Hebrews 10v26

I asked Rob Rufus to explain a part of scripture that was really bugging me a while ago. I hope you find his reply is helpful.

In response to you question about Hebrew10 a good principal of interpretation is to first look at the very clear and unquestionable truths of the great redemption we have in Christ that Paul lays out so vividly in the book of Gal & Rom. It is impossible for us to be justified and condemed at the same time this is not only biblically consistant but also logically and legally consistant! That is why it says in Rom 8:1 that there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Some translational have added" to those who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit" but this is definitely not in the original language. It is because even the translators did not have the courage or stomach to simply write exactly what Paul was saying. If people were always walking perfectly in the spirit and never in the flesh they would not feel condemmed neither would they need to be justified-there is no condemnation because thru the gospel all our condemnation passed, present and future was once and for all layed on Jesus. Any interpretation of scripture that appears to contradict this glorious truth of the new covenant is always because we are still reading it thru old testament lenses, so we need to see the context very clearly. In this chapter in Heb 10 the verses you quoted, the writer is clearly addressing people who have received the knowledge of the truth of the gospel but have not been saved by it there are many people who have understood the gospel but have not yet been converted by it or entered into it by faith, this is the condition of these people in these particular verses-under pressure they are in danger of drifting back to putting there confidence in the old testament sacfices , in the blood of bulls and goats. The writer has just spent time in prior verses in this chapters to explaining the superiority of the blood of Jesus and the total ineffectivness of the blood of these animals-he has already told them about the one sacrifice that Jesus made, has made us perfect forever and he is warning them that if they are not converted by the truth of the gospel but go back to relying on the old covenant then there is nothing left for them but the wrath of God!The reference to the blood that sanctifies them that does not mean that they are saved by that blood yet-that blood is available to sanctify any who believe. The main sin that the writer is addressing in the whole book of Hebrew is the sin of an evil heart of unbelief as in Hebrew 3 as summed up in vs19 and Heb 4:2 this deliberate sinning refers to the sin of unbelief that is the only sin that cuts us off from the blessing of the gospel. In John16:9 that the only sin the H.S. would convict the world of is the sin of unbelief all other sin deliberate or by accident is fully dealt with by the finished work of the cross where Jesus who knew no sin was made sin for us so that IN HIM we are made or given the permanent status of the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God (2Corth5:21)The law of double jeopody means you can't punish the same sin twice!! The only sin that can be judged is the sin of unbelief in the gospel.Trust this is helpful. I am possibly planning to do a pre-emptive teaching on all these scriptures in the next few weeks to answer questions that regularly come up. This will go on the web. My undated version of my book :Living in the Grace of God" has just been completed and will be able to be purchased thru Authentic Media or thru Amazon May 4^th. http://www.authenticmedia.co.uk/ or http://www.amazon.co.uk/ or phone + 44 (0) 1228611725.

Regards Rob