Sinning willfully refers to the act of deliberately and knowingly committing a sin, as mentioned in Hebrews 10:26 – “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.” This verse warns believers about the dangers of willful sin and its serious spiritual consequences. But what exactly constitutes willful sinning, and why is it so serious? Let’s explore this topic in detail.
Definitions of Willful Sinning
Willful sinning means to intentionally commit a sin with full knowledge that it is wrong and offensive to God. It is not accidental sin, or sin committed in ignorance or weakness. Rather, the person consciously chooses to engage in the sinful behavior, violating their conscience and God’s commands. Some key aspects of willful sin include:
- Deliberate: The person purposely and intentionally engages in the sinful act.
- Knowledge: They know that the act is sinful and contrary to God’s will as revealed in Scripture.
- Rebellion: Willful sin involves open rebellion against God’s authority and law.
- Habitual: Often willful sinning can become a habitual pattern.
- Unrepentant: The person continues in the sin without remorse or repentance.
So in summary, willful sinning means to defiantly and habitually engage in sin that you know is wrong, which springs from a rebellious heart. It goes beyond human weakness and involves conscious rejection of God’s ways.
Examples of Willful Sins
Many behaviors can potentially become willful sins when done in defiance of God. Some clear examples include:
- Idolatry: Worshipping false gods or pridefully elevating something above God (Colossians 3:5).
- Sexual immorality: Unrepentant involvement in sexual activities outside of marriage such as adultery, homosexuality, pornography (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5).
- Greed: A life focused on pursuing money and possessions in a selfish manner (Luke 12:15).
- Unforgiveness: Consciously refusing to forgive others when you know God calls you to (Matthew 6:15).
- Divisiveness: Deliberately spreading division and dissension between people (Romans 16:17).
- Drunkenness: Intentional overconsumption of alcohol and drunken behavior (Ephesians 5:18).
- False teaching: Spreading theological lies and heresies that contradict God’s Word (2 Peter 2:1).
Many other sins can also become willful when done knowingly and habitually in violation of God’s commands. The key is having a rebellious heart that is bent on sinning even when you know it’s wrong.
Dangers of Willful Sinning
Why is willful sinning so dangerous and serious? Hebrews 10 provides several warnings:
- It tramples Christ’s sacrifice: “A man who has violated the law of Moses dies without mercy…How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God” (Hebrews 10:28-29). Willful sin minimizes Christ’s atonement.
- It insults the Spirit: “How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has…outraged the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:29). Willful sinning grieves and disrespects the Holy Spirit.
- It incurs judgment: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). Continual willful sin stores up God’s wrath (Romans 2:5).
- It leads to spiritual death: “If we go on sinning deliberately…there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins” (Hebrews 10:26). Willful sin cuts us off from God’s grace.
So in summary, willful sinning: treats Christ’s sacrifice as worthless, insults the Spirit, brings God’s judgment, and leads to spiritual death by cutting us off from grace. This is why it is so dangerous and seriously warned against.
Controversies About Willful Sinning
Among Christian theologians, the topic of willful sinning has raised several key questions:
- Can genuine Christians commit willful sin? Or does willful sin prove someone was never saved?
- Is every willful sin unforgivable? Or only certain ones?
- Do willful sins permanently cut you off from grace? Or is repentance and restoration possible?
These issues have been vigorously debated throughout church history. Let’s review some of the major positions:
Non-Reversible Loss of Salvation
Some argue willful sinning causes irreversible loss of salvation. Verses like Hebrews 6:4-6 and 10:26-27 are said to teach that Christ’s sacrifice no longer applies to willful sinners, and it’s impossible to renew them again to repentance. Willful sinning thus permanently cuts one off from grace, proving their salvation was never genuine.
Forgivable if Repented Of
Others contend God stands ready to forgive any sin, including willful sin, upon repentance. While willful sinning has grave dangers if unrepentant, it does not completely cut believers off from Christ’s grace if they humbly confess it (1 John 1:9). They argue Hebrews is a warning, not stating it’s impossible for willful sinners to repent.
Loss of Rewards, Not Salvation
Some take a middle view, arguing willful sinning causes loss of eternal rewards, but not necessarily loss of salvation. Willful sin still damages intimacy with God and incurs discipline. But true believers cannot lose their redemption, even if they can forfeit blessings through disobedience.
Only an Unbeliever Would Willfully Sin
Finally, some claim true Christians would never commit willful, premeditated sin because God’s seed remains in them (1 John 3:9). They argue Hebrews 10:26-27 is describing unbelievers masquerading as believers. While Christians still sin, they do not sin willfully and habitually.
As we can see, views differ on the severity and permanence of the consequences of willful sinning for believers. But all agree it is a dangerous and rebellious way of living, with very serious spiritual ramifications.
How to Deal with Willful Sin
If you realize you are struggling with willful sin, how should you respond? Here are some biblical steps:
- Repent immediately: Ask God to forgive you and turn away from the sin (Acts 3:19). Forsake the sinful pattern.
- Recalibrate your heart: Seek to realign your desires with God’s will and pursue obedience from the heart (Psalm 51:10).
- Receive grace: Have confidence in Christ’s forgiveness when you confess sin (1 John 1:9). Rely on His power to overcome temptation.
- Remove influences: Avoid people, places, and things triggering your willful sin. Pursue accountability.
- Reaffirm faith: Do not throw away your confidence in Christ! Draw near to God in prayer and Scripture.
- Bear fruit: As you turn from sin, replace it with spiritual disciplines like Bible study, fellowship, and serving others.
While willful sin is extremely dangerous, do not despair if you have fallen into it. God’s grace is bigger than any sin when we humbly repent and turn back to Him. But we must not excuse or downplay willful sin, or we risk drifting further into rebellion. Take it seriously, and actively fight against it through dependence on Christ and the empowering of the Spirit.
Biblical Balance Regarding Sin
In navigating the topic of willful sin, it’s important to maintain biblical balance. Two key truths we must hold in tension:
- God’s grace is able to forgive and transform any sinner, no matter how outwardly rebellious, when they repent and believe the gospel (1 Timothy 1:15). Salvation is by grace alone through faith.
- At the same time, continual willful sinning and unbelief can demonstrate someone is not truly saved at all. Bad fruit reveals bad roots (Matthew 7:21).
We must avoid two extremes:
- Easy believism – claiming God’s forgiveness while remaining unchanged with no fruit.
- Salvation by works – thinking our obedience secures or maintains our redemption.
As John Piper says, “Our security is in God’s keeping, not our own…But the evidence of being kept is perseverance.” Through examining fruit and appealing to Scripture, we can have wise assurance of salvation without presumption or legalism.
Cultivating a Lifestyle of Repentance
The single best way to avoid willful sinning is to cultivate a consistent lifestyle of repentance:
- Stay in God’s Word: The Bible illuminates and convicts (Hebrews 4:12).
- Pray for openness: Ask God to reveal any blind spots and surrender to His light.
- Examine yourself: Evaluate your heart and behavior in light of Scripture to identify sinful patterns.
- Confess fully: Agree with God about the depth and darkness of your sin.
- Repent quickly: Do not delay turning from sin when convicted. Obey immediately.
- Pursue accountability: Invite others to ask hard questions about areas of struggle.
- Accept discipline: Embrace consequences for sin as part of the cleansing process.
- Lean on Christ: Rest in His work on the cross, not your own righteousness.
A heart set on pleasing Christ will continually acknowledge and turn from sin. This breaks the cycle of willful rebellion. Staying grounded in the gospel produces repentance and lasting change.
Conclusion
In summary, willful sin is intentionally committing sins against God’s commands from a rebellious heart. It brings severe consequences, yet God’s grace is bigger than any sin. If you struggle with willful sin, run to the cross, confess it fully, and make no excuses. God stands ready to forgive and empower those who humbly repent. And all believers must be on guard against willful sin’s deception, clinging to Christ daily as we pursue obedience not to earn favor, but because we already have favor through the gospel.