Question from a Site Viewer
Your explanation on willful sin is flawed; Adam didn’t get eternal life ’till the “God clothing him” event, if he already had it when he ate of the fruit he would have lost it, Genius, and you have no evidence that Joseph’s brothers were saved when they sold him and none that Peter was saved when he denied Christ, and then very annoyingly you dance around the verse to the point where it’s too annoying to read on.
Tim’s Answer
Wow! And I thought I was direct. Thank you for your comment. I take it you believe that if someone sins willfully after they are saved, they have no hope of salvation. I take it also that you must define “willfulness” as being a pretty high standard. It must be something other than what Peter did at Antioch when he withdrew from the Gentiles to eat only with the Jews (Galatians 2:11-13), or something different than the Corinthians did in refusing to share their food with their brothers (1 Corinthians 11:17-22), or something different than the recipients of the letter we know as James did in killing and coveting (James 4:1-3). All of these were things done by those who Scripture calls brothers and saints. I take it also that you do not believe that you have sinned willfully after coming to Christ. I wish I could say the same.
There are things that I know to do that are right (James 4:17) and I willfully have not done them. I have known at times that the loving thing would be to help someone but I willfully chose to do something else. I have known at times that the loving thing would be to go visit someone and I willfully have not done so. I have known at times that the loving thing would be to be patient with a person but I have willfully walked away from them, or responded with less than kindness to them. I have often had to apologize for such matters.
The point of the article is that we all sin willfully. David had the Holy Spirit and sinned willfully by murdering Uriah. If you interpret Hebrews 10:26 as you seem to indicate, than no person could be saved for long.
Fortunately, the Hebrews 10:26 passage is a warning, not a condemnation. God’s desire is to save humanity, not condemn it. God is a God of mercy to those who seek Him. Over and over in the prophets, after God’s people had repeatedly gone away from Him, God continues to call them back to repentance and promises mercy. God is no different today. His delight is in mercy and He welcomes all who seek Him.
May the Lord Jesus and His Spirit bless you,
tim