Tuesday, August 18, 2009

A Look At Hebrews 10

I know that this post is much like my last, but I have been reading through Hebrews, and it just popped out at me as something I should write on. Perhaps it hit me harder because of my last post. In Him,
Kaomi


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"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. And again, 'The LORD will judge His people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: 'For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; But is anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.' But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul."
Hebrews 10:23-39


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How many times in our lives have we heard the phrase: "No matter what you do, God will still love you." While that is true, I think many of us fall into the trap of doing wrong and then just brushing it off because God loves us anyway.

Even though God does love us unconditionally, He hates sin. When we knowingly sin as Christians we are "trampling the Son of God underfoot," as it says in Hebrews 10:29. We are saying that Jesus' life, given on the cross for us, is not of great worth to us. We are insulting the Son of the Most High God!

God does not take our insulting His only Son lightly. God will not idly stand by and watch us trample His Son under foot. "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," it says in Hebrews 10:30. I typed that last part in bold print because I think each of us needs to remember that we serve a just God. One day we will have to stand before the judgement seat and account for all we have done.

We need to remember what our little sins cost God. Yes, God is a forgiving God, but if we repeatedly do wrong and know all the while that we are doing what we have been commanded not to do, we will be accountable. Those who do not know God's Word cannot willfully disobey it, but for those of us that do know His Word, what excused do we have?

Remember Hebrews 10:26-27? "For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment." I personally have willingly sinned against God more then once in my life, so when I read this passage it jumped out at me. I stand in fear of the Lord, and His judgment, but I sorrow with the knowledge that I have taken the death of my Savior so lightly in the past. I say I love Jesus, but if I do, then why do I trample His sacrifice underfoot like it was nothing but trash?

One day I will have to stand before that very same Jesus and have to answer for what I have done. The shame would be so great that I could never lift my head again if I did not know of His grace. The fear of His judgement would make me shake at the mention of His name if I did not know of His love. I cannot take back what I have done, but I can go forward loving Christ as never before because, that He would even look at me after what I have done to Him is amazing.

Next time you are tempted to do what you know is wrong, remember that Jesus loved you so much that He was willing to die for you even thought He knew that there would be times in your life when you would willfully sin. He paid the highest price when He knew we could never be worthy enough. Just think about it.

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