GOD’S JUDGMENT

Hebrews 10:30-31 New Living Translation

”For we know the one who said, ‘I will take revenge. I will pay them back.’^[a] He also said, ‘The Lord will judge his own people.’ It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

       The writer of Hebrews quotes the Old Testament as he warns believers of the coming judgment.  Verses 26-29 set the scene:

         “Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received   

          knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these 

         sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire 

        that will consume his enemies. For anyone who refused to obey the law of 

       Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.  

        Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled 

        on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us 

       holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy 

       Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us.”

       The judgment coming is for those who have rejected God’s mercy.  On the last day the Lord will divide his true children from the apostates; those who have fallen away or renounced their faith in Jesus Christ.  What a sad situation to find yourself in, having believed and received the gracious forgiveness of God for the entirety of your sins, only to turn away at a future date to pursue other things that have piqued your curiosity. 

       The key word in verse 26 is ‘deliberately’. That means it wasn’t an accident or mistake, you continued sinning intentionally.  If you never return to the fold then you have essentially trampled God’s grace under foot, thus insulting the Lord.  You will receive a worse punishment than one who never served God in the first place. Christ died a gruesome death for us all, yet some disregard it as if his actions were trivial and unimportant. I know a couple people who renounced their faith back in the 90’s.  There is no talking to them, they’ve made up their minds as free will allows. God sends no one to hell. Quite the contrary, scripture tells us that he doesn’t wish that any would perish without being redeemed.  Men, women and children choose hell either by their actions or inaction.  This isn’t a popular topic without a doubt, but one that needs to be shouted from the rooftops.  Serve God faithfully. Turn away from evil and do good (1 Peter 3:11a). Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

^[a] Deuteronomy 32:35 (NLT) “I will take revenge; I will pay them back.  In due time their feet will slip. Their day of disaster will arrive, and their destiny will overtake them.”

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible, published by Tyndale House.