MAINTAINING YOUR CONFIDENCE IN CHRIST
Hebrews 10:26-38
The original readers of Hebrews had been going through difficult times of persecution for their faith. Some were tempted to detach themselves from their Christian fellowship in order to avoid arrest, reproach, and suffering. Moreover, some were in danger of turning their backs on Christianity and reverting to Judaism. In this text, the writer of Hebrews was exhorting them to maintain their faith in Jesus Christ, no matter what kind of trials they might have to face. These words are an encouragement for all believers going through difficult days. They needed this exhortation, especially in view of Christ’s imminent return. When Jesus comes again, those who truly believe in Jesus will be on the winning side. Until then, there is need for steadfastness.
In verse 26, the writer introduces his fourth warning. It is a warning against apostasy, and is described as a deliberate sin. There is considerable disagreement among Bible believers as to the nature of this sin. The problem is whether it refers to: (1) True Christians who subsequently turn away from Christ and are lost. (2) True Christians who backslide but who are still saved. (3) Those who profess to be Christians for a while, identify themselves with a local church, but then deliberately turn away from Christ. They were never truly born again, and now they never can be.
Admittedly there are difficulties in all these views. My own opinion is that the third view is correct. In verse 26 apostasy is defined as sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth. Like Judas, the person has heard the gospel. He knows the way of salvation; he has even pretended to receive it; but then he deliberately rejects it. If a person rejects the Lord, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. He has by his own volition willfully rejected the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ. Therefore God has no other way of salvation to offer to him.
There is a sense in which all sin is willful, but the author here speaks of apostasy as a willful sin of extraordinary seriousness. The fact that the author uses we in this passage does not necessarily mean that he includes himself. In verse 39 he definitely excludes himself and his fellow believers from those who draw back into perdition.
10:27 There is nothing left for the apostate but a certain fearful expectation of judgment; there is no hope of escape. It is impossible to renew the apostate to repentance (6:4). He has knowingly and willfully cut himself off from the grace of God. He is not only an apostate, he has become an adversary of the Christian faith. He is not mildly neutral to Jesus Christ. He is violently opposed to Christ. His fate is a fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. It is pointless to haggle over whether this means literal fire. The language is obviously designed to denote punishment that is dreadfully severe.
10:28 The doom of the lawbreaker in the Old Testament is now introduced to form a backdrop against which to contrast the greater doom of the apostate. A man who broke Moses’ law by becoming an idolater died without mercy when his guilt was proven by the testimony of two or three witnesses (Deut. 17:2–6).
10:29 The one who turns away from Jesus in spite of his privilege and opportunity, will experience far greater punishment. “To whom much is given, much is required.“ Note the charges that are brought against the apostate.
1. He has trampled the Son of God underfoot. For a time, he may have claimed to be a follower of Jesus. Now he wants nothing more to do with him. After professing to be a follower of Jesus, he now brazenly asserts that he wants nothing more to do with Him. He denies any need for Christ as Savior and positively rejects Him as Lord.
ILL: Everyone has heard of Billy Graham but have you ever heard of Chuck Templeton? Probably not! Templeton was a friend of Dr. Graham and often traveled with him during YFC days. Some said he had the makings of a great evangelist. However, Chuck began questioning the word of God while attending seminary. Little by little he turned away from his faith and actually encouraged Billy to do the same. Billy wrestled for a time but soon came to the conviction that God’s word was true and that he would never question it.
ILL. In Japan there is a crucifix which was used by the government in days of persecution. It was placed on the ground, and everybody had to tread on the face of the Crucified. The non-Christians did not hesitate to tread on His face; the real Christians refused and were killed. The story goes that the face of Jesus was worn down and marred by people trampling on it.
2. He has counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing. He counts as useless and unholy the blood of Christ which ratified the New Covenant. He had been set apart by this blood in a place of external privilege. Through his association with Christian people, he had been sanctified, just as an unbelieving husband is sanctified by his believing wife (1 Cor. 7:14). But that does not mean that he was saved.
3. He has insulted the Spirit of grace. The Spirit of God had illuminated him concerning the good news, convicted him of sin, and pointed him to Christ as the only Refuge of the soul. But he had insulted the gracious Spirit by utterly despising Him and the salvation He offered.
10:30 Willful repudiation of God’s beloved Son is a sin of immense magnitude. God will sit in judgment on all who are guilty of it. He has said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay” (see Deut. 32:35). Vengeance in this sense means full justice. When used of God it has no thought of vindictiveness or of “getting even.” It is simply the meting out of what a person actually deserves. Knowing the character of God, we can be sure that He will do as He has said by repaying the apostate in just measure.
And again, “The LORD will judge His people.” God will avenge and vindicate those who truly belong to Him, but here in verse 30, the obvious reference is to judgment of evil people.
If it causes difficulty to think of apostates being spoken of as His people, we should remember that they are His by creation and also for a while by profession. He is their Creator though not their Redeemer, and they once professed to be His people, even though they never knew Him personally.
10:31 The abiding lesson for all is this: do not be among those who fall into God’s hands for judgment because it is a fearful thing.
Nothing in this passage of Scripture was ever intended to disturb and unsettle the minds of those who truly belong to Christ. The passage was purposely written in its sharp, searching, challenging style so that all who profess the name of Christ might be warned about the terrible consequences of turning away from Him.
The original readers of Hebrews had been going through difficult times of persecution for their faith. Some were tempted to detach themselves from their Christian fellowship in order to avoid arrest, reproach, and suffering. Moreover, some were in danger of turning their backs on Christianity and reverting to Judaism.. The writer of Hebrews was exhorting them to maintain their faith in Jesus Christ, no matter what kind of trials they might have to face. These words are an encouragement for believers going through difficult days. We all need this exhortation, especially in view of Christ’s imminent return. When Jesus comes again, those who truly believe in Jesus will be on the winning side. Until then, there is need for patient endurance.
The heart of this passage is seen in verses 35-36 in the words “confidence” and in the word “patience” or “endurance.“ “Confidence” can be translated as “boldness” The word “endurance” can be translated as “patience” or “perseverance.“ The writer encourages his readers to maintain steadfast confidence in Christ. Don’t cast away your confidence. In the last part of chapter 10, the writer gives three strong reasons why believers should maintain their confidence in Jesus Christ.
I. PAST EXPERIENCES SHOULD MOTIVATE US TO MAINTAIN OUR CONFIDENCE IN CHRIST.
After trusting in Jesus, the early believers became the targets of persecution. Often their own families disowned them, their friends forsook them, and their foes harassed them. Sometimes they suffered individually. At other times they suffered with their fellow believers. Yet they maintained their commitment to Jesus Christ. When their possessions were confiscated, they accepted it joyfully and chose to be faithful to Jesus rather than turn away from their faith. Our own experiences with Christ’s faithfulness in past problems should challenge us to maintain our confidence in Christ in spite of present opposition.
10:33-34: Sometimes their suffering was individual; they were taken out alone and publicly exposed to abuse and affliction. At other times, they suffered with other Christians. Yet in all of this, they were not afraid to visit those who were prisoners for Christ, even though there was always the danger of guilt by association. (v. 34)
When their goods were confiscated by the authorities, they accepted it joyfully. Their relationship with Jesus was more important than their material possessions. They knew that they had “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away” (1 Pet. 1:4). It was truly a miracle of divine grace that enabled them to value earthly wealth so lightly.
II. THE NEARNESS OF THE REWARD SHOULD MOTIVATE US TO MAINTAIN OUR CONFIDENCE IN CHRIST.
Having endured so much in the past, we should not give up now. We are nearer to the fulfillment of God’s promises than ever before. This is no time to turn back. Verse 35 could be translated, “Don’t throw away your trust now—it carries with it a rich reward in the world to come.” What they needed and what we need is endurance, the determination to remain faithful in the face of persecutions rather than escape them by denying Christ. Then after having done the will of God, we will receive the promised reward.
III. THE FEAR OF GOD’S DISPLEASURE SHOULD MOTIVATE US TO MAINTAIN OUR CONFIDENCE IN CHRIST.
Finally, the fear of God’s displeasure should motivate us to maintain our confidence in Jesus Christ. In verses 37-38, the writer quotes Habakkuk 2:3, “For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” Continuing the quotation from Habakkuk, the author shows that the life that pleases God is the life of faith: “Now the just shall live by faith.”
The life of faith is the life that values God’s promises, that sees the unseen, and that perseveres to the end. In 10:39, the writer quickly dissociates himself and his fellow believers from those who draw back to perdition. This separates apostates from genuine Christians. The apostates have turned away from Jesus and are lost. True believers believe and thus preserve their souls from the doom of the renegade. The life that displeases God is the life that abandons Christ for the old life of sin. “But if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him.“ There is to be no turning back. Let us keep our eyes on Jesus in these difficult days.
