September 2,2012
Lesson Focus:
Together we perservere
in faith
Lesson Scripture:
Hebrews 10:19-31
INTRODUCTION.Our lesson this week takes us into a study of the book of Hebrews, where we explore the idea of a living faith.The first vital step is learning how to trust God with unfailing determination, even when it seems that everything is against us.We learn this week in particular about trusting God without wavering. However, we must understand our lesson and the entire book of Hebrews in its context.Almost all interpreters agree that this letter was written to Jewish Christians. Most likely these were Jews in the Diaspora, the many countries outside of Israel where there were pockets of Jewish people.Such cities as Antioch in Syria, Alexandria in Egypt and Rome itself had large Jewish populations. One might surmise that the message in our lesson passage was directed to Jews in a city like Rome who were facing persecution and considering abandoning their Christian profession and retuning to the Jewish beliefs that they had before coming to know about Jesus.The readers of this message were not considering abandoning faith in God completely, but were tempted to reject the lordship of Jesus and the understanding that God is fully revealed in the Person and teachings of Jesus.What the writer was attempting to warn his readers of was that knowing about Jesus as Lord and then to return to a pre-Jesus Jewish understanding is to directly disobey prophecy and reject Christ’s priesthood and the covenant. Only a Jewish audience would care about the dangers of such disobedience.
II. DIVINE FAVORS BESTOWED ON BELIEVERS (Hebrews 10:19-21)
1. (vs. 19). After presenting the superiority of the Person of Jesus Christ (see Hebrews 1:4-4:13), and the superiority of His priesthood (see Hebrews 4:14-10:18), the writer in our text begins to apply these truths to the lives of the readers. So, in this verse the writer first says “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.” The conjunction “therefore” connects what the writer is about to say with what was said in the previous chapters. Believers have the “boldness to enter into the holiest.” In other words, we can approach God with confidence and enter His presence without fear. We can do this because of the “blood of Jesus.” In the Old Testament, only the high priest was allowed to enter the most holy place in the tabernacle once a year with the blood of a sin offering (see Leviticus 6:11-17; Hebrews 9:7). But since Christ has offered Himself as the final sacrifice for sin and has entered the heavenly sanctuary (see Hebrews 9:12, 24; 10:12), everyone who trusts Him can freely enter this sanctuary in prayer and come directly into God’s presence (see Hebrews 10:19; 4:16).
2. (vs. 20). The writer said that the access we have to God through Jesus’ death is “By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.” The word “new” speaks of newness in time, type and always fresh and never obsolete (see Hebrews 8:13). Not only is this way to God a new way, it is also a “living way.” Since Jesus is this “living way” it has life-giving power unlike the old Jewish way. Jesus is the One in whom life resides (see John 14:6).
B. A high priestly Mediator (Hebrews 10:21). In addition to the favor believers have of free access to God, the writer here says we also enjoy the favor of “having an high priest over the house of God.” Jesus, the One who gave His life to open the way to heaven is now there to represent His own (see Hebrews 9:24). The word “high” here can also mean “great.” Since Jesus is superior to all creation, He can be called a great priest.The phrase “the house of God” refers to the entire community of believers (see Hebrews 3:6).
III. GODLY RESPONSE URGED (Hebrews 10:22-25)
B. Steadfast hope (Hebrews 10:23). Another godly response to our access to God is “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised.” These Jewish readers had professed faith in Christ and now they were urged to hold “fast” or tightly to that profession. Believers are also to hold fast to “the profession of our faith without wavering.” This means to remain upright and unbending, not wanting to go back to our old pre-salvation ways. We are to remain this way because “he is faithful that promised.” Since God is faithful to keep His promises (see Hebrews 6:16-19), and as Jesus remained true to His profession (see Hebrews 3:1-2), so should we.
C. Exemplary works (Hebrews 10:24-25).
1. (vs. 24). The third godly response we should have because of our access to God is “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.” The word “consider” has the idea of carefully observing the lives of other believers, just as we are to observe the example of Jesus (see Hebrews 3:1). We are to observe others’ lives in order to “provoke unto love and to good works.” The word “provoke” is often used negatively (see Galatians 5:26; Ephesians 6:4), but here it is used positively because we are to “provoke” or arouse other believers to love and do good works. Genuine love always shows itself in things we do for others.
2. (vs. 25). The believer’s fourth godly response to having access to God is “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” In order to show our love by our good deeds, there must be frequent fellowship with other believers. This is the idea behind “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.” The word “forsaking” implies deserting or abandoning the assembly of believers. The phrase “as the manner of some is” indicates that some Jewish believers had already separated themselves from their local assemblies for whatever reason. How can we provoke others to do good deeds and exhort one another if we never see them? But regular fellowship is essential to being able to encourage one another. The writer also said that we should be fellowshipping and encouraging each other “so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Because “the day” when Jesus will return is near, these Jewish Christians, like us have even more reason to fellowship and encourage others to love and do good works. In order for believers to remain faithful, we need to strengthen one another.
WILLFUL REJECTION PUNISHED (Hebrewws 10:26-31)
A. A warning (Hebrews 10:26-27).
1. (vs.26). For these Jews who were suffering persecution for their faith, there was the temptation to return to Judaism to avoid the trials of being a Christian. As a result, the writer gives this warning: “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.” This warning has to do with apostasy or the falling away from the faith. To prevent this from happening we need the encouragement we receive from the assembly of believers. The person who ignores this fellowship may be tempted to “sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth.” This means that one has deliberately rejected Christ’s offer of salvation considering it worthless and casting it aside. These Jewish readers were being tempted to leave their faith in Christ and return to Judaism and the elementary Mosaic laws which were replaced by Christ (see Ephesians 2:13-15; Colossians 2:10-14). When a person commits this sin the writer says that “there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.” In other words, anyone who deliberately rejects Christ’s sacrifice for another religion, after clearly understanding the gospel message about it cannot be saved because there is no other acceptable sacrifice for sin than the death of Jesus on the cross. Note: When people deliberately reject Jesus’ offer of salvation, they reject God’s precious gift and also ignore the leading of the Holy Spirit. By interpretation, this warning was given to Jewish Christians who were tempted to reject Christ for Judaism. However, by application, it applies to anyone who rejects Christ for another religion, or after having understood Jesus’ atoning work deliberately turns away from it (see Mark 3:28-29). The point is that there is no way for this person to be saved because God has not provided any other way or name under heaven by which we can be saved (see John 14:6; Acts 4:12). This does not include faithful believers in Christ because once they are saved, they will never completely turn away from their faith in Christ as Lord and Saviour, and therefore cannot lose their salvation because once saved is always saved (see John 3:15-18,36;10:26-29;Romans 8:35-39;Ephesians 1:12-14;4:30; Hebrews 6:4-6;10:12-14; I Peter 1:3-5).
2. (vs. 27). Referring to the person who deliberately rejects Christ after understanding His once and for all sacrifice, the writer said the only thing that person can expect is “a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” The apostate or one who rejects Christ can only look forward to the judgment and “fiery indignation” (wrath) that will consume the enemies of God. The one who turns his or her back on the gospel of Christ becomes God’s enemy and must face the consuming fire of His judgment. Knowing this should strike terror in the sinner. The writer does not tell us what the judgment will be, but most likely it is the lake of fire and brimstone (see Revelation 20:11-15; 21:7-8).
B. A comparison (Hebrews 10:28-29).
1. (vs. 28). To illustrate just how serious the sin of apostasy from the Christian faith was, the writer compared it to Israel’s disdain for the Law of Moses. The author writes, “He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses.” The writer reminded his readers that under the old covenant, the Law, anyone who rejected it “died without mercy under two or three witnesses.” When the crime of disobeying the law was witnessed by two or three persons, the guilty party was to be stoned to death without showing any mercy (see Deuteronomy 17:2-7).
2. (vs. 29). Considering what the punishment was for those Israelites who intentionally rejected the law, the writer posed a question for his readers to think about. He asked “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” The question was really “Considering the punishment for rejecting the Mosaic Law, how much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot (see Hebrews 6:4-6) and has treated the blood of the covenant (see Matthew 26:28) as an unholy thing and also insulted the Spirit of grace?” The Law of Moses was held in high esteem by the Jews because it was God’s revelation to them. But Jesus, the Son of God is greater than Moses (see Hebrews 3:1-3) and the new covenant He gave overrides or replaces the old covenant, the Law (see Hebrews 8:6-7; 10:12-18). The point here is that anyone guilty of abandoning God’s final and complete revelation, Jesus Christ, deserves a more serious punishment than those who disobeyed the Mosaic Law. The author of Hebrews said that the apostate or person who falls away from his faith committed a threefold sin:
a. He has “trodden under foot the Son of God.” This means to utterly despise Christ. To do this to the Son of God is unimaginable. For this reason, we know that anyone who has truly confessed and repented of their sins and accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour could never commit apostasy or fall away from that faith. The writer of Hebrews was confident that his readers had a true saving faith that they would never fall away from (see Hebrews 6:9; 10:30).
b. The person who commits apostasy has also “counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing.” The word “unholy” is best understood as meaning “common.” The apostate sees the blood that Jesus shed and the life that He gave as no different from any other man. In other words, Jesus’ death means nothing to this person. Again, the one who is truly committed to his or her faith in Christ could never do this.
c. The apostate has “done despite unto the Spirit of grace.” The word translated “done despite” means “to insult” or “disrespectfully ridicule.” This means that the person who falls away from his faith in Christ insults and tosses aside the Holy Spirit who supplies God’s grace. Note: We are not told in the text how God will punish those who commit these three sins, but for sure they deserve God’s entire wrath. The person who falls away from the faith in Christ they once appeared to have will no doubt never repent and be truly saved (see Hebrews 6:4-8).
C. A judge (Hebrews 10:30-31).
1(vs. 30). In this verse, the writer reminded these Hebrew Christians that the unrepentant sinner will not escape punishment for mocking the character of God. He wrote, “For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.” The writer used two quotations from Deuteronomy 32:35-36 to drive home the fact that God has every right to get vengeance and He certainly will. The phrase “Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord” is taken from Deuteronomy 32:35 and the writer interpreted it literally. However, the author of Hebrews did not take the phrase “The Lord shall judge his people” from Deuteronomy 32:36 literally. He used it to support his view in the present situation. This phrase as used in Deuteronomy 32:36 by Moses literally meant God would have mercy on Israel and do good to them. But in Hebrews, the author used this phrase to mean that God will take vengeance even on Israel in order to avenge His righteousness and His name.
2. (vs. 31). In our final verse, the author of Hebrews reminds his Jewish readers that “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” For sure it is a joy and comfort to trust the only wise and true God and to enjoy His blessings (see Hebrews 12:22-24). However, anyone who rejects His grace should be afraid and fearful because of God’s future judgment (see Hebrews 3:12; 12:29).
Conclusion. When we begin the walk of faith in Jesus Christ, we must be determined not to waiver or get distracted from Him. Genuine believers possess genuine faith---a faith that can overpower the temptation to shrink back from the grace of God and slide toward personal destruction. The believer’s genuine faith will enable him or her to repent of fleshly defiance and to pursue spiritual intimacy with Christ. They will live transformed lives characterized by renewed minds (see Romans 12:1-2).
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