Heb 7:5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
Heb 7:6 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
Heb 7:7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
The LESS is blessed of the BETTER. We don't bless God- He blesses us. Why is that? Because without any contradiction God is better than us. Blessed are those whom God has given His blessing. When a father gives a son his blessing it is because the father is older- wiser. The son does not give a blessing to the father.
Heb 7:8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
Heb 7:9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
Heb 7:10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
The tribe of Levi was in Abraham's loins- his descendents- Abraham/Isaac/Jacob/Levi. The priesthood came from the tribe of Levi and yet Melchisedec was not of that tribe of Levi. Melchisedec was appointed by GOD uniquely so and Abraham whose descendants would bring forth the tribe that would be priests unto God, paid tithes to Melchisedec- appointed uniquely of God, greater than the one being blessed.
Heb 7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
Perfection is of God! You can follow the law to the letter and not achieve perfection. Perfection is uniquely of God. The law guides in love, the law given by God out of love, but the law is not God Himself. Another PRIEST should rise after the ORDER of Melchisedec- a Priest uniquely of God- Jesus Christ!
Heb 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
Heb 7:13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
Heb 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
Heb 7:15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
Heb 7:16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
Our wonderful Savior! The power of an endless life!
Heb 7:17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Heb 7:18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
Heb 7:19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
The law pointed to Christ. The hope was in the eternal one, sacrificed.
Heb 7:20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:
Heb 7:21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)
Psa 110:4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
Heb 7:22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
Heb 7:23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
Heb 7:24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
A priest forever! A priest uniquely of God forever, an UNCHANGEABLE priesthood.
Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Our Savior lives forever as a High Priest, God's High Priest- ever to make intercession for us!
Heb 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
Became us!
Holy!
Harmless!
Undefiled!
Separate from sinners!
Higher than the heavens!
OUR High Priest! Our Savior!
Heb 7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
The Sacrifice made once, a Sacrifice. A PERFECT Sacrifice. The Sacrifice all other lessers sacrifices pointed to. Death once. Jesus offered Himself a perfect Sacrifice.
Heb 7:28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
The word of the oath- God's oath- uniquely called of God- knowing the law eternally- The Son consecrated forever and ever more.
Jesus wasn't born into the priesthood. It was those of the priesthood who had Him killed. Jesus was a priest though, a Priest uniquely so called of God. He wasn't a priest from man's calling, but of God's. We cannot forget this. Jesus is our High Priest. A Priest who ever lives to make intercession for us! We have a High Priest! We do! You have a High Priest, I have a High Priest! That High Priest is our Savior!
Jesus- Became us!
Jesus- Holy!
Jesus- Harmless!
Jesus- Undefiled!
Jesus- Separate from sinners!
Jesus- Higher than the heavens!
Jesus our High Priest!
We're not to look to any other to intercede for us, not any other, no man, no one but the Lord God Jesus Christ our Savior, He alone as our High Priest intercedes for us.
Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
He alone can save us to the uttermost!
All praise, all glory, all honor to our King! Our High Priest! Our Savior now and forever and ever!
By His grace!
Amen.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Priest of the Most High God
Heb 7:1 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
Heb 7:2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
Heb 7:3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
Heb 7:4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
Melchisedec- God's High Priest. A man of mystery- made LIKE unto the Son of God. He wasn't the Son of God, He did not have a birth as Jesus had a birth- born of the Spirit-God become man. Melchisedec was not a God. But he was like the Son of God. Where is says 'without father without mother' we know that Jesus had a mother, that Jesus was born of a woman. Melchisedec's birth was unknown. Perhaps like any child abandoned in secret and found, raised by others, the parents are unknown- the origins of that child are unknown. Melchisdec could have been abandoned as a child. It's not unheard of and we really don't know. With no history- no descent- a person's heritage is completely unknown. We can guess at certain parts by the color of skin, the color of hair, and physical features but even those aren't perfect indicators. God chose Melchisedec to be His High Priest- a personal High Priest on earth not appointed by any man, but appointed by God Himself before the Levitical Priesthood institution was in place. When they say he had neither beginning of days nor end of life- again these are things that can't be verified all the time- this does not make Melchisedec a Son of God, it makes Him a Priest of God, a priest that abides continually. This was a great man and we are to consider how great-- so great that Abraham- promised of God- honored this man. He didn't honor Him as if he were God, but from God. God deserves a 10th of all we own, Abraham as God's chosen respected that Melchisdec was God's chosen High Priest and gave him a 10th of all the spoils he'd gained from the slaughter of the kings.
Chosen of God.
Heb 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
God's High Priest!
It's important for us to know this, it really is. We have to understand that our Savior is a High Priest appointed so by His Father, appointed by God. It's necessary for us to consider the High Priest's role in God's plan. A High Priest is necessary. At first each man was a priest to himself, for his family offering sacrifices to God for their sins and the sins of their family. God's plan for the future involved High Priests above the priest role. God appointed the High Priests to offer sacrifices for the priests and for all, answerable only to God Himself. The Levitical system formalized this plan of God's, and all of it pointed towards the Innocent Lamb of God- God's Son who alone could offer a PERFECT sacrifice. Is it no wonder we have to recognize our Savior as our High Priest before God, appointed by God?
We don't live in a time and haven't lived in a time without God's ultimate Sacrifice for over 2000 years. We've gone far away from the idea of having a priest, or a high priest offering animal sacrifices so that our sins can be forgiven. The priest NEVER forgave sin, God forgave sins as the blood was offered by the priests. No man can forgive sin against God, only God can forgive that sin and the only acceptable sacrifice is His Son's perfection, His Son's sacrifice. We can try all we want to obtain forgiveness through rituals if that's what we want to do, but no ritual will give us that forgiveness, only Christ Himself can give us that forgiveness. We have to confess to Him, we have to repent of our sins, we have to seek forgiveness through HIM and no other. But to believe we don't have to confess to Him, to believe we can have forgiveness merely through knowing He exists, to believe we have forgiveness without repentance and confession is a fallacy that we need to understand. That repentance can't be found through another. Even though we like to believe that there is no priestly services involved in anything any more, it's not true. Heaven has a temple, our High Priest is in that temple, God's sacrificial system moved from type on earth to reality in heaven and we need to know this.
By the grace of God we will understand more and more of all we need to understand by His will. Our hope is in Christ and Christ alone. Our Savior is our only hope and our belief in our Savior is that hope. We must believe that He is.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Let us have faith!
By His love now and forever!
Amen.
Heb 7:2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
Heb 7:3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
Heb 7:4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
Melchisedec- God's High Priest. A man of mystery- made LIKE unto the Son of God. He wasn't the Son of God, He did not have a birth as Jesus had a birth- born of the Spirit-God become man. Melchisedec was not a God. But he was like the Son of God. Where is says 'without father without mother' we know that Jesus had a mother, that Jesus was born of a woman. Melchisedec's birth was unknown. Perhaps like any child abandoned in secret and found, raised by others, the parents are unknown- the origins of that child are unknown. Melchisdec could have been abandoned as a child. It's not unheard of and we really don't know. With no history- no descent- a person's heritage is completely unknown. We can guess at certain parts by the color of skin, the color of hair, and physical features but even those aren't perfect indicators. God chose Melchisedec to be His High Priest- a personal High Priest on earth not appointed by any man, but appointed by God Himself before the Levitical Priesthood institution was in place. When they say he had neither beginning of days nor end of life- again these are things that can't be verified all the time- this does not make Melchisedec a Son of God, it makes Him a Priest of God, a priest that abides continually. This was a great man and we are to consider how great-- so great that Abraham- promised of God- honored this man. He didn't honor Him as if he were God, but from God. God deserves a 10th of all we own, Abraham as God's chosen respected that Melchisdec was God's chosen High Priest and gave him a 10th of all the spoils he'd gained from the slaughter of the kings.
Chosen of God.
Heb 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
God's High Priest!
It's important for us to know this, it really is. We have to understand that our Savior is a High Priest appointed so by His Father, appointed by God. It's necessary for us to consider the High Priest's role in God's plan. A High Priest is necessary. At first each man was a priest to himself, for his family offering sacrifices to God for their sins and the sins of their family. God's plan for the future involved High Priests above the priest role. God appointed the High Priests to offer sacrifices for the priests and for all, answerable only to God Himself. The Levitical system formalized this plan of God's, and all of it pointed towards the Innocent Lamb of God- God's Son who alone could offer a PERFECT sacrifice. Is it no wonder we have to recognize our Savior as our High Priest before God, appointed by God?
We don't live in a time and haven't lived in a time without God's ultimate Sacrifice for over 2000 years. We've gone far away from the idea of having a priest, or a high priest offering animal sacrifices so that our sins can be forgiven. The priest NEVER forgave sin, God forgave sins as the blood was offered by the priests. No man can forgive sin against God, only God can forgive that sin and the only acceptable sacrifice is His Son's perfection, His Son's sacrifice. We can try all we want to obtain forgiveness through rituals if that's what we want to do, but no ritual will give us that forgiveness, only Christ Himself can give us that forgiveness. We have to confess to Him, we have to repent of our sins, we have to seek forgiveness through HIM and no other. But to believe we don't have to confess to Him, to believe we can have forgiveness merely through knowing He exists, to believe we have forgiveness without repentance and confession is a fallacy that we need to understand. That repentance can't be found through another. Even though we like to believe that there is no priestly services involved in anything any more, it's not true. Heaven has a temple, our High Priest is in that temple, God's sacrificial system moved from type on earth to reality in heaven and we need to know this.
By the grace of God we will understand more and more of all we need to understand by His will. Our hope is in Christ and Christ alone. Our Savior is our only hope and our belief in our Savior is that hope. We must believe that He is.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Let us have faith!
By His love now and forever!
Amen.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
We might have strong consolation...
Heb 6:16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
Heb 6:17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
Heb 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
Heb 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Heb 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
We swear on the Bible. We swear on the lives of loved ones. We swear to God. We swear all the time in order to have others believe that we are being truthful, that what we say means something. Do you believe people lie all the time, even those who swear? They do. We call it perjury in court. We see it on television in shows *games* people are playing and swearing on the lives of their dear mothers, their sweet children and all the while they are lying and doing so- telling themselves it's only a game- just a game and lies in games of lying don't matter. It's hard to take anyone at their word especially these days. There was a time when a handshake was enough, but now we need contracts and contracts that are legitimate and binding in all the legal jargon. Even then people try to get out of contracts they've signed. Our oaths mean very little.
God's oath means EVERYTHING.
God will NEVER go back on His word, has NEVER gone back on His word, CAN'T go back on His word. God cannot LIE! Salvation is ours, we are His heirs of the promise! Each and every one of us is an heir of the promise. This is a STRONG CONSOLATION to us. We need to use these facts as consolation as life throws everything it can at us, everything that Satan will try and use to get us to turn from our God, our ONLY hope.
Consoling ourselves means what exactly? It's giving ourselves comfort in a bad situation. If you console someone who has lost a loved one you are trying to comfort them. If you are consoling someone that is going through a rough time you are trying to give them some comfort. We have to console ourselves with the knowledge that we are heir of salvation, that we have hope in Jesus. We need that comforting knowledge because without it we could easily become overwhelmed.
Heb 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Heb 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
An anchor of the soul.
Sure and stedfast.
Entering into that within the veil! Entering into the Most Holy Place! Entering where our Savior is at the right hand of the Father. Jesus entered the place within the veil, a high priest forever deemed so by God Himself.
This is hope. This is our consolation. This is the salvation promised to us, the heirs of salvation.
How wondrous it is to know that we have a Savior, a High Priest ministering on our behalf behind the veil.
The promises of God to some mean very little and if we live only for this world they are nothing, they are meaningless to those who have no hope in eternity with their Savior. These are reality! God is reality! Jesus is reality! Eternal life is reality and Satan will stop at NOTHING to take that reality and make people believe it's all fiction. Satan wants us to lose hope, to have no faith in God or His promises.
By the grace and the mercy of our Lord and Savior we will hold fast to the promises of our God, we will cling to the knowledge we are heirs of Salvation through Jesus, that we can console ourselves knowing there is hope in a world that would have us live without hope. Jesus our High Priest lives and with this knowledge we live in Him.
Amen!
Heb 6:17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
Heb 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
Heb 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Heb 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
We swear on the Bible. We swear on the lives of loved ones. We swear to God. We swear all the time in order to have others believe that we are being truthful, that what we say means something. Do you believe people lie all the time, even those who swear? They do. We call it perjury in court. We see it on television in shows *games* people are playing and swearing on the lives of their dear mothers, their sweet children and all the while they are lying and doing so- telling themselves it's only a game- just a game and lies in games of lying don't matter. It's hard to take anyone at their word especially these days. There was a time when a handshake was enough, but now we need contracts and contracts that are legitimate and binding in all the legal jargon. Even then people try to get out of contracts they've signed. Our oaths mean very little.
God's oath means EVERYTHING.
God will NEVER go back on His word, has NEVER gone back on His word, CAN'T go back on His word. God cannot LIE! Salvation is ours, we are His heirs of the promise! Each and every one of us is an heir of the promise. This is a STRONG CONSOLATION to us. We need to use these facts as consolation as life throws everything it can at us, everything that Satan will try and use to get us to turn from our God, our ONLY hope.
Consoling ourselves means what exactly? It's giving ourselves comfort in a bad situation. If you console someone who has lost a loved one you are trying to comfort them. If you are consoling someone that is going through a rough time you are trying to give them some comfort. We have to console ourselves with the knowledge that we are heir of salvation, that we have hope in Jesus. We need that comforting knowledge because without it we could easily become overwhelmed.
Heb 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Heb 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
An anchor of the soul.
Sure and stedfast.
Entering into that within the veil! Entering into the Most Holy Place! Entering where our Savior is at the right hand of the Father. Jesus entered the place within the veil, a high priest forever deemed so by God Himself.
This is hope. This is our consolation. This is the salvation promised to us, the heirs of salvation.
How wondrous it is to know that we have a Savior, a High Priest ministering on our behalf behind the veil.
The promises of God to some mean very little and if we live only for this world they are nothing, they are meaningless to those who have no hope in eternity with their Savior. These are reality! God is reality! Jesus is reality! Eternal life is reality and Satan will stop at NOTHING to take that reality and make people believe it's all fiction. Satan wants us to lose hope, to have no faith in God or His promises.
By the grace and the mercy of our Lord and Savior we will hold fast to the promises of our God, we will cling to the knowledge we are heirs of Salvation through Jesus, that we can console ourselves knowing there is hope in a world that would have us live without hope. Jesus our High Priest lives and with this knowledge we live in Him.
Amen!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Endure
Heb 6:13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
Heb 6:14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
Heb 6:15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
The promises of God are sure. The promises of God are everlasting. The promises of God are given to us- all of us- and they are promises that won't be broken, that can't be broken.
Promises can take a long time to fulfill. The trouble with us we want instant fulfillment. Or, maybe we aren't expecting instant fulfillment, but we expect our promises to be fulfilled in a timely fashion. We set dates on our promises a lot of time. A promise isn't really broken unless there is a time limit attached to it, right? I'm not saying it's bad to make time limited promises, we almost have to don't we? I promise to get that room clean. It's no good to make that promise and not keep it in a timely fashion. Thirty years later and the room still isn't clean, well that's just crazy, right? I promise to love you. Now there's a promise we want to go on forever, don't we? I promise to be good. Another promise that hopefully won't ever end. We can promise things that might take a while though, can't we? I promise we'll go on vacation in Europe someday. What happens if that promise isn't kept in say ten years? Twenty years? Thirty years? People stop believing as time goes on that promises will be kept. They lose hope that it will be kept. Maybe at forty years later finally it's possible for that vacation and the promise is kept- all is good. But that's not always the case with us and our promises. We sometimes make promises that are not kept, in fact we do it ALL the time. Why though? Why do we make promises we don't keep? Good intentions? Mostly likely it is good intentions although some times promises are made that are made with no intention of them being kept. A promise made to pacify someone. Yes, I'll love you and stay with you forever. Then the next day they're gone.
Promises.
Abraham was promised that his seed would be multiplied - that he would have many, many descendents. And upon having received that promise it is logical to imagine that he believed the promise would be fulfilled in a timely fashion. Years go by, years and years and years. And Abraham wasn't without fault. He did doubt… He did. So when we read that 'he had patiently endured' it doesn't mean he didn't have his doubts. He took Sarah's maid to have children with her at Sarah's request. People sometimes try to lay the blame for that on Sarah, but would Abraham have agreed to take Hagar and have children with her if he wasn't doubting at all?
We have our doubts in our walk with Christ, even as we hope for Salvation and have faith, we do sometimes doubt. Can we doubt without wavering? You can. You know what I’m talking about don't you? You keep doing something, you keep at it even though you aren't sure it will work out. You might even voice your doubt but you keep on keeping on as the saying goes. Your actions say you are in it until the end no matter the outcome. You are in it until the end, you know you are, but that doesn't keep you from wondering, it doesn't keep you from doubting that you're doing the right thing.
Life is tumultuous at best. We have hope in our own lives because we know that some of God's beloved had doubts, that some of God's beloved were blatant sinners who repented- giving us hope. We have our examples of faith, faith that believes even if doubts are apparent.
Have you ever trusted in someone but doubted in them at the same time? I know I have. That desire to trust them is there, the hope to trust them is there, but doubts rear up their ugly heads and while we continue to trust we doubt. We have faith even through all the doubts, doubts Satan will play on hoping that we'll lose faith, that we'll stop hoping, that we'll stop believing.
Heb 6:15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
He patiently endured. He endured through the doubts. He persevered through the doubts. He didn't waver- He didn't turn his back on God even though he tried to work out how God was going to do as He promised, believing that maybe he had to help God out.
We have to endure through all our doubts. We can't waver though we doubt. We have to keep on through all the turmoil life throws at us. We might question but through all the questions that faith has to remain. Through all the misunderstanding, we have to remain in love. Love is a choice and we have to choose love always in Christ!
By His Grace! By His Love! In Him Always!
Amen.
Heb 6:14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
Heb 6:15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
The promises of God are sure. The promises of God are everlasting. The promises of God are given to us- all of us- and they are promises that won't be broken, that can't be broken.
Promises can take a long time to fulfill. The trouble with us we want instant fulfillment. Or, maybe we aren't expecting instant fulfillment, but we expect our promises to be fulfilled in a timely fashion. We set dates on our promises a lot of time. A promise isn't really broken unless there is a time limit attached to it, right? I'm not saying it's bad to make time limited promises, we almost have to don't we? I promise to get that room clean. It's no good to make that promise and not keep it in a timely fashion. Thirty years later and the room still isn't clean, well that's just crazy, right? I promise to love you. Now there's a promise we want to go on forever, don't we? I promise to be good. Another promise that hopefully won't ever end. We can promise things that might take a while though, can't we? I promise we'll go on vacation in Europe someday. What happens if that promise isn't kept in say ten years? Twenty years? Thirty years? People stop believing as time goes on that promises will be kept. They lose hope that it will be kept. Maybe at forty years later finally it's possible for that vacation and the promise is kept- all is good. But that's not always the case with us and our promises. We sometimes make promises that are not kept, in fact we do it ALL the time. Why though? Why do we make promises we don't keep? Good intentions? Mostly likely it is good intentions although some times promises are made that are made with no intention of them being kept. A promise made to pacify someone. Yes, I'll love you and stay with you forever. Then the next day they're gone.
Promises.
Abraham was promised that his seed would be multiplied - that he would have many, many descendents. And upon having received that promise it is logical to imagine that he believed the promise would be fulfilled in a timely fashion. Years go by, years and years and years. And Abraham wasn't without fault. He did doubt… He did. So when we read that 'he had patiently endured' it doesn't mean he didn't have his doubts. He took Sarah's maid to have children with her at Sarah's request. People sometimes try to lay the blame for that on Sarah, but would Abraham have agreed to take Hagar and have children with her if he wasn't doubting at all?
We have our doubts in our walk with Christ, even as we hope for Salvation and have faith, we do sometimes doubt. Can we doubt without wavering? You can. You know what I’m talking about don't you? You keep doing something, you keep at it even though you aren't sure it will work out. You might even voice your doubt but you keep on keeping on as the saying goes. Your actions say you are in it until the end no matter the outcome. You are in it until the end, you know you are, but that doesn't keep you from wondering, it doesn't keep you from doubting that you're doing the right thing.
Life is tumultuous at best. We have hope in our own lives because we know that some of God's beloved had doubts, that some of God's beloved were blatant sinners who repented- giving us hope. We have our examples of faith, faith that believes even if doubts are apparent.
Have you ever trusted in someone but doubted in them at the same time? I know I have. That desire to trust them is there, the hope to trust them is there, but doubts rear up their ugly heads and while we continue to trust we doubt. We have faith even through all the doubts, doubts Satan will play on hoping that we'll lose faith, that we'll stop hoping, that we'll stop believing.
Heb 6:15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
He patiently endured. He endured through the doubts. He persevered through the doubts. He didn't waver- He didn't turn his back on God even though he tried to work out how God was going to do as He promised, believing that maybe he had to help God out.
We have to endure through all our doubts. We can't waver though we doubt. We have to keep on through all the turmoil life throws at us. We might question but through all the questions that faith has to remain. Through all the misunderstanding, we have to remain in love. Love is a choice and we have to choose love always in Christ!
By His Grace! By His Love! In Him Always!
Amen.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Hope unto the end
Heb 6:9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
Heb 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
Heb 6:11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
Heb 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
*******
In the past few days we've read about the admonition spoken of to those who should be spiritually growing, but aren't. Those same spiritually stunted people were also admonished to realize that they need to bring forth good fruit, not thorns. Spiritually growing is a necessity and if we think otherwise we're very wrong. The admonitions are necessary to wake us up to realize our state of being. We have a God who loves us, a God who cares for us more than we can ever imagine and He will give us warnings, He will let us know when we err, He will point us in the right direction but He will never force us to do anything, we choose our own course.
Having delivered these admonitions the message goes on to say- BELOVED (such a wonderful term of endearment) Beloved we believe that there is better in you than what you've shown us, things that accompany salvation- things that people who are truly under the saving grace of the Lord will have in their lives- even though we've admonished you, we believe in you. God will NOT forget your work and labors of love that you've done in His name. God will not forget that you've helped others that are His. We want EVERYONE to show their sure HOPE to the end and not to be neglectful, but followers of others of faith and patience inheriting the promises.
Admonished but not cast down. Admonished so that we awake to the peril of losing hope, of losing patience, of being neglectful, of losing faith. When we lose hope, when we lose patience, when we are neglectful, when we lose faith there is NO salvation. Christ is our hope. Christ has to be alive in us, alive through faith, through the belief that He is.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Our Savior is real and we have to live as though He is right beside us- not as if He is far away in some other country, some other state, another city, across the neighborhood, right next door. He has to live with us, live in us.
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory
If we don't believe Christ is in us, that we are that close to Christ then do we even truly want salvation in Him? If we're content to just visit our Savior at a distance, go to see Him -so to speak- when we want something, or feel it's our duty to visit Him as one would a great grandparent in a nursing home, then we are not living with Christ in our lives, we are not truly living with the hope of salvation. We can't live as if our Savior is someone we see from time to time, someone we acknowledge once or twice a day, once a week, once a month… once a year. Our Savior is alive always and must be with us always. We shouldn't have to go look for our Savior as if He exists only in a church building, or only in our prayer closet, He lives always and closer than even a twin- He is with us in all things.
2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
By the Spirit of the Lord we must live. We must behold the glory of our Lord always- from glory to glory- being changed so that Christ's righteousness is all that is seen by His amazing grace and mercy and not our own image- His image in us.
We have to spiritually grow ever growing in Christ, we have to keep the hope, the faith ALWAYS.
By His LOVE now and forever!
Amen.
Heb 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
Heb 6:11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
Heb 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
*******
In the past few days we've read about the admonition spoken of to those who should be spiritually growing, but aren't. Those same spiritually stunted people were also admonished to realize that they need to bring forth good fruit, not thorns. Spiritually growing is a necessity and if we think otherwise we're very wrong. The admonitions are necessary to wake us up to realize our state of being. We have a God who loves us, a God who cares for us more than we can ever imagine and He will give us warnings, He will let us know when we err, He will point us in the right direction but He will never force us to do anything, we choose our own course.
Having delivered these admonitions the message goes on to say- BELOVED (such a wonderful term of endearment) Beloved we believe that there is better in you than what you've shown us, things that accompany salvation- things that people who are truly under the saving grace of the Lord will have in their lives- even though we've admonished you, we believe in you. God will NOT forget your work and labors of love that you've done in His name. God will not forget that you've helped others that are His. We want EVERYONE to show their sure HOPE to the end and not to be neglectful, but followers of others of faith and patience inheriting the promises.
Admonished but not cast down. Admonished so that we awake to the peril of losing hope, of losing patience, of being neglectful, of losing faith. When we lose hope, when we lose patience, when we are neglectful, when we lose faith there is NO salvation. Christ is our hope. Christ has to be alive in us, alive through faith, through the belief that He is.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Our Savior is real and we have to live as though He is right beside us- not as if He is far away in some other country, some other state, another city, across the neighborhood, right next door. He has to live with us, live in us.
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory
If we don't believe Christ is in us, that we are that close to Christ then do we even truly want salvation in Him? If we're content to just visit our Savior at a distance, go to see Him -so to speak- when we want something, or feel it's our duty to visit Him as one would a great grandparent in a nursing home, then we are not living with Christ in our lives, we are not truly living with the hope of salvation. We can't live as if our Savior is someone we see from time to time, someone we acknowledge once or twice a day, once a week, once a month… once a year. Our Savior is alive always and must be with us always. We shouldn't have to go look for our Savior as if He exists only in a church building, or only in our prayer closet, He lives always and closer than even a twin- He is with us in all things.
2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
By the Spirit of the Lord we must live. We must behold the glory of our Lord always- from glory to glory- being changed so that Christ's righteousness is all that is seen by His amazing grace and mercy and not our own image- His image in us.
We have to spiritually grow ever growing in Christ, we have to keep the hope, the faith ALWAYS.
By His LOVE now and forever!
Amen.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
That which beareth thorns and briers is rejected
Heb 6:7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
Heb 6:8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
When the earth gives us food, we are blessed. Try depending upon a garden and have that garden ruined by drought. The devastation for those who depend upon the earth, the rain, to bring forth their sustenance is life threatening. We who go to grocery stores to fill our cupboards with food have little concept of depending upon the earth for our very lives. I might be disappointed that my tomatoes were ruined, that my beets never took, that my zucchinis produced only one deformed zucchini and my carrots were a complete wash out but that disappointment is short lived when I know I can go to a store and get what I need to live. Someone who depends upon the ground around them, someone who depends upon the rain and the sun to give them a full garden of food so they can canned and store that food for the winter months because they have NO other food, truly understands the blessings that God gives to them when their gardening is a success. When all a garden bears is thorns and briers, weeds and deformed fruits and vegetables that garden is a failure and worth NOTHING. That garden might as well be burned because it has nothing of value in it what so ever.
Again we're reminded of the parable of the sower. Seed is sown and various things happen to the seed to ruin it, but seed sown correctly brings forth good fruit.
If God's word is the seed being sown it will bring forth good fruit IF it is sown correctly. The ground that receives it has to be tilled correctly- the rocks removed, the seed planted deeply enough, the thorns dug up. If we HEAR the word of the Lord and RECEIVE it, then the result is good fruit unto God.
We have to HEAR and RECEIVE, you can hear without receiving. I can hear you tell me a story but not really listen and be able to only tell you bits and pieces of what you said. Or I can hear you tell me a story and really listen and be able to repeat that story back to you. If I truly receive the words you are saying they will stay with me, I will remember them for a long time. We have to HEAR and RECEIVE.
Heb 6:7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
Heb 6:8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
The result of not growing in grace and knowledge of our Lord, the result of not growing up from spiritual babes to spiritual adults, the result of hearing but not receiving the word of God is a painful death that is eternal in its results.
We have to receive, we have to constantly grow, we have to live our lives for our Savior in word and deed, in all we do.
Satan wants to stop us and he will use every trick in his book to do so. If he can't stop you from being God's with an outright attack he'll change tactics and sneak in to slowly degrade your walk with Christ- the end result will be the same. He doesn't care HOW it's done, as long as it's done. He doesn't care if his methods meet any stereotypical actions he's supposed to use- he's just as pleased to see you stop growing and stagnate as a babe forever drinking milk and never growing in knowledge, growing in grace as he is to see you brought down with one fell chop of disappointment in life and have you blame God for it. Sometimes we can see people brought low- people who have walked with God and grown with Him are suddenly and with great spiritual violence wrested from Him and we can cry out against Satan's blatant attack. Other times we barely notice it happening.
We have to constantly grow in grace and knowledge. If we're not growing we're dying and quite possibly dead.
Mar 4:3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
Mar 4:4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
Mar 4:5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
Mar 4:6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
Mar 4:7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
Mar 4:8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
Mar 4:14 The sower soweth the word.
Mar 4:15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
Mar 4:16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
Mar 4:17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
Mar 4:18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
Mar 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
Mar 4:20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior may we become spiritual adults and keep spiritually growing in HIS grace and knowledge, bringing forth good fruit.
In His love! By His forgiveness, In His righteousness!
Amen.
Heb 6:8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
When the earth gives us food, we are blessed. Try depending upon a garden and have that garden ruined by drought. The devastation for those who depend upon the earth, the rain, to bring forth their sustenance is life threatening. We who go to grocery stores to fill our cupboards with food have little concept of depending upon the earth for our very lives. I might be disappointed that my tomatoes were ruined, that my beets never took, that my zucchinis produced only one deformed zucchini and my carrots were a complete wash out but that disappointment is short lived when I know I can go to a store and get what I need to live. Someone who depends upon the ground around them, someone who depends upon the rain and the sun to give them a full garden of food so they can canned and store that food for the winter months because they have NO other food, truly understands the blessings that God gives to them when their gardening is a success. When all a garden bears is thorns and briers, weeds and deformed fruits and vegetables that garden is a failure and worth NOTHING. That garden might as well be burned because it has nothing of value in it what so ever.
Again we're reminded of the parable of the sower. Seed is sown and various things happen to the seed to ruin it, but seed sown correctly brings forth good fruit.
If God's word is the seed being sown it will bring forth good fruit IF it is sown correctly. The ground that receives it has to be tilled correctly- the rocks removed, the seed planted deeply enough, the thorns dug up. If we HEAR the word of the Lord and RECEIVE it, then the result is good fruit unto God.
We have to HEAR and RECEIVE, you can hear without receiving. I can hear you tell me a story but not really listen and be able to only tell you bits and pieces of what you said. Or I can hear you tell me a story and really listen and be able to repeat that story back to you. If I truly receive the words you are saying they will stay with me, I will remember them for a long time. We have to HEAR and RECEIVE.
Heb 6:7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
Heb 6:8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
The result of not growing in grace and knowledge of our Lord, the result of not growing up from spiritual babes to spiritual adults, the result of hearing but not receiving the word of God is a painful death that is eternal in its results.
We have to receive, we have to constantly grow, we have to live our lives for our Savior in word and deed, in all we do.
Satan wants to stop us and he will use every trick in his book to do so. If he can't stop you from being God's with an outright attack he'll change tactics and sneak in to slowly degrade your walk with Christ- the end result will be the same. He doesn't care HOW it's done, as long as it's done. He doesn't care if his methods meet any stereotypical actions he's supposed to use- he's just as pleased to see you stop growing and stagnate as a babe forever drinking milk and never growing in knowledge, growing in grace as he is to see you brought down with one fell chop of disappointment in life and have you blame God for it. Sometimes we can see people brought low- people who have walked with God and grown with Him are suddenly and with great spiritual violence wrested from Him and we can cry out against Satan's blatant attack. Other times we barely notice it happening.
We have to constantly grow in grace and knowledge. If we're not growing we're dying and quite possibly dead.
Mar 4:3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
Mar 4:4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
Mar 4:5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
Mar 4:6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
Mar 4:7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
Mar 4:8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
Mar 4:14 The sower soweth the word.
Mar 4:15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
Mar 4:16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
Mar 4:17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
Mar 4:18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
Mar 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
Mar 4:20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior may we become spiritual adults and keep spiritually growing in HIS grace and knowledge, bringing forth good fruit.
In His love! By His forgiveness, In His righteousness!
Amen.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Crucifying the Son of God
Heb 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Crucifying the Son of God. Putting the Son of God to open shame.
As sinners we sin.
As sinners we are faced with numerous temptations and often temptations we ultimately find too hard to resist and fall prey to. There is a certain sense of despair of ever being sin-free, of ever being able to overcome the sins that easily beset us. We cry out how wicked we are doing things we don't want to do. We even sometimes lose some hope and slowly fade away from our walk with Christ letting sin reign in our lives trying not to care any longer because we feel hopelessly lost to that sin. Is this the falling away talked about here in Hebrews 6:4-6? No.
What is talked about here is this…
Falling away-
G3895
parapiptō
par-ap-ip'-to
From G3844 and G4098; to fall aside, that is, (figuratively) to apostatize: - fall away.
APOS'TATIZE, v.i. To abandon one's profession or church; to forsake principles or faith which one has professed; or the party to which one has been attached.
You can backslide into sin without believing Jesus is NOT the Son of God.
You can sin knowing that the Son of God was crucified for You, and not have fell away.
To repent you have to believe you are in need of repentance.
Those who become fully apostate have no desire to repent, they believe in their hearts they have NOTHING to repent of, that there is NO repentance found in the Son of God, that the death of the Son of God was meaningless. You can not be renewed to repentance when you- like those who put the Son of God to death, having Him crucified- do not believe He is the Son of God.
To -
Crucify the Son of God. Putting the Son of God to open shame is what keeps those-- who have had the knowledge and experience of the Son of God as their personal Savior, having once believed in Him as the Son of God, knowing Him in that way-- from being renewed. They knew the Son of God, they believed the Son of God, and then they choose to no longer believe. If you don't believe, if you don't have faith, you are lost.
This isn't talking about a situation like Peter denying Christ three times… if it were we could say Peter believed and then turned around and denied Christ, he fell away. We could say it's like Paul talking about what a wretched man His is- doing things he doesn't want to do, but it's not like that either! This is denying Jesus' God-hood. This is denying Jesus' power. This is denying Jesus' divinity and returning to a state of belief that God's Son never came to earth, God's Son never died for You, this is denying the Son of God in every way- and you can't be renewed to repentance ever if you believe that there is no Son of God, no innocent Son of God crucified. It truly is crucifying Him all over again and like the Pharisees who had the Son of God killed it's NOT believing that the Son of God was truly here on earth and died for you, to take away your sins. This is a falling away that cannot be renewed because the heart is set against the Son of God entirely.
Remember this parable--
Luk 8:5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
Luk 8:6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
Luk 8:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
Luk 8:8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Luk 8:9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
Luk 8:10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
Luk 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
Luk 8:12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
Luk 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
Luk 8:14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
Luk 8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
THEY- hear and the devil takes away the word out of their hearts LEST THEY SHOULD BELIEVE AND BE SAVED! NOTE: They DON'T believe.
THEY - hear, receive the word with joy, and they have no root, which FOR A WHILE BELIEVE AND IN TIME OF TEMPTATION FALL AWAY. NOTE: FOR A WHILE BELIEVE- obviously after a while they NO longer believe.
THEY - have heard and go forth and are CHOKED with CARES and RICHES and PLEASURES of this life, having NO fruit. NOTE: They heard and their belief is killed, they cannot flourish, the belief is dead-choked.
THEY - hear and KEEP believing!
Only through belief in the Word of God- the Son of God and Him crucified for our sins are we kept from falling away into apostasy.
When belief is gone, when hope is gone, then logically… there can be no believing, no hoping, and no renewing.
As long as there is hope, as long as there is belief in that hope, as long as we truly accept the Son of God as our Savior there is hope no matter that hardship you've been going through, no matter how far you've slid back into sin there is hope if you believe in the Son of God as Your Savior. You might think you are UNWORTHY of being saved and you know what? We are ALL unworthy of being saved! Being unworthy isn't what keeps you from being saved, not believing, having no hope in the Son of God is what keeps you from being saved. We can't hope in ourselves, there is NO hope in ourselves. All our hope must be in the Son of God.
So yes, there will be those who have once believed who choose to no longer believe and there is nothing a person can do to restore that belief to them and they will perish in their unbelief. I pray to God that I am NEVER counted among those who fall away and find it impossible to be renewed to repentance.
When these people were being talked to about not being perpetual spiritual children but growing up into spiritual adults if God willed, they were then told this very, very, very adult information. They were not given milk at this point. The meat was on its way and if God permitted they would spiritually grow as they listened to these words and studied them. We have to grow in Christ. We have to keep spiritually growing and never be satisfied with stagnating with the milk only fit for babes.
2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Amen! Amen! Amen!
Heb 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Crucifying the Son of God. Putting the Son of God to open shame.
As sinners we sin.
As sinners we are faced with numerous temptations and often temptations we ultimately find too hard to resist and fall prey to. There is a certain sense of despair of ever being sin-free, of ever being able to overcome the sins that easily beset us. We cry out how wicked we are doing things we don't want to do. We even sometimes lose some hope and slowly fade away from our walk with Christ letting sin reign in our lives trying not to care any longer because we feel hopelessly lost to that sin. Is this the falling away talked about here in Hebrews 6:4-6? No.
What is talked about here is this…
Falling away-
G3895
parapiptō
par-ap-ip'-to
From G3844 and G4098; to fall aside, that is, (figuratively) to apostatize: - fall away.
APOS'TATIZE, v.i. To abandon one's profession or church; to forsake principles or faith which one has professed; or the party to which one has been attached.
You can backslide into sin without believing Jesus is NOT the Son of God.
You can sin knowing that the Son of God was crucified for You, and not have fell away.
To repent you have to believe you are in need of repentance.
Those who become fully apostate have no desire to repent, they believe in their hearts they have NOTHING to repent of, that there is NO repentance found in the Son of God, that the death of the Son of God was meaningless. You can not be renewed to repentance when you- like those who put the Son of God to death, having Him crucified- do not believe He is the Son of God.
To -
Crucify the Son of God. Putting the Son of God to open shame is what keeps those-- who have had the knowledge and experience of the Son of God as their personal Savior, having once believed in Him as the Son of God, knowing Him in that way-- from being renewed. They knew the Son of God, they believed the Son of God, and then they choose to no longer believe. If you don't believe, if you don't have faith, you are lost.
This isn't talking about a situation like Peter denying Christ three times… if it were we could say Peter believed and then turned around and denied Christ, he fell away. We could say it's like Paul talking about what a wretched man His is- doing things he doesn't want to do, but it's not like that either! This is denying Jesus' God-hood. This is denying Jesus' power. This is denying Jesus' divinity and returning to a state of belief that God's Son never came to earth, God's Son never died for You, this is denying the Son of God in every way- and you can't be renewed to repentance ever if you believe that there is no Son of God, no innocent Son of God crucified. It truly is crucifying Him all over again and like the Pharisees who had the Son of God killed it's NOT believing that the Son of God was truly here on earth and died for you, to take away your sins. This is a falling away that cannot be renewed because the heart is set against the Son of God entirely.
Remember this parable--
Luk 8:5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
Luk 8:6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
Luk 8:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
Luk 8:8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Luk 8:9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
Luk 8:10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
Luk 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
Luk 8:12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
Luk 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
Luk 8:14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
Luk 8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
THEY- hear and the devil takes away the word out of their hearts LEST THEY SHOULD BELIEVE AND BE SAVED! NOTE: They DON'T believe.
THEY - hear, receive the word with joy, and they have no root, which FOR A WHILE BELIEVE AND IN TIME OF TEMPTATION FALL AWAY. NOTE: FOR A WHILE BELIEVE- obviously after a while they NO longer believe.
THEY - have heard and go forth and are CHOKED with CARES and RICHES and PLEASURES of this life, having NO fruit. NOTE: They heard and their belief is killed, they cannot flourish, the belief is dead-choked.
THEY - hear and KEEP believing!
Only through belief in the Word of God- the Son of God and Him crucified for our sins are we kept from falling away into apostasy.
When belief is gone, when hope is gone, then logically… there can be no believing, no hoping, and no renewing.
As long as there is hope, as long as there is belief in that hope, as long as we truly accept the Son of God as our Savior there is hope no matter that hardship you've been going through, no matter how far you've slid back into sin there is hope if you believe in the Son of God as Your Savior. You might think you are UNWORTHY of being saved and you know what? We are ALL unworthy of being saved! Being unworthy isn't what keeps you from being saved, not believing, having no hope in the Son of God is what keeps you from being saved. We can't hope in ourselves, there is NO hope in ourselves. All our hope must be in the Son of God.
So yes, there will be those who have once believed who choose to no longer believe and there is nothing a person can do to restore that belief to them and they will perish in their unbelief. I pray to God that I am NEVER counted among those who fall away and find it impossible to be renewed to repentance.
When these people were being talked to about not being perpetual spiritual children but growing up into spiritual adults if God willed, they were then told this very, very, very adult information. They were not given milk at this point. The meat was on its way and if God permitted they would spiritually grow as they listened to these words and studied them. We have to grow in Christ. We have to keep spiritually growing and never be satisfied with stagnating with the milk only fit for babes.
2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Amen! Amen! Amen!
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