This is article 7 from the Confession of Thomas Helwys of 1611. I posted the entire confession in my thread titled "Earliest Confessions" in the Baptist History section:
7. That men may fall away from the grace of GOD, (Hebrews 12:15) and from the truth, which they have received &acknowledged, (Hebrews 10:26) .
Brother Rebel,
Another passage Hewey uses to support his notion that a child of God may not persevere until the end is Hebrews 10:26. Admittedly, on the surface this is a hard passage to understand and I can see how some can wrongfully interpret it to be speaking of a child of grace permanently falling away and losing his salvation.
The passage in context states, "26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:29 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?"
Notice verse 27, the person who commits this act possesses
a "certain fearful looking for of of judgment", thus this person cannot be one who has become unsaved seeing it is distinctly declared in the Scriptures of the unsaved, "The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart,
that there is no fear of God before his eyes" (Psalm 36:1). Further to contend that the text involves the doctrine of falling from grace does not hold up seeing that in the same chapter it is declared, that Christ "has by one offering
perfected forever them that are sanctified", and the Eternal God has declared concerning them, in this same connection, “I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I
remember no more.”
So if the passage is not referring to losing salvation, what is it referring to? The verse right before Hebrews 10:26, tells us
"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; ..." (Hebrews 10:25). This it is when a child of God church member willfully ceases the attendance of the assembly of believers (i.e. church). The very next verse says, " For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth..."As the forsaking the assembling of ourselves together is named in the immediate context, this particular sin as an example of sinning willfully. The Christian who absents himself from the assembling of the church, either does it willfully, if he absents himself by choice, having the ability and not the disposition, he sins willfully; and if he be a child of God, it is "after he has received a knowledge of the truth" as he is a member of the church.
What "sorer punishment" does remain for such a person who neglects willfully neglects the gathering of the saints after having knowledge of the truth? Not a burning hell, nor a separation from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, nor can he possibly lose his interest in the atoning blood once offered for him by our great High Priest. These he cannot possibly lose; for Christ has said of all his sheep for whom he laid down his life, “I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than all; and none shall be able to pluck them out of my Father’s hands. I, and my Father are one.” But still there is something that remains for this willful transgressor,There remains for him “a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” He who has received a knowledge of the truth, knows his God too well to believe that his willful transgressions will go unchastised. He knows full well that God will judge his people, but it is in this life, not in Hell afterwards for the same book of Hebrews explicitly tells us, "7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." (Hebrews 12:7-8)
Does this interpretation make sense to you brother Rebel in light of the context and as compared to the rest of the Bible?
God bless,
Brother Joe