Source: https://nightlightblogdotcom.wordpress.com/2016/02/
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 23:27:29+00:00

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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 tribulation, 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 if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but to those who believe to the saving of the soul.
The writer is concluding his most serious warning. He has shown that to “sin willfully” after we have received “knowledge of the truth” is to invite certain destruction. From these verses and the substance of the New Covenant, we understand “sinning willfully” to be departure from the truth. In Hebrews 10:16, the writer quotes God as saying of those saved under the New Covenant. “I will put my law into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them.” While the New Covenant has not yet been fully or completely realized, still for a person to reject God’s word is certain evidence that God has not worked His word into that person’s heart and mind.
The writer tells us, therefore, that it isn’t a matter of being “broad-minded.” It is not a matter of being “narrow-minded.” It is essential that we understand that it is a matter of being scripturally–minded. What does the Scripture say? Romans 4:3. To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them, Isaiah 8:20. The final authority for and source of the things we believe – and how we are to live in this world – are not church councils, nor creeds or catechisms, not some preacher or “personality,” not even government edicts (though the latter has derived authority from God, Romans 13:1-7), our final authority is the Word of God.
We need to recapture the Berean spirit: they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scripture daily to find out whether [the things taught by Paul] were so, Acts 17:11. It will not go well with us when we stand before God if we know the cable listings better than we know the Word.
1. witness of the trouble they had already suffered, 10:32-34.
2. words of testimony concerning the future, 10:35-37.
3. warning against trivializing the place and importance of faith, 10:38, 39.
Their affliction for the faith, vs. 32-34a.
1. the cause of their affliction, v. 32, after you were illuminated. Cf. 2 Corinthians 4:3-6. The light of the Gospel had overcome the darkness in which they lived – that darkness put forth by the devil in opposition to the things of God. We know this had happened to the Hebrews because of what follows in vs. 32-34.
2. the content of their affliction, vs. 32b-34a.
a). they themselves were ridiculed, v. 33.
They had suffered reproach and ridicule.
b). they associated with others with similar afflictions, vs. 33-34. Not only others, but the writer himself. Some have supposed from this that Paul is the author of Hebrews, but he wasn’t the only one “in bonds” for the sake of the Gospel. I don’t know why Christians are surprised at the persecution of other Christians. True, we haven’t seen so much of that until recently, but the history of believers down through the ages has more often than not been written in their own blood. What is happening today in the Middle East and, I’m afraid, will happen in this country, is nothing new. And it will continue, and likely get worse, until the Lord returns and straightens this old world out.
Their assurance in the faith, v. 34b.
Cf. 1 Peter 1:3-5 and Matthew 6:19-21. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking this life to be all-in-all and to live accordingly. Indeed, there are many false prophets whose message is just that: health and prosperity. The Hebrews would have known nothing of such things; their “prosperity” was of a different kind. They were able to rejoice in the losing of earthly possession because they knew that the enemy couldn’t touch their heavenly possessions.
We’ll see from chapter 11 that God’s people have always built for the future, though not unmindful of the present. Perhaps these Hebrews were beginning to look at their “loss,” not realizing it really to be their “gain.” Cf. Mark 10:29-31.
2. Words of Testimony, 10:35-37.
Perception, v. 35. Contrast this verse with 10:22, “draw near” with “do not cast away” and “full assurance of faith” with “confidence.” Perhaps these Hebrews were being lured back into the old ways of thinking about the sacrificial system, which could neither “take away sins” or give abiding “rest” for their souls. The writer urges them not to do this. Not only could the Levitical system not save them, but their turning away from Christ would bring them increased judgment! Cf. vs. 26-31.
Promise, v. 37. The “promise” of God centers around and will be fulfilled at the Coming of Christ, though the effects of all He had done will echo throughout eternity, Ephesians 2:7. We may not understand all the Scriptures tell us of that Coming, but always desire to have the spirit of the last prayer in the Bible: even so, come, Lord Jesus.
We’re not to trivialize or think lightly about faith. It gives a different, a correct, perspective about what is going on around us. It always point us forward, not to an improvement in or by ourselves, but to the coming of the Lord Jesus. It’s interesting that the writer quotes a portion from the Old Testament to demonstrate his point. And the New Testament tells us there will be coming a time in which unbelievers will say, “Where is the promise of His coming?” 2 Peter 3:4. That promise is right here. “The just shall live by faith” is in reference to and in light of that promise. We may be very concerned about who the next President may be in our country – and I think that’s a valid concern, but the truth is, the only real hope for this world is the return of the Lord Jesus.
We have written that the warnings of Hebrews are connected and cumulative and that to ignore them is to invite certain destruction. We’ve pointed out that these warnings focus on an attitude with reference to the truths of Scripture. This attitude begins with a casual attitude toward the things of God and ends with a forsaking of them altogether. But the “things of God” impinge on eternity and we ought to be interested in the fact that we’re all hurrying toward eternity as fast as we can, notwithstanding the fact that sometimes it seems like a snail’s pace.
So you see, it’s important to pay attention as we travel through this life. That’s what the writer to the Hebrews wanted them, and wants us, to remember. That’s why there is so much warning in the book, like the one before us.
At least from v. 25 goes with this warning, and perhaps from v. 19. This warning tells us that there’s more to it than just “going to church.” It includes faithfulness and perseverance in “holding fast the confession of our faith.” It includes what we are and do on Monday as well as what we do on Sunday. It’s not just about which day of the week we “worship,” but rather that we “worship” every day of the week.
By “worship,” I don’t mean that we’re go to church every day, or that we have the right kind of “worship music,” with guitars and loud drums. No, no. The word “worship” comes from an older word: “worthship.” It was used as a title, “your worthship,” a title of respect and honor, whether those addressed were “worthy” of it or not. So, when we say that we “worship God,” it’s not talking about routine or ritual or raucous music. It’s talking about an attitude of respect and honor for God. And if this respect isn’t shown by the general attitude and actions of our lives every day of the week, then it doesn’t mean anything on one day of the week.
2. Seriousness of the warning, vs. 26b-31.
There are three parts to this warning.
1. the absence of a “sacrifice for sin” if the truth is rejected, v. 26.
2. the avowal of judgment on “adversaries,” vs. 27-29.
3. the assurance of God’s vengeance, vs. 30-31.
1. the absence of a “sacrifice for sin” if the truth is rejected, v. 26. This verse tells us that more than “church attendance” is involved. “The knowledge of the truth” is involved, and “willful sin,” we believe in regard to the things mentioned in vs. 26-31. The way of access to God is involved, vs. 19-21. The life we are to lead with regard to faith and obedience is involved, vs. 22, 23. Our interest in and concern for other members of “the assembly” is involved, vs. 24, 25.
Many professing Christians, to say nothing of those of the world, reject all these ideas. They say, “You’re too narrow and old-fashioned, too exclusive in what you teach about the approach to God. All roads lead to heaven. Every religion worships God in their own way.” They say, “we will decide how to live our lives. We’re under grace; no legalist can make rules for us!” They say, “We’re not supposed to judge or be judgmental. We wouldn’t dream of imposing our personal views on others.” And so, through the traditions and unbelief of men, the Word of God is made of no effect.
But if you reject God ‘s way, there is no other way! There is no sacrifice for sin, no forgiveness. To reject God’s way is still to be in our sins. If we live without God, we will die without God. Oh! Be warned! There is no other “sacrifice for sins,” but God’s sacrifice, Jesus Christ! There is no other way but God’s way – except the way that leads to hell!
2. the avowal of certain judgment on “adversaries,” vs. 27-29. Contrary to the belief of many, there is no such thing as “neutrality” in spiritual matters, Matthew 12:30. Many who believe they have merely rejected some “fundamentalist Bible-thumper” may one day discover that they have really rejected God. Call them what you will – “backslidden,” “carnal Christian,” whatever – God says that those who turn away from “the knowledge of the truth” are His adversaries and will be dealt with as such.
The thing in particular which infuriates God is the rejection of the sacrifice of His Son, which He calls “trampling” Him “underfoot. This rejection includes “insulting” the Holy Spirit, Who enabled Him to go through with the Crucifixion, Hebrews 9:14, and carefully supervised all those things leading up to the Crucifixion to insure that God’s purpose in the Crucifixion would be carried out.
Is not this a great warning to our culture? We live in a time of great “toleration,” where it seems that everything except the truth is to be accepted. In the US, there is no “established church,” for which we thank God and our forefathers, but this has meant that a tremendous variety of religious viewpoints has developed. Because we have no such religious “central authority” to tell us what to believe, this is taken to mean that we can believe what we like, or not believe anything at all.
With reference to salvation, some have rejected “the blood” altogether, and so come under condemnation, but what about those who might teach “salvation through blood,” but also believe that you can lose that salvation? Some of these are always talking about “the Spirit,” the “gifts of the Spirit,” “the ministry of the Spirit,” being “filled with the Spirit.” Is it possible that they actually “insult” the Spirit because they deny the power of Christ’s sacrifice and the Spirit’s work to save believers?
And what of those who teach that Jesus died for all men without exception, and that men can resist the utmost efforts of the Spirit to bring them to salvation? Isn’t this also “trampling under foot the Son of God,” and insulting the Spirit of grace?
You see, “the knowledge of the truth” is more involved than we might at first think. Most of those who hold the above views believe that they do so with the warrant of Scripture. But the question isn’t, “can we point to one or two ‘proof-texts’, but rather “do we know the truth”?
3. the assurance of God’s vengeance, vs. 30-32. The reason all this is important is that there is a day of judgment coming. All roads do not lead to heaven. I’m afraid the God of Scripture is as unknown today as He was to the Athenians when Paul preached to them, Acts 17:23. These verses in Hebrews are solemn indeed for a generation of church people who apparently are almost totally ignorant of or in opposition to the God of heaven.

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