“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
Hebrews 10:31
Woe to any who ever forget “There’s Love in God’s wrath and wrath in God’s Love.”
The Gospel is “sharper than a two-edged sword,” so declares God’s Word (Heb. 4:12). It is a two-fold Message of “wooing and warning”—calling sinners to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ and warning them of the consequences of rejecting Him (Heb. 12:1-2:3; 3:7-4:10; 5:11-6:10; 9:27; 10:26-39; 12:5-29).
Assuredly, this is not a popular or politically-correct Message.
But, God’s Word has never been given to cater to the whims and fancies of men. Instead, it is His “inspired Word and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness so that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (II Tim. 3:16-17).
Thus, the same Word that inspires and comforts us is the same Word that indicts and convicts us.
And, today’s Manna is a sobering reminder of the danger of “trodding underfoot the precious Blood of Christ and regarding it as an unholy thing while insulting the Holy Spirit by one’s words and deeds” (Heb. 10:29).
Most assuredly, we are “saved by Grace, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9); yet, this is not a license to sin (Rom. 6:1ff). Instead, it is a call to live a holy life—yea, a “transformed life”—which demonstrates “what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:1-2; Eph. 1:4; 4:12-32; 5:27).
That’s why the anonymous author of the Epistle to the Hebrews writes so straightforwardly. He knew “a certain, fearful looking for judgment and fiery indignation” awaits those who “sin willfully after having received the knowledge of the Truth” (Heb. 10:26-27). As someone once said, “He’s writing it all down.” And, one of these days there will be a time of accounting—at the “Judgment Seat of Christ” for the saved (II Cor. 5:10) and the Great White Throne for the lost (Rev. 20:11-15).
Such realization should definitely bring us to the place of repentance; however, for the follower of Christ, His Love should be both the motive and theme for our service. He is holy and we’re not. He’s perfect and we’re far from it. Yet, in His condescending Love He reaches down to the lowest of sinners and brings us up to Heaven’s heights so we can live “lives of abundant thanksgiving that testify to the Grace and Glory of God” (II Cor. 4:15).
When Jonathan Edwards preached “Sinners In the Hands of An Angry God” to his church in Enfield, Connecticut on July 8, 1741, his listeners were brought under heavy conviction. Some even ran down the aisle, begging him to stop because they felt as if they were suspended over the open pits of hell by a single strand of a spider’s web. When true revival comes, there’ll be a return of reverent fear because of Who He is and our great need of Him (Is. 6:1-4). May we not rest today until such is true in our own lives even now.
By Tom Smith Morning Manna Dated March 22, 2010
