Scripture

Just think how much more the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which makes us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and having insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us .

Observation

If we deliberately and will fully keep sinning after we come into the way of truth, then there is no other sacrifice available to us. Under the law of Moses, those who refused to obey were put to death. How much worse then is the punishment for those who trample on the Lord Jesus.

God has told us that he will take revenge. It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

T he people addressed in this letter were ridiculed, beaten, and imprisoned. but they accepted this suffering with joy. They should endure, remembering the great joy that comes when we remain steadfast.

Application

This passage is not about christians who continue to sin after they are saved. Everybody falls, and as we grow in maturity of faith, we learn how to live according to God’s standards for holiness.

This passage is about people who turn their backs on the way of salvation. They once believed but no longer do so. In the context of the letter, it is directly about those who caved in to pressure from the Jews and returned to obeying the law, thus denying salvation by faith in Christ.

It is sad when anybody turns away from the Lord. It is even worse when they are high profile leaders in the christian community. How often have we heard the phrase, “I no longer identify as a christian.”

Jesus himself said that anyone who denies him in this life will find that He denies them at the Judgement.

This is not to say that there is no chance of redemption for such people. But it is very hard to walk away from Jesus and then to try to come back.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to stay true to you all of my life. Amen.