“For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the Truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.”Hebrews 10:26-27
It is our consistent lifestyle, not our occasional lapses, that matter to God—for “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7).
Today’s Manna certainly gives us great pause. And, without a doubt it has been the source of great distress to many a troubled soul. But, when viewed in the context in which it was written, we realize the anonymous author’s words were directed more at the stiff-necked, hard-hearted, rebellious apostate than they were those who daily struggle with their sin nature even as Paul did (Rom. 7:7-25).
Again, at first glance, the words are quite piercing:
“For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the Truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins.”
Who of us is not guilty of this, dear Pilgrim? Who of us, like Paul, do not sometimes find ourselves crying out as he did “For that which I do, I do not approve of—and that which I want to do, I don’t do. And, that which I hate, I end up doing. . .O wretched man that I am!!” (Rom. 7:15, 24).
Likewise, when we read passages like I Jn. 3:6—“Whosoever abides in Him sins not; whosoever sins has not seen Him, neither known Him”—our hearts begin to tremble and we begin to doubt if we were ever saved to begin with. And, suddenly. . .unless we know what to do. . .we whisper “There remains no more sacrifice for sins, but only a certain fearful looking for Judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour me.”
But, oh, dear Pilgrim, it’s in those times that we must run to the Cross, plead Christ’s Blood and give thanks for His Mercy and Grace (Heb. 4:14-16).
The same writer who penned I Jn. 3:6 also wrote I Jn. 1:8: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the Truth is not in us.” So, which one is true? The answer: Both of them!
You see, the key to understanding today’s Manna is the word “willfully,” which basically implies a “bent” or continual direction of the will—i.e., a lifestyle. Just as the Bible says there’ll be no “adulterers, fornicators, idolatrous, hateful, vindictive, jealous, envious, murderous, drunken partiers, liars, fearful, unbelieving, etc., in Heaven” (Gal. 5:19-21; Rev. 21:8), so does it also remind us that we’re “saved by Grace through faith and that not of yourself it is the Gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).
Simply put, the ones who should have a “fearful looking for the Judgment to come and the fiery indignation” are those who’ve turned their back on Christ and are “crucifying Him afresh by putting Him to an open shame” by their lifestyles (Heb. 6:6). They may cry “Saved by Grace! Saved by Grace!” and honestly believe they’ll go to Heaven when they die; however, their presuming on such Grace reveals their contempt for the One Who gives it and should cause them to reexamine their relationship with Him before it’s too late.
By Tom Smith Morning Manna Dated March 9, 2011
