Tag: Spirit of Grace
Don’t Insult the Spirit of Grace!
Scripture reading for October 27: Hebrews 10
“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 the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 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?” Hebrews 10:23-29
The writer of Hebrews encouraged the Jewish believers to stand firm in their confession of hope in the New Covenant through the blood of Jesus. God said, “I will” and He is faithful. We should also consider how to encourage our brothers and sisters to stay true and continue in love and good works that result from faith. This included regular church attendance, which some had made it a bad habit of skipping. As judgement Day approaches our faithfulness to meet together for encouragement is necessary.
The subject of willful sinning in the face of the knowledge of the New Covenant was addressed. The writer of Hebrews warned the believers that to continue in sin willfully against God’s Word and the discipline of church leaders was a fearful thing. He likened it to trampling under foot the Son of God and profaning the blood of the covenant that had cleansed them of sin. He warned that there would be no sacrifice available for them. Their actions would ‘outrage the Spirit of Grace’ Who had sanctified them. Our salvation is secure in Jesus Christ but our willful choices can take us into dangerous territory. All the more reason to gather together all the more as the Day of judgment comes closer.
As you look at your current spiritual life, do you regularly gather with God’s people for worship, the Word, and prayer? In looking at your current life, are you engaged in any willful sins that are taking you into dangerous territory? As you see that judgment Day is approaching, are there changes you should make?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your great patience and mercy with all who willfully sin. Help me to see any changes that I need to make and to find mercy through the Spirit of Grace. Use me to encourage believers to meet together and build each other up to love and good deeds. We see the Day coming soon! Amen.
Don’t insult the Spirit of Grace!
Scripture reading for October 26th: Hebrews 10
Key Scriptures for over-comers: Hebrews 10:26-30 “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. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 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, who has insulted the Spirit of grace?”
It is a dangerous thing to sin willfully after you know God’s will and and have the Holy Spirit living in you. Under the old covenant, there was no sacrifice that could be made for willfully breaking God’s law. Several of the laws had the penalty of death–idolatry, murder and adultery. Under the New Covenant with grace through faith, the writer of Hebrews warns of more severe punishment for those the trample on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and insult the Spirit of grace. This warning was meant to help believers maintain a holy fear and respect for God’s amazing grace!
Observations for over-comers: Knowledge brings responsibility to fear God and appreciate the Spirit of Grace! “But anyone who sins defiantly, whether native-born or alien, blasphemes the Lord, and that person must be cut off from his people. Because he has despised the Lord’s word and broken His commands, that person must surely be cut off; his guilt remains on him.” (Numbers 15:30-31)