We often do not understand the value of something we have until it is taken away and we no longer enjoy the benefits of it. For example, we might not appreciate our bicycle very much until it is stolen and we are forced to walk. Then we realize how great a blessing the bicycle was. Similarly, we cannot enjoy the benefits of having something without also accepting the responsibility that goes with it. If we do not oil our bicycle and put air in the tires, it won’t be long before it no longer works.
The inspired book of Hebrews in the Bible describes the tremendous value of the sacrifice Christ made to atone for our sins. But what are the consequences of ignoring or rejecting His sacrifice? What if we refuse to acknowledge the responsibility which comes with accepting Jesus’ sacrifice? Chapter 10, verses 26 through 39 say, “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries. A man who disregards Moses’ law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will he be judged worthy of, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance belongs to me,” says the Lord, “I will repay.” Again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. But remember the former days, in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great struggle with sufferings; partly, being exposed to both reproaches and oppressions; and partly, becoming partakers with those who were treated so. For you both had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an enduring one in the heavens. Therefore don’t throw away your boldness, which has a great reward. For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise. “In a very little while, he who comes will come, and will not wait. But the righteous will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul.”
Hebrews says that there are two conditions under which there are no longer any sacrifices for sin. The first part of chapter 10 points out that Jesus’ sacrifice paid for all sin, for all time. Those who accept His sacrifice on their behalf enter into a New Covenant in which God forgives their sin and gives them a nature which follows God’s laws from the heart. As verse 18 says, where sins have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for them. A sacrifice is no longer needed because the purpose of the sacrifice has already been fulfilled. The task has been completed.
However, verse 26 gives the second condition in which there is no sacrifice for sin. If we deliberately keep on sinning that is, continue in a sinful lifestyle, after we learn of Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf, no sacrifice is left. To express it another way, there is no sacrifice besides that of Christ which is sufficient to atone for our sins. If we reject what Christ has done; if we refuse His sacrifice, there is none other which God will accept. We must either come to God on the basis of Jesus’ sacrifice or face the consequences of our sin by ourselves.
There is another thing we can learn from this verse: We cannot use Jesus’ sacrifice as an excuse to do whatever we like. Our sin cost Jesus His life. Accepting His sacrifice as an atonement for our sin carries with it the responsibility to stop doing the things which made the sacrifice necessary. As the Apostle Paul writes, “…Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:1-2 NIV)
What are the consequences of continuing to sin, that is turning away from Jesus’ sacrifice, after we learn the truth? We will face God’s judgment. Simply put, if we turn away from the only thing which would save us from the consequences of our sin, the only other option is the fire of hell.
Hebrews points out that those who rejected the Law of Moses were put to death as a consequence. If the penalty for breaking the Law was so severe, then rejecting Christ’s sacrifice and the New Covenant to which the Law pointed, is even more severe. In the case of the Law, men judged those who broke it. But it is God who will judge those who break the New Covenant. What excuse could we possibly give to God if we turn away from the salvation and the eternal life He tried to give us?
Many people ignore the eternal consequences of sin in order to live their lives however they want right now. Conversely, Hebrews encourages us to remember the eternal benefits of being in Christ so that we can endure the hardships of this life. The people to whom the book is written had suffered insult and persecution for their faith in Christ. Their property had been confiscated. They had witnessed, and given aid to, people being thrown in prison because of their faith.
What was it that enabled them to endure this unjust treatment? It was because they knew that the privileges and possessions of this life are only temporary. They knew that their reward was with Christ in heaven. They were looking forward to lasting possessions.
However, when persecution becomes severe, when hardship goes on for a long time, it is easy to begin to doubt. It is easy to take our eyes off of our eternal reward and become discouraged. It is easy to lose our confidence.
Because of this, Hebrews reminds us that Christ will indeed return to reward those who have been faithful to Him. Though, from our perspective, it may seem like a long time, in comparison to eternity our troubles last only a short while. In comparison to the joys that await us in heaven with Christ, our hardships are very minor. As Paul writes, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 5:17-18 NIV) It is our forward-looking faith which enables us to persevere and endure hardship and persecution.