Short Thoughts for Today

Although I chose to divide them due to their length, verses 28 through 31 of Hebrews, chapter ten are a continuation of verses 26 and 27 that I commented on yesterday. Here the author continues to address those who might "go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth" and the expectation of God's judgment that is before them. He writes, "Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY" And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE. " It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

Perhaps there is no other judgment more severe for the one professing faith in Christ than to be judged by God as having "trampled under foot the Son of God" or to have "insulted the Spirit of grace". Today's passage suggests that this person "deserves" a "severer punishment" than those who where put to death for setting aside the Law of Moses! We may find some solace in knowing that God often tempers what we deserve with grace. But in this case there is no indication that we should expect so. We should only be terrified.

Only God has the right to make this judgment and determine and implement the punishment for it. I have seen men point to events in the lives of other believers and name them as indicators of God's judgment in their lives. I caution against such declarations. We have not the wisdom nor insight into the ways of the Almighty to make such determinations.

What I do believe to be true and what we have seen in these last two days is that God is sovereign and retains the right to judge His people. He does so rightly and justly. The Lord has declared that vengeance is His and that He will repay. This ought to be terrifying to the one who goes on sinning willfully.