"If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left...You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." Hebrews 10:26 & 36
John 3:16 tells us that whoever believes in Christ will be saved - we can take comfort and refuge in this. And Romans 6:23 tells us that eternal life is a FREE gift from God! But the author of Hebrews addresses an issue that faces every believer - God's gift of life and His grace are free, but we should not take advantage of or cheapen them.
Hebrews 10:26-27 tells us that when we continue by choice to sin, and we know that it is sin, that there is no sacrifice left for those sins, "only a fearful expectation of judgment and raging fire that will consume the enemies of God." When you and I continue to choose to sin rather than to persevere and fight against sin in our own lives, we could be considered enemies of God! Now let's get this straight - you and I will sin, but look at verse 26 above, the word "deliberately" is deliberately written! And the following phrase "keep on sinning" is so important - we're not talking about a one-time screw up. We're talking about you or I willfully, defiantly and continually choosing our own way over God's way. If our hearts are that rebellious against the one we claim as Lord and Savior, then there is a chance we may be enemies of God.
Hebrews 10:28 reminds the listeners that under the law of Moses, any one of them would have died simply based on the witness of two or three other people. V 29 says, "How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?" That willful, defiant and continual selfish sinning is considered trampling over Christ and treating what He did on the cross as unholy or insignificant. It is an insult against the grace that God freely gives. In verses 30-31, we are told that The Lord will avenge and judge and we do not want to "fall into the hands of the living God."
The author of Hebrews encourages and fills the readers with hope: in verses 32-34 he reminds them of what they were like when they first believed the good news of Christ. Do you remember that time in your own life? There was a passion and fire that had been lit by the awesome work of God, on the cross and in your life. Why that passion and fire? "Because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions" (v. 34b). What had been given to you was greater than anything.
And so we're led to the conclusion, which does not need to be explained or summarized: "So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised" (Hebrews 10:35-36).
Is there a sin area of which you are unwilling to let go? Do you hold tight-fisted onto an idea of freedom - eating whatever you want, self-indulgence, a perfect body, ease & comfort - that is actually holding you in bondage and making you an enemy of God, trampling His grace and work on the Cross? Remember what it was to first believe; the freedom and joy in Christ being everything to you. Persevere and throw off all of the sin that hinders you in your relationship with Him. Don't believe a false gospel, that God's grace means you can do anything you want. Don't cheapen His grace, but instead, respond to it in trust and faith through obedience and love.
God, Thank You for Your free grace. Thank You for the free gift of eternal life with You. Lord, help me to trust You and to walk in faith. Help me to say no to what I want and to believe that You are better than anything I think I want. You are great and I praise You for not wanting me to continue in my sin, but for caring so much that You free and cleanse me from my sin. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
John 3:16 tells us that whoever believes in Christ will be saved - we can take comfort and refuge in this. And Romans 6:23 tells us that eternal life is a FREE gift from God! But the author of Hebrews addresses an issue that faces every believer - God's gift of life and His grace are free, but we should not take advantage of or cheapen them.
Hebrews 10:26-27 tells us that when we continue by choice to sin, and we know that it is sin, that there is no sacrifice left for those sins, "only a fearful expectation of judgment and raging fire that will consume the enemies of God." When you and I continue to choose to sin rather than to persevere and fight against sin in our own lives, we could be considered enemies of God! Now let's get this straight - you and I will sin, but look at verse 26 above, the word "deliberately" is deliberately written! And the following phrase "keep on sinning" is so important - we're not talking about a one-time screw up. We're talking about you or I willfully, defiantly and continually choosing our own way over God's way. If our hearts are that rebellious against the one we claim as Lord and Savior, then there is a chance we may be enemies of God.
Hebrews 10:28 reminds the listeners that under the law of Moses, any one of them would have died simply based on the witness of two or three other people. V 29 says, "How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?" That willful, defiant and continual selfish sinning is considered trampling over Christ and treating what He did on the cross as unholy or insignificant. It is an insult against the grace that God freely gives. In verses 30-31, we are told that The Lord will avenge and judge and we do not want to "fall into the hands of the living God."
The author of Hebrews encourages and fills the readers with hope: in verses 32-34 he reminds them of what they were like when they first believed the good news of Christ. Do you remember that time in your own life? There was a passion and fire that had been lit by the awesome work of God, on the cross and in your life. Why that passion and fire? "Because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions" (v. 34b). What had been given to you was greater than anything.
And so we're led to the conclusion, which does not need to be explained or summarized: "So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised" (Hebrews 10:35-36).
Is there a sin area of which you are unwilling to let go? Do you hold tight-fisted onto an idea of freedom - eating whatever you want, self-indulgence, a perfect body, ease & comfort - that is actually holding you in bondage and making you an enemy of God, trampling His grace and work on the Cross? Remember what it was to first believe; the freedom and joy in Christ being everything to you. Persevere and throw off all of the sin that hinders you in your relationship with Him. Don't believe a false gospel, that God's grace means you can do anything you want. Don't cheapen His grace, but instead, respond to it in trust and faith through obedience and love.
God, Thank You for Your free grace. Thank You for the free gift of eternal life with You. Lord, help me to trust You and to walk in faith. Help me to say no to what I want and to believe that You are better than anything I think I want. You are great and I praise You for not wanting me to continue in my sin, but for caring so much that You free and cleanse me from my sin. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
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