A Merciful and Fearful God

Mercy and Judgment

Did you notice what verse 31 says? “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” The God of the Bible is both a merciful and fearful God.

But doesn’t the Bible say that “God is love”? Yes, it does. The gospel proves that “God is love.” The Bible says that God “delights in mercy.” But it never says that God delights in judgment. He is “not wanting anyone to perish.”

Jesus wept when he thought about the judgment that would come against Jerusalem. He said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!” We can hear the heart of God in the words of Jesus.

God delights in mercy, but that won’t stop him from bringing necessary judgment.

Another Warning

We have now come to the final warning passage in the book of Hebrews. F. F. Bruce writes, “This passage was destined to have repercussions in Christian history beyond what our author could have foreseen.”

The warning is basically this: Don’t turn away from the gospel.

There’s a warning because there’s a danger. To warn is an act of love. But there’s also encouragement. So there’s both positive and negative motivation. We need both.

The Warning

If we turn away from the gospel, we should expect fearful judgment.

Look at verses 26 and 27.

26For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.

Notice the word “deliberately” in verse 26. The writer isn’t talking about our daily struggle with sin. He’s talking about apostasy. An apostate is someone who, “after receiving the knowledge of the truth,” turns away from the gospel. For this person “there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.” Why? Because they have rejected the only sacrifice that can take away sins. What remains is “a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.” If a person turns away from the gospel, they should expect divine judgment.

Now let’s read verses 28 and 29.

28Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29How 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?

The author argues from the lesser to the greater. “The Law of Moses” is lesser than the gospel. If the person who rejected the law died “without mercy,” how much worse will it be for someone who rejects the gospel?

In verse 29, turning away from the gospel is described in three ways. Notice the words “trampled,” “profaned,” and “outraged.” The body and blood of Jesus is treated as nothing. “The Spirit of grace” is insulted.

Does the phrase “by which he was sanctified” indicate that this warning is about people who lose their salvation? This is a difficult question to answer, but I would say that Scripture teaches that people who have the Holy Spirit will persevere. Those who don’t persevere were not truly saved. Consider Hebrews 3:14.

The warning ends in verses 30 and 31.

30For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

God is both a merciful and fearful God. You’ll either receive mercy or judgment from God. Ask for his mercy. Don’t turn away from the gospel.

The Encouragement

If we endure, we can anticipate a great reward.

In verses 32-34, the writer encourages his readers by reminding them of past successes.

32But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.

There was a time when they were not ashamed to be identified as a follower of Jesus. They had been “publicly exposed to reproach and affliction.” They had even “joyfully accepted the plundering of [their] property.” Why had they been willing to do this? They knew that they had “had a better possession and an abiding one.”

The writer continues to encourage his readers in verses 35-38.

35Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37For,

“Yet a little while,

and the coming one will come and will not delay;

38but my righteous one shall live by faith,

and if he shrinks back,

my soul has no pleasure in him.”

Their “confidence” is what they had shown to by their actions of the past. The writer says “do not throw [it] away.” Faithfulness to Christ will be worth it. It “has a great reward.” We don’t have “a fearful expectation of judgment” but the hope of future blessing.

Would you rather . . . ? Think about the words of Jesus in Mark 8:35: “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

Look at verse 39.

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

We are to “live by faith” and not “shrink back” (i.e., turn away). The writer is confident that his readers “are not those who shrink back and are destroyed.” What about you?