The FORECAST For RELIGIOUS UNBELIEF-III—Hebrews 10:26-31
Attention:
Although he was a qualified meteorologist, Hopkins ran up a terrible record of forecasting for the TV news program. He became something of a local joke when a newspaper began keeping a record of his predictions & showed that he'd been wrong almost three hundred times in a single year.
That kind of notoriety was enough to get him fired.
He moved to another part of the country & applied for a similar job. One blank on the job application called for the reason for leaving his previous position.
Hopkins wrote, "The climate didn't agree with me."
Likewise, ‘the climate doesn’t agree’ with those who approach our churches with the thought of making themselves feel accepted thru association with outward celebration of true religion or religious trappings.
The author of Hebrews laid out the unavoidable forecast for willful sin.
Religious unbelief(willful sin) warrants unavoidable forecast/merit(consequences).
What is the unavoidable forecast/merits(consequences) of Religious unbelief(willful sin)?
6 unavoidable forecasts/merits for Religious unbelief(willful sin) are...
In the last few weeks we discovered 4 unavoidable things that are in the forecast for religious unbelief were...
1. A FORFEITED REDEMPTION(:26)
2. An ULTIMATE FEAR(:27)
3. FORFEITED MERCY(:28)
4. EXPOSURE(:29)
5—An unavoidable forecast for religious unbelief(willful sin) is...
PERFECT VENGEANCE(:30)
Explanation: (:30)Appropriate Justice
:30—“For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The LORD will judge His people.””
1. Judicial Judgment or Decision precedes & produces Vengeance or Justice.
God Himself is the ultimate & universal ‘law-of-the-land,’ authority, One we must answer to, as it were. There is no law, no boundary, no threshold to cross, aside from what He determines. There is no righteousness aside from what He has stated. His decisions stand eternally.
2. Vengeance is demanded of the judgment.
Justice is meted out from the demand of the judgment. It’s fulfillment is set in motion.
The author, as is his custom, pulls his argument from Scripture. He quotes portions from Deut. 32:35-36. His audience is familiar with & respects the written word of God. All Christians should respect the entirety of God’s revelation. If any of it contradicts our doctrine, then we must change our doctrine rather than change Scripture to match our doctrine.
Any cult or sect claiming Christian beginnings or leanings changes Scripture to match their belief.
Mormonism(Mitt Romney/Donny Osmond)/Jehovah’s Witnesses/Church of Scientology(Tom Cruise)/Kabbalah(Madonna)/Christian Science(Church of Jesus Christ Scientist)/Catholicism(Rick Santorum)
The entire audience “knows” the One who said(in Scripture) that “Vengeance is Mine.” In this, God is stating that all aspects of “vengeance” are rightly determined by Him & His directives. There is no presence of fleshly determination in God’s vengeance. There is not the slightest tinge of of sin in God’s vengeance. Such vengeance is ultimately right.
*Deut. 32:35-36—“Vengeance is Mine, & recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them.’ “For the LORD will judge His people And have compassion on His servants[reiterated in Ps. 135:14], When He sees that their power is gone, And there is no one remaining, bond or free.”
A further elucidation of the the previous statement reveals that God Himself will indeed “repay.”
*So it is not that vengeance is a bad thing, but only that fleshly vengeance includes an unintentional potential for collateral damage. This verse also records that “the LORD will judge His people.” Those who belong to Him will themselves be “judged” by Him as well. Judgment is the other side of the coin from vengeance. A determination based on objective criteria must be made.
Mat. 7:1-2—““Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; & with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Lk. 6:37-38—““Judge not, & you shall not be judged. Condemn not, & you shall not be condemned. Forgive, & you will be forgiven. “Give, & it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, & running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.””
2Cor. 5:10—“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
1Pet. 4:14-18—“If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory & of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; & if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly & the sinner appear?””
Thus God’s perfect vengeance is not simply for those who overtly & openly turn from God. It is also for those who covertly feign & intellectually side with Him in ceremony & ritual. These seemingly “committed” remain uncommitted in their hearts, hidden from the perceptions of men.
Our God is a living God & thus remains “true to His word.”—RWP
YaHoWeH’s “judgment” is perfect & is levied thru Jesus.
Ps. 18:25-27—“With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; With the pure You will show Yourself pure; And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd. For You will save the humble people, But will bring down haughty looks.”
Jn. 9:39—“And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, & that those who see may be made blind.””
Jn. 5:21-23—““For as the Father raises the dead & gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”
Js. 2:12-13—“So speak & so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
Mercy is the polar opposite of Vengeance.
Mk. 4:24—“Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; & to you who hear, more will be given.”
Personal judgments arise from within—from the heart—& are well-known to God but mostly hidden from men’s awareness.
“Know”—eidw—) To see—1a) To perceive with the eyes, 1b) To perceive by any of the senses, 1c) To perceive, notice, discern, discover, 1d) To see—1d1) i.e. To turn the eyes, the mind, the attention to anything, 1d2) To pay attention, observe, 1d3) To see about something 1d31) i.e. to ascertain what must be done about it, 1d4) To inspect, examine, 1d5) To look at, behold, 1e) To experience any state or condition, 1f) To see i.e. have an interview with, to visit; 2) To know—2a) To know of anything, 2b) To know, i.e. Get knowledge of, understand, perceive—2b1) Of any fact, 2b2) The force & meaning of something which has definite meaning, 2b3) To know how, to be skilled in, 2c) To have regard for one, cherish, pay attention to (1Th 5:12). Strong—a primary verb; used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent optanomai & oraw; properly, To see (literally or figuratively); by implication (in the perf. only) To know.
“Vengeance/Avenge”—ekdikhsiv—N. f.—1) a revenging, vengeance, punishment. Strong—Vindication, retribution. Used 9X.
From—ekdikov—‘out of right’ or ‘out of justice’
“Repay/Recompense”—antapodidwmi—V.—1) in a good sense, To repay, requite; 2) in a bad sense, Penalty & vengeance. Strong—To requite (good or evil). Used 7X.
“Judge”—krinw—1) To separate, put asunder, to pick out, select, choose; 2) To approve, esteem, to prefer; 3) To be of opinion, deem, think, to be of opinion; 4) To determine, resolve, decree; 5) To judge—5a) To pronounce an opinion concerning right & wrong—5a1) To be judged, i.e. summoned to trial that one's case may be examined & judgment passed upon it, 5b) To pronounce judgment, to subject to censure—5b1) Of those who act the part of judges or arbiters in matters of common life, or pass judgment on the deeds & words of others; 6) To rule, govern—6a) To preside over with the power of giving judicial decisions, because it was the prerogative of kings & rulers to pass judgment; 7) To contend together, of warriors & combatants. Strong—properly, To distinguish, i.e. Decide (mentally or judicially); by implication, To try, condemn, punish.
Argumentation:
Ps. 94:1-3—“O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongs-- O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth! Rise up, O Judge of the earth; Render punishment to the proud. LORD, how long will the wicked, How long will the wicked triumph?”
This was probably written by either Moses(Ps. 90) or a king of Israel, who had power to decide the fate of anyone.
Isa. 61:1-3—““The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.””
*Nahum 1:2-8—“God is jealous, & the LORD avenges; The LORD avenges & is furious. The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies; The LORD is slow to anger & great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. The LORD has His way In the whirlwind & in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet. He rebukes the sea & makes it dry, And dries up all the rivers. Bashan & Carmel wither, And the flower of Lebanon wilts. The mountains quake before Him, The hills melt, And the earth heaves at His presence, Yes, the world & all who dwell in it. Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, And the rocks are thrown down by Him. The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, And darkness will pursue His enemies.”
Ps. 96:13—“For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with His truth.”
*Lk. 9:56—““For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.”......”
*Jn. 3:17—““For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
*Rom. 12:17-21—“Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”[Prov. 25:21-22] Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Illustration:
Family traumatized by abuse/Suffer for years/Finally, years later, the lawyers & jury convict the abuser/Officially declare the abuser convicted & incarcerated/PERFECT VENGEANCE
To someone who has been wronged, attacking the offender seems a ‘perfect vengeance.’ However it merely causes the person(perceived frustration) an incomparable pain (mortal or otherwise) by lowering oneself to the same level as that of the originator. In fact, it takes you below the immorality of the original perpetrator. Such vengeance is imperfect being conceived & carried out in sin!
Application:
?What is the Forecast for Your ?
?What is the merit of Willful Sin for you?
6—An unavoidable forecast for religious unbelief(willful sin) is...
FINAL SENTENCING(:31)
Explanation: (:31)Gavel/Heavy Hand/Passing Judgment
:31—“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
God is both the Judge as well as the potential Advocate of each person of all time—past, present & future.
The only means of personally attaining God’s Advocacy is thru His only-begotten Son. The only acceptable plea a guilty man has before the Judge is the blood of Christ Jesus!
When a person has given himself up to sin(:23-26) rather than to God he invites the most fearful of fears into his life—God’s judgment & its subsequent vengeance.
Such a sinner willingly & openly invites such final wrath thru his personal decision to do so. *Such may think they have not made a choice...that they are innocent in the matter...but they have unwittingly chosen the world & the deceiver over heaven & the loving living creator God...
...This is because the sinner has deemed as worthless God in Christ by disparaging God’s Church—whom Christ died to produce! Such people are, thruout their lives, continually “storing up wrath” for themselves, which they personally attempt to deny thru indulgence of fleshly satisfactions.
Rom. 2:4-6—“Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, & longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness & your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath & revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”:”
*“Falling into the hands of the living God”(having unapologetically wronged Him) is a terrifying prospect to consider. He is the very One to whom all of every generation(past & present) must answer.
Heb. 4:12-13—“For the word of God is living & powerful, & sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul & spirit, & of joints & marrow, & is a discerner of the thoughts & intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked & open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”
Php. 2:9-11—“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him[Jesus] & given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, & of those on earth, & of those under the earth, & that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Rev. 20:11-15—“Then I saw a great white throne & Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth & the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small & great, standing before God, & books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, & Death & Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death & Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Mat. 10:28—““And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul & body in hell.”
Lk. 12:4-5—““And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, & after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!”
This is why the Christian must be decidedly & unashamedly so. He/she must be all in or all out...all or none. He/she must be people of godly integrity.
Rev. 3:14-16—““And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful & True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, & neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”
2Cor. 5:6-11—“So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body & to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, & I also trust are well known in your consciences.”
The frightening aspect to this is that no man can control the day of his death. Since our days for decision are finite yet indeterminate, it is utterly foolish to pass-off ‘Today’s’ possibility for salvation(Heb. 3:13)) as nothing.
In an attempt to control their own fate, some intentionally put off repentance...Stupidly thinking that after years of continual conscious denial that they will somehow become convinced to trust Jesus at the 11th hour.
*Our God is “the” “Living” God. He is eternal, we are His creation & there can never be a point at which we are not answerable to Him for any aspect of our lives...either here(on earth, temporally) or there(in heaven, eternally).
Mat. 22:31-32—““But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, & the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.””
Lk. 20:37—““But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, & the God of Jacob.’”
God’s very name YaHoWeH speaks of life—Ex. 3:13-15—“Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel & say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ & they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, & the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, & this is My memorial to all generations.’”
“Fearful”(See :27)—foberov—Adj.—1) Inspiring fear, terrible, formidable; 2) Affected with fear, timid. Used in a good or bad sense. Strong—Frightful, i.e. (objectively) Formidable. Used 3X.
“Fall”—empiptw—V.—1) To fall into—1a) To fall among robbers, 1b) Fall into one's power. Strong—To fall on, i.e. (literally) To be entrapped by, or (figuratively) Be overwhelmed with. Used 7X.
“Hands”—ceir—N. f.—1) By the help or agency of any one, by means of any one; 2) fig. applied to God—Symbolising his might, activity, power—2a) in Creating the universe, 2b) in Upholding & preserving (God is present protecting & aiding one), 2c) in Punishing, 2d) in Determining & controlling the destinies of men. Strong—The hand (literally or figuratively [Power]; especially [by Hebraism] A means or instrument).
“Living”—zaw—V.—1) To live, breathe, be among the living (not lifeless, not dead); 2) To enjoy real life—2a) To have true life & worthy of the name, 2b) active, blessed, endless in the kingdom of God; 3) To live i.e. pass life, in the manner of the living & acting—3a) Of mortals or character; 4) Living water, having vital power in itself & exerting the same upon the soul; 5) metaph. To be in full vigor—5a) To be fresh, strong, efficient, 5b) as adj. Active, powerful, efficacious. Strong—To live (literally or figuratively).
“God”—yeov—1) A god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities; 2) the Godhead, trinity—2a) God the Father, the first person in the trinity, 2b) Christ, the second person of the trinity, 2c) Holy Spirit, the third person in the trinity; 3) Spoken of the only & true God—3a) refers to The things of God, 3b) His counsels, interests, things due to him; 4) Whatever can in any respect be likened unto God, or resemble him in any way—4a) God's representative or viceregent—4a1) Of magistrates & judges. Strong—A deity, especially (with o, h, to) The supreme Divinity; figuratively, A magistrate; by Hebraism, Very.
Argumentation:
Heb 12:25-29—“See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence & godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.”
PROTECTION:
2Cor. 5:19—“that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, & has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”
Eph. 2:4-7—“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), & raised us up together, & made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
*Rom. 8:1—“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
1Cor. 11:31-32—“For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.”
Mat. 10:24-28—[Jesus warning His disciples of the fear arising from pending physical persecutions]““A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, & a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! “Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, & hidden that will not be known. “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; & what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul & body in hell.”
Lk. 12:4-5—““And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, & after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!”
DAMNATION/Condemnation:
To Resist God’s love in Christ, Refuse His salvation in Christ, Despise the proofs & warnings by His Spirit, Hate His grace in Christ....All demand your condemnation in hell.
God’s “hand” can be loving, understanding or harsh...depending upon the attitude with which you committed the ‘crime.’
*“What king is there who will not show his authority in the punishment of those subjects that despise it?”—Jonathan Edwards(18th century American preacher)
Mk. 12:38-40—“Then He said to them in His teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, & the best places at feasts, who devour widows’ houses, & for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.””
*There are degrees of punishment in hell—corresponding to rewards in heaven— but the most horrific thought is that the hot hellish punishment of ALL the condemned is eternal!
Jn. 5:26-29—““For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, & has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice & come forth--those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, & those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”
Consider that those who reject Christ for religion as well as those who outright & openly despise God, go directly to hell upon death, where they await sentencing. Their previously corruptible bodies of flesh are resurrected to an incorruptible & indestructible state by which they will live eternally in that hell which was intended only for the devil & his demons.
Mat. 12:41-42—““The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation & condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; & indeed a greater than Jonah is here. “The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation & condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; & indeed a greater than Solomon is here.”
Mat. 23:29-33—““Woe to you, scribes & Pharisees, hypocrites![who interpret the Scriptures wrongly, by choice, to their own demise] ......“Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?”
Mk. 3:28-29—““Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, & whatever blasphemies they may utter; “but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”--”
Illustration:
In our society(patterned on biblical truth), if the judge is convinced that the evidence is against you—you have committed heinous acts/A life sentence is handed down/You are condemned to a maximum security prison with no possibility for parole/Face the fear of never living free again/Face fear of violent people with your same disposition—neither they nor you will ever die/FINAL & FEAR-FILLED SENTENCING
Application:
?What is the Forecast for Your FINAL SENTENCING from GOD?
?What is the merit of Willful Sin for you?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Hopkins assertion-- "The climate didn't agree with me."
(The FORECAST For WILLFUL SIN)
Action:
An unavoidable forecast/merit for religious unbelief(willful sin) is...
5. PERFECT VENGEANCE(:30)
6. FINAL SENTENCING(:31)
1. FORFEITED REDEMPTION(:26)
2. ULTIMATE FEAR(:27)
3. FORFEITED MERCY(:28)
4. EXPOSURE(:29)
Presented 02/26/2012am to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
