The Hebrew believers were Jews and had been in Judaism for years. Now that they were Christians, if they still wanted to go back to Judaism, if they still wanted both, that is, if they wanted to stand on the ground of Judaism and also wanted to stand on the ground of Christianity, there would no longer remain a sacrifice for sins. In ancient times, the Chinese worshipped idols. The Temple of Heaven in Beijing was the place where emperors offered sacrifices. There men killed bulls and offered them to the highest deity in heaven. It was the earthly emperor offering up sacrifices to the highest deity in heaven in order to redeem the sins of the people. Suppose the earthly emperor believed in the Lord Jesus. Do you think that he could go back to the Temple of Heaven to offer sacrifices? After he received Christ as the sacrifice for sin, he could not go back to the Temple of Heaven to offer sacrifices anymore. Either he took the Temple of Heaven or the Lord Jesus. This is what the Bible means by sinning willfully. This is not a matter of sin in our conduct.

Verse 26 continues, "There no longer remains a sacrifice of bulls and goats for sins." The words "no longer" mean "again." Whenever the words "no longer" appear, this shows that there must be something in the foregoing verses. Some misunderstand the Word of God. They think that the sentence, "There no longer remains a sacrifice of bulls and goats for sins" implies perdition. This is absolutely not God's thought.

We have to look at Hebrews 7:27b, which says, "For this He did once for all when He offered up Himself." This tells us that after the Lord Jesus offered up Himself once before God as the sacrifice for sins, everything was fully accomplished. Please take heed to the word "once." Let us take a look at Hebrews 9:12b, which says, "Entered once for all into the Holy of Holies, obtaining an eternal redemption." Here it tells us again that the Lord Jesus offered Himself only once, and then the work of redemption was eternally accomplished. Let us look at the word "once" again. Hebrews 9:25-28 says, "Nor in order that He might offer Himself often, just as the high priest enters into the Holy of Holies year by year by the blood of other creatures; since then He would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world. But now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested for the putting away of sin through the sacrifice of Himself. And inasmuch as it is reserved for men to die once, and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time to those who eagerly await Him, apart from sin, unto salvation." Twice these verses mention "often," and twice the word "once" is used in reference to Christ. Not often, but once for all, Christ offered Himself up before God as the sacrifice for sins and completed the work of redemption. Please take heed to the word "often" and the word "once" here.

Hebrews 10:10 says, "By which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Verse 12 says, "But this One, having offered one sacrifice for sins, sat down forever on the right hand of God." Verse 14 continues, "For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." The earthly priests had to offer sacrifices to God time after time. Yet, Christ offered Himself only once, and we are sanctified. After Christ offered Himself once as the eternal sacrifice, He sat down on the right hand of God. He sat down because He does not have to work anymore. He offered Himself once, and we are eternally perfected. Since He has already completed His work, there is no problem anymore.