Welcome to Hank’s Place —02-26
Hey, that writer of Hebrews penned an awesome letter to Hebrew Christians and us! In pointing out the “betters” of the New Covenant, he urged his readers in chapter 10 to draw near to God, holding fast their confession of hope, and encourage one another in Christian living and giving.
But Vs 26-29 — are terrifying – if you live in a world of mixed covenants. Let’s check them out so we can sleep peacefully.
“For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. …How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot 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.”
Is God schizophrenic? Unconditional love – and fearsome threatening? Yes, our God is a consuming fire. But an interpretation out of context is all wrong.
The author is referring to people within the Christian community. People who have heard the truth. The fact that they “go on sinning deliberately even after receiving knowledge of the truth” indicates that the people in view are not (and never were) genuine believers. Because the Old Covenant has passed away, there is no place for them to turn for forgiveness. That’s found in the New, in Christ’s sacrifice—which they have rejected. So they will face judgment.
Puzzled? Think about – Judas. Judas heard the truth – and spurned it. Judas spent literally years in the presence of Jesus. He not only heard the truth, he lived with Grace and Truth in the flesh.
But Judas rejected Jesus as Lord. He called Jesus “Rabbi,” not Lord, in the garden, remember? Jesus came to give His life for Judas – but Judas wasn’t interested. He preferred his own sinful life of greed and betrayal. Surely Judas had many opportunities to repent – but he did not. He rejected the grace of God.
Jesus died for Judas. What more could Jesus do? Nothing! There is no more sacrifice for sins other than the one Jesus provided. To reject Jesus as Lord is to trample the Son of God underfoot and treat the blood of the covenant as unholy.
Within our Christian communities there are those whose lives and life-styles repudiate the work and the person of Jesus. Jesus, whose sacrifice has made us holy. I am confident you are not a modern day Judas – or you wouldn’t be visiting Hank’s Place.
Fear not, in Jesus you have been redeemed – eternally. You have passed out of judgement and into Eternal Life. John5:24. You have eternally – COME ALIVE!
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