Playing with Fire: The Cost of Willful Sin

[David]

“We are not of those who draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul” (Hebrews 10:39).

Look around the church today. The lights are bright. The music is loud. The crowds are large, but the spiritual power is fading. Conviction has been exchanged for comfort, holiness for hype, and truth for trends. People want a quick inspiration without a life-changing transformation. They want to feel close to God while living far from Him. Yet Hebrews 10 speaks right into our generation’s heart: God doesn’t call us to comfort; He calls us to commitment.

“Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin” (Hebrews 10:18). That’s the foundation, Christ’s sacrifice was once for all. There’s no Plan B, no backup system. Jesus paid it all, and that means there’s no other altar to run to when we sin. The question isn’t whether forgiveness is available, it’s whether we’re living like we’ve actually received it.

The writer urges us, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22). That means sincerity, not show. God isn’t impressed by how well we perform church; He’s looking for hearts that are fully His. Then he says, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for He is faithful that promised” (Hebrews 10:23). When the world shakes, hold steady. When truth is mocked, stand tall. Don’t let the culture loosen your grip on Christ.

But then comes a thunderclap of warning: “If we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment” (Hebrews 10:26–27). In other words, if we treat grace like a game, we’re playing with fire. God’s mercy is deep, but His holiness is real. You can’t trample on the blood of Jesus and expect peace in your soul. That’s not just rebellion, it’s spiritual suicide.

This is the cancer in much of the modern church. We preach a cross that saves but not one that sanctifies. We talk about grace but forget about repentance. We’ve got churches filled with people who know the truth but live like it doesn’t matter. But “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). God’s hands are either your safety or your sentence, depending on where you stand with His Son.

Yet this passage doesn’t just warn; it also reminds. The writer says, “Call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions” (Hebrews 10:32). Remember when your faith was strong? When you stood firm even when the world mocked you? When you rejoiced to suffer for Christ’s name because you knew you had a better reward waiting? Somewhere along the way, many lost that fire and settled for a faith that doesn’t cost anything. But verse 35 says, “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.”

Don’t throw away your confidence when the heat gets turned up. Don’t trade your crown for comfort. You may be tired, but you’re not done. You may be pressed, but you’re not crushed. God didn’t bring you this far to let you fall now. “The just shall live by faith” (Hebrews 10:38). Faith isn’t just believing once, it’s believing still. It’s trusting when it hurts. It’s holding on when everything says let go.

So, child of God, stand firm. The world is changing, but the Word has not. The hour is dark, but our hope is alive. Don’t shrink back, don’t sell out, and don’t silence your witness. Jesus paid for more than Sunday religion, He paid for your life. Live it boldly. Because when it’s all said and done, it won’t be the crowd that matters, but the cross.