Are people who sin willfully apostate based on Hebrews 10:26-29; 6:4-6; Numbers 15:24-31; 2 Peter 2:20-22 regardless of whether they have professed and experienced salvation. Such people might have sinned many times presumptuously.
Can they be restored and forgiven or is it possible that they have crossed "a line of no return" despite their longing for mercy and hope?
If such a person cannot be forgiven and are set for damnation, how should they live their lives?
The question deals with certain scriptures that appear to provide no path to salvation for those who willfully sin and/or fall away from the faith after having believed in the Gospel. But even though the warnings against this are severe, the authors do not close the door to forgiveness.
Hebrews 10:26-29
26 If we sin deliberately after receiving knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains sacrifice for sins 27 but a fearful prospect of judgment and a flaming fire that is going to consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who rejects the law of Moses is put to death without pity on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Do you not think that a much worse punishment is due the one who has contempt for the Son of God, considers unclean the covenant-blood by which he was consecrated, and insults the spirit of grace?
The important thing to know about this passage is that it is directed to first-century Christians who - the author believed - were backsliding into Judaism. He is warning them that there are dire consequences for this. So he prefaces this passage by saying in 10:23:
Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy.
This refers back to the idea that Jesus is the high priest who atones for sin. In addition to warning believers not to backslide, the author is should also be understood to urge the lapsed to return to faith in Jesus. Thus in chapter 4 he writes:
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. 16 So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.
Numbers 15 deals with the situation under the Mosaic Law. It teaches there is no forgiveness for certain sins. However, the New Testament teaches that under the Gospel of grace, "every sin will be forgiven," including most forms of blasphemy. (Revelation 3:20)
Regarding 2 Peter 20-21:
For if they, having escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of [our] Lord and savior Jesus Christ, again become entangled and overcome by them, their last condition is worse than their first. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment handed down to them.
Again, the context is crucial here. It does not refer to Christians who have intentionally sinned and now seek forgiveness, but those who have become so "entangled" in defilements that they do not even seek God's mercy. At the beginning of the chapter, the author refers to:
False teachers among you, who will introduce destructive heresies and even deny the Master who ransomed them, bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their licentious ways, and because of them the way of truth will be reviled.
However, although the warning is stern, the door is not closed to those who have fallen away, if they repent. The promise of Jesus remains, even for those who have willfully sinned and turned away from the faith. The parables of the Lost Sheep and the Prodigal Son teach this most eloquently, as does one of the last sayings of Jesus recorded in the NT:
Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.
Conclusion: In the end, those who fear they are damned as "apostate" may find that they were only "lapsed" once they turn back to God.
Yes. Every sin is a willful sin as we consciously make the decision to either commit the action, or to not take action when required. If we repent of that sin, stop doing it or correct action, and we confess our sin to our Father in heaven, He is faithful to forgive us (1 John 1:9).
The first audience perspective is necessary to understand Heb. 10:26-29. Remember that the book of Hebrews was written about AD 65-66 (here). The Jews were still operating under the old law and taking animal sacrifices to the temple in Jerusalem. The author's point was that if they sinned again (a willful sin) they didn't have to continue to take another animal to be sacrificed at the temple. There remained no more, or no other sacrifice for sin than the one sacrifice that Jesus had already made. Jesus is our only sacrifice now.
The warning that every sin we commit scorns Christ's sacrifice for us is dire if we do not stop sinning. In that case, we trample His sacrifice under our feet, and count it as nothing. There is no forgiveness where there is no true repentance.
See a more full discussion of Heb. 10:26 here ShreddingTheVeil.
Num. 15:24-31 addressed sins committed in ignorance of the law, allowing for certain sacrifices carried out by the high priest for the entire congregation, as the sins of one may have affected the entire congregation. However, the sins deliberately and knowingly transgressing the law with "a high hand" (vs. 30), indicating rebellion against God (violence or idolatry) which showed complete disregard or despising God's word were punishable by either death, or excommunication. So certain ignorant sins, errors lacking knowledge of the law could be covered by an animal sacrifice by the high priest. See commentaries at Biblehub.
The sins of 2 Pet. 2:20-21 echo the sins of Num. 15 where anyone that rejects the word of God, the gospel of Christ and returns to a false worship, turning away and going astray (vs. 15) after pagan beliefs and idol worship. 2 Pet. 2:20-21 is speaking of apostasy. Under the gospel of Christ there is always a chance to repent and beg His forgiveness. If they die before repenting of their apostasy, then all chances for forgiveness are gone. See discussions on 2 Pet. 2:20-21 in the commentaries at Biblehub.
Numbers 15 can be related to the severity and level of sin, as mentioned in 1 John 5:16, about the classification of sins leading to death, and those that do not lead to death. Also, see Lev. 16, about atonement for intentional sins. There is no sin that cannot be forgiven, the condition is repentance alone, cf. Ezekiel 18 and 33. Furthermore, the verse about blasphemy of the holy spirit being unforgivable is rhetorical. Things should be interpreted in context.
The reference of the reprobates in Hebrews 10:26-29; 6:4-6 is a general characterization of the sinners. The language of the "impossible" to restore, or the child of God not capable of sin, 1John 3:9, refers to the general character of such people, referring to the likelihood of people's repenting to righteousness, or to unrighteousness.
The good news of Jesus is about forgiveness, redemption and hope in God, thus, the believers should positively focus on the eagerness of God to forgive our sins. 1John 1:9 NJB "if we acknowledge our sins, he is trustworthy and upright, so that he will forgive our sins and will cleanse us from all evil".
