WILLFUL SIN AFTER RECEIVING THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH 1
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?"
Hebrews 10:26-29 (NKJV)
Knowledge is a responsibility. When a believer newly accepted Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour, much might not be required of him or her because they are expected to learn about the new found faith and how to walk with God.
However, after a while, when the believer has gotten or acquired the knowledge of God and His Kingdom, such is expected to abide and live by the principles of God's knowledge he or she has acquired.
If the person wilfully chooses to live contrary to the knowledge of the truth they have received or acquired, then, judgement would follow. The Scripture says, to whom much is given, much is required:
47 AND THAT SERVANT WHO KNEW HIS master’s WILL, AND DID NOT PREPARE HIMSELF OR DO ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, SHALL BE BEATEN WITH MANY STRIPES. 48 BUT HE WHO DID NOT KNOW, YET COMMITTED THINGS DESERVING OF STRIPES, SHALL BE BEATEN WITH FEW. FOR EVERYONE TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, FROM HIM MUCH WILL BE REQUIRED; AND TO WHOM MUCH HAS BEEN COMMITTED, OF HIM THEY WILL ASK THE MORE" (Luke 12:48 NKJV).
The desire to know more of God and His Kingdom is a good desire but it confers a responsibility on you. It is important to know that you have to live what you know, the knowledge you have acquired, and you have to pass the knowledge to others (Philippians 4:9; James 1:22-25; 2 Timothy 2:2). In living or practicing or putting the knowledge to work, It should be known to you that it is mandatory.
Jesus' atonement or substitutionary sacrifice does not cover wilful disobedience to the truth that is known. If you have known the truth and you willfully decided to live contrary to the truth, the Word of God, then there should be expectation of fearful judgement of God; that is, a fearful indignation of Him to devour whoever the betrayer or adversary is (Hebrews 10:27).
We could see that, in the passage; whoever chooses to live contrary to the known truth is considered an adversary (Hebrews 10:27). It means the person has sided with the devil, God's adversary or opponent. The person has chosen to pitch his or her tent against God.
This passage being treated is for mature believers; It might not directly apply to those who are still young in the faith, as earlier explained at the beginning of the teaching. This is being clarified so that you as a believer would not think that the Bible is contradictory to itself, and be accusing God as being unforgiven.
If a believer who has not known much lives contrary to the Bible and comes back in repentance, he or she would be forgiven and be accepted back by God—there is provision for forgiveness in God's Word: "IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS" (1 John 1:9 NKJV).
1 MY LITTLE CHILDREN, THESE THINGS I WRITE TO YOU, SO THAT YOU MAY NOT SIN. AND IF ANYONE SINS, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER, JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS.
2 AND HE HIMSELF IS THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS, AND NOT FOR OURS ONLY BUT ALSO FOR THE WHOLE WORLD."
1 John 2:1,2 (NKJV)
The passages above show us that If a believer unknowingly committed a sin and came back to God repenting, such would be forgiven—even severally, not only once.
A believer may miss it severally but If the person kept an open heart, a heart that is ready to be corrected and changed, he or she would always receive mercy and forgiveness whenever they come back to God (Hebrews 4:15,16). However, a mature believer who knows much and expected of God to know better, much more would be required or expected of such.
Peace.
TO BE CONTINUED