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The Certainty of Judgment

"If the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?"
Hebrews 2:2-3

Today the majority believes that God is a God of love and grace, but not of justice. One brief look at Hebrews 2:2-3 ought to convince anyone otherwise. The writer’s point is this: Since the Old Testament makes it clear that transgression and disobedience met with severe and just punishment, how much more so will equal or greater punishment be rendered under the New Testament, which was revealed by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself?

Both the Old and New Testaments confirm that angels were instrumental in bringing the law (Deuteronomy 33:2; Acts 7:38). The law the angels spoke, primarily the Ten Commandments, was steadfast. That meant if someone broke the law, the law would break the lawbreaker. The law was inviolable; punishment for breaking it was certain.

"Every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense" (v. 2). Transgression refers to stepping across a line–a willful, purposeful sin. Disobedience, however, refers to imperfect hearing–the sin of shutting one’s ears to the commands, warnings, and invitations of God. It is a sin of neglect or omission, doing nothing when something should be done.

Hebrews 2:2 also puts to rest the notion that God is not fair. The writer says every sin received a "just recompense." God, by His very nature, is just. Every punishment He meted out to those who defied Him was a deterrent to the sin He wanted to stop.

God severely punished the nation of Israel because they knew better. That leads to the important principle that punishment is always related to how much truth one knows but rejects. The person who knows the gospel, who has intellectually understood it and believed it, yet drifts away will experience the severest punishment of all.

Suggestion for Prayer:
Ask God to give you an even greater appreciation of the punishment He has saved you from to motivate you to pursue the lost more vigorously.

For Further Study:
Read Matthew 11:20-24, 12:38-42, and Luke 12:47-48 to discover Christ’s attitude toward those who know the truth yet rebel against it.

From Drawing Near by John MacArthur Copyright © 1993. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com.

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Isaiah 5:20

It is Satan’s practice to convince people that what God calls good is actually evil and what God declares evil is, in fact, good. Satan persuaded Adam and Eve that their disobedience, rather than their obedience, would guarantee a full life. They believed him and immediately began to experience sin’s consequences! Despite the absurdity of Satan’s logic, he continues to deceive people into doubting that God has clearly said.

King Saul sought Samuel’s affirmation for the sacrifice he had offered, even though he had acted in direct disobedience to God’s command (1st Samuel 15:13). Ananias and Sapphira expected praise from the early church for their offering, though they were blatantly lying (Acts 5:1-11). An Amalekite soldier sought David’s gratitude for killing Saul, God’s anointed king (2nd Samuel 1:1-16).

We, too, will face the temptation to call something good that God has declared wicked. We may be persuaded that we can accomplish more good by lying than by telling the truth. We may claim that we are mobilizing Christians to pray for someone in sin when, in fact, we are spreading gossip. We may assert that we are following God’s will in our job when, in fact, we are striving to that which God declares is good. We may assert that we are following God’s will in our job when, in fact, we are striving to pursue our own ambitions. We will also be tempted to call evil that which God declares is good. God says it is good to love our enemies, yet we might decide our task is to hold them responsible for their actions.

It is so important to hold ourselves accountable to God’s Word. God does not need us to find exceptions for His commands. He requires our obedience.

Henry and Richard Blackaby
Experiencing God Day-by-Day

And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.  But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles.
Acts 9:26-27

Only God knows the potential of each believer.  We can project what we think God might do in someone’s life, but we have no way of knowing.  We see only outward appearances and behavior, whereas God looks at the heart (1st Samuel 16:7).

The apostles were skeptical of some who professed to be Christians.  No one seemed more unlikely to become a dedicated follower of Jesus than Saul of Tarsus.  He had been one of Christianity’s greatest enemies, even overseeing the murder of Stephen (Acts 7:58-60).  When Paul suddenly expressed an interest in knowing the leaders of the Christian movement, it was natural for the apostles to suspect devious motives and to doubt his conversion.  Nevertheless, despite the apostles’ reluctance, Barnabas assumed the best in Paul and risked his own life to be Paul’s advocate.

You may identify with Paul.  Perhaps you were an improbable candidate to be a committed Christian.  It may be that God placed a Christian friend beside you to help you develop your faith.  Thank the Father for those He has sent to you who believed in what God could do in you, even when others doubted.

Henry and Richard Blackaby
Experiencing God Day-by-Day

Sermon can be downloaded to your PC from here by RIGHT clicking with mouse and selecting “Save Target As” for the Internet Explorer browser or “Save Link As” for Firefox browsers.

Text: Nehemiah 4:1-9

I.  Signs of opposition (Nehemiah 4:1-3)

1. Ridicule
2. Powerful
3. A cover for those against you

II.  How to overcome opposition (Nehemiah 4:4-9)

1. Through prayer (See: 1st Peter 2:23)
2. Praise (See: Acts 16:22-33)
3. Work & prayer (Nehemiah 4:9)

Conclusion
What holds us back when confronted with opposition?

Do we see God as being big enough to overcomes the opposition?

Do you have a mind to work and a heart of prayer?