DON’T TURN BACK
SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 10:38 – 39 (Or start reading at verse 21.)
10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 10:39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”
I. WHAT DOES “TURNING BACK” MEAN?
II. HAVE OTHERS TURNED BACK?
III. WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE WHO TURN BACK?
IV. WHAT SHOULD I DO TO PREVENT (Protect) MYSELF FROM
TURNING BACK?
I. WHAT DOES “TURNING BACK” MEAN?
A. Some ignore “turning back” by simply saying that it is impossible to have
once known Christ and then turn back. This is a noble attempt to preserve
the beauty and majesty of His saving grace, but it just isn’t true. God will
not force anyone to stay in the family of God.
B. Turning back is terrible, but it is a reality.
1. Galatians 5:4 “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of
you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
2. I Corinthians 9:27 “But I keep under my body, and bring it into
subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway [Same Greek word used for reprobate].”
3. II Peter 2:4 “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them
down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;”
4. Romans 11:21 “For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed
lest he also spare not thee.”
5. I Corinthians 10:12 “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take
heed lest he fall.”
C. Turning back is rejecting the sinless sacrifice of Christ
1. To crucify Christ afresh.
Hebrews 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, 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 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.”
2. To trample the blood of Christ under foot.
Hebrews 10:29 “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?”
And why is it impossible to have a qualitatively different or new repentance? Because to have a different kind of repentance, it would be necessary for Jesus Christ to die again on the cross. But this is impossible, because according to the entire teaching of the book of Hebrews, Jesus Christ died once and for all for man’s sin. He cannot come back and die again in order to gain for us another redemption which will see us through this time.
Spiros Zodhiates
Hebrews 10:10 “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
Not only is it impossible to have Jesus Christ die again, but having failed to save to the end the ones who trusted in Him, it would cause His crucifixion on the cross to become as something to be ridiculed. It did not work; it was not sufficient. Spiros Zodhiates
It is possible to accept what has already been done, but it is impossible that it should be done differently or done again. He cannot be re-crucified to fit your theology/philosophy/ideology.
II. HAVE OTHERS TURNED BACK?
A. Saul turned back from God and eventually turned to a witch.
B. Demas has departed from me having loved this present world.
II Timothy 4:10 “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.”
C. Peter turned back just briefly when he denied Christ, but he repented. If
something goes wrong in your walk with God, turn to Him and repent.
Whatever you do, don’t turn back.
D. Judas, Samson, Gideon, etc.
Turning back is a great temptation, especially when faced with great difficulty
or even tragedy. However, my advice to you is “Don’t Turn Back.”
Regardless of who turns back, or has turned back, please “Don’t Turn Back.”
III. WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE WHO TURN BACK?
A. They usually go deeper in sin than ever before.
1. There seems to be an attempt to use sinful pleasures to bury everything
they know about God. They don’t want to remember the
experiences that they have had with God, else it would torment
their souls even more.
2. Discuss Personal Examples
3. Historical Example
A brilliant young 17 year old man once wrote: “Our heart, reason, history,
and the work of Christ convince us that without Him we cannot achieve
our goal, that without Him we are doomed by God, and only Christ can
save us.” Just nine years later, he had abandoned any Christian
commitment he may have once had. In fact, his new ideas established him
as one of the most influential atheists of history. Worse, his ideas
spawned, through the former Soviet Union and Communist movement,
one of the greatest epics of human misery and death in history. [You
would recognize this man by the name Karl Marx.]
Pulpit Helps March 2003 (Illustrations)
4. Deceived and being deceived.
When some people turn back, they commit terrible and violent crimes.
Some just use the click of a computer mouse to bring the devil of
pornography into their offices and homes. Others may use the click of
a computer mouse to transfer a few thousand or a few hundred thousands
of dollars from one bank account where it belongs to another where it
doesn’t belong.
B. Reprobate minds?
1. Definition Webster’s Concise Dictionary
a. Utterly depraved; corrupt
b. Abandoned in sin; condemned.
2. Definition Easton’s Bible Dictionary
a. That which is rejected on account of its own worthlessness.
b. This word is also used with reference to persons cast away or
rejected because they have failed to make use of
opportunities offered them. Easton’s Bible Dictionary
II Timothy 3:8 “Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.” (Can read preceding verses to v. 8 about “In the last days . . .”)
Titus 1:16 “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work
reprobate.”
Romans 1:28 “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;”
II Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove
your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”
“The particular reason why Paul calls on them to examine themselves was, that there was occasion to fear that many of them had been deceived. Such had been the irregularities and disorders in the church at Corinth; so ignorant had many of them shown themselves of the nature of the Christian religion, that it was important, in the highest degree, for them to institute a strict and impartial examination to ascertain whether they had not been altogether deceived. This examination, however, is never unimportant or useless for Christians; and an exhortation to do it is always in place. So important are the interests at stake, and so liable are the best to deceive themselves, that all Christians should be often induced to examine the foundation of their hope of eternal salvation. Whether you are true Christians. Whether you have any true faith in the gospel.” Barnes’ Notes
C. Remember Lot’s Wife
1. Jesus was concerned about people who might turn back. He said,
“Remember Lot’s wife” indicating that we should not even look back.
2. Can’t you just hear the screams of Lot to his wife, “Don’t look back!”
Am I using this as a scare tactic to keep you involved in our “religious
movement”? No!!!!!! This is the reality of the matter. Run!!!
Run for your life and don’t turn back!!!!!!!
IV. WHAT SHOULD I DO TO PREVENT (Protect) MYSELF FROM
TURNING BACK?
A. Draw Near
Hebrews 10:22 “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”
James 4:8 “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”
B. Hold Fast
Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)”
C. Consider One Another
Hebrews 10:24 “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:”
D. Don’t Forsake Assembling
Hebrews 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
Keep your eyes on Christ the author and finisher of your faith.
12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Look to the hills from whence cometh your help.
Psalms 121:1 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.”
“ . . . designed to be sung in view of the mountains of Jerusalem, and is manifestly an evening song for the sacred band of pilgrims, to be sung in the last night-watch, the figures of which are also especially suitable for a pilgrim-song; and with Psalm 122, which, according to the express announcement in the introduction, was sung when the sacred pilgrim trains had reached the gates of Jerusalem, and halted for the purpose of forming in order for the solemn procession into the sanctuary, . . .”
Barnes’ Notes
“We must not rely upon men and means, instruments and second causes. Shall I depend upon the strength of the hills? upon princes and great men? No; my confidence is in God only. Or, we must lift up our eyes above the hills; we must look to God who makes all earthly things to us what they are. We must see all our help in God; from him we must expect it, in his own way and time. This psalm teaches us to comfort ourselves in the
Lord, when difficulties and dangers are greatest.” Matthew Henry Commentary
Stay close to the Master.
CONCLUSION
Why is it that so many great and useful men, before finishing their course
on earth, will write, say or do something that, if it does not undo all their
previous work, leaves some kind of blemish on the good name or fame,
causing the wicked to laugh and the righteous to grieve?
The Bible tells of just such happenings in the lives of Saul, Samson,
Balaam, David, Judas, Demas, Mark and a number of others.
When we study the spiritual life, the same character of facts confront us.
Paul said to the Galatians: “Ye did run well, who did hinder you?”
The “hindrance,” it is noticeable, came after the “running well.” The
twofold snare of Gideon presented itself after his great victory. David’s
temptation drew nigh after he had performed some of the noblest acts of
his life and composed a number of his sweetest Psalms.
The teaching from these and many other scriptural instances is, that awful
moral lapses and falls may take place after years of remarkable services
and faithful living.
The snares that trap and catch men are different; but Satan, who seems to
give no man up while he is living? finds some way by which to confuse,
entangle, sidetrack and secure his downfall if it be possible.
This is the reason that the Bible has so much to say about “Watching and
Praying;” about working out one’s salvation with fear and trembling; and
utters the peculiarly solemn words, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he
standeth take heed lest he fall.”
We have all known men who not only thought they stood, but really did
stand in grace and were used of God; and yet we have seen them sour,
grow bitter, become envious, backslide in heart, backslide in life and then
lay around for years as helpless, useless and melancholy in appearance as
the wrecks of ships thrown by a storm on the beach and left after that to
whiten and fall to pieces as the days and months rolled by.
God save us from the snare of Gideon and from those of Saul, Samson,
David, Judas and Demas and from any and every other kind which the
enemy of our souls would place in position to cripple and capture us, and
finally, to destroy and damn us, both soul and body, in hell forever.
Dr. Carradine
I. WHAT DOES “TURNING BACK” MEAN?
II. HAVE OTHERS TURNED BACK?
III. WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE WHO TURN BACK?
IV. WHAT SHOULD I DO TO PREVENT (Protect) MYSELF FROM
TURNING BACK?
