As
the Christmas season approaches, Atheist billboards are beginning to pop up
declaring that the virgin birth, and even God’s existence, is only a myth. One example is this billboard…
With
all of this world’s mixed messages about the Lord’s person, His work, and even
His existence; I thought it was wise to remind everyone of some of the results
of denying what the Lord clearly told us in His Word.
The
Word of God addresses many subjects including:
- the proofs of God’s
existence – (Psa 19:1-6, Jer 10:10-16, Acts 17:8-9, etc etc)
- the proofs of
Christ’s coming to the earth and the work which He performed (Acts
5:29-33, Acts 2:29-36, 1 Cor 15:1-11, etc etc )
as
well as many other truths that help us to understand who the Lord is and what
He has done for us.
The
Lord, by His grace and love, has revealed to us the serious results of denying
what He has clearly told us in His Word.
May the Lord bless each of us with an understanding and acceptance of
this crucial truth…
THE
SCRIPTURE:
Heb 10:19-31 (KJV)
19Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into
the holiest by the blood of Jesus,20By a new and
living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say,
his flesh;...30For we know him that hath said,
Vengeance [belongeth] unto me, I will
recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.31[It is] a fearful thing to fall into the
hands of the living God.
THE
STUDY:
In
Hebrews 10:19-25, we find the importance of not taking God’s gracious workings
in the lives of His people for granted…
19Having therefore, brethren,
boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated
for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21And [having]
an high priest over the house of God;
The Lord has given sinful mankind
the privilege to enter into His presence now (through prayer and Bible study)
and throughout eternity (dwelling with Him face to face). Although we are sinful, through the death
and shed blood of Jesus Christ, we can receive forgiveness of sins and communion
with Almighty, Holy God. It is though
His work on our behalf that He becomes our intercessor (or priest), standing
between God and sinful man, working peace, communion and forgiveness on our
behalf.
22Let 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.23Let us hold fast the profession of [our] faith without wavering; (for he [is] faithful that promised;)24And let us consider one another to provoke unto love
and to good works:25Not 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.
Because the Lord has brought us into a close
relationship with Himself, we are to draw near to Him, knowing that He has
cleansed us from our inward and outward sins.
This forgiveness was applied to our account when His Spirit applied the
Word to our hearts and lives (Eph 5:26).
We are also to be telling others of His
workings in our lives and we are to aid others to serve Him in love (by meeting
together to worship, learn and encourage other Christians).
All of these acts of appreciation, we are to
observe in a greater way because our time is running short. Soon our God will be coming back to take us
home and be with Him forever.
In
Hebrews 10:26-31, we find the solemn results of rejecting the truth by those
who are not His people...
26For if we sin wilfully after that
we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice
for sins,27But a certain fearful looking for
of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
After we receive the truths God has shown to us, and
then count them as being false, there is no reason to believe that the Lord has,
or will, forgive us. If we remain in a
state of denial of His truths we should fear, knowing that we are facing the
judgment that is prepared by God for those who are His adversaries. This judgment includes God’s fiery
indignation (burning wrath) upon those who oppose Him.
28He that despised Moses' law died
without mercy under two or three witnesses:29Of 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?
Now our attention is turned to the penalty of
breaking God’s laws given to the nation of Israel. According to the law given to them… if there
were two or three witnesses to the commission of a crime worthy of death, that
was ample proof for execution.
We are to compare that type of sin with the rejection
of Christ, His work and His shed blood.
After hearing of Christ and His great sacrifice and then counting that
as untrue, worthless, or of no benefit, we commit a very heinous sin in God’s
eyes. It is as if Christ and His work is
being tred underfoot, dirtied, buried and ignored.
Even if the initial receipt of the truth affects our
life causing a worldly, outward, reformation (sanctification) , this is not
proof of spiritual life being present.
Simple good works shown in the life is no guarantee of acceptance by
God.
A heart of repentant faith in Christ and in His work
is an absolutely necessity for the forgiveness of sins. This type of belief cannot be turned from,
nor denied. (2 Cor 7:9-10)
30For we know him that hath said,
Vengeance [belongeth] unto me, I will
recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.31[It is] a
fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
The Lord is plain throughout His Word, not only is He
a God of love and grace; He is also a God of justice. The Lord makes it clear that He will send
judgment and deserved punishment upon those who reject the kind, loving,
gracious, most valuable work of His Son.
This truth will bring terror upon those who reject
Him. To deny God’s existence and work is
to sentence themselves to an eternity of separation from God in eternal misery
in the lake of fire.
THE
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
For
those who are saved…
Let
us never forget all that our God has done for us. He not only created us, but then He saved us
from our deserved punishment through the
sacrifice of His Son. How much more
should we be motivated to serve Him after all He has done for us? (Rom 12:1-2)
For those who have
never trusted in Christ…
Please take time to,
honestly and with an open heart, study God’s Word and come to an understanding
of the many various proofs of God’s existence and His Son’s work on your
behalf.
The Bible makes it
plain that we have all sinned and are facing punishment for those sins. (Rom
1:18-21, 2:11-12, Acts 17:30-31) This is
why rejecting the existence of God and His Son, Jesus Christ, is tantamount to
sentencing yourself to an eternity of suffering at the hands of a Just God. (Rom 2:5, 2 Pet 2:9, 3:7, Rev 20:15, 21:8)
Things do not have
to be this way, however. This same God,
who is just in punishing sin, is also a very kind, gracious and loving
God. He has sent His Son to the earth to
save His people from their sins. (Matt 1:21)
Through Jesus’ shed
blood on the cross, the payment for the sin debt of God’s people was made in
full.
By turning from our
disbelief, and by trusting in Christ and His work on the cross, we can find
forgiveness for our sins and peace with God. (Rom 3:26-28, 4:17-25, 5:1-2,
15:13)
Oh, won’t you change
your mind and attitude about God and Christ?
Won’t you believe that God and His Son exist, and that they have
performed the necessary work to forgive you of your sins? By looking to Him and placing your life and
future in His hands you will be assured of a life of peace with God.
May the Lord bless
you as you seek the truth about Him.
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To see this lesson
taught on video please go to my Video Blog at
http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
If you have any
questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like
discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog,
email, or both.
Take A Look At My
Wife’s Artistic/Scriptural Devotion Blog http://alivewithchristart.blogspot.com
Follow my Squidoo Instructional
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May the Lord bless
your study of His Word. Like God’s Word…
may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
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