Our Great High Priest #10

Q: What does the Bible say about apostasy?

The Bible defines apostasy as a willful turning away from the faith after experiencing its truth, as seen in Hebrews 6:4-6. Apostasy in the Bible refers to the act of abandoning or renouncing one's faith after having tasted its truths. Hebrews 6:4-6 provides a grave warning about those who have been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, and partaken in the Holy Spirit, yet fall away. This passage emphasizes the impossibility of renewing such individuals to repentance, illustrating the seriousness of turning away from Christ after once professing faith. In the context of Hebrews, the author addresses Jews who are tempted to revert to their former customs and sacrificial systems, highlighting the danger of forsaking the superior sacrifice of Christ for the temporal practices of the Old Covenant. Thus, apostasy is marked by a deliberate rejection of the grace of God as it is uniquely offered in the person of Jesus Christ.

Q: How do we know salvation is by grace alone?

Salvation is by grace alone through faith, as stated in Ephesians 2:8-9, which emphasizes that it's a gift from God, not from our works. The doctrine of salvation by grace alone is foundational in Scripture, particularly highlighted in Ephesians 2:8-9, where Paul explicitly states that we are saved by grace through faith, and this is not of ourselves; it is the gift of God. This refutes the notion that any human effort or merit can contribute to our standing before God. The historic Reformed tradition affirms that salvation is entirely a work of God’s sovereign grace, rooted in His eternal purpose rather than human decision or action. Our dependence on Christ and His finished work on the cross means that no additional sacrifices or works are needed for our redemption. Hebrews 10:14 further supports this by asserting that Christ has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. Therefore, grace alone stands as the clearest and most biblically supported basis for salvation.

Q: Why is church assembly important for Christians?

Church assembly is vital for Christians as it fosters community, accountability, and mutual encouragement in faith, as emphasized in Hebrews 10:25. The importance of assembling together as Christians is underscored in Hebrews 10:25, where believers are encouraged not to forsake gathering together, especially as the day of Christ's return approaches. The corporate gathering serves several key purposes: it provides a context for communal worship, ensures accountability, and offers mutual edification among believers. In the face of trials and temptations, being part of a faith community strengthens our resolve and promotes spiritual growth. Moreover, participating in the life of a local church allows us to partake in the sacraments and the preaching of God’s Word, both crucial for nurturing our faith. Hence, the communal aspect of faith not only fulfills the biblical command but also enriches the spiritual lives of believers as they navigate the challenges of the Christian walk.

Q: What does Hebrews 10:26-31 teach about willful sinning?

Hebrews 10:26-31 warns that willfully sinning after knowing the truth leads to dire consequences, as there remains no further sacrifice for sin. Hebrews 10:26-31 emphasizes the seriousness of willful sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth. The passage outlines that if believers willingly turn away from the sacrifice of Christ, choosing to disrespect His sacrifice, they face the terrifying prospect of judgment without further recourse to atonement. This underscores the gravity of apostasy and teaches that grace should not be treated as a license to sin. The author draws a stark comparison between the punishment for rejecting Moses' law and the greater judgment awaiting those who trample underfoot the Son of God. Thus, this warning serves to encourage believers to remain steadfast in their faith and to take seriously their relationship with Christ, ensuring they do not fall into complacency or rebellion against God's grace.

Q: How can we identify true believers from false ones?

True believers exhibit an enduring faith in Christ and the fruit of the Spirit, while false believers may appear outwardly faithful but lack genuine regeneration. Identifying true believers versus false believers can often be challenging. As indicated in the sermon and substantiated by biblical texts, true believers endure through trials and produce fruit consistent with their faith. The concept of regeneration is key; those whom God has truly saved possess a nature inclined towards Christ and His righteousness. However, false believers may demonstrate a superficial adherence to faith, lacking the transformative work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. They might be involved in church and appear faithful externally but ultimately do not possess the internal conviction of the Spirit or the genuine fruit of faith. In Matthew 7:16-20, Jesus remarks that we will know them by their fruits, underscoring that the reality of regeneration manifests in the believer's life choices and character over time. Therefore, enduring faith, love for others, and evidence of spiritual growth are critical indicators of genuine salvation.

That it would. I want to go,
this is, what I've, I'm going to try to do is very, very difficult. Because as Walter was saying
about commentaries, I have very little to say in favor of They
don't say anything, and they'll avoid everything controversial
if they can. They'll go clear around the barn
with it. So it's a little help, but so
many people get a couple of sets of commentaries, or there's some
commentaries out now that the whole Bible, and they've got
two books, and they're very brief sections on each one. But the whole thing is invalid. I
know Walter's got a set of Matthew Henry, and what about John Gill? Well, I had one of John Gill
and gave it away. It was the one thing, the print
was so small I couldn't read it, and the next thing was that
he took three pages to tell you what something wasn't, and then
forgot to tell you what it is. So I just pretty well quit on
it. I like to listen to preaching
and I like to read concerning, how can I say this,
a single subject, Walter. Just one thing, like justification. I've got a few books that are
about that thick just on justification. I like to read those. But this
other stuff is, and this is particularly difficult, the thing that we're
dealing with this morning. Now, I'm going to begin, as I
said, I try to tie together Hebrews 6, 4 through 6. I didn't get to it last Sunday,
but I want to go to it this morning. and read to you those few verses. Listen to what it says and listen
closely. Now remember what Paul is doing.
He's not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works
and of faith toward God. In other words, he's still preaching
the gospel, but he's not going to deal with those things which
they had always heard and which Paul was famous for. He's not
going to talk about baptism He's not going to talk about the resurrection
And he said if this we will this will we do if God permit in verse
3 now listen listen carefully For it is impossible That word
impossible for those who were once enlightened and and have
tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the
Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers
of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them
again unto repentance, seeing that they crucify unto themselves
the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame. Amen. Now you go to Hebrews 10. And you read in verses, there
are more verses here than I can cover this morning. He talks about not forsaking
the assembling of yourselves together in verse 25. And everything
that he writes, I think, I believe Mason, I believe earnestly, that
has to do with not forsaking the assembling of yourselves
together. All of these words, because we read that you give
them more earnest heed lest at any time you let them slip. I
was there a while back. Well, what happens if you forsake
the assembling of yourselves together? You let them slip. And every time you I'm not talking
about reasons now. I'm talking about pure de-laziness
and don't want to. Well, may I confess something
to you? There are some times that I don't
want to. That's right. There are some times, Unabell's
heard me say it, I wish I didn't have to preach this morning.
Right, yeah. And things do happen to preachers
the same as they happen to everybody else. but generally we managed to get
on our horse and get here. So in this passage in Hebrews
10, we must keep in mind that he's
writing, again, he's writing to a church, a New Testament
church that is sound in the gospel, And they are believers, but they're
Jews. And they're undoubtedly inundated
with Jewish theology. They know the Old Testament backward
and forward. All right, now, he said in chapter
10, let me get to it. After he says, forsake not the
assembling of yourselves together as the manner. And he said, as
the manner of some is much more as you see the day approaching. And if the day isn't approaching
now, I don't know when. Yeah, man, that's right. It is.
It's close. It's close. Then he says, for
if we sin willfully, after that we have received the knowledge
of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin. What
did he say over here in 6? 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. He's giving a description
of who they were. There remaineth no more sacrifice
for sin but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery
indignation which shall devour the adversaries. Now let me point out one little
thought, and I'll not dwell on it. I was talking to Mac the other
day, and he said there are some people that preach this as though
it were believers, and we're going to get into that. And they
do. And in one sense, it might apply
to some believers, I mean true believers. It might, because
notice these words, there's no more sacrifice for sin. None. But a certain fearful looking
for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died
without mercy. under two or three witnesses,
of how much sore 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, that's the blood of Christ, wherewith
he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despot unto the
Spirit of grace. Those are solemn words. Those
are solemn words. And remember, I said that there
is a measure in which they can refer to believers. There is a reaping that we all
have due to our sowing. Forget about forgiveness. You
pay here. Mason, you remember that story
you told me? You remember it every time I quote that verse,
I know you do. That Mason was told this one time, and I won't
forget this. Talking to an old brother, and
he said, well, talking about whatsoever man soweth, that shall
he also reap. He said, I never heard of a farmer, I think I
got this right, Mason. I never heard of a farmer sowing
in one field and reaping in another. Said you reap what you sow, but
you don't reap in another field, you reap here. Well, that's just
about as scary as the rest of it. A certain fearful looking
forward of judgment and didn't say condemnation. It's a judgment
and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries. All right,
is the person guilty an adversary? I don't think so. I don't think
so, not necessarily. The adversaries are the things
that afflict him or her and bring them under the dominion of the
flesh. That's what it is. Now, there,
of course, is a very real sense in which both of these passages
refer to apostates. That's what makes it so hard.
Well, what is an apostate? Well, I think apostate is about
synonymous with reprobate. I believe that to be true. An
apostate has left that faith which he
or she has once professed publicly in the fellowship of grace, under
the house of God, under the testimony of Jesus Christ, and has accepted
it, joined with it, supported it, lived with it, and I don't think any other true exposition
can be made of an apostate. Just as in chapter 6 and verses
4 through 8, You see that there is also in
this diatribe that Paul writes, there is seen the better things
people. Right in the same words almost. But I am persuaded better things
of you and those things which accompany salvation. But nevertheless
he left a warning that there are such people there are such
people In this group of people there
was and I can say is even because we have them with us now there
is Manifested a labor of love Toward the name of Christ now
now how is a labor of love you let me see where I find that
I Well, I thought it was there.
It takes me a little while sometimes to... But anyhow, he said that
he's mindful of their labor of love. I think it's chapter six.
I hope by three and four weeks from now, I'll have some spectacles
that will be right. Hopefully. We'll go see about
it tomorrow. Your labor of love showed toward his name. Now, he said, we're aware of
that. That is this people of whom he had better things to
say. But the others were a part of
that group, and you couldn't tell one from another. Now, what was it, Earl, that
they did? They went back to Jewish sacrifices. which were still being offered
in every temple or in every place where sacrifices were offered,
they went back and were offering sacrifices. We're going to look
at these people in just a minute here. So he makes the difference
of these two groups of people, the better things people and
also differences that were in the
two. Now look at verses 33 and 35. I'll get back here in just a
little bit. 33 and 35. He goes on to say in chapter
10, we know that him that hath said, vengeance belongeth unto
me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. But call to remembrance, now
listen about these people. Call to remembrance the former
days. Call to remembrance the past.
When you first became a part, and it doesn't say that, but
he's writing to the church. Remember the former days in which
after you were illuminated, they had some light. And I've had
people look me right in the face and say, well, Earl, I believe
everything you're saying. But I don't know whether or not
it applies to me. There are those who have no argument
with the gospel, will agree with everything you say. And turn
around, walk off, and do just exactly what they did before.
No matter what they profess. No matter. But he said, I want
you to call to remembrance those days in which you were illuminated.
You had some light. You endured a great fight of
afflictions. They suffered with the people
of God. Partly, and they were made a gazing stock, verse 33,
by reproaches and afflictions, and partly while she became companions
of them that were so used. this group became companions
of those who were so used. They stayed right there for a
while. Well, now, you go back. Those described in verses 26
through 31 were those who after receiving the knowledge of the
truth, being enlightened, I want to compare it to verse 4 in chapter
6. For it is impossible for those
who were once enlightened. Now, verse 32, I mean verse 35. cast not away, therefore, your
confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. He's writing
to the whole church. He's writing to the ones that
are on the verge of apostasy and to the ones that were gazing
stock and were suffered afflictions and all of these things that
were supporting that Hebrew church. And these differences could be
seen. If we sin willfully, that's what
it says. If we sin willfully, and that,
I'll write it down, you say, well, I don't think that amounted
to much. Well, it does. If we sin willfully, what does
that mean? What does that mean? But if we
sin willfully, it is the opposite of sins that are committed inconsiderately. things that you do that are just
not considering the gospel or Christ or your brother and sister
in Christ or the house of God. You just do it and you don't
even consider it. Then there are sins that come
because you don't know much. You do that which you ought not
to do because you're spiritually ignorant. And we're all in that
class. You say, well, I didn't know.
Well, no. That's ignorance. But then we come to the one in
which many, and I'm not making excuses, because you'll see that
in a minute, the sins that are committed because of weakness. Just not strong spiritually. just not able to stand against
the onslaught. And there are countless hundreds
or thousands possibly believers who are in that situation. They
cannot stand the heat of the kitchen. So they become confused. Like I say, I'm not excusing
anything. But I've got too many years on me to judge like I judged
when I was 20. The point is, to sin willfully is also, by the way, translated
willingly in 1 Peter 5 and 2. It's in contrast with being made
to do it. It's a contrast. In Hebrews 10.26, For if we sin willfully, after
that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth
no more sacrifice for sin. In Hebrews 10.26, you don't see
that holy seed that John's talking about. When he writes in John 3, 9,
whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin. For his seed
remaineth in him, and he cannot sin for he is born of God. Now
John says also over in chapter 5 and verse 18, we know that
whosoever is born of God sinneth not. But he that is born of God keepeth
himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. That's difficult. But what John
is saying and what Paul is saying are in agreement. Because that
spirit, that Entity that comes into the life
when the dead alien sinner receives life from God himself That is
that seed of which John is speaking that is that seed and that seed
is Who I didn't say what right? That seed is who? Christ. For
it is Christ in you, the hope of glory, and he has never been
guilty of sin. Not ever. No man can say when
he sins that God tempted him. Can't do it. Every man when he
sins is what? Drawn away of his own lust and
enticed. I gotta be careful or I'll do
like Walter did. I'll get off on something that
I'm interested in here. He didn't stay very long, though. In this world, we're told to work out our own
salvation. That's what Paul told the Philippians.
Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is
God that worketh in you, both to will and to do his good pleasure. Well, you say, Earl, do you mean
to tell me that God would let me fall? Yeah, I mean to tell
you that. He put you in circumstances that make you wonder whether
you ever knew Christ. And there may be in your experience,
as you grow in grace, desert times in which the skies are
brass, prayer is futile, and reading of the scripture is nothing. And you wonder, where am I? I
don't even know whether I'm a believer or not. Or we meet somebody and we think,
I ought to have said something to that person, and I walked
off. and I didn't say anything and I had an opening to say something. Did you? If you did really have
an opening, maybe you would have said something. You see, before
there can be an answer, there has to be a question. Now, I
know I'm repeating myself, but I've got to repeat it over and
over and over again. be ready to give an answer to
any man that asketh of you the reason for the hope that lieth
in you. That's what we're commanded to
do. And you ought to be ready. Now
there is such a thing, remember, that our Lord said we ought not
to cast pearls before swine. They'll trot them underfoot. They can't recognize them. And
there are some people out here that can't recognize the word
of truth and have no respect for Christ anyhow. Right. That's it. That's right. There
are some. Now, I want to emphasize that
this is not a believer that has backslidden. Right. That's right. That's what's preached today.
Well, this is somebody's backslidden. No somebody that appears to you
and to me to be backslidden may be under discipline. So this one that we're talking about
has all the outward appearance of a believer. Well, look at
it. Let me see if I can find it now,
what I'm after. Well, I'm seeing amazing grace,
I guess. But these people suffered the
spoiling of their goods. The things were taken away from
them that they had, they owned. They suffered it. Well, it makes you wonder, doesn't
it? They had everything that made them appear to be a believer.
And yet, knowingly and willingly denies the work or the necessity
of the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration. Denies the efficacy
of the blood of Christ. And denies openly, fully aware
of what He's doing now. It's not something that they're
doing unintentionally. It's something that they do with
intent. Look up the words, willing and
willingly. The power of God to save his
soul through sovereign grace is denied entirely. That's scary. That's scary. And he turns back with full confidence
to the law of the sacrifice. Let me ask you this this morning,
without being, I don't want to be hard and I don't want to be
harsh, but let me ask you this, what is this then that those
do who are justified by works? By the things that they've given
up for Jesus. They believe that if that isn't
true. Now I'm not saying you ought not to give up things for
Jesus. I'm not saying that at all. But that doesn't make you
a child of God. That is a result of what God
does for you. And someone that turns their
back on this and says no, is apostate. I have a man that I've known
for many years. I haven't seen him, but I've
known him. I went to school with him. And he wrote some nonsense
about understanding the word of God. He's a PhD, Doctor of
Philosophy. Taught at the University of Arizona
for years, retired from there. And David wrote something on
email one day about the scripture, and it so shocked me that I sent
a copy of it to Art Neuenschwander, forwarded it to him, because
he knew the same person. And Art wrote back and said,
I've got one comment. He's apostate, and went right
on talking about something else. Well, you see, that is shocking. That is shocking. And he still
writes for religious magazines. to turn back to the law of sacrifice,
whether it be today's laws or whether it be laws that were
then. If that makes up the salvation that you know, then you've got
problems. You've got problems. For by grace
are you saved. My Aunt Isabel told me one time,
she said, Earl, I was real young then. I quoted her that scripture,
for by grace are you saved through faith, Ephesians 2, you know.
And that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God, not of works
as any man should boast. She said, Earl, every old Baptist
in the world quotes that passage. Well, I was about, I guess maybe
16 when I quoted that to her. And it's still true. It's still
true. I see these people on television
sing Amazing Grace. Do you get that on some worldly
program? They'll stand up and sing Amazing
Grace. What's that family that comes
on there that I can hardly stand? Bill Gaither. Ho, ho, ho. That makes you weep. That's showing
off and foolishness. Awful. Just awful. But, to them, that's what faith
is. See, they actually believe this. They're not trying to deceive
anybody. They think this is the way it
is. And so do the people that are there. By the thousands,
I reckon, that's the way they think it is too. So where does
that leave an old-school Baptist sitting back on a hillside in
a brush in West Virginia? Leaves him with the Word. Leaves him with the Word. Stay
by it. Stay by it. Now, anyone who's
guilty of putting another sacrifice before God other than the person
of the body of Jesus Christ guilty and there is no more sacrifice
for sin other than Christ there's none to depend on anything other
than Christ crucified dead buried and risen again is to stand in
that awful position of judgment I didn't say condemnation no
judgment in this world there are sins committed no question
about it you and me We're sinners saved by grace, right? And as I said, there are sins
of ignorance, and there are sins of weakness, and there are sins
of rebellion. And who among us can plead not guilty? Not a one. Now let me ask you this. And
I know that some of this is elementary. I intended it to be. Let me ask
you this. Is one sin greater than another? No. One sin will result in condemnation
from God. One. And it can be a little white
lie, don't you know, that does it, will send you down into the
blackness of hell itself. But Christ died for our sins. My word, what a difference. The only place that sins are
different is in our sight. The murderer is worse than this
over here, the thief. The molester over here is worse
than this other whatever. But that's only in our sight.
I'll tell you what, there are times that I scare myself. I see some awful thing that's
been committed, you know, like molesting a child. See some awful
thing like that and I'll tell the family or anybody else, I
said they ought to have taken him right out in the middle of the
day when they caught him and hang him in the middle of a supermarket
square. No trial, no anything, just hang
him. Well, you see, I relegate sins
to a pigeonhole. And all of us do that. But all have sinned in the sight of that infinitely
holy God. And apart from the election of
grace, all of them are condemned. But there is therefore now no
condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not
after the flesh, but after the spirit. What does it mean that
our desire is not toward the wretchedness? Let me add to that. I'm going
to try to say something here, and don't criticize it, because
I don't know just how to say it. There are some people who will
find themselves in situations, and it will be so gradually and
so ignorantly. Now, I don't mean that as a slam
or a slur. I'm saying so ignorantly that
they don't even know how they got there. And that's true. Well, then preacher, how do we
know who's the child of God and who isn't? You don't. You don't. God does. And we walk by faith
and not by sight. If you're looking for conditions
and results and all of this. See, I thought Mack Hatfield
was smarter than to take a school busload of kids to Morgantown.
But he wasn't. Appearance is deceiving. It just
is. You know, I'll close with this.
You know, I go back, and I said, God knows, and we walk by faith. And I have to go back to this
book. And to say that no matter what
storm is raging, no matter, we have a more sure word of prophecy.
And it'll hold. It'll hold. We sing that old
song, we're used to anyhow, will your anchor hold in the storms
of life? Yes, it will if that anchor is
Christ and you're tied to him. And I think of old Paul, walking
by faith and not by sight, headed to be beheaded sooner or later,
headed to Rome, on the Isle of Melita, which is the Malta in
today's maps. And there he was, offshore in
this awful, horrible storm. What was it, Euclidon? I think
that's right. And the winds were contrary,
and the sailors despaired of life. Well, where was Paul? He was down in the cabin, I guess,
praying. And he went up on deck and he said, I don't want you
to be afraid, for it shall be unto me even as God hath told
it, that the ship will be lost and not a man will be lost, but
everybody has to stay on the ship. Now isn't that a contradiction? You got to stay here, but the
ship's going to be destroyed, but you're going to be saved,
all of you. And the whole thing is bound
up in those words, I believe God. Now, in the weariness of
our minds, and I've done it, probably will do it again before
God's done with me. We might say, well, what's the
use? You fight, and you fight, and
you preach, and you try, Well, it is true that he is able to
do exceedingly abundantly above all that we are able to ask or
think according to the power that worketh in you. That's what Christ does. Now
you see, we're not saying that it'll be, for the believer, that
it will be a bed of roses. And there will be some that turn
back, that we never expected to turn back. That's happened
to me time and time and time again. They're gone. But Jesus Christ is the same,
yesterday and today and forever, and is Christ in you, the hope
of glory. Our Father, we're grateful this
morning for being able to be here and for a sense of your
presence and your help and the love that you have toward your
people. We pray that you'd bless us together as we leave this
place. May we return again in anticipation
for the ministry of the spirit of God, not mine, not Walter's,
but God's spirit in our hearts and in our souls. Keep us strong
in the faith, make us able servants of God, for we pray it in Christ's
name, amen.

Our Great High Priest #10

What does the Bible say about apostasy?

How do we know salvation is by grace alone?

Why is church assembly important for Christians?

What does Hebrews 10:26-31 teach about willful sinning?

How can we identify true believers from false ones?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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Our Great High Priest #10

What does the Bible say about apostasy?

How do we know salvation is by grace alone?

Why is church assembly important for Christians?

What does Hebrews 10:26-31 teach about willful sinning?

How can we identify true believers from false ones?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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