) How many of the true children of God go in mourning and darkness, fearing that they have sinned willfully, and they fear that there is therefore no hope. Now can a child of God sin willfully? Scripture would say, No! He that is born of God doth not practice sin—he is born of God, has a nature that cannot so sin. (See 1 John 3:8-10; 5:4, 188He 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. 9Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10In 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. (1 John 3:8‑10)
4For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. (1 John 5:4)
18We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. (1 John 5:18))
The sin of Judas was willful, presumptuous; the terrible sin of Peter was not willful. Judas intended, sought opportunity to betray Christ, he was the son of perdition. Peter, in the hour of human weakness, did the very thing he hated. He was a quickened soul, doubtless, born of God, but had not yet learned his own weakness. Even in. the case of an undelivered, though quickened, soul under law, it is not willful sin, far from it. “For that which I do, I allow not, for what I would, that do I not, but what I hate that do I,” &c. (Rom. 7:14-2314For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (Romans 7:14‑23).) This is a sad state to be in, but the truth must be learned. “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing.” Until that lesson be learned, we do not accept Christ as our complete and eternal salvation. And the Spirit is given as the seal of eternal redemption through His blood. At present we will not say more on this head. The reader must know, though mourning over much in confession, whether his case is like that of Judas, or that of Peter. But let us now seek to discover the special point or sin intended in this scripture.
2. “After that we have received the knowledge of the truth.” Now “the truth” brought out in these two chapters is the perfect and abiding efficacy of the one offering of Christ, in contrast with the many sacrifices of the law. The law made nothing perfect or complete. All its sacrifices, and washings, and purifications, could not rend the veil, and open the way for the sinner to enter the presence of a holy God. It “could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to his conscience.” Now “the truth” is revealed, Christ has come, and “by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Having once accomplished this, there was no need to offer Himself often.
In the end of those ages of Jewish sacrifices, He had appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself ONCE. In chapter 10 the infinite value of His ONE sacrifice is “the truth” fully contrasted with the many sacrifices which could never take away sins. There was the constant remembrance of sins every year, proving that as to the conscience, the question of sins between God and the worshippers had never been settled, and by the blood of bulls and goats could never be settled.
Now “the truth” is that by the one sacrifice of Christ that question has been eternally settled. It was not the will of God to leave man in the former unhappy state. God so loved us, that He could have no pleasure in those sacrifices which left sin still there: they only pointed forwards. Yea, as to the Trinity, “the truth” here revealed brings out three marvelous things: the will of God in eternity, written in the book, that the Son should come to satisfy God as to sin: “to do thy will, O God.”
Then, secondly, the Son came and did that perfectly, by the offering up of Himself. So that by these two thing, the will of God, through the offering up of the body of Jesus Christ once, we are sanctified, set apart to God. And thus the question of sin between us and God is settled forever. There is no uncertainty as to this. If He who came to do the will of God in this matter was still in the grave, there would be the greatest reason to doubt. “But this man, after he had offered ONE sacrifice for sins forever [or in continuity], sat down on the right hand of God.” So that while He sits there at the right hand of God, “the truth” is proved, and cannot be denied and more, this is the declared effect of His being there abidingly. “For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” This word translated “forever” which only occurs in Hebrews, means “abiding continuance,” so that the verse before us, in contrast with the many sacrifices which could never perfect the conscience, declares that Christ by one sacrifice of Himself has perfected the believer in abiding continuity.
Then in verse 15 we have the third thing, that the Holy Ghost is a witness to us. Thus the Trinity assures us that the question of all our sins is forever settled by the one offering of Christ. And this is the special blessed truth here spoken of. Oh, what a truth, the truth that the question of sins as between us and God is so settled. “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” If we know this, if we in our souls accept this, then it is most evident, as the word says, “Now where remission of these is there is no more offering for sin.” It must be so, since He came, according to the eternal will of God, took a body for the purpose, that He might put away our sins never to be remembered against us—to settle forever, by that one sacrifice for sins, the whole question of our sins, as between us and God. And He has done this, and in proof is seated at the right hand of God. Then the result is, as God declares, we are forever perfected; sins no more to be remembered against; boldness to enter His holy presence: every barrier forever removed. Glory be to God!
But mark, this one infinite sacrifice must set aside entirely all other sacrifices, which could never take away sins.
3. “There remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.”
This is a self-evident fact, as we have already seen. That which is infinite and perfect must set aside all that is finite and imperfect. Is it not then sad that “the church,” so called, should have invented other sacrifices for the living and the dead? Sad beyond expression! but what will not man do when he turns away from the, word of God? Where “the church” flatly contradicts the word of God, let us hold to the word of God. He says, “There remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.”
What is it then to sin willfully after receiving the knowledge of this special truth, as now made known to these people professing to be Christians, who are by birth Hebrews? It was plainly to forsake the assembling of themselves together as Christians. It was to go back willfully from the profession of the eternal efficacy of the one offering of Christ, and to go back to the offerings of Judaism. So that to those who did this, it was solemnly declared that there was nothing for them,
4. “But a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” This is indeed most solemn, but it must be true. If those who despised Moses died without mercy, will it not be so, yea, “of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and bath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?”
Surely all this was involved in giving up the one sacrifice of Christ, which had at least professedly sanctified them or separated them from Judaism, as a people called Christians; and now to go back to the murderers of Christ! And to despise the grace of God, which they had professed, and to go to those sacrifices which now had no value. For there now remained no more sacrifice for sins. Then it evidently followed there was nothing but judgment for them.
Now, reader, have you clone this? Have you willfully despised the one sacrifice for sins, and sinned willfully by going back to Judaism with its sacrifices? There is no question that this was the special warning in this scripture.
It may be asked; But do not Romanists and ritualists do this very thing in seeking salvation by sacraments and masses? is not this despising the one infinite sacrifice of Christ? No doubt it is, only there is this difference, they have never known “the truth” especially brought out in these chapters. They have been brought up in darkness, seeking salvation by works. They have no idea what being perfected forever by one offering means. Assuredly, if they despise the grace of God, they are lost. Yes, let every priest and clergyman know, and all others who may read these lines, that if lie does not accept Christ as the perfect and eternal salvation, he is lost. And without question, if he die refusing the only salvation of God, he will be lost for eternity. We earnestly entreat all such to search the scriptures. Think not of being saved by works, and pretended sacrifices for sins. God cannot be pleased with your works until you have accepted salvation through the blood of Christ. And then works will be acceptable, not to be saved, but because you are eternally saved. C. S.