WARNINGS (V)

We are now over halfway through our series on the “warning” passages found in the book of Hebrews. We have seen how they play on one another, the first warning is found in Hebrews 2:1-4 and is a warning not to drift away from the faith or slip into old ways in hopes of avoiding persecution. The second “warning” is to not doubt the Word of God and is found in Hebrews 3:7-19, this warning refers to not doubting the promises that are found in the Word of God. The third warning was discussed last week but can be found in Hebrews 5:11-6:3, this warning is about becoming dull towards the Word. Many have treated their relationship with God as something that needs to be checked off of their list of things to do, they are not actively spending time studying His Word and therefore cannot allow the Holy Spirit to work through them. This week we are discussing the fourth “warning” which is found in Hebrews 10:26-31.

“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,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

When someone has begun to drift from the Word, they then begin to doubt it, which in turn leads to becoming dull to the Word. Once someone has become dull to the Word, they then begin to despise it. In the passage above, we see that the warning comes with the word “deliberately” found in Hebrews 10:26. When a person has begun to despise the Word, they act on it by deliberately sinning. It is an attitude of repeated sinning with no measure of repentance to it. As Christians, we will sin because we still have our sin nature. What makes us different from the rest of the world is the embodiment of the Holy Spirit, when we sin the Holy Spirit will convict us until we turn to God with a contrite heart.

For the person who has begun to despise the Word, this act of coming before God with a contrite heart never comes. In fact, they continue to sin despite causing grief to the Holy Spirit. As believers, we are called to not grieve the Holy Spirit, “30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30 but a person who has come to despise the Word does not obey this, so what is the result of deliberate disobedience to the Word of God? The answer comes in verse 27-28.

“27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has ignored the Law of Moses is put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.”

But why would God offer such a “harsh” punishment on those who deliberately kept on sinning? It is because that person is taking the sacrifice of Jesus and treating it as if it meant nothing. “29 How much more severe punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?” Hebrews 10:29. It is an unholy thing to cheapen the sacrifice that Jesus made to save the whole world, and the act of deliberate disobedience insults that sacrifice. For example, for the Jewish Christians that the book of Hebrews was written to, to return to Judaism would be the equivalent of saying that they were wrong in stating that Jesus was the Son of God. For us today, we are making the same act whenever we compromise with this world. If we go along with ideas like that there are multiple ways to heaven, we are denying when Jesus says, “6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6. In short, we are turning God into a lair which is a characteristic that He does not and cannot have.

For the Christian who is despising the Word and denying the actions found in the Word, they can expect one thing. “30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:30-31. We have seen throughout our study on the “warnings” that the history of Israel is filled with how they turned away from God and His chastising of them. Because God is a God who does not change, He will still correct those of His who stray away. This is the major theme with the “warning” passages and throughout Hebrews. It is asking how you will respond to what God says. We have already seen examples of God chastising His people in previous posts and His chastising is the main subject found in Hebrews 12. However, just because God is chastising someone, does not mean that they lose their salvation. This does not make the matter of His chastising any less though and ultimately we all have to deal with the consequences of deliberate sin. 

For example, look at King David. He knew what the Word said regarding adultery and yet he still followed through with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11) this act of deliberate disregard to the Scriptures resulted in David losing his child and for his house to be filled with violence even though David came to later ask for forgiveness for his sin. God forgave David for his sin, but there were still consequences for deliberate disobedience (2 Samuel 12-7-15). 

For those who are believers who have begun to drift, doubt, become dull, and disregard the Word of the Lord, I encourage you to be like King David. Turn from your sin, ask for forgiveness and mercy. There is no act greater than what Jesus Christ has already done to rejoin a sinful world to a holy God, but by asking for forgiveness and turning from your sin, God will have mercy on you, even as He is chastising you.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex