Tag: shrink back
Encouragement and warning!
Scripture reading for August 19th: Hebrews 10
Key Scriptures: Hebrews 10:21-27 “. . .And since we have a great Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He Who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving a knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and the fury of fire that will consume the enemies of God.”
Pastors, like parents, instruct those under their oversight in doing the right thing. Encouraging words that include us as well in the clear instructions: “Let us . . .”. Paul pointed them to their great High Priest, Jesus Christ Who had gone before them and now, seated at God’s right hand, was interceding for them. This was a time to ‘hold fast’ and ‘stir up’ others of like faith and to ‘meet together’ regularly. Jesus could return at any time! Today was the right time to get right and be about God’s business. However, the warning was also given. Willful sinning under the Old Covenant did not have a sacrifice that would cover it. The person willfully sinning must pay the penalty. The New Covenant in Jesus also warned that willfully continuing in sin when we know Christ Jesus and His sacrifice to free us from sin’s power and penalty can only result in judgment and being counted as an enemy of God. May this never happen to any believer!
Hebrews 10:29 “How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of Grace?”
Faith confession and prayer: Father, thank You for Jesus Christ, my great High Priest! Through Him, I draw near to you and find cleansing from sin’s power and penalty. Give me grace today to hold fast to this truth and encourage my brothers and sisters to remain faithful and steadfast, meeting together for worship, prayer, Scripture and encouragement.
Hebrews 10:39 “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”
Let’s draw near!
Scripture reading for November 11th: Hebrews 10:19-39
Once a person understands the new covenant and the benefits of believing on Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins, there is a choice to be made. We must either draw near to God through Jesus Christ or choose to go our own way. The writer of Hebrews plainly lays out the choice in the passage we are reading today. We can choose freely, but the consequences of our choice will come as stated by Scripture!
“Therefore, brother, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is His body, and since we have a great priest over the House of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:19-23) The logical choice is drawing near to God by faith in Jesus’ sacrifice and priesthood! We are free from sin and condemnation and are made pure through His blood. (Hebrews 9:14) He promised that those who would believe on Him would be saved completely! (Hebrews 7:25)
“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. . . .It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10: 26-27, 31) This warning concerned the sin of unbelief in God’s final Word, Jesus. Willful rejection is the same as willful sin under the old covenant. Sacrifice could be made for sins in ignorance and they would be accepted by God. But willful, defiant sinning was punishable by death. (Numbers 15:27-31)
Who in their right mind would shrink back from the promise of eternal life, a clean conscience, rest from religious labors and freedom from the fear of death? Who would choose standing before God and having to answer for their own sins? We are encouraged not to throw away our confidence by shrinking back, but to go on towards Jesus who is our reward! The best is yet to come for those who hold fast! (Hebrews 10:35-29)