Welcome back
again! It’s another great day to share some more Daily Bread. Last time, we
talked about Jesus as High Priest and we talked a little bit about
understanding and habits.
Today, Paul switches topics. In so many
words, he tells the Hebrews:
We’re going to move on now, and change subjects,
from the teachings of Christ, let’s talk about perfection.
We’re not going to discuss repentance from dead works
again,
or Faith in God, or baptism and laying on of hands,
or resurrection or judgment.
And this will we do, if God permit.
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened,
and have tasted of the heavenly gift,
and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
And have tasted the good Word of God,
and the powers of the world to come,
if they go astray,
to renew them again to repentance;
because they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh,
and put Him to an open shame.
This is a very
sensitive thing that Paul is talking about. There are so many people who
believe that they’ve ruined the hope of their salvation because sin in their
life continues, even after they’ve been saved or reborn. Nothing could be
further from the truth. Sin is sin because you know you’re doing something
wrong. If you didn’t, it wouldn’t be sin. When you sin, subconsciously
you’re saying, I know this is wrong, and I’m gonna do it anyway. Yes, it’s
ugly and shameful and you downright hate to admit it, but it’s the TRUTH.
Somehow, we don’t want our sins to be “bad” sins, but we can live within our
own skin more comfortably if we think that we only commit “good” sins.
Friend, there’s no
such thing. Sin is sin. It’s all bad. If you look at sin in general, you
could probably say that the majority of sins are repeat offenses.
Unfortunately, when you’re saved, or reborn, sin doesn’t magically disappear
from life. You don’t become perfect. But your attitude, and your
determination to avoid and reject temptation is what changes. You still have
the sin “gene” from our earthy ancestors Adam and Eve, but when you’re
saved, you decide to manage your inheritance differently. Falling away, or
going astray, as Paul is speaking of it here, would have to be blasphemy of
the Holy Spirit, or in other words, permanently rejecting or renouncing God,
Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
That is the only unforgivable sin. Everyone sins, and I’ll tell you one of
my favorite things again, Your sin can’t possibly outdo
God’s Grace. Don’t
ever forget that. (You can read more about the “falling away” that will
happen near the End Times in
2 Thessalonians, Chapter 2.)
For the earth which drinks in the rain that falls often on it,
and brings forth herbs suitable for them by whom it is
cultivated,
receives blessing from God:
But that which bears thorns and briers is rejected,
and is near to being cursed; whose end is to be burned.
But, beloved, we are confident of better things of you,
and things that go along with salvation, though we talk
this way.
For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love,
which you have showed toward His name,
including that you have ministered to the saints, and do
minister.
A moment ago, I reminded you that when you’re saved, you don’t become
perfect, but you change inside. Now, at the beginning of this chapter, Paul
said to the Hebrews, Let’s talk about perfection. What did he mean? Even
Paul knew that nobody’s perfect. Many times in the Bible, the word perfect
means complete, or mature. It’s something that a Christian strives for. It’s
a day to day goal to be like Jesus.
A major part of our maturity, or completeness, or quest for perfection,
is our hope of
everlasting life with our Lord, through the grace of God and the death of
Christ. Paul describes below how God knew that it would be tough on us in
this ungodly world to steadily pursue this hope, so He made us a Promise.
And we wish that every one of you show the same purpose
to the full assurance of hope to the end:
That you don’t be slow,
but followers of them who through faith and patience,
inherit the promises.
For when God made promise
to Abraham,
He couldn’t swear by anyone greater than Him,
So He swore by Himself, saying,
Surely blessing I will bless thee,
and multiplying I will multiply thee.
Genesis 22:17
And so, after Abraham had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
For men truly swear by the greater:
and a promise
for confirmation is a comfort to them.
Think of the truth of this. When someone
assures you of something, if they give you their “word,” you’re more likely
to believe they’ll keep their promise. In
Matthew 5:33-36, Jesus says not to
swear (make promises) at all, but let your word be only yes or no. Why is
that? Because it’s better not to promise at all, than to break a promise,
and if you “swear to God” you are promising to God, which is truly a promise
you never want to break. Man’s promises have been broken since the beginning
of time, but God’s Word is never broken.
God, who was willing more abundantly
to show the heirs of promise
the honesty of His Word,
confirmed it by a promise:
That by two certain things,
in which (#1) it was impossible for God to lie,
(and #2) we might be assured
with comfort,
who have fled for protection to obtain the hope set before us:
Which hope we have
as an anchor of the soul,
both sure and unchangeable,
and which enters into that within the veil
Where the first one which is Jesus, has entered for us,
made an high priest for ever after the order of
Melchisedec.
