Day4
Week 10
Hebrews 10
”For if we willfully continue to sin after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation, which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who despised Moses’ law died without mercy in the presence of two or three witnesses. How much more severe a punishment do you suppose he deserves, who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded the blood of the covenant that sanctified him to be a common thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine,” says the Lord, “I will repay.” And again He says, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.“
Hebrews 10:26-31 MEV
Cross references
Deuteronomy 17:12; Hebrews 6:4-6; Isaiah 26:11; Ezekiel 36:5; Hebrews 2:2;
Deuteronomy 19:15; Ephesians 4:30; Hebrews 2:3; Deuteronomy 32:35-36; Romans 12:19
Abuse of Grace
Warning #3
Spiritual Immaturity
Have you heard the saying,”It’s better to ask forgiveness than permission.”?
Would you agree, that this kind of mentality is immature and spirituality speaking an abuse of grace?
Don’t read the Book of Hebrews as if it is written to you.
It was written in the first century to a very specific people group — Jews who had become Christians.
However, do understand that while this letter was not written TO you, it was preserved FOR you.
It has been preserved for your instruction in righteousness.
Read this letter and learn what the writer teaches about Jesus. His intent was to:
magnify the Lord
declare the superiority of Jesus and His sufficient atonement
declare the people’s standing under the New Covenant, and
cause them to let go of the old and cling to the new.
The Hebrews who read this letter would have understood what it meant to be under the Mosaic Law and the civil and ceremonial laws.
The ceremonial laws required animal sacrifices to atone for their sins. They also would have understood what it means to sin willfully and the consequences of such:
Numbers 15:29-31
No Sacrifice for Willful Sin?
The word we translate “presumptuously” in Numbers 15:30 comes from the Hebrew word “yod,” which means more than intentional.
While intentional implies sinning with knowledge, the “yod” implies sinning with knowledge (intentionality) and defiance (willfulness).
For such sin, one was to be “cut off [put out] from his people.”
This was a very punitive consequence under the Old Covenant.
The writer was asking, if wilful sin was such a serious sin under the Old Covenant, how much more so under the New Covenant?
And he suggests that a Christian who sins willfully, trampling the Son of God, considering Jesus’ blood “a common thing,” and insulting the Spirit, should receive greater punishment.
So true by our human standards.
But does one?
The writer continues by saying it is “a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb 10:31) and reminds the reader that God said “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” and “The LORD will judge His people.”
Only God knows His judgment.
We know He is just, fair and faithful, but His ways are not like our ways.
The writer’s message for the people of his time (and for us) is, remember who you are!
You belong to Jesus Christ and you live under the New Covenant!!!
The consequence for sin is death. That has not changed.
Jesus paid the price for sin with His blood.
The writer is warning all of us not to try and justify ourselves, making excuses to continue living like the world, (abusing grace),but to grow up and walk in the privilege of our salvation.
Action Step
God wants to hear what you have to say.
Use this space to share with Him the questions on your heart today.
Are you concerned for a loved one?
Take ten deep breaths – with each inhale, pray silently “Jesus,” and on the exhale, pray, “My hope is in You.”
Read Psalm 130:5 multiple times. Open your heart and mind to what God is speaking to you as you wait for Him in this season.
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