In this sermon, Pastor Matt explains what it means to ‘sin deliberately’, and how believers can hold fast to Jesus in humility, avoiding the icebergs of sin and destruction.
The Danger of Deliberate Sin
Introduction
In 1912, the Titanic, deemed unsinkable, set sail from Southampton, England, bound for New York City under the command of Captain Edward Smith. On April 14, despite multiple iceberg warnings, the ship maintained its speed of 22 knots to uphold its reputation. At 11:40 p.m., a lookout spotted an iceberg, but it was too late. The collision breached five watertight compartments—though the ship was designed to stay afloat with four. By 2:20 a.m. on April 15, the Titanic sank, claiming over 1,500 lives.
What sank the Titanic? An iceberg, yes. A captain’s decision, certainly. But something deeper doomed the ship—pride. This same pride can sink our Christian walk, threatening our faith. Let us turn to God’s Word to understand this danger and how to avoid it.
Prayer: Lord God, enlighten our minds to understand Your Word and apply it to our lives. Exhort us where we need exhortation, encourage us where we need encouragement, and grant us wisdom to discern the difference. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The Warning of Deliberate Sin
Hebrews 10:26 (ESV) states, “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.” This is God’s Word, and it is true: persistent, deliberate sin after receiving the gospel leaves no further sacrifice for sins. To grasp this, we must first be clear about the gospel.
The Gospel of Grace
Jesus Christ, the righteous, died for the unrighteous (1 Peter 3:18). By faith in Him, we are saved—not by our works, but by His perfect sacrifice on the cross. Titus 3:5 (ESV) declares, “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy.” No matter your past—whether a murderer, addict, adulterer, thief, liar, or even a politician—if you trust in Jesus, you are saved by His sacrifice alone. When we confess our sins, “he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, ESV).
What Is Deliberate Sin?
If salvation is by grace, how can Hebrews warn that deliberate sin nullifies the sacrifice for sins? Doesn’t much of our sin feel deliberate? The key lies in understanding what “sinning deliberately” means in this context. It’s more than willful sin; it’s what the Old Testament calls a “sin of a high hand.”
Numbers 15:30-31 (ESV) explains, “But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the Lord and has broken his commandment.” A sin of a high hand is committed with full knowledge, despising God’s Word and character. It is arrogant sin—sin that proudly elevates self above God.
In the New Testament, we see similar warnings. Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:15 (ESV), “If you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” In the parable of the sheep and goats (Matthew 25:31-46), those who fail to serve the least of Christ’s brothers are condemned, revealing an arrogance that disregards God’s call to love. 2 Peter 2:20-21 (ESV) warns, “For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.” Here, sin entangles and overcomes, leaving one worse off than before knowing Christ.
Paul, the apostle of grace, also warns in Galatians 5:19-21 (ESV), “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Even sins like envy or division, often overlooked, can define a life that rejects God’s kingdom if pursued unrepentantly.
Hebrews 6:4-6 (ESV) further clarifies, “For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened… and then have fallen away, to renew them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.” Falling away is not merely sinning but a sustained, callous rejection of Christ’s worth, refusing repentance. Deliberate sin, then, is arrogant sin—knowing God’s Word and proudly ignoring or despising it.
The Titanic of Pride
The Titanic sank not just because of an iceberg but because pride drove it at full speed through dangerous waters. Similarly, in our Christian walk, icebergs of sin are inevitable. The difference between sinking and surviving lies in humility versus pride. Psalm 147:6 (ESV) says, “The Lord lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground.” James 4:6 (ESV) echoes, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Consider King David, who crashed spectacularly into sin with Bathsheba. Yet, he was saved because of his humility. In Psalm 51:17 (ESV), he writes, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” The humble, not the proud, receive God’s grace. Jesus affirms, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5, ESV). The distinction in Scripture is often not between believers and unbelievers but between the humble, who are forgiven, and the proud, who are not.
Five Antidotes to Deliberate Sin
Hebrews 10:24-31 provides five antidotes to keep us from arrogant, deliberate sin:
- Fellowship (Hebrews 10:24-25)
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.” Fellowship with believers exhorts us, keeping us accountable and humble. Do not neglect gathering with God’s people. - Look to the Son (Hebrews 10:29)
“How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God?” Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12:2). Seeing Christ’s sacrifice humbles us, steering us away from prideful sin. - Remember the Covenant (Hebrews 10:29)
“…and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified.” The Lord’s Supper, the sign of the new covenant in Christ’s blood (Luke 22:20), reminds us of His sacrifice. Returning to the cross keeps us from living in sin while claiming His grace. - Rely on the Spirit of Grace (Hebrews 10:29)
“…and has outraged the Spirit of grace.” The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of grace, empowers us to live in loving obedience, not out of obligation but from a heart transformed by God’s free grace. - Stand in Awe of God (Hebrews 10:30-31)
“For we know him who said, ‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay.’ And again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Awe of God’s holiness and justice humbles us, reminding us of the consequences of unrepentant sin and the joy of standing forgiven in His presence.
Conclusion
The Titanic plowed proudly into disaster, ignoring warnings. In our lives, sin’s icebergs are unavoidable, but we need not sink. Slow down, humble yourself, and avoid spiritual disaster. Those who persist in deliberate, arrogant sin face a “fearful expectation of judgment and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries” (Hebrews 10:27, ESV). Yet, for the humble, there is grace and mercy.
This message is not to condemn but to awaken. Like Nathan confronting David, God’s Word calls us to repentance. If you are blinded by sin, cry out, “Have mercy on me, O God!” (Psalm 51:1, ESV). Do not wait until it’s too late, for there is no other sacrifice, no other Christ. It is fearful to fall into the hands of the living God, but it is joy and grace to stand washed in the blood of the Lamb.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your mercy that saves us and Your power that holds us fast. Thank You for Your Word that warns us. When we stray, have mercy on us. Break through to any soul blinded by sin, that they may humble themselves and turn to You. May we all fear and know You, living humbly before Your mighty hand. In Jesus’ name, Amen.