"It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Heb 10:31
Most of us think of our God as kind, loving, benevolent, merciful and full of grace. To be sure, He is all of those things and more. But He is also a God of justice, vengeance and wrath.
During a study of the book of Hebrews, it can be found that the writer endeavors to influence his audience not to return to temple worship but to continue on in their faith in Jesus and their Christian beliefs. He spends a great deal of the book favorably comparing Jesus to many of the tenants of their former religion. Christ is spoken of as being better in every way than angels, Moses and the High Priest. In fact the writer provides a great number of positive reasons to maintain their faith in the Lord.
The inspired writer, however, was not above using a stick along with his carrot approach. He records, "For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY." And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE." Heb 10:26-30
Beloved it is true that God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son, but He is very fond of His son as well. He will not stand for any trampling underfoot of His son's life and death, particularly because he served as a sacrifice for the very people who would do the trampling. As you can imagine (and read) vengeance and wrath are certainly part of God's divine repertoire.
I recommend the carrot.
[Memory verse of the week: Isa 9:6]
In Revival,
Lee
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