Hebrews 10:26-31

Summary retelling of Hebrews 10:26-31

If we continue in a sinful life after receiving the instruction of truth, then we have nothing to expect except judgment in the future – a judgment of fire in which we will be consumed.  We know from the Law that anyone who set aside the Law will die without mercy.  How much more judgment, then, will a person receive when they have willingly set aside grace and all that the Son of God did for us through His blood and His sending the Holy Spirit?  After all, God said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay.”  He has also said, “The Lord is the judge of His people.”  We should be afraid of falling into judgment of God.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

This is not an easy section for any of us to read.  At least it shouldn’t be an easy section.  While we completely believe that our salvation comes through Jesus’ death on the cross and absolutely through no work of our own, at the same time we must understand how seriously God looks upon sin.  God will judge His people.  God will hold His people accountable.  Those people who know better and choose not to act that way will be judged harshly.

How does this passage make you feel inside?  Are there any things that you need to confess or change after reading this passage?  Do you spend much time thinking about your life and how God will react to your choices?

Second Thought:

We do need to understand this passage in the right context, however.  This passage isn’t talking about the person who is genuinely following God and who sins in mistake.  This passage is talking about the person who hears God’s Word and who feels the Holy Spirit’s conviction and who refuses to repent and change.  The sinfulness that the author talks about is “while continuing to sin.”  All of us sin, we can’t help it.  All of us are tempted and fail.  The author here is speaking to those people who live their life knowing there is a God but refusing to look at and change those times in their life where they are doing things their own way rather than doing them God’s way.  That is the real danger being talked about.  The author of Hebrews is encouraging us to look at our life and determine what things we continue to forcibly do “our way” rather than “God’s way.”

What area in your life are you continuing to do “your way” regardless of whether they are sin or not?  What is the author of Hebrews’ advice about those areas?  How should respond now?

Third Thought:

It also makes sense that we who know about God will be held to a higher standard.  Think about it.  If you don’t know that you have just broken the Law, you are still guilty of breaking the Law but you aren’t guilty of willfully breaking the Law.  But if you do know the difference between right and wrong then you are guilty of breaking the Law and doing it willingly.  Of course there is more to be guilty about!

How does this make you feel with respect to knowing God’s Word?  When we start talking about “knowing more” equaling “higher expectations,” how does maturity come into play?  Why do only the mature Christians continue to learn God’s ways knowing that the more they learn the more is expected of them?

Passage for Tomorrow: Hebrews 10:32-35