• Hebrews 10 emphasizes that salvation is found only in the distinctively Christian truths about Jesus Christ, not in the common ground shared with other religions or spiritual practices.
• The debate over losing salvation often comes down to whether a person was truly saved; those who say salvation can be lost believe a saved person can forfeit it, while others say a person who falls away was never truly saved.
• The key concern is not past experiences but whether a person is currently walking with Jesus Christ, as assurance comes from ongoing faith, not a one-time event.

Does Hebrews 10:26 indicate losing one’s salvation?

Hebrews 10:26 – For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.

Here in Hebrews 10, the simple idea that salvation is in Jesus Christ alone. The author of Hebrews wanted to press upon his audience that they should find no refuge in the common ground between Judaism and Christianity. There is common ground between Judaism Christianity, which he talks about it previously: repentance from dead works, ceremonial washings, baptisms, judgment, and so on (see Hebrews 6:1-2). There’s a common ground. But salvation is not found in that common ground.

Salvation is found in the things that are distinctively Christian: that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, that He died, and He serves as a wonderful high priest for His people. These Christians who came from a Jewish background were now facing persecution for their faith in Jesus. They were being tempted to retreat back into that common ground and forsake or forfeit the distinctive truths of Christianity. However, the author is very clear: there is no salvation in the mushy middle that Christianity may share with other religions or the spirit of the age. No, salvation is found in the things which are distinctively Christian.

Now, does that mean somebody can lose or forfeit their salvation? It’s a debated topic, but here’s the argument that I repeatedly come back to. The person who says, “Yes, you can forfeit your salvation” believes that a person was definitely saved and then definitely lost it. The person who says, “No, it’s impossible to forfeit your salvation” would say, “That person was never really saved.” To me, that’s basically an argument over words, since there’s not a light on your forehead that goes red to green when you’re truly saved.

Here’s what I want to impress. Those warnings are not given for nothing. This disturbs me about the “once saved, always saved” crowd. They believe these are only hypothetical warnings. I say this with great confidence: People who by every measure appear to be believers can end up going to hell. Therefore, we must persevere in our faith, and we’ve got to stay on ground that is distinctively Christian. That’s how I teach “problem passages” like this one. I don’t regard them as problems.

This question comes up pretty often. It’s very practical. Typically, the people asking the question know someone who apparently walked with the Lord. It’s rarely asked for themselves. It’s usually asked for somebody else. My question to them is, “Who are you talking about?” They respond that it’s their cousin or brother or wife, etc. My response is, “Well, are they walking with the Lord now? Are they in Christ? Salvation is in Christ. Are they in Christ?” Generally, the person will respond, “Now, well, no, they’re not.” At that point, what difference does it make whether they had it before or not? The only issue is, where are they now.

That person should take no comfort in a one-time past experience, like “I threw a pine and cone in the fire at a youth camp when I was 15,” or “I raised my hand” or “I went down at the altar call.” A person should find no comfort in that, even though I will allow maybe they were genuinely born again. Those experiences are not a place for them to find any comfort. The comfort comes when you ask, “Are you walking with Jesus Christ and placing your trust in Him today?” If they can say, “Yes, absolutely,” that’s the place of comfort and assurance.

In considering this as an academic question, we could talk all day long with people on both sides and rally our Scriptures in support of our positions. But in the end, the real issue in the Christian life is: are they in Christ now or not?

LIVE Q&A for August 21, 2025