Stimulate one another to love and good deeds

Hebrews 10:18-39 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.

¹⁹ Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; ²⁴ and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵ not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

²⁶ For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. ²⁸ Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹ How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” ³¹ It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

³² But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, ³³ partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. ³⁴ For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one. ³⁵ Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. ³⁶ For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

³⁷ For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.
³⁸ But My righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.

³⁹ But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.

Many people don’t agree with some of what the institutional church does or says. They say they do not need the church or to go to church to know and be close to God. I understand their feelings and there is truth to the idea that God can be found anywhere. We can spend time with Him in our own quiet place. We can read and study His word on our own, without going to a building with other people. In today’s text though, the writer of Hebrews says:  Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.    We are encouraged to come together with other believers, to stimulate one another to love and good deeds. Even if we don’t need the fellowship of others, perhaps they need us. If we really do have our relationship with God perfectly figured out then we need to share that with others. Jesus says:  “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”   We cannot fully partake of the blessings and promises of the new covenant in Christ if we are not willing to follow the new commandment He gives us as His disciples. Jesus also says: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments…He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” (John 14:15;21) Jesus will not fully disclose Himself to us if we do not keep His commandments.    1 John 4:20 says:  If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.      Certainly it can be more difficult to love people with all their flaws, than it is to love the perfect God of creation and Jesus, the perfect Son, who gave His life for our sins, but that is what Jesus calls us to do. Just as we need to prioritize our time and relationship with God if we love Him, we also need to prioritize our relationship with other believers. We need each other for encouragement and for accountability, but even more Jesus commands it.  

Verses 26-31, in today’s text are a portion of scripture many today would remove from their Bibles and from their personal doctrine. It says:  If we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.      Many today presume on the grace of God, believing that because Jesus died, once for all, for every sin of every person, that sin is no longer relevant. Jesus died to forgive sin, to redeem sinners from sin. Jesus did not redeem sin. He says:  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21-23) To go on sinning willfully is to practice lawlessness.  Indeed, as the writer says:   If we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment… It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.   By grace though, we have been forgiven and redeemed. Rather than falling into the hands of judgment, by grace, we can:  Draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)   Rather than falling into the hands of judgment, we can run to the arms of grace.

Today’s text ends saying:  But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.    Let us therefore, consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.  Let us not: go on sinning willfully.  Together, to show the world that we are disciples of Jesus, let us love one another. Let us follow His commandment and also His commission, heeding what He says in Matthew 28:18-20:   “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit thank You that because of love, through the grace of the cross I am saved. I am forgiven of and redeemed from sin. May I never presume on Your grace, but may I always run to Your arms of grace to receive mercy and grace for every need. May I also take that mercy and grace to others, encouraging them and sharing with them all You have commanded.  Amen.