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Take your Bible and turn with me to the book of Hebrews, the book of Hebrews. Let me mention this to you. You take the gospel of John, it’s God’s Heaven track. You trust Christ as your Savior. You realize what you’re supposed to do with your life and so you’re studying the book of Acts and it’s God’s soul winning manual. And you’re going along fine. And then you make the mistake of going to Hebrews. And then when you go to Hebrews, it’s like getting a piece of gristle in your throat and you can’t chew it and you can’t swallow it.

And it’s just about ruins your whole Christianity. There are a lot of little chunks or morsels that sometimes seem hard to swallow in the book of Hebrews. But one of the things that you always try to do keep salvation separate from service. The verses that deal with salvation, you keep those there, and the verses that deal with service, you keep them over on the other side, and it will help you to discern. So that as you study the scriptures, remember always use the clear verses on salvation, and then those verses will help you to see and understand the rest of scripture.

So the gospel is the lens by which you study the rest of the Bible, and so it helps in your discernment. But if If you ever get blurry on the gospel, all of scripture becomes blurry. You can’t see clearly. So that’s why when you study Hebrews, you want to make sure that you understand salvation clearly, and that it is truly a gift. And most people have no problem with stating, yes, all you need to do is trust Christ as your Savior.

He forgives you of your sins, washed in the blood, as long as you don’t mention the word like eternal security. When you say, I believe in eternal security, you’re opening up a true can of worms, because even though I believe that, you’re really going to cause people to have questions and doubts about you really. You mean1974 to tell me that God has given you a license to sin? You can do anything you want and still go to heaven when you die.

It seems like they always come up with that. Well, if you believe you’re really eternally secure, that’s what you’re saying. And you can’t back up from it. And you’re not to apologize for it. Because that is the gospel. The good news of how God will save you right now, give eternal life and will never cast you out for any reason. Now because of that, when you read in the book of Hebrews, the words like if, if, if, and then this if becomes a great problem, because that means that if I do this, this will be true.

If, if, if. And so in the book of Hebrews, there’s many times this is used, but try to understand where it’s coming from. So go to the book of Hebrews and the verse that we’re gonna look at today, because I want you to be super clear on the meaning of this verse is there in verse 26 of chapter 10, where it simply makes a statement, if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remain if no more sacrifice for sins.

If we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth. This is Hebrews 1026. Now. Before getting into explaining what I believe that verse is talking about, look there in Hebrews in chapter 2, Hebrews and chapter 2. We will do in Sunday school a few of the scriptures that deal with the subject of difficult passages. They’re just difficult passages. And so, you know the phrase of those that endure to the end the same shall be saved. Faith without works is dead, then.

Hebrews chapter 6. So there’s a few passages that kind of causes a little trouble once in a while. But here in Hebrews in chapter 2, I want you to look in verse 1, He’s talking to the believers, to those at no Christ as their Savior. Therefore, we. So whoever the writer is, he is including himself, and I’m assuming that he is a believer. Would you go that far with me? He’s probably a believer in the Lord. Since God used them to write the scripture, not personally, I believe it probably could have been the apostle Paul.

But I don’t have any definite proof on that. But anyway, therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard less at any time we should let them slip. Then he goes down here and says in verse three, How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? Get this now. Which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him. God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders and with divers, miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to His own will.

So I believe that this is written to the believers, and a believer is stating this and his including himself in this. So in this passage of scripture, it’s not talking about how to be saved, it’s talking about something that we have been given, and that we’re not supposed to let it slip away from us. Something that I have, now we’re not talking about eternal life, you can’t lose eternal life, But there is an element of truth, a body of truth that God has given to us, and He wants us to hold fast to that which we have been given.

We have been given this wonderful message of salvation. But remember this, salvation is so wonderful in the fact that it saved us from hell, gave us eternal life, we became a child of God and we’re going to heaven when we die. that’s good. But there’s more to salvation than just that. That’s one thing that he did. But he’s also now in the process of trying to, because of our yielding to the Lord, yielding to him for the purpose of being saved from the power of sin in our life.

He wants us to go from childhood to adulthood, to mature in the Lord. And we can mature in the Lord if we don’t take the truth that God has given to us and set them aside or neglect. I want you to look at this word here. See there in verse 1 where he made the statement, less at any time we should let them slip. It’s like I’m supposed to hold on to something and something that I’m supposed to hold on to can slip away.

Then in verse three, how shall we escape? So he’s talking about something that’s going to happen to the believers if they don’t do what they’re supposed to do and something’s going to happen to them. But look what he says, how shall we escape if we and here’s a wonderful word. I really don’t like it used to but it’s here but Let us know that we can neglect. See, you may know Christ as your Savior and you’re going to heaven when you die, but can you neglect the element of prayer in your life?

Can you neglect the reading and the studying of the Word of God? Can you neglect witnessing? Can you neglect meeting with God’s people? And even more so as you see the day approaching? Can you neglect all of these things that will make you strong? And so if you neglect those things that will make you strong, you’re going to be weak. And when you’re a weak Christian, you’re not going to do the things that God says do. And so you are going to find yourself sinning against God willfully.

You know the truth. You’re just not going to do it. So you’re going to be rebellious. So when he says, if we sin willfully after we have received, have received his already past tense, it means you’ve already received something. If we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, it means if you sin willfully or choose to become rebellious. Sending willfully. Most people do. But it’s in rebellion because you neglected what God says to do. And you didn’t live by faith or walk by faith.

And so there are consequences. So you’ll find in the book of Hebrews in chapter two, several places, chapter three, if. If. So if we will hold on to certain truths, we can mature in the Lord. We can walk with the Lord. Otherwise, we’re going to have a hardened heart. And when your heart is hardened, the deceitfulness of sin will keep you from maturing and doing what God wants you to do. And He talks about the people in the Old Testament because of the hardness of their heart, their unbelief.

They never got to go into the promised land. They died in the wilderness. So you and I as a child of God, the so-called promised land for the believer is supposed to be a place of victory. The land of Canaan is not a picture of heaven, it’s a place of victory for the Christian. It doesn’t mean there’s no battles, there are battles, but you win. But many Christians never get there, they’re still in the wilderness, and they will spend 40 years trying to go on an 11-day journey, and they just keep going in circles and never mature, never gaining.

So when you’re limited in knowledge, you’re limited in ministry, that’s why you need to have more of the knowledge of the Word of God. So he says here in verse three, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? Now, this salvation that God has given to us, not only saves us from hell, but it saves us in life. There’s so many things that God still wants to save us from, that he wants to produce in our life.

He see, when you get saved, you’re saved from something, to something in this life is to save you from just being a child to being a mature individual in the Lord. So take your Bible and turn over there with me to the book of Hebrews and chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10. And look now in verse 26 for if, and you ought to underline that word, if, If we believers sin willfully, that means you’re rebellious. After we have received, it’s already done.

It’s the past tense. The knowledge of the truth. So you know the gospel, you know how to be saved. You even probably know how to serve the Lord as you was talking here. And in chapter 5, he says, for when the time, he says you ought to be teachers. You have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God. So he says, milk belong to them that are babes in Christ. Meet the longs of those that are mature, who have their senses exercised to discern good and bad.

So you see, you studied the word of God so that you get discernment and can make wiser decisions for your life. This is why you can be saved for years and never have the discernment of making the wise decision that God wants you to make. That’s why sometimes you have to decide what does God want me to do with my life and you’ll make better decisions if you have better discernment. Better discernment comes from a knowledge of the word of God.

So he makes a statement here, there remaineth therefore no more sacrifice for sins. Jesus Christ is not going to come down to the earth tomorrow and pay for what we did today. Because He died once for all the sins of the world, so He doesn’t have to make another payment. So I can’t lose my salvation. But what about the person who knows the will of God and refuses to do it? To sin willfully here is to talk about sinning willfully against the will of God.

Knowing what God wants him to do and refuses to do it, are there such individuals? I’ve met a few. I’m glad there’s nobody here like that. You do not want to be rebellious. So can a Christian live in rebellion to God? Yes. Can he get away with the consequences? No, there are consequences. So what does God promise? See, they’re in verse 27, but a certain fearful looking for a judgment and fiery indignation. In other words, you’re going to make God mad.

You’re going to upset God. If there’s anything that you ought not do is make God angry. Did you know Israel made God angry? And you don’t want to make God angry. Have you ever made your mother and dad angry with you? You don’t want to make God angry. He’s your father and he’s a wonderful loving father, but can you make your father angry at you? Yes, you can. Now he talks about how that, oh, yeah, under the law and what God did.

And so he made the statement, how much in verse 26, how much sore punishment. So, Poshy shall he be thought worthy, who have trodden underfoot the Son of God, have counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified. Now when he talks about he was sanctified, that’s in chapter 10 where it says that when you trusted Christ as your Savior, you were sanctified, made pure and holy by the payment Christ made. So here you are and you’re putting what Christ did and stomping on it like spitting in the face of God himself.

I’m talking about a Christian doing this to God. This is what you do when you rebel against the will of God for your life. That’s a shame. And he says, how shall we escape? And then how much sore punishment, suppose he shall he be thought worthy. In other words, what do you think he ought to get? So a Christian cannot live as he pleases and get away with it. There’s a great price to pay. Look what he says there in verse 30.

For we know him that hath said, vengeance belongeth unto me. I will recompense saith the Lord. And again, and under blindest, the Lord shall judge and you ought to underline these two words, especially his people. So we’re not talking about the lost people. We’re talking about God’s people. Now, he makes the statement here. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. And then he says, but call to remembrance because these people evidently had trusted Christ’s Savior and had even known the will of God and had made some wise decisions.

They decide to serve the Lord. You see what he says there in verse 32? but culture remembers the former days in which after you were illuminated, you endured a great fight of afflictions. In other words, you saw the light, you took a stand, you paid a price, you started well, you started to run. And in verse 33, partly, why you were made a gazing stock. So we know we’re talking to believers here. You were made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions and partly while ye became companions of them that were so used.

For ye had compassion of me in my bonds and get this took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in yourselves that you have in heaven. Now You think he’s talking to lost people having something in heaven? Or you think he’s talking about believers having something in heaven? See, it’s not the lost people that we’re talking about here. It’s talking about believers that know the truth. Rebell against God. And yet at one time you did what you knew God wanted you to do.

But something happens. See, the devil always wanted you to get you tired and weary and warned to where you just, I’ve had enough, I quit, I can’t go on, and whatever. And so he says in verse 34, for ye had compassion of me and my bonds. Took joyful and spooling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and enduring substance. Whatever you were willing to give here upon the earth, he says, because of what I was going through you helped me because you knew that whatever you gave, you were going to get something better back in heaven.

Rewards are earned. Salvation is free. So we’re talking about what the believers can have in heaven. A better and enduring substance because of the afflictions they were willing to go through down here. And what they endured, you see, you don’t always enjoy everything that goes on. But God gives us the strength and the grace that we need to endure what we have to endure. Knowing and believing that something better. Now look in verse 35. In verse 35 he makes this statement, cast not away.

Cast not away. This is the same as he’s talking about back there in chapter two. Don’t let something slip from you. Don’t let it slip away. How shall we escape the chasting hand of God if we let what we know slip through our fingers? the opportunities that God’s given to us. We only get to live one time in life, one trip through, no reruns, no replays, just one trip through. Cast not away, therefore, your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.

So we’re talking to believers, and we’re talking about rewards. So it’s something that you’re going to lose if you let something slip out of your hand. So he’s in whole fast. And I believe here when he makes a statement in verse 35, cast not away, therefore, your what? Confidence. What builds your confidence? What makes you bold in the Lord? When you know what the word of God says, and you believe it, and you have faith that God will take care and provide and protect and all that, and it’s worth it because you’re gonna have something in heaven that’s gonna be worth it all.

We just sung the song. It will be worth it all. So that’s why he says, don’t cast away therefore your confidence, which has great recompense of reward. But what about those that do? You see there in verse 36, for you have need of patience that get this after you have done the will of God. So we are talking about believers that know they’re going to heaven. We’re talking about believers that know the will of God, but to rebel against that which you have received to know the truth, to have light given to you, and then for you to just rebel against it.

What’s going to be the result? God says He is going to chase in us, but before the chasing, God always makes a plea and gives us a chance. He talks about, I want you to live by faith. Live with your confidence in me. So a verse that’s used three times in the New Testament, once in the Old Testament, the book of Habakkah chapter 2 and verse 4, about the just shall live by faith. The just shall live by faith.

And Hebrews talks about the just shall live by faith and explains what he means by faith. So you notice there in verse 38, now the just shall live by faith, but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul, even if a man does not lived by faith. He still saved, but God didn’t have pleasure in that individual.

Isn’t one of the things that we should do and want to do is to please the Lord, but God said, I have no pleasure in him. And the reason that word is so important is because you see there in verse 5 of chapter 11, look in chapter 11 in verse 5. He said, by faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death, was not found because God had translated him for before his translation he had this testimony. So we’re talking about the testimony of God’s children.

What kind of a testimony do you have? But he had this kind of a testimony. Look at the last part of that. He did what? He pleased God. You see, one of the greatest goals of every one of God’s children is that I want to live in such a way that it pleases God. And God says, don’t let this slip away, this desire, this confidence of living by faith, of just looking to the Lord and trusting the Lord. Don’t let these opportunities just pass you by.

And so as you go through here, you’ll find out that. Chapter 11 is a whole chapter on what it means to live by faith. He’s not talking about how they were saved. He was talking about how they lived. Talk about their testimony, about Abraham, all the way through all these people, what they did. God said and they obeyed. God said they obeyed. So having therefore such a great cloud of witnesses like these Old Testament Saints in chapter 11, He says, let us, see there in chapter 12, in chapter 12, look at the last part of verse one, where he says, let us run with patience, the race that is set before us.

This let us and let us and let us and let us, who I sure mentioned a lot of times, is talking to God’s children about obey in the Lord. Things will help you to stay strong. Now look again in chapter 10, chapter 10 and notice there in this verse 22, as a child of God, realizing that the payment for all the sins have been paid for and yes you now are free to serve the Lord. You can serve the Lord now.

You see before you couldn’t do it. Now you’re free, You can, but you may rebel against it. So he says in verse 22, let us, and your other underlyingness, draw near. Let us draw near. You see, it’s the will of God for you to get as close to the Lord as you can get. Are you closer to the Lord now than you used to be? Or are you drifting away from the Lord? Is the Lord more precious to you than he used to be?

Do you wanna please the Lord more than you ever did in your life. Nobody can answer those questions except you, but look what he says. Let us draw near it with a true heart and full assurance confidence of faith. See, talking about, as he says here, having our heart sprinkled from an evil conscience. What would be an evil conscience? A conscience that you’re talking about cast away, therefore you’re confident. A confidence of deserting God. A confidence of not pleasing God.

of confidence of being rebellious to God. So many of God’s people are just like that. But you don’t wanna be like that. So he said, let us draw near. And verse 23 says, let us hold fast. Verse 24, let us consider. See when you have lettuce, lettuce, lettuce, that’s a lot of lettuce in a lot of gardens. And everybody ought to have a garden with nothing but lettuce in it. I thought that was pretty good anyway. But look in verse 23, let us hold fast the profession of our faith.

Well, that’s waving. Why? Because He is faithful that what? Prom, you see, it all boils down to do you believe that what God said He meant? That God’s promises are true and to be faithful because of the promise of God. See, I haven’t yet gotten my new body. I haven’t stood yet at the the Judgement of the Christ and got any rewards. But I know this, he promised, he promised. Now can I keep serving the Lord because I know he promised?

And those promises and believing that, that confidence can drive you through. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. Our two of this teaching will conclude with tomorrow’s broadcast. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bible line and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll-free 1-800-576-3771.

That’s 1-800-576-3771. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our home page. If you’re in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10 30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by going to our church website, calvaryoftampa.org.

Thanks for joining us on Vital Line and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. We will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and everyday, believing that the Lord is coming soon. Just keep looking up.