“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 1:29
June 3-4, 2022
It is wise to listen to warnings. In the book of Hebrews there are five of these given to Hebrew Christians. Some think they are to those who are faking their faith. If the warning is to believers, and this seems to be the best understanding of the text, then it is possible to offend the Spirit by going back into a spiritually hollowed out form of Judaism or any reversion to pre-conversion life. Turning away from Christ and walking all over His sacrifice for sin is a spiritually felony. The believer who turns his back on the only One who can bring us back into the full experience of fellowship with God will pay the price of severe divine discipline. The Holy Spirit is insulted by thinking that Old Testament sacrifices are of greater value than the price of Christ’s death on the cross. It’s the attitude that says, “I am going to do what I think is best, even if it demeans the blood of Christ.” Spiritual defection brings disgrace to the name of Christ, dishonors the church, and disparages the Spirit of the living God. Spiritual desertion invites the discipline of God and creates a chosen path of misery and a loss of rewards. Perhaps you know someone of whom this could be said. Pray that their willful sin will go no further. This is a reminder how we should be avid encouragers to professing believers who are spiritually driving themselves to a frightful encounter with God. H
A time to pray: “O Lord of my salvation, open my eyes to any creeping unbelief that is pulling me away from absolute loyalty to you. I do not want to bring any disgrace to the Savior who shed His blood for me.”