Hebrews 10 - Does the Bible Talk About Church Attendance?

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 10

Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All

10 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2 Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. 4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

The author was writing to a Jewish audience who would have been very familiar with the nature of the sacrificial system. The sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin was offered once a year on Yom Kippur (the day of atonement). The blood of the innocent lamb was poured out and over the altar as symbol of the payment for sin. I.e. There is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood. 

But the author reasons that the sacrifice was tainted by the fact that they needed to do it year after year. If it truly cleansed the Israelites of their sin, why did they have to repeat it? The blood of the bulls and goats was more symbolic of the cleansing of their sin. The blood of the goats had no REAL POWER in permantly removing the sins of the people. 

5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 with burnt offerings and sin offering you were not pleased. 7 Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, my God.’”

8 First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. 9 Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

It wasn't that God was upset with the sacrifice and offerings, as they were given according to the Law. But, they were only a foreshadowing of a sacrifice which was much better and permanent. 

Repeatedly in the Old Testament God expressed His desire for obedience rather than sacrifice. - Guzik

11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

The sacrificial system was more than just the annual sacrifice, but every day the priests offered different types of sacrifices in the temple. But there was no real power in them to take away sin. But Jesus was a different kind of high priest. Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice for our sin. This was the once and for all sacrifice. Because it was God who gave Himself as a sacrifice it had the power to wipe away our sin forever. 

Jesus also gave himself as a sacrifice by dying on the cross for us, but he was also raised from the dead. Death could not keep its hold on him, because He was and is God. When Jesus rose from the dead, he went to the right hand of the Father. One day He will return to defeat his enemy, the devil. So while Jesus' death on the cross accomplished the forgiveness for us once and for all, we still battle against the evil one and our sinful nature. He tries to accuse us for our sins and telling us we don't deserve Jesus' forgiveness. But he knows his time is limited so he is trying to cause as much havoc as possible before the day Jesus comes back to put him back where he belongs. 

We were made holy by what Jesus did for us. Jesus made us holy and continues to make us holy. 

15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: 16 “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”[b] 17 Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”[c] 18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.

This holiness came from the Holy Spirit, who came upon them when they came to faith in Jesus. The giving of the Holy Spirit was a fulfillment of the prophesy from Jeremiah. Jeremiah talked about a time when God would put the Law in our hearts and write it on our minds. We are forgiven once and for all. We have been given the Holy Spirit, who continues to make us holy by residing in us. It's an inside job. 

The saints in the Old Testament had encounters with the Holy Spirit at certain times, places, and through different people. But at Pentecost the Holy Spirit came upon all people. The Holy Spirit not only led us to Christ, but He will lead us until the day of Jesus' return. 

A Call to Persevere in Faith

19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 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 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

The writer goes back to the Most Holy Place, where God dwelt by His Spirit. We are able to enter into the most holy place because of Jesus' body broken for us on the cross. It is the body of Christ that allows us into God's presence. 

For this reason we can be confident to come before God. Not because we are so holy, but He has made us holy. We can come sincerely and confidently because of faith, not works. This is why we never have to be shy to come to our heavenly Father. 

Then, the author uses the metaphor of water, as a sign of cleansing. It's interesting that as we look at the sacraments, the three elements used are water, bread, and wine. These are holy things that represent the promises brought by God through Jesus death on the cross. The water represents the cleansing waters of baptism. The water is God's means of grace as he claims us as his sons and daughter and we are born again by faith. 

The bread is Jesus' body broken for us for the forgiveness of sin on the cross. The wine is Jesus' blood poured out on the cross for the forgiveness of sins. The power is not in the water, bread, and wine but as they are connected in faith with God's promises, which are all fulfilled in Christ!

In verses 24-25, the author gives us a great reminder of how important it is for us to remind each other of these promises. At the end of the day we have been saved by Jesus' once and for all sacrifice to serve God and reveal His love to the world by love and good deeds. Our good deeds are never mistaken to have any sacrificial or sacramental value. They are done in thanks for what Jesus did for us 2,000 years ago. 

While the bible never commands church attendance, it tells us to "not give up meeting together AS ARE IN THE HABIT of doing." Did people sleep in on Sundays then too? Church attendance is law. Not giving up meeting together to encourage each other is gospel. Why? Because we need each other. We need to spur each other to love and good deeds, and also encouraging each other. 

The author says they should do this "more and more". If people aren't connected to a church (it doesn't matter which church), they are asking for it. Christianity is not a solo sport. And why do we need to meet more and more? Because the DAY is approaching. This is not any day, but the Day of the Lord. The day Jesus comes again to judge the living and the dead. 

26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d] and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”[e] 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

This is a little bit of a dicey passage. The writer says that if someone deliberately sins after having received a knowledge of the truth, there is no sacrifice of sins left. This seems to be opposite of the concept of a once and for all sacrifice. How does this person lose the sacrifice of sins? 

The best intepretation is that having knowledge of the truth does not lead to salvation. Even the devil can say, "Jesus is Lord". But true knowledge comes when we put our faith in Jesus, and what he did for us on the cross. This is the difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge. Many people know about Jesus, or even believe he was a real person who died on a cross. But this doesn't mean they have put their faith in Jesus and repented of their sin to follow him. 

The only other alternative is to subscribe to the "you can lose your salvation" theory. I don't believe in it, because if someone is born again they are a new creation. They are born again. They receive the Holy Spirit. You cannot be "un-born", become "un-created", or lose the Holy Spirit. You can quench the Spirit and prevent him working in your life as He would like to, but you can't lose Him. 

32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.”[f] 38 And, “But my righteous[g] one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”[h] 39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

The writer points to the days these believers were persecuted. They were most likely persecuted by their fellow Jews who didn't believe in Jesus. The writer urges them to persevere through the trials they are undergoing, and they will receive a reward for their faithfulness. He has reminded them that their confidence is the finished, all sufficient sacrifice Christ had made on their behalf. 

This might mean that they were tempted to go back to Judaism to avoid the persecution. The writer needed to remind them that the Old Testament law had no power to save because it was missing Jesus. They needed to not shrink back from persecution but to hold on to faith and be saved!