Hebrews 10:26 a conversation

Hello darth_versive,
    
> darth_versive wrote:
> I'm just trying to make sense of the scriptures. If we
> take Hebrews 10:26, and certain other verses in Hebrews
> literally, then it seems that your statement would be correct
> (that presumably all Christians who have sinned since being
> saved are indeed going to hell).
>
> I'm not a theologian or a Bible scholar, but it seems to me
> that those who want to dismiss these verses, or explain them
> away, aren't making much sense, at least as I understand
> their arguments so far.
       
It seems to me that you are not ~really~ trying to make sense of the scripture in this case. You seem to have your mind made up even though others have given valid interpretations of this warning passage. Warning passages are rather tricky and it is easy to get hung up on them. There are many ways to understand warning texts. But, these texts must be understood along with all the other texts in scripture which address the believer's security.
        
Gary ______ presented one view by way of Zane Hodges. And that view has been called the loss-of-rewards view. In this view true believers are under discussion but the warnings address rewards and not salvation or eternal punishment.
     
That is one view. There are others. It would seem that your's is obviously the loss-of-salvation view at this point.
     
I would recommend The Race Set Before Us by Schreiner & Caneday. The book presents a good discussion of various views and discusses many warning texts, like He.10:26. The authors write that these warning texts serve as a means of God to preserve His people.
       
In your case, believing as you do, wouldn't you have a strong motivation to make every attempt to stop habitual sin? And, if you think you have lost what salvation there was for you, where else will you go for salvation? There is only one thing to do and that is to continue to rely on Christ no matter what and keep fighting sin. We must press on.
         
Also, keep in mind the author of Hebrews' conclussion in chapter 10, "Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: 'For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.' But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul."
    
     
Hang in there,
     
Jim