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Do Not Fall Back

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:3)

A purpose of the book of Hebrews was to exhort Christians to endure in the face of persecution, to be encouraged in the discipline of God. The letter is addressed to a church that "had seen the Light and weathered many struggles with suffering, in this very thing you were made public spectacles, both insulted and afflicted now these becoming partners of living this way. For in fact you suffered as prisoners and with joy accepted the confiscation of your belongings, knowing you had yourselves a better and lasting possession, therefore do not throw away your freedom which has great reward. you have the need for endurance..." (Hebrews 10:32-35)

And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a Father addresses his son? It says, 'My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, for the Lord disciplines the ones he loves and punishes all whom he receives as sons,' endure your trials as divine discipline... (Hebrews 12:5-7)

I believe the writer of Hebrews is Paul, it is his style of writing, long sentences, in which he covers much truth so as the reader doesn't interpret it incorrectly. There is danger in teaching only what we like to hear and not the whole truth. The letter to the Hebrews is believed to be to the Jewish Church in Jerusalem, where following Jesus would have been seen as a heresy to the Jews who rejected Christ, thus seen as worshiping a false god, not the one true God. This church had suffered many things and went through much affliction and hardships but something was happening, they were losing heart and hope. I believe this book is written to bring the church into maturity in Christ, "let us leave standing the elemental saying of Christ carrying on to maturity..." (Hebrews 6:1-3) 

A maturity, a perfection that serving in the temple, tithing, giving, and following the letter of the law, which is the example of a good Christian implicitly taught in many churches today, will not achieve. The same church today in which statistics say 65% of men and 50% of ministers struggle with sexual immorality. Ministers who are suppose to be mature in Christ. We are in a war for the souls of those confessing to be God's people. We need training in godliness. God disciplines those he loves so as to share in His holiness. (Hebrews 12:10) The discipline is painful but later yields the fruit of righteousness to those trained in it. (Hebrews 12:11) This implies God's continued work in us of purification. Think of it as a seed of the word but also righteousness planted in good soil, and under grace, with help from the power of the Holy Spirit, will grow up to bear fruit of righteousness. Thus the one born of God will overcome sin. God's grace is sufficient as it is His power perfecting us in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9) This implies overcoming sin, being born of God, by grace through faith saved. 

"hold fast to hope that confession without wavering, the one promising is faithful, and understand how to incite one another to love and good works, not abandoning our meetings just as is the custom of some but rather encourage and more so since you see the day is drawing near." (Hebrews 10:23-25)

The Hebrews were in need of endurance, Paul writes, for just a little longer, the one coming will arrive and will not delay. (Hebrews 10:36) The writer explains we have confidence in Christ to approach, the new and living way has been opened up to us and we also "have a great high priest in charge of the house, so draw near with a sincere heart in assurance of faith, the heart sprinkled clean from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed clean with living water." (Hebrews 10:19-21) For if we do not hold fast, "for if voluntarily sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there is no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire ready to consume the adversaries." (Hebrews 10: 26-27) What if I do not hold fast to my confession but voluntarily persist in sin, I will, be judged and go to hell? Paul clearly speaks of  apostasy. 

for it impossible once enlightened, all these, tasting the heavenly gift and becoming partakers of the Holy Spirit and tasting the goodness of God's word and the powers of the age and having committed apostasy to restore them to repentance, himself crucifying the Son of God and putting him to shame." (Hebrews 6:4-6)

The word apostasy παραπίπτω (parapiptō) means to fall away, to fall by the side of; met. to fall off or away from or back, make defection from.* Let us look more at who commits apostasy, Paul writes in later verses, these have received the knowledge of the truth. Here he defines this person in greater detail. Together, one who received the knowledge of the truth, enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift and God's word and has become a partaker of the Holy Spirit. He writes this person if falling back has "trampled the Son of God underfoot and profaned the blood of the covenant in which consecrated and insulted the Spirit of grace." (Hebrews 10:29) So we have defined such a person and the meaning of apostasy, the person after receiving all these things falls away, voluntarily goes back to sin. This should create in us a godly fear of sin. And if one is struggling with sin, a commitment to endure and overcome, to make sure of their calling, and work out their salvation in fear and trembling. To take it lightly is to say I will sin because God's grace abounds which attitude insults the Spirit of grace. 

"For freedom, Christ has set us free stand firm and do not subject again to a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1)

Jesus came to set us free from sin, so it would be a sign of being enlightened in truth. A slave doesn't remain in the house forever, “truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:34-36) If he died once for sin, and I have received forgiveness but then go back to sin, I am trampling underfoot the blood of the covenant, crucifying the Son of God and putting him to shame. Paul writes this yoke of slavery was going back to the Law, being justified in the works of the law, and gives similar strong words, they served themselves from Christ and fell from grace. (Galatians 5:4-5) Think about that, Christ came to establish a new covenant, in his blood, to do away with the first to establish the new, and what did they do but go back to the old. (Hebrews 10:8-10)

"for if voluntarily sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire ready to consume the adversaries." (Hebrews 10: 26-27) 

Trampling on the blood of the covenant, severing from Christ, falling away, apostasy. Paul is admonishing the Hebrews, in your sufferings do not fall bsck to the pleasures of sin. I recently read of another minister who was accused of voluntary, prolonged, sexual immorality. The justification is always the same to the people they abuse, being a minister is hard, or it is hard to follow Jesus, I need an outlet. This a great lie of the devil, an example of apostasy, it is not biblical, "no one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed, abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God." (1 John 3:9) The scriptures say if you voluntarily continue in sin you commit apostasy, and you bring shame to Christ. 

... himself crucifying the Son of God and putting him to shame. (Hebrews 6:6)

The seriousness of it is that it puts Christ to shame. If persisting in sin I crucify Christ and put him to shame. Christ "endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2) "Christ loved the church and gave himself for her so that he might sanctify her, purify of washing of water through the word so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing rather that existing holy also." (Ephesians 5:27) "For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers," (Hebrews 2:11) If this is why Christ endured the cross, despising its shame so that we might be holy, like him, then going back to sin, after having been cleansed of sin, puts him to shame. "For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." (Luke 9:26)

Now, my righteous ones live from faith and if drawing back I have no pleasure in them, but we are not those drawing back as the lost, rather, faithful so to preserve our souls. (Hebrews 10:38-39)

Those who drawback, he does not take pleasure in. What is left for the one who falls back? "a certain fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire ready to consume the adversaries." But those who purify themselves from sin, who endure, there is laid up a crown of righteousness which the Lord will reward on that day. (2 Timothy 4:8) "Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, 'the Lord knows the ones existing his' and 'let everyone naming the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.'" (2 Timothy 2:19) He knows his sheep, his sheep hear his voice and follow him, departing from unrighteousness. This is a seal (a distinctive mark; proof) a firm foundation of the new covenant, of knowing Jesus. The children of God are distinguished by this seal from the children of the devil, "whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother." (1 John 3:10) But we are not of those drawing back as the lost, rather faithful so to preserve our souls..." And a white robe was given to each of them and they were told to rest a little while until all is fulfilled..." (Rev 6:11)



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