Posted on 12/21/2020 5:36:00 AM PST by metmom
"If the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" (Heb. 2:2-3).
There is certain judgment for everyone who does not receive Christ as Savior and Lord.
Today the majority believes that God is a God of love and grace, but not of justice. One brief look at Hebrews 2:2-3 ought to convince anyone otherwise. The writer's point is this: Since the Old Testament makes it clear that transgression and disobedience met with severe and just punishment, how much more so will equal or greater punishment be rendered under the New Testament, which was revealed by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself?
Both the Old and New Testaments confirm that angels were instrumental in bringing the law (Deut. 33:2; Acts 7:38). The law the angels spoke, primarily the Ten Commandments, was steadfast. That meant if someone broke the law, the law would break the lawbreaker. The law was inviolable; punishment for breaking it was certain.
"Every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense" (v. 2). Transgression refers to stepping across a line—a willful, purposeful sin. Disobedience, however, refers to imperfect hearing—the sin of shutting one's ears to the commands, warnings, and invitations of God. It is a sin of neglect or omission, doing nothing when something should be done.
Hebrews 2:2 also puts to rest the notion that God is not fair. The writer says every sin received a "just recompense." God, by His very nature, is just. Every punishment He meted out to those who defied Him was a deterrent to the sin He wanted to stop.
God severely punished the nation of Israel because they knew better. That leads to the important principle that punishment is always related to how much truth one knows but rejects. The person who knows the gospel, who has intellectually understood it and believed it, yet drifts away will experience the severest punishment of all.
Suggestion for Prayer
Ask God to give you an even greater appreciation of the punishment He has saved you from to motivate you to pursue the lost more vigorously.
For Further Study
Read Matthew 11:20-24, 12:38-42, and Luke 12:47-48 to discover Christ's attitude toward those who know the truth yet rebel against it.
Studying God’s Word ping
Yep. The wages of sin is death.
This really covers the whole thing very well:
https://www.jewishnotgreek.com/
“Today the majority believes that God is a God of love and grace, but not of justice.”
Well that describes my lost mother-in-law. She will defend her sodomite brother and his actions to the death. She insists ‘god’...is a ‘god of love’ and that love will prevail in the end.
I’m always the hater when I point out Scripture. So you can see where she stands with God immediately when that reaction to The Word takes place.
Hell will be full, it really will. SMH..
“There is certain judgment for everyone who does not receive Christ as Savior and Lord.”
There is certain judgement for those who ARE redeemed believers. https://www.intouch.org/read/blog/the-judgment-of-believers
“Today the majority believes that God is a God of love and grace, but not of justice...”
Today, the “majority” tend to not believe in God at all, or at least try not to. Of those who do believe and receive, they need to understand that Jesus’ work on the Cross was complete, and “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Romans 8:1
“Both the Old and New Testaments confirm that angels were instrumental in bringing the law (Deut. 33:2; Acts 7:38). The law the angels spoke, primarily the Ten Commandments, was steadfast. That meant if someone broke the law, the law would break the lawbreaker. The law was inviolable; punishment for breaking it was certain. “Every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense” (v. 2). Transgression refers to stepping across a line—a willful, purposeful sin. Disobedience, however, refers to imperfect hearing—the sin of shutting one’s ears to the commands, warnings, and invitations of God. It is a sin of neglect or omission, doing nothing when something should be done.”
The Law convicts mankind of sin. It’s purpose is to steer man towards God’s plan of Salvation, Jesus Christ. For those who believe and receive God’s gift contained in the Gospel message, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us...” Galatians 3:13
God severely punished the nation of Israel because they knew better. That leads to the important principle that punishment is always related to how much truth one knows but rejects. The person who knows the gospel, who has intellectually understood it and believed it, yet drifts away will experience the severest punishment of all.”
Salvation by Grace through faith is like a present. When someone hears the Gospel message, they receive the measure of faith necessary to believe and receive it. They are presented with God’s free gift of Grace and they can choose to reject the present God offers them freely or they can use the faith that God has granted them to receive it, and be born again. I am not certain what the above statement is trying to convey by saying someone can “believe it and drift away”, but it can only possibly mean two things...that someone can believe and choose to not receive(which is possible) OR that someone can believe, get saved, drift away, and then be punished(which is NOT possible). We do NOTHING to earn our Salvation and once a person becomes a “new creature” in Christ there is nothing that can change a person back into the old dead to God creature that person was before the Blood of Christ came upon them.
“Suggestion for Prayer. Ask God to give you an even greater appreciation of the punishment He has saved you from to motivate you to pursue the lost more vigorously.”
Believers are to be led by the Holy Spirit in their walk with Christ. As they mature and become the instruments to plant the seeds of Grace to others, the Holy Spirit will lead them to where they need to be and with whom. Not so certain what is inferred by “pursue the lost more vigorously” but it reminds me of a couple of cults that go door to door to spread their false gospel, seemingly working for their salvation to no avail.
“For Further Study. Read Matthew 11:20-24, 12:38-42, and Luke 12:47-48 to discover Christ’s attitude toward those who know the truth yet rebel against it.”
So this is meant to what, frighten someone into getting saved? People who are not raised with or around other believers do not open their hearts to God out of fear, they do so because they come to a place in their life where they realize that on their own they can go no further and are utterly lost and despondent and thus become willing to turn towards God. People that “know the truth” already know that Jesus stands at the door to their heart and knocks, all they need do is open the door to Him.
But the verses cited in this(Matthew 11:20-24, 12:38-42 and Luke 12:47-48) have different meanings entirely. In the first, people who were witness to miracles refused to turn towards God and receive. Not very many unbelievers today are witness to miracles performed, so the relevance is in question. In the second, people might want to bargain with God like “show me a sign that I might believe”. Since the knowledge of God is written on peoples heart already, it is moot to ask for signs of God in exchange for “belief”. Asking for signs in exchange for receiving Gods free gift of Grace is another matter entirely, and is between that person and God. Some people will use any excuse they can to not say yes to God, and that is their issue, not God’s issue. The third, knowing the Masters will and not doing it...I would like to know the point that the author is trying to convey here. Is it trying to scare a believer away from sin? Is it being used to try to force a believer to do “works”? What exactly?
Sounds like it’d be nice of the “sodomite brother” would get saved so the Holy Spirit could lead him away from that lifestyle as far as possible.
That’s my prayer almost every day. For him and his ‘partner’.
The fact that I even pray for that gets me shunned and treated harshly.
Think about that.
Thank you so much, Metmom!
I think that those who are proud of their sin have hit the pinnacle of it. We only make excuses for it when we already know what it is. People can be addicted to all sorts of things that they are unable to remove themselves from and that’s why only the Holy Spirit can effect them, but they have to be willing and want His help. Sometimes it is a long process and all you can do is what you are already doing.
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