“…anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy…Just think how much WORSE THE PUNISHMENT will be for those who have TRAMPLED ON THE SON OF GOD, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us. For we know the one who said, “I will take revenge. I will pay them back.” He also said, “The LORD will judge His own people.” It is a terrible thing to FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE LIVING GOD.” (Heb. 10:28-31)
I struggled with this when I read it and the thought came to me that the devil will do EVERYTHING HE CAN to get us to disobey God! “…Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that HE HAS A SHORT TIME.“ (Rev. 12:12) Jesus informed us that the devil, “…comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” (John 10:10a)
He will come to us, as he did to Eve in the garden and say to Eve, when she said, “…the tree in the middle of the garden…God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes WILL BE OPENED as soon as you eat it, and YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD…” (Gen. 3:3-5) Eve then Adam ate, DIED A SPIRITUAL DEATH and were separated from God because they TRAMPLED UNDERFOOT the Word of God.
This is why Jesus taught us, “I came that they MAY HAVE LIFE (zōē: the absolute fulness of life), and have it ABUNDANTLY (perissos: exceeding, beyond what is expected, imagined, or hoped for).” (John 10:10b)
WE MUST CHOOSE LIFE!!!
-Bill Stockham