The concept of 'once' is significant because Christ's death was a single, complete sacrifice — He died once for sin and never needs to die again.
Scripture says Christ died unto sin once (Romans 6:10) and entered the holy place once by His own blood (Hebrews 9:12). Les Feldick emphasizes that 'once' is the key word throughout Hebrews — Christ is not coming back to the cross a second time, and believers are never to smite Him twice.
Romans 6:10 — This verse directly states that Christ died unto sin 'once,' answering the question with the exact word under consideration.
Hebrews 9:12 — It records that Christ entered the holy place once by His own blood, obtaining eternal redemption.
Romans 6:9-10 declares: 'Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.' Christ's resurrection means He will never die again — His death happened once. Hebrews 7:27 draws the same contrast: Christ 'needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.' The daily repetition of the priesthood is set against Christ's single offering. Hebrews 9:12 says Christ did not enter by 'the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.' The once-for-all nature of His death is the basis of eternal redemption.
Les Feldick stresses that 'once' is the key word running through the book of Hebrews — 'This Christ did once, over and over' (Clip 1). The implication is that Christ will never come back a second time to go to the cross; His sacrifice was accomplished at one time and nothing can repeat it. Les also ties this to Romans 6:10: 'For in that He died, He died unto sin... how many times? Once!' — noting that Hebrews repeats that Christ did this once and that it satisfies for all eternity (Clip 2). Les contrasts Christ with the human high priests of Israel. Those priests were mortal and had to offer sacrifices year after year; Christ, however, offered Himself once and obtained eternal redemption (Clips 3-4). Just as the high priest entered the holy place once a year, Christ entered the very presence of God once — with His own blood, not the blood of goats and calves (Clips 4, 6). Finally, Les draws on the Old Testament picture of Moses striking the rock: Christ was smitten for our offenses, and 'you don't smite Christ twice' — He went to the cross once (Clip 7). For the believer, this once-for-all death is also how old Adam is put to death, losing his control, so that the believer can walk in newness of life (Clips 0, 2).
Les teaches that the crucial word is 'again' — the emphasis in Hebrews is that believers are not to repeat something that has been done once before. Christ did this once, over and over, and 'nothing can ever cross that over' (Clip 1). The word 'once' therefore signals finality and completeness: Christ is not going to return to the cross a second time.
The high priests of Israel were human; they died and others had to take their place, so the sacrifices were exercised year after year after year. By contrast, the finished work of Christ happened once, and by that one offering He obtained eternal redemption (Clip 3). In the tabernacle picture, the high priest entered the holy of holies once a year with the blood of goats and calves, but Christ entered the heavenly holy place once with His own blood (Clips 4, 6).
Les connects the 'once' of Christ's death to Romans 6:10 — Christ died unto sin once in order to rid believers of old Adam. He uses the courtroom picture of a guilty defendant who dies before sentencing: the trial is over, and you do not try a dead man. In the same way, once old Adam is put to death, he loses his control over the believer (Clip 0).
Les references the Old Testament account of Moses striking the rock when Israel murmured for water. He points out that Moses struck the rock contrary to God's instruction, and the lesson is: 'you don't smite Christ twice.' Christ has been smitten for our offenses, and the word over and over is 'once' — He went to the cross once (Clip 7).
Old Adam's Death Ends His Control
Les uses the courtroom example of a condemned man who dies before sentencing — the trial is over because you do not try a dead man. In the same way, old Adam must die to lose his control, and Christ's once-for-all death is what accomplishes this.
'Once' — The Key Word in Hebrews
Les points out that the word 'once' appears repeatedly in Hebrews, and its message is that Christ is not coming back a second time to the cross — what He did once is finished and cannot be repeated.
Christ Died Unto Sin Once
Reading Romans 6:10, Les emphasizes that Christ died unto sin to rid believers of old Adam — how many times? Once. That single death satisfies for all eternity.
Christ vs. Yearly Priestly Sacrifices
Les contrasts the human high priests who died and were replaced, offering sacrifices year after year, with Christ's finished work — done once, and He obtained eternal redemption.
Entering the Holy Place Once
Les explains that unlike Israel's high priest who entered the holy place once a year, Christ entered the very presence of God once and presented His own blood.
The Blood of Christ Tied to His Death
Les insists that the blood of Christ cannot be separated from His death — Christ is the Passover, the one sacrifice for us that God was satisfied with.
Once for All — He Entered by His Own Blood
Les explains why Hebrews says 'once': Christ did not have to enter the heavenly tabernacle every year with the blood of goats and calves — He entered once for all by His own blood.
Don't Smite Christ Twice
Les compares Christ to the wilderness rock that Moses struck: Christ was smitten for our offenses, and 'you don't smite Christ twice' — He went to the cross once.
Romans 6:10: For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
This is the verse Les uses to show that Christ's death for sin happened one time and is never repeated.
Hebrews 7:27: Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
This verse contrasts the daily sacrifices of the priests with Christ's single offering of Himself.
Hebrews 9:12: Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
Les repeatedly cites this verse: Christ entered the holy place once, by His own blood, obtaining eternal redemption.
Numbers 20:11: And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
Les uses this Old Testament account to teach that Christ, the Rock, was smitten once and is not to be smitten twice.
It means His death for sin was a single event that never needs to be repeated. Romans 6:10 says He 'died unto sin once,' and Hebrews 9:12 says He 'entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.' Christ is raised from the dead and will not die again.
No. Les Feldick teaches that 'once' is the emphasis throughout Hebrews — Christ is not going to come back a second time to go to the cross. That was accomplished at one time, and nothing can change it (Clip 1).
The priests were human and died, so they had to offer sacrifices year after year. Christ, however, offered Himself once and obtained eternal redemption (Clip 3). The word 'once' marks the finished work of Christ as completely different from the repeated sacrifices.
Les refers to Moses striking the rock twice in Numbers 20 and applies it to Christ: Christ was smitten for our offenses once, and He went to the cross once. Believers are not to repeat or add to that single sacrifice (Clip 7).
Watch the Teaching: Romans 6:7-12 — Can a Believer Still Sin After Being Set Free?