Hebrews 10:1-18

Introduction: The Sufficiency of Christ's Once-for-All Sacrifice

We will split Hebrews chapter 10 into three or possibly four messages. The verses we examine this evening are essential for properly interpreting the fourth warning passage in Hebrews 10:26-31, a difficult and controversial text often misused as a proof text by those who deny the sufficiency of Christ's work and claim a true believer can lose salvation.

This passage declares the perfect, accomplished, completed, and sufficient work of Jesus Christ—offered once, at the exclusion of ever needing to be offered again. This sacrifice perfects the salvation of the believer, leading them to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, be conformed to His image, die more to sin, and live lives glorifying to God.

The work of Christ explicitly denies the possibility of a true believer failing to persevere to the end. This is not mere "once saved, always saved," where one makes a momentary profession, shows no fruit, no submission to Christ's lordship, and lives like a child of Satan with no consequences. Rather, true faith in the gospel, united in the heart—not mere lip service—results in a lifestyle of perseverance and endurance to eternal salvation, as presented in Hebrews 10:1-18.

The Inability of Old Testament Sacrifices

For the Law, having a shadow of the good things to come and not the very image of the things, and never with these same sacrifices which they offer continually, year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered, for the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins, but in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats take away sins.

Hebrews 10 provides further explanation of Old Testament sacrifices: their uselessness to make the worshipper perfect, but their usefulness to remind the worshipper of sin. That was their intended purpose.

The author's logic is clear: if these sacrifices could save—accomplish complete salvation with no further need for atonement or mediation—they would have stopped. But they continued year after year, proving their inability. In contrast, Christ's New Testament sacrifice purifies from sin, presents us to God as not guilty, declares us righteous through Christ's alien righteousness, and initiates a process of conformation to that declaration.

For first-century Jewish Christians facing persecution to abandon Christ and return to Levitical sacrifices, this warns against forsaking the perfect, completed salvation in Christ for a system that cannot save but only reminds of sin and guilt. As Paul said, the law was a schoolmaster to lead to Christ. Old Testament saints looked forward to Christ's death in faith.

In moments of doubt, weakness, or persecution—when Christianity feels futile—remember the law exposes our guilt. As Paul said, the law revealed his deadness in sin. James teaches breaking one commandment makes us guilty of all. John 3:18 states, "He who believes in Him is not judged, but he who does not believe has been judged already."

Abandoning Christ for worldly joys or old systems returns us to guilt under God's wrath. John the Baptist warned in John 3:36: "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." Any system without Christ leaves one under abiding wrath.

In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you had no pleasure... Behold, I have come to do your will, O God. He takes away the first [covenant] that he may establish the second.

God took no pleasure in repetitive sacrifices; He delighted in Christ's death. Isaiah 53:10: "Yahweh was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief... as a guilt offering." Christ's work fully pleased the Father, satisfying His wrath. To claim imperfect salvation implies the Father could be displeased with the Son's work—contrary to Scripture.

Understanding God's wrath creates urgency in evangelism and deepens devotion to Christ, securing believers from wrath forever. Our future judgment is for rewards, not punishment—a trustworthy gospel producing perseverance.

God's Intended Purpose: Salvation in Christ's Death

Therefore... He said, "Behold, I have come—in the volume of the book it is written of Me—to do Your will, O God." Previously saying, "Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them" (which are offered according to the Law), then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God."

Salvation was always intended in the death of God's Son, not external sacrifices. Micah 6 asks what pleases God—not thousands of rams, but to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him. Christ's sacrifice bridges the gap.

The Result of Christ's New Testament Sacrifice

By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God... For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

Three key results emerge.

First Sanctification: Set Apart for God's Purpose (v. 10)

"By that will... we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all"—once, excluding repetition. This initial sanctification separates believers unto God for His purpose, not ours (Jeremiah 18:6; Romans 9:21).

God's will includes:

• Your salvation (2 Peter 3:9)—He delays judgment for repentance.
• Progressive sanctification—made holy, sin removed, controlled by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:17-18), not flesh or substances.
• Submission to authority (1 Peter 2:13-15)—for gospel witness.
• Suffering for Christ (2 Timothy 1:8; 1 Peter 3:17)—perseverance through trials, as in Acts.
• Spreading the gospel—quantitatively to unbelievers (Acts 2), qualitatively to believers (Romans 1:15-16).

Second Sanctification: Perfected Forever, Progressively Holy (v. 14)

The Holy Spirit also witnesses to us... "This is the covenant that I will make with them... I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them... Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer any offering for sin."

By one offering, Christ "perfected forever those who are being sanctified"—an uninterruptible state for those progressively sanctified by the Spirit, delivered from sin's power to do good works (Titus 2:14; Ephesians 2:10).

Good deeds are gospel-motivated, not legalistic (causing salvation). They are:

• Divinely initiated, not self-ambition.
• Gospel-driven, not agenda-pushing.
• Advancing the gospel, not hindering it—lifestyle matching profession (Titus 2:7-8).
• Examples in sound doctrine, marriages, sobriety, no gossip—representing Christ well.

We obey not for salvation, but because gospel possessors do. Progress varies, but any growth glorifies God—He increases, we decrease.

This congregation encourages: lives matching profession through love and service (1 Timothy 5). True salvation produces love for one another. Recognizing guilt apart from Christ makes Christ's salvation irresistible, yielding God-centered joy amid trials.