JoshT - you wrote:<br><br>"Note that in chapter 10, Paul speaks of one who "hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of His covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing." We know that an unbeliever cannot be sanctified by Christ's blood, and so this must refer to a believer that has fully rejected Christ after he has been sanctified by Him. "<br><br>In the first instance, I'm not sure if "sanctification" is ALWAYS via Christ's blood. The word may also have more than one meaning as a function of context.<br><br>Secondly, notice how the unbelieving spouse is 'sanctified' by the believer...<br><br> 1Co 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. <br><br>The spouse is STILL unregenerate...yet being 'sanctified'.<br><br>You must also recognize that the NT often speaks to 'us' as a corporate whole....making no real distinction between 'seed' that falls upon thorns, rocky ground, eaten by birds, trampled under foot...and that seed falling on good soil. When my pastor preaches....he's preaching to the covenent community (and some yet-to-confess individuals) as they have assembled on Sunday. All who gather to hear the Word of God within the covenent community get the SAME gospel, admonitions, exhortations, etc. Some 'hear'....others only SEEM to be 'hearing'. In the end, only the Elect actually "hear" and remain joined to their Savior by true faith in accordance with God's grace.