The Fourth Warning: Terrifying Judgment (10:26-39)

The Context and Superiority of Christ.  Chapters 7-10 are a comprehensive comparison of Christ's work to the work of the Old Covenant.  The author has shown that the Mosiac Law was meant to be temporal and Christ has made it "obselete" (Heb. 8:13) in favor of the blessings of the New Covenant.  In Hebrews 10:18 he says that since Christ has paid for sins once and for all, there is no more sacrificing.  Under the Old Covenant, a Jew had to continually sacrifice in order to receive forgiveness of sins and fellowship with God.  But that time has passed and the Hebrews are urged to "draw near" to God (Heb. 10:22) with confidence and assurance.

The Sin and Possible Problem.  After 10 chapters of the greatness of Christ and urging not to ignore it, the author warns against continual, habitual sin that completely ignores the work of Christ.  This is effectually "trampling underfoot the Son of God" (Heb. 10:29).

The Warning and Consequences.  The fourth warning is the most devasting and severe in Hebrews and possibly the whole New Testament.  The Hebrews have been completely cleansed of sins, but if they willfully stay in continual sin there remains only judgment, possibly a judgment worse than death.  Because Christ has finished his work with sin, there are not more sacrifices (Heb. 10:18) and we can draw near to God (Heb. 10:19-25).  At the moment of faith, a believer is justified (Rom. 5:1).  But to remain in fellowship with God, we must confess and turn from our sins (I John 1:3, 6, 9).  If we do not confess our sins and draw near to Him, we will recieve only judgment.  We cannot simply revert to the Old Covenant sacrificial system to regain fellowship with God.  "There no longer remains a sacfice for sins" (Heb. 10:26b)!  Therefore, the consequence of deliberate, sustained sin is not only loss of fellowship, but terrifying earthly judgment.

The Exhortation and Encouragement.  In verse 32, the author changes tone and reminds the Hebrews of how well they have done under persecution already. (Heb. 10:32-34).  He encourages them not to throw away their reward (Heb. 10:25), but to continue persevering so that they might attain it.  The author then continues with the famous "Hall of Faith," chapter 11, which he uses to encourage the Hebrews with the examples of their faithful forefathers.

Old Testament Examples.  Several of Old Testament passages on judgment are referred to here (Num. 15:20-31; Ex. 31:14-15; Deut. 17:2-6).

New Testament Cross References.  There are several New Testament examples of this type of severe punishment.  In Acts, Ananias and Saphira are struck dead because of their sin (Acts. 5:4-5, 8-10).  Paul gives a sinful man over to Satan for bodily destruction (I Cor. 5:5).  James warns of sins that could lead to physical death (Jam. 5:20).  John also warns of this (I John 5:16) and also uses the language of "shrinking away" in his first epistle (I John 2:12, 28; cf. Heb. 10:27-28).  But he also gives the enouragement that our sins are forgiven and that fellowship with God is restored when we confess our sins (I John 1:6, 9).