HEBREWS 10:26-31 AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF WILFUL SIN

Abstract

It is common sight to see those who had been referred to as God’s people (thus Christians) commit sin wilfully in public as well as being caught secretly, having received the knowledge of God’s truth. This truth relates to the one sacrifice Christ made for sins. This study employed the grammatico-historical method by a normative reading of the warning passage as a reminder of the need for professing Christians to persevere in the faith. The study revealed that to “trample underfoot the son of God,” to “regard as unholy/common the blood of the covenant with which we are sanctified,” and to “insult the Spirit of grace,” are considered grievous and could incur the wrath of God from which the author of Hebrews does not exonerate himself in saying “if we willfully sin.” A believer is in danger of true apostasy whose lifestyle and conversation reflect such descriptive metaphors as treating with disdain or to spurn the son of God, profaning the blood of the covenant that sanctified the believer and outraging the spirit of grace which are the core foundation of our Christian faith. Thus, it is an admonition to believers to not only persevere in view of the eschatological hope we envisage but also because of the fearful consequences that will befall us “if we willfully sin.”