Would you turn back to Hebrews
chapter 10. I've entitled this message, Sinning
Willfully. Let's read verse 26 again together. For if we sin willfully, After
that we've received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth
no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for
of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries."
Now, if you're like me, you have read this verse of Scripture
before and it's literally scared you to death. I don't know how
many times I would dread coming to the 10th chapter of Hebrews
because of this verse of Scripture. It scared me. I didn't understand
what it meant. How many times have you been
tempted to commit some particular sin? And your conscience was
screaming in protest. But you did it anyway. Your will was certainly involved. We do what we want to do, and
you did what you did with your eyes wide open, knowing it was
a great sin. But you did it anyway. Now, is
that what the writer to the Hebrews is talking about? If it is, Me and you won't be saved. You can write that down. If it
is, nobody in this room will be saved. What verse 26 is talking
about is apostasy, leaving the gospel. If we sin willfully after
that, we've received the knowledge of the truth. The truth spoken
of in Hebrews chapter 10. And what a wonderful chapter
this is. Tells us just what our Lord actually did in behalf of
His people. The gospel is laid out so clearly
here in Hebrews chapter 10. Let's read some verses of Scripture. Beginning in verse 5. Wherefore, when he cometh into
the world, He saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not,
but a body hast thou prepared me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices
for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come, in the
volume of the book it's written of me, to do thy will, O God. Now above, when He said, Sacrifice
and offering and burnt offerings, and offering for sin, thou wouldest
not, neither hadst pleasure therein, which are offered by the law.
Then said He, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away
the first, that He may establish the second. By the witch will,
by God's will, we are sanctified. through the offering of the body
of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily
ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can
never take away sins. But this man. This priest, the
Lord Jesus Christ, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins
forever, he sat down on the right hand of God from henceforth expecting
till his enemies be made his footstool for by one offering
he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Is that
the gospel? It sure is. Go on reading verse
15. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is
a witness to us. For after that, he'd said before,
this is the covenant that I'll make with him after those days,
say the Lord. I'll put my laws into their hearts, and in their
minds will I write them, and their sins and iniquities will
I remember no more." Now, where remission of these is, there's
no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness
to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new
and living way, which He hath consecrated for us through the
veil, that is to say His flesh, and having a high priest over
the house of God, let 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. Let us hold
fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for He is faithful
to the promised. And let us consider one another
to provoke unto love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling
of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting
one another. And so much the more, as you
say the day approaching for If we sin willfully after that we've
received the knowledge of the truth, this truth, there remains
no more sacrifice for sins. Now, here is a man who receives
the knowledge of the truth. He says, I agree with this. I
see that this is in fact what the Bible says. I give complete
agreement to what's being said. Very much like the stony ground
here. Remember here, the truth, didn't
he? And he received it with gladness and with joy. He heard the truth
and it came as good news to me. But when he saw what it cost
him, when persecution was arisen because of the Word, he left. It wasn't worth it to him. What
about the thorn-choked here? He heard the truth. He heard
the Gospel. And he received it, the Scripture says, received
it joyfully. The lusts of the world, the cares of the world,
the deceitfulness of riches, the lusts of other things entering
in choked the Word and it became unfruitful. Now, these men received
the Word, but they didn't continue in it. And here's what this willful
sin is. Look down in verse 29. Now, of how much sorer punishment,
suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden underfoot
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 here is three things that someone
does when they commit this willful sin. They trample underfoot the
Son of God. They count the blood of the covenant
wherewith He was sanctified, an unholy thing. And they do
despite, they insult, they contemn the spirit of grace. Now, it's a dangerous thing to
hear the truth. It's a dangerous thing to hear
the truth. And if I do what verse 26 says,
if I acknowledge the truth and yet voluntarily turn away from
it, There's no more sacrifice for sins. There's no hope for
me. If I turn from the truth because
it complicates my life too much or brings me too much trouble,
if I take the middle of the road and the path of least resistance,
if I tolerate to that which is contrary to what is expressed
in Hebrews chapter 10, I've left the only hope any sinner ever
has. And that's what he's referring
to. Now, if we sin willfully, after we've received the knowledge
of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins but
a certain fearful looking for of judgment. It's certain. Certain. Do you hear that? Certain.
There's no way you're going to get out of this or I'm going
to get out of this if I turn away from the truth. But a certain
fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall
devour the adversaries. Now he that despised Moses' law
died without mercy under two or three witnesses. No hope for that person of how much sore punishment Suppose
you shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden underfoot the
Son of God and counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he
was sanctified an unholy thing and have done despite and is
the spirit of grace. Now, this is that one who sins
willfully. He hears the truth. He acknowledges
it. This is what the Bible teaches.
He receives it and says, yes, this is what I believe. But something
causes him to turn away. Now, here's what he's guilty
of. First of all, he's guilty of trotting underfoot the Son
of God. Now, I want you to think of the
excellency and the glory and the infinite greatness of the
Son of God. This is God's Son. This is the
eternal Creator of the universe. This is the Sovereign of all
things, the One who controls everything. This is the darling,
beloved Son of God, the One whom the Father is so pleased with.
Oh, He looks at His Son and He's well pleased. And how is our
Lord, how is the Father going to think of that One who thinks
no more of Christ than He will tread Him under His feet? No more important than that. Now you just think how great
the Lord is. and to tread him under his feet. Turn back to
Hebrews chapter 2. Verse 1, Therefore we ought to
give the more earnest heed to the things which we've heard,
lest at any time we let them slip, lest we let them leak out. For if the word spoken by angels
was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just
recompense or reward, how shall we escape if we neglect If we
neglect, oh, what a horrible thing neglect is. What do you
do when you neglect? You don't do anything. You don't do anything. How shall we escape if we neglect
so great a salvation? Now, you think of the greatness
of the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ. God's the author
of it. It's great in what it does. It
takes somebody like me. A sinful, weak, helpless man. And it makes me perfect. It makes
me justified. It makes me sanctified. It makes
me glorified. What a great salvation! To neglect
it? To make light of it? To consider
it unimportant? Oh, you think of the great cost
in this salvation. The precious blood of Christ.
And to neglect this? This one who hears the truth
and tramples underfoot Christ. How much sore punishment, suppose
you, shall he be thought worthy? What is God going to do to that
person who hears the gospel and receives it and then turns away
because of something that's costing him? The infinite greatness of
this gospel. Look what he says next in verse
29 to Hebrews 10. of how much sorer punishment,
suppose you, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot
the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant." wherewith
he was sanctified." Remember, he sanctified himself to this.
He said, for their sakes I sanctify myself that they might be sanctified
through the truth. He sanctified, he set himself
apart for this purpose, to save his people. Now, of how much
sore punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath counted the blood
of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing. Now, what is the blood? of the
covenant. And then what does it mean to
consider the blood of His covenant unholy? Well, look in Hebrews
chapter 10, or I'm sorry, Hebrews chapter 8, verse 10. For this is the covenant that
I'll make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord.
I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their
hearts and I'll be to them a God. I'm going to be for them. And
they shall be to me a people. They're going to be for me. And
they shall not teach every man his neighbor and every man his
brother, saying, Know the Lord. For all shall know me from the
least to the greatest. And here's how I come. For I
will be merciful." And that word is actually propitious. He's
talking about the blood of the covenant. This is why I'm going
to do these things for them. Through my blood, I'm going to
be propitiated. I'm going to be appeased. I'm
going to be satisfied with them. This is what the blood of the
covenant is. It's what gives us all the blessings of the covenant.
Look in Hebrews chapter 13 verse 20. Now the God of peace that
brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd
of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant.
Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working
in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ,
to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Now, God made a covenant. This is that covenant that David
spoke of. One of my favorite verses of Scripture, 2 Samuel
chapter 23 verse 5, David's dying. He says, although my house be
not so with God. Yet, He hath made with me an
everlasting covenant." You see, He made that covenant with Christ.
And in making that covenant with Christ, He made it with me personally. He hath made with me an everlasting
covenant, ordered in all things and sure, And the reason it is
sure is because of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. The
blood of the Lord Jesus Christ made sure every blessing of this
covenant to be. That's why it's called the blood
of the covenant. God said to His Son, here's a people, I'm giving them
to You to be Your bride But they have sinned, and in order for
them to be saved, you must be their surety." You must take
full responsibility for their salvation. And the Lord Jesus
Christ said, I'll do it. The blood of the everlasting
covenant. Now, do you remember the story
of Joseph going down into Egypt? being thrown into prison and
through the process of God's providence and time, he becomes
king of Egypt, he becomes the king of the world. He becomes
the most powerful man in the world. If you're going to have
food, you had to go to Joseph for it. And you'll remember Jacob
sending his sons down there to get food. He heard there was
corn in Egypt, and he sent his boys to get food. And Joseph
recognizes them, but they don't recognize him. And he says, he
gives them the food, and he says, now if you all want more food,
you're going to have to bring your brother Benjamin. Now, remember
that, turn to Genesis chapter 43. Genesis 43. Verse 36 of 42. And Jacob their father said unto them, Me, you've bereaved of my children.
Joseph is not. And Simeon is not. And you'll
take away Benjamin away? All these things are against
me. And Reuben, do you remember Reuben? Scripture says regarding
Reuben, unstable as water, thou shalt not excel. Reuben spake
unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not
to thee. He didn't say, slay me. He said,
slay my two sons. If I bring him not to thee and
deliver him into thy hand, and I'll bring him to thee again.
And he said, my son shall not go down with you for his brother's
dead and he's left alone. If mischief befall him by the
way which he go, then you shall bring down my gray hairs with
sorrow to the grave. He wouldn't send him by Rupert.
Now let's go on reading. And the famine was sore in the
land. And it came to pass, when they
had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their
father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food. And Judah
spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us,
saying, You shall not see my face, except your brother be
with you. If thou wilt send our brother, talking about Benjamin
with us, we'll go down and buy thee food. But if thou wilt not
send him, we'll not go down. For the man said unto us, You
shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. And
Israel said, wherefore dealt ye so ill with me as to tell
the man whether ye had a brother? And they said, the man asked
us straightly of our state and of our kindred saying, is your
father yet alive? Have you another brother? And
we told him according to the tenor of these words, nor could
we be certain that he would say, bring your brother down. And
Judah, remember who Judah is. He's the one to whom the Christ
came. And Judah said unto Israel, his father. Send the lad with
me, and we will arise and go that we may live and not die,
both we and thou and also our little ones. I will be surety
for him. Of my hand shalt thou require
him. If I bring him not unto thee
and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame forever. And the Lord Jesus Christ said,
I will be surety for him. And when Christ became my surety,
all that God required of me, He looked to Christ for, and
only to Christ for. Is that good news? Look in chapter
44, verse 30. Now this is Joseph. looking at
Judah and Benjamin. And he's going to keep Benjamin.
And Judah says, Now therefore, when I come to thy servant, my
father, and the lad be not with us, seeing that his life is bound
up in the lad's life, it shall come to pass, when he seeth that
the lad is not with us, that he'll die, and thy servant shall
bring down the gray hairs of thy servant, our father, with
sorrow to the grave. For thy servant became surety
for the lad. unto my father, saying, If I
bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my
father for ever and ever. Now therefore I pray thee, let
thy servant abide instead of the lad, a bondman unto my lord,
and let the lad go up with his brethren." For how shall I go
up to my father, and the lad be not with me? Lest peradventure
I see the evil that shall come on my father." And that's when
Joseph could refrain himself no more. Now the Lord Jesus Christ
stood as surety for his people in this covenant. And the precious
blood of the cross is the blood of the covenant, the blood of
his suretyship. It's the blood that secured the
salvation of everybody the father gave him. the blood of the covenant. How does one deem his blood as
unholy? I mean the word unholy. Have
you heard anyone say lately, I believe the blood of Christ
is unholy. What in the world does that mean?
How does one go about deeming the blood of Christ unholy? Now the word unholy is the Greek
word which is generally translated common. Belonging to all, that
which is common to all, as opposed to that which is peculiar to
the few. When you read the word, the common
faith, that's the same word here translated unholy. When you read
of the common salvation, that which is general to all, that's
the word that is here translated unholy. Now, all I got to do,
you listen to me real carefully, all I have to do to account and
deem that the blood of Christ is common and unholy is to believe
that there is gospel in the message of general redemption. To believe
that Christ died for everybody and made salvation possible for
everybody. And somebody can hear that message
and they can be saved by that message. All I got to do is believe
something like that and I'm guilty of counting the blood of the
covenant wherewith He was sanctified, an unholy thing. And what a great
crime to consider the blood of Christ in any other way than
successful. Now we believe the doctrines
of grace. the doctrine of grace, total depravity, unconditional
election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance
of the saints. You can't preach the gospel and
not believe grace. Now, there is a large group of
people that would say, I believe the doctrines of grace, but they
say I'm a four-pointer. I believe total depravity. I
believe unconditional election. I believe irresistible grace.
I believe perseverance of the saints, but I believe Christ
died for everybody. I believe his blood shed for
everybody because after all how can you preach the gospel to
somebody if you can't assure them that Christ died for them?
How can you be sincere in calling men to come to Christ if you
can't tell them that Christ died for them? Now that's a common
objection. You know, that's one of the most stupid
things I've ever heard. That's just, what is it stupid that
God would elect, that He wouldn't elect him, but Christ would die
for him? You don't get that from the Scriptures. The only possible
motive for holding that position is compromise. There is no other
motive. There is no other reason. What a horrible thing to count
the blood of the covenant wherewith He was sanctified. That's my
salvation. He set Himself apart. My whole
hope of salvation is that Christ died for me. You tell me that
He can die for me and I might... wind up in hell anyway, you've
taken away the only hope I got. I take this personal. I take
it very personal. That's why I speak. This is the
only hope I got. And to count the blood of the
covenant wherewith He was sanctified, a common thing. And you know, people do this
under the guise of wanting to be able to preach the gospel
to everybody in a sincere manner. I can say sincerely to everybody
in the world, if you come to Christ, God will save you. I
can say that sincerely. If you sue for mercy, you'll
be saved. I can say that to everybody.
That's preaching the gospel. If you come to Christ, God will
receive you. You bow the knee. That's gospel,
isn't it? Does that keep you from telling
the truth? Of course not. That's the way
we tell the truth. But I'll tell you what, I wouldn't dare say
to a mixed audience, Jesus Christ died for you. I don't know whether
He did or not. I know He died for the elect. And I know everybody
He died for shall come to Him. And I know if you come, He'll
receive you. That's the gospel. Now, this thing of canning the
blood of the covenant wherewith He was sanctified, a common thing,
an unholy thing. That's unconscionable. And then
what does He say next in our text, Hebrews chapter 10? This is the person who sins willfully
after receiving the knowledge of the truth. Of how much sore
punishment, suppose you, shall he be thought worthy, who hath
trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted, hath viewed
the blood of the covenant, hath deemed the blood of the covenant
wherewith he was sanctified, a common thing, a general thing. And that's despising it. And
thirdly, that person hath done despite unto the Spirit. of grace. Oh, the blessed spirit
of God, the Holy Spirit, the spirit of Christ, the spirit
of truth, the spirit of grace. What a name for the Holy Spirit,
the blessed spirit of grace. Now, what does the Bible mean
by the word grace? Here's my favorite scripture, turn to Genesis
chapter six. First time the word grace is
mentioned. Genesis chapter six. You know, let me also say this. When I'm talking about somebody,
I've got to say this. Because if I present... When I'm talking about somebody
being a four-pointer, Now, I say that's stupid. I don't mean I'm
smart because I believe it. I don't mean that at all. It
is stupid. But the only reason I believe what I believe is because
of the grace of God. I really believe that. I'm not
looking at this in the sense of intellectually superior or
morally superior. Not at all. This is just the
gospel. It's the truth. And it's done
despite, under the spirit of grace. Now, look in verse 5. And God saw that the wickedness
of man was great in the earth. And that every imagination of
the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Now, before we go on reading.
Is that talking about everybody? Is that talking about all men? Is it talking about me? Talking about you? Is it talking
about Noah? was Noah described in that verse of Scripture? Yes,
he was. Every man. And it repented the Lord that
He'd made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.
And the Lord said, I'll destroy man whom I've created from the
face of the earth, both man and beast and the creeping thing
and the fowls of the air, for it repenteth Me that I've made
them, but Noah found grace, found complete unmerited, unearned,
unsought for favor. Now that's what grace is. Noah,
every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. He didn't have anything to recommend
himself to God, but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
Is that good news? It's good news to me. That means
I'm one of those fellas in Genesis chapter 6 verse 5. I know I am. But Todd found grace, unmerited
favor. Oh, I love the grace of God,
the grace of the Holy Spirit, the invincible grace of the Holy
Spirit that would not take no for an answer. I love electing
grace. I love justifying grace, redeeming
grace, regenerating grace, preserving grace, saving grace. The spirit
of grace. Now, of how much sore punishment
should that one be thought worthy who has done despite to the Spirit
of grace? Despite means insulting disdain. It has to do with saying, well,
grace is true, but it's not necessary. That's the sin of Jeroboam. It's
true, salvation's in Jerusalem. And if you go to Jerusalem, that's
good, but you can also go to Danubius Sheba and we'll set
up these golden calves and they'll work just as good. Now it's true,
it's fine to go to Jerusalem, that's true, but you can go this
other way also. Now that's what it is to do despite,
to use disdain toward the spirit of grace. Say, yeah, I believe,
but it's true, but not necessary. Now that person who is guilty,
turn back to Hebrews chapter 10. Of how much sore punishment,
suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot
the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith
he was sanctified, an unholy or a common thing, and hath done
despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that saith, Vengeance
belongeth unto me. I will recompense, saith the
Lord, and again the Lord shall judge his people. It's a fearful
thing. to fall into the hands of the
living God." Now what this is a reference to is eternal punishment. Hell. Now there isn't anything that
I would least rather talk about than eternal punishment. hell. It's not something I enjoy
talking about. But would I be faithful to God's
Word if I didn't present what the Bible presents about hell? You know I wouldn't. Now, there
is something called the wrath of God. And there is eternal
punishment. I mean, the flood Sodom and Gomorrah. Ask the 70,000 who died when
David numbered the people. Ask the heathen king who took
the vessels of the Lord and used them for his drunken debauch
party and the handwriting comes on the wall. Thou art weighed
in the balances and found wanting. Hell is real and deep down our
conscious tells us that this is so. How often? Well, let me ask you this. Who
is the one in the Bible who spoke most of hell? You know the answer to that.
The Lord Jesus Christ. You know, Paul the Apostle, he
talked about condemnation and damnation and so on, but not
one time in his writings did he ever use the word hell. You
won't find it in his writings. I guess he thought it was just
such a horrible thought that he couldn't bring himself to
say it. But the Lord spoke much, warning us about hell. Now, there are people who say
they believe, but they deny that there's a hell. Well, if you're
going to do that, be consistent and deny everything else. Because
you'd have to deny everything else if you deny that the Bible
teaches hell. There are some that say there will be an annihilation,
but... The Lord uses the word everlasting
destruction. There will be no annihilation.
Hell lasts forever. The scripture says the smoke
of their torments ascended up forever and ever and something
men will all eventually be saved. Somehow hell is kind of like
a purgatory and at the end, everybody will end up being saved. Well,
You can't get that from the scriptures, you know that. What would it
profit a man if he gained the whole world and lose his soul? And what will a man give in exchange
for his soul? And when someone sins willfully
in the sense that we're looking at, regarding the Lord Jesus
Christ, when they trample underfoot the Son of God, and count the
blood of the covenant wherewith He was sanctified, an unholy
thing, and do despise unto the Spirit of grace." It's a fearful thing to fall
into the hands of the living God. And you can be sure of this,
the punishment will fit the crime. It's a fearful thing to fall
into the hands of the living God. But it's a glorious thing
to fall into the hand of the living God. Let me show you what
I mean by that. This is what we're going to close
with. Turn to 2 Samuel 24. It's a fearful thing to fall
into the hands of the living God. Now this is when David has
numbered the people. Verse 10. Now, what was David guilty of
when he took a census? He took a census without receiving
the atonement money. He took a census of somebody
being an Israelite without the atonement. You see, you can only
count someone one of God's people through the blood of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Now, David bypassed all that. It was just, let's
see how many we got. Let's see how good we're doing. Verse 10. And David's heart smote him after
that he had numbered the people. You see, the Word of God forbid
him to do this without receiving the atonement money. You can
never take a census without each one receiving the atonement money.
And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people.
And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that
I have done. And now I beseech Thee, O Lord,
take away the iniquity of Thy servant, for I have done very
foolishly. For when David was up in the morning, the Word of
the Lord came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, Go
and say unto David, Thus saith the Lord, I offer thee three
things. Choose thee one of them, that
I may do it unto thee. So Gad came to David and told
him and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto
thee in thy land? Or wilt thou flee three months
before thy enemies while they pursue thee? Or that there be
three days' pestilence in thy land? Now advise thee, and see
what answer I shall return to him that sent me. And David said
unto Gad, I'm in a great strait." Now, look at the choice he makes
between these three choices. Seven years of famine, fleeing
before your enemies three months, or three days of a disease that
God would send. Look what David says. And David said unto Gad, I'm
in a great strait. Let us now Let us fall now into
the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are great. And let me
not fall into the hand of man. I'm falling into the hand of
the Lord. He chose the three diseases. He didn't want to deal
with His enemies. He didn't want to deal with men
in the famine and all. Just let me fall into the hand
of the Lord. Not the hands, but the hand.
For with the Lord his mercies are great." Now, while I don't
want to fall into the hands of the living God, I fall into the
hand of God, my Savior, my Redeemer. And I believe His mercies are
great. Let's pray.