BALANCE is the goal not only in our study of  “Amazing Grace” but all scripture. Just how SECURE is a Christian?
* Hebrews = not usually studied in a class on grace. Incredibly important!
* Background:
   a.) Law of Moses – Constantly refers to TEMPLE AND ANIMAL SACRIFICES
   b.) Temple – Holy Place/Holy of Holies/Ark of Covenant
         (Cries of animals/trumpets/songs/incense/and praises to God)
   c.) Leviticus 1 – Sacrifice for atonement described
   d.) Only High Priest could enter Holy place and ONLY on Day of Atonement (Yom
         Kippur)
   e.) Holy of Holies = the Shekinah – “GLORY OF GOD”. Blood offered for sins of the
        people here by the High Priest once a year.
   f.) Lev. 16 The curtain (or veil) that blocked the entrance to the Holy of Holies was torn
        when Jesus was crucified, evidencing God’s opening of this Most Holy Place to all
        who’d be saved through Jesus. The tearing of the veil also means that God himself
        is no longer hidden from his people. After all, this is where God dwelt. Because the
        “mercy seat” was above the ark of the covenant, we can now approach the “throne
        of grace” with confidence.
    g.) Lev. 16:2 “mercy seat”
    h.) Hebrews 4:16 “throne of grace”

1. “ONCE FOR ALL” and “PERFECT FOREVER”
    A. Hebrews 7-9
         1.) Hebrews 7:27-28
               a,) Here the author contrasts Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice with the constantly
                    repeated sacrifices of the priests at the Jewish temple, required by the Law
                    of Moses. Moreover, Jesus’ sacrifice made him “perfect forever.” No further
                    sacrifice will ever be required of Jesus.
         2.) Based on Hebrews 7:23-25 Read. (Jesus will never die = “save completely”
              Christians. His intercession for us is as unending as His life.
         3.) Now, we see that “forever” means for as long as Jesus lives. When he makes
              his followers “perfect forever,” that means for just as long as Jesus lives!
   B. Hebrews 9:11-12 Notice “once for all”
   C. Hebrews 9:25-28 “once for all” “to do away with sin”
        1.) Moses covenant = inferior because provided temporary salvation
        2.) After priest performed sacrifice/ sinner = forgiven until sinned again
        3.) Forgiveness was based on repeating the sacrifices
        4.) Forgiveness for Christian is continuous and unending.
        5.) Made perfect forever
    D. Hebrews 10:1-4 Notice …“it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly
         year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship…. Once for all….”
         1.) Hebrews 10:9-10, 12-14
              a.)  Here’s the gospel in a nutshell. Jesus offered one sacrifice which resulted
                    in the forgiveness of all those “being made holy” forever. Forever! Perfect
                    forever. Just as Jesus himself was made perfect forever by his obedient
                    sacrifice, so are his followers.We, of course, aren’t really perfect, but we
                    are counted as perfect. However, this assumes that we are yielding to
                    God’s efforts to make us holy in fact.
          2.) Hebrews 10:15-18
          3.) Hebrews 10:19-22
2. FALLING AWAY – Most severe warning in the Bible
    A. Hebrews 10:26-27 (cf. vs.18)
         1.) Baptized into Christ is ‘once for all’ no more …
    B. If we throw away salvation = no more sacrifice left.
    C. This is so bad, that Martin Luther questioned the inspiration of Hebrews!
3. Consider these things…
    A. This is only when we deliberately continue to sin…
    B. This is opposite of being penitent…
         1.) To be saved we must be penitent/ to stay saved… soft/penitent heart.
         2.) Practical terms: IF WE NO LONGER TAKE JESUS AS OUR LORD/TURN
              OUR BACKS ON HIM… OUR HEARTS BECOME HARD / WE ARE LOST
              AND CAN NOT COME BACK. (BEYOND REPENTANCE.)
    C. However, if a Christian has left the fellowship of the church, sinned greatly, and
         eventually repented and returns, then he cannot have fallen away (like the
         Hebrew writer refers to), because it’s impossible for those who’ve fallen away to
         repent. No more sacrifice for sin remains.
    D. Lk. 15 God is always ready to forgive…but if one comes to Jesus and receives his
         Spirit and then QUENCHES THE SPIRIT / TURNS AWAY AND REFUSES TO
         COME BACK… THERE IS NO MORE SACRIFICE.
         1.) I Timothy 4:2
         2.) 2 Peter 2:20-22
         3.) Hebrews 6:4-6
         4.) Hebrews 12:15; Dt. 29:18-20
              a.) Danger = relying on grace and think you are safe even though one persists
                   on going their way.
              b.) Falling away = the end of a bad path of rebellion, unbelief and 
                   disobedience. Dangerous because we can become INSENSITIVE to our
                   own sin.
              c.) Mark 4:18-19 “… the DECEITFULNESS of wealth…”
              d.) Hebrews 3:13 “sins deceitfulness”
         5.) THE DANGER OF SIN = THE DECEITFULNESS OF IT. GETTING FARTHER
              AND FARTHER AWAY FROM JESUS.
         6.) Just before the warning of Heb. 10:26ff the writer says, (Heb 10:23-25) “Let us
              hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24
              And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good
              deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of
              doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day
              approaching.

(Special thanks to Jay Guinn (oneinjesus.info) for his work on this lesson on Amazing Grace)