June 23, 2013
No Turning Back – The Faithful Life
We either advance, like Christian in Pilgrim's Progress, or we turn around in apostasy. We are to remember our confidence and persevere to the end to claim the prize.
Scripture: Hebrews 10:25-39
Sermon Notes:
- Biblical truth in the abstract is not enough; we need to apply it and live it.
- The alternative to living faithfully is apostasy: a deliberate and sustained turning away from the truth.
- The Christian faces the constant temptation to turn back and abandon the covenant ratified by the blood of Christ.
- Apostasy is a settled lack of desire to live out the Christian life, a contemptuous and deliberate attitude of hostility to God.
- There is no possibility of neutrality with respect to our response to God and Christ.
- The law of apostasy the writers referred to applied to knowingly and contemptuously rebelling against God’s rule over Israel (Deut.17:2-7).
- Apostasy is not the struggle with sin common to tender-hearted believers. It is a high-handed sin, proudly, deliberately, and continually rejecting the blood of Christ.
- Hebrews 10 emphasizes the privilege and significance of the covenant we have entered into with God in Christ.
- Every covenant involves a law and the shedding of blood.
- In Adam we have all rebelled against God’s covenant; Christ has now shed His blood to restore us to God.
- Having broken covenant with God, we require the blood of Christ which pays the penalty so we might be reconciled.
- Our contemporary culture prefers to see ourselves not as rebels, but as victims under the reign of death.
- If the penalty for apostasy was so severe under the old covenant, how much greater the penalty for trampling under foot the Son of God.
- While being shown grace, we spit in the face of Christ, insulting the Person of the Holy Spirit.
- Full and final rejection of the grace of God is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
- The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. To promote lawlessness and evil is to reject the ministry of the Holy Spirit (cf. Rev. 11:8).
- God judges apostasy; it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
- We are called to be faithful, remembering the kindness and the grace of God, who has sustained us in suffering.
- The Hebrews had endured suffering, imprisonment, and seizure of their property.
- We are to retain our confidence in the certain promises of God in Christ. He will deliver us from sin and evil, and He will return and reward His faithful servants.
- To be great in the kingdom of heaven, we are to be strong and to endure steadfastly in self-discipline (1 Cor. 9:23-25)
- We either advance, like Christian in Pilgrim’s Progress, or we turn around in apostasy. We are to remember our confidence and persevere to the end to claim the prize.
Application Questions:
- What are the consequences of willful and deliberate hostility or indifference toward God?
- What lessons can we apply to our lives from Pilgrim’s Progress and Christian’s response to temptations?
- Are we ready to press on and endure under trial? Under imprisonment? Under seizure of our property?
- Are we willing to associate with those facing suffering?
- How do biblical truths inspire us to look upon our Redeemer with joy?
- How is God calling us to be faithful this week?
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