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Is There a Falling Away of the Sanctified?

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.  He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?  Hebrews 10:26-29.

Two questions on this passage were submitted by two different readers.  Both refer to the same problem.  One reader writes: “How can these men have been sanctified?”  The other reader writes: “Please could you explain these verses.  Since I understand that an elect child of God cannot lose his salvation, what do they mean?”

The problem is clear enough.  The text obviously describes people who have received the knowledge of the truth and have, for a time, confessed it.  But in the course of their life as “Christians,” they have sinned willfully, according to vs. 26.  For these people there is “no more sacrifice for sin,” but instead, terrible judgments.

There is no difficulty in all this.  But in vs. 29 these same people are described as being “sanctified.”  They are charged with the sin of counting the blood of the covenant, wherewith they were sanctified, an unholy thing, and they did despite to the Spirit of grace.

Sanctified people are regenerated and saved people.  The text describes them as sanctified.  How then can such terrible judgments, including eternal desolation in hell, be ascribed to them?

Before I answer this question specifically, we ought to remind ourselves of the reason why this epistle was written.

During the course of the progress of the gospel, many Jews were brought into the church.  This began on Pentecost and continued throughout the apostolic era as Paul began his work in a new city by preaching first of all to the Jews in the synagogues.

These Jews were often the objects of persecution, especially by their fellow Jews who considered converted Jews to be traitors to the religion of their fathers.  They, under the pressure of persecution, were tempted to abandon their Christian faith and return to Judaism to placate their compatriots.  The temptation was strong to become “backsliders.”

Against these the apostle warns.  This epistle is a powerful testimony of the fact that all the Old Testament types and shadows have been fulfilled in Christ.  The key word in the Hebrews is “better.”  The fulfillment of the types and shadows is “better” than the shadows.  Far better.  Melchisedek was “good”; how much better is He who is priest forever after the order of Melchisedek.

But accompanying that teaching are warnings.  They are sharp warnings, and the gist of them is this.  Judgment awaits all those who die in unbelief and who in their unbelief reject the gospel.  But much greater judgments come upon those who once confessed the truth as it is in Christ, but, after confessing it, turn away from it.  Their judgment is greater on the principle which our Lord Himself lays down: To whom much is given, of him shall  much be required.  And, The one who knew his Lord’s will and did not do it shall be beaten with more stripes than one who did not know his Lord’s will.

This is the reason why these people are described in the text as having received the knowledge of the truth, but sinning willfully after they had received such knowledge.  They have abandoned that which formerly they confessed.

Having understood this, let us also agree with the writers of these questions, that there is no falling away of the saints.  Scripture is clear and sharp on that truth.  John 10:27-30 teaches this in unmistakable language.

Implied in the preservation of the saints is the fact that those in the church who eventually fall away (and there are many of them) have never really been sanctified.  If they had been sanctified, they would have been made holy – for this is what sanctification means.  And if they had been made holy, they would have been people of God, elect, purchased with the blood of atonement.  Then also, they would have remained that, even if they had, at any time, fallen into sin.

These people are, therefore, like those who are mentioned by John in I John 2:19, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”

Why then are they called “sanctified?”  The answer to that question is that they confessed at one time that they were sanctified.  They claimed to be among the sanctified.  They cast their lot with the sanctified people of God.  They said before the church and the world that they were sanctified in Christ.  Now they deny that.  They had received the knowledge of the truth; now they want it no longer.  Thus they count the blood of the covenant an unholy thing, and they do despite to the Spirit of grace.

They are those Jews who were brought into the church, but who now return to their former Judaism.

This interpretation is not foreign to Scripture.  In II Peter 2:1, reference is made to people who belonged to the church, but now turn against the truth and become false prophets.  They are described in the text as “denying the Lord who bought them.”  Christ did not actually die for them and purchase them with His blood.  But they confess that this was so; and now they deny it.

What a powerful warning to us to be careful lest we too turn against that which once we confessed! 

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Additional Info

  • Volume: 8
  • Issue: 15
Hanko, Herman

Prof. Herman Hanko (Wife: Wilma)

Ordained: October 1955

Pastorates: Hope, Walker, MI - 1955; Doon, IA - 1963; Professor to the Protestant Reformed Seminary - 1965

Emeritus: 2001

Website: www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?speakeronly=true&currsection=sermonsspeaker&keyword=Prof._Herman_Hanko

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