We know this is not saying all believers have already been made perfect by virtue of their profession of Christ, because the Book of Hebrews includes severe warnings to Christians who are not pressing into the rest of God.

What does it mean, "those who are sanctified"?

To be sanctified is to be set apart as holy to the Lord. It is the same as abiding in Christ.

The believer who, upon receiving Christ as his Lord and Savior, proceeds to take up his cross and follow the Master is sanctified. He and all that he does and possesses is set apart as holy to the Lord. The guilt of sin is no longer a problem. He is without condemnation. His conscience is clear. No further sacrifice is needed.

Will the Lord deal with him concerning the sins he commits? Of course He will.

But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. (I Corinthians 11:32)

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. (Revelation 3:19)

But when the sanctified one sins and is made aware of his sin he immediately confesses his sin to the Lord. The Lord is faithful and righteous to forgive his sin and to cleanse him from all unrighteousness.

So on he goes, marching along in the light of God's perfect will, washed in the blood of the Lamb, free from all condemnation.

The key to understanding Hebrews 10:14 is the expression "those who are sanctified." Unfortunately those who in our day "make a decision for Christ" or "accept Christ" do not always choose to then abide in Him each day. They have been taught that they now are "saved," and even though they should try to behave properly to show their appreciation to the Lord for saving them, if they should choose to lead a worldly, sinful life they will go to Paradise when they die anyway because they have been "saved" by grace.

We have seen, then, that these two verses, one in John and one in the Book of Hebrews, are being used as major premises. Conclusions drawn from them affect the manner in which we interpret the New Testament. We have defined salvation according to these and similar passages, such as the following:

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9,10)

The above passage is not only an instantaneous experience, it is a way of living. We always are to be confessing with our mouth the Lord Jesus. We always are to be believing in our heart that God has raised Him from the dead and are to be living by the power of that resurrection. We always are to be living in righteousness and salvation.

To be continued.