The Willful Sin
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· 8 views12/12/2021 Evening Worship
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good evening and welcome back!
Tonight we are going to be diving into a passage found in Hebrews 10.
Specifically we will be looking at the subject of “willfully sinning” found in verses 26-31.
And I know that over the past few weeks we've been talking a lot about rebellion and about going against God.
Just last week we talked about Saul and how he ignored the command of God and ignored God's word.
Tonight is really no different, we are going to be looking at the exact same concept.
The only difference is going to be, we are going to be looking at it from a New Testament perspective.
And the thing about Hebrews that makes it interesting is that nobody really knows exactly who wrote it.
Many believe that the Apostle Paul wrote Hebrews, which does line up quite a bit with the overall writing style, but the honest truth is that nobody really knows for sure who wrote it.
Which is really neither here nor there, but what we do know is that Paul felt very strongly about willfully sinning against God.
In his eyes it was one of the worst things a person can do.
To blatantly sin against the God of the universe.
It would be no different from pretty much slapping God in the face.
The reality is though it breaks God’s heart when we do this.
And here in Hebrews, whoever wrote it, whether it was Paul or someone else, the author has some very strong words about "willfully" or deliberately sinning against God.
And what we want to talk about tonight, is the "willful" sin and it's horrible consequences of those sins.
So, Hebrews 10, starting in verse 26, the author writes . . .
Scripture Focus
Scripture Focus
If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Willfully Sinning
Willfully Sinning
So very strong words from our author of Hebrews here about the willful sin and the consequences of such.
But let’s go back to the beginning of the passage and start to unpack this just a bit more.
Again, it starts out . . .
If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,
So, we start out here with a couple of really important things that we need to point out.
First, the author says that IF we willfully sin AFTER that we have received the knowledge of the truth,
So, naturally, the first obvious thing here has to do with sin and the choice we make as to whether we are going to sin or not.
Remember back last week when we talked Saul and about the choices he made and how our choices ultimately shape our path in life and what exactly we are going to do.
When thinking about this, the wise words of Joshua always come to mind.
But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
We, believing as we do in Free Will, believe that we have a choice as to whether we are going to sin or not.
We have a choice as to whether we are going to follow Christ or not!
We have the freedom to choose!
Let me show you another verse that explains what I am talking about.
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
Do we see what John is saying there?
He clearly says "that you do not sin. But, if anybody does sin . . ."
So, don't get sucked into the lie of Satan that you don't have a choice, that you can't help but sin.
Now, that doesn't mean it is not easy and that doesn't mean that we won't mess us, that means that we have a choice and we have control over that choice!
And that is exactly what the writer of Hebrews here is talking about when he talks about making that choice to "willfully sin."
It is a willful sin because we have chosen to sin.
We didn't just slip and fall and whoops we sinned!
THE SECOND THING, I will read the verse again:
If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,
Notice in the second part of that same verse the writer says that if we sin willfully AFTER we have received the knowledge of the truth.
What does that mean?
In a nutshell that means that if we choose to sin AFTER we have been saved.
After we have come to know Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we slip back into sin, choose to leave God standing and go back to our old ways.
We call this backsliding, so what does the Bible say about this?
If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.
Why though?
Why is it so bad, so hard for the backslider?
Well, look at Matthew 12 . . .
“When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
And now Galatians 4 . . .
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
It is because of (1) the heightened attack of Satan and (2) the bondage that they are once again in.
The Consequences of Poor Choices
The Consequences of Poor Choices
So, don't think that just because you made a profession of faith one time, that you are eternally safe and secure.
Don't think that you are above sin and above falling, remember it is all about our choices in life!
And as always there are consequences for those sins . . .
but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
Did we hear what the writer here is saying?
The only thing left for that one that willfully sins is the consuming fire for the ENEMIES OF GOD.
We never really think about it that way do we?
The fact that when we sin we are nothing more than the enemy of God.
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
And we can’t forget old King Saul and God’s judgement on him . . .
Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord; he did not keep the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium for guidance, and did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.
Is it really any different for us?
I would almost say it is worse! Look at verse 28-29 again.
Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
In the Old Testament times, if you rejected the Law of Moses, you died without mercy.
Translate into modern times . . .
How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
How much more severely do we deserve to be punished for rejecting and abandoning the one who came to save us, redeem us, cleanse us, fill us.
And we may be sitting here saying that we don’t engage in those kinds of things.
But we do it every day.
We offend God by our actions, attitudes, and behaviors.
HOW?
By embracing and accepting the sin of the flesh.
It could be any number of things.
Remember, sin is anything God says not to do and we do and what God says to do that we refuse.
It doesn’t have to be some big social issue or perverted behavior.
It can be anything.
And one of the biggest things is idolatry.
Those things we put in place of God.
Paul warns us about the works of the flesh in Galatians . . .
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
It boils down to removing God from our lives like society is trying to do, things like no prayer in school, don't mention Jesus anywhere, not saying MERRY CHRISTMAS to people.
People who call themselves Christians will outwardly deny Christ for the sake of not offending others.
Well, Jesus had some pretty strong words about that . . .
But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “ ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
The question we have to ask ourselves is, What do we seek after in this world?
The applauds of man, or the will of God.
Because that is where the rubber meets the road.
And the final warning in verses 31-31 . . .
For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
What about it?
Do we fear God?
Do we fear falling into His hands?
Altar/Challenge
Altar/Challenge
Remember, it is all about the choices we make.
Not just sitting here on a Sunday night in church, but every single day of our lives.
So, what will our choice be?
Let’s pray . . .