Doom of Apostates (Part C)

Water writing books. I said goodbye to Jesus. This exact title that's I think about God ago but it became a full-blown eight you say will he never was safe. I hate to make these points over and over again. But then, how do I know you're safe. How do you know your saved if what is Blessed assurance Blessed assurance is this as long as I want to be saved in Christ. I am saved and there is nothing that can take that away from this is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston.

Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Hebrews.

Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching doom of apostates is Pastor Rick's title of the message today will be teaching in Hebrews chapter 6. This animal is a substitution it's a substitutionary sacrifice in my place the animal will be slain.

This innocent animal goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. Christ is the Lamb of God, though he is the one that we touch.

He is the one that we lay hold of not some beast in our place. Those things had their time, but there spent there, done now and when he gets to the 10th chapter he's going to tell them right out that if you still send that way you done to cause a lot of confusion. Christians will will cover it will cover little bit this morning but it is the Old Testament act of going to the temple and and having the sin identify with the sinner through the animal who was about to be slain on the New Testament. As with faith and repentance and baptism is either did these things and move on. In the New Testament. They've developed so too with the laying on of hands. In the Old Testament, they would lay hands on the new leaders that were coming up Joshua.

They laid hands on him and and. For example, in the New Testament. Also, the Holy Spirit would single out his leaders and they would lay hands on them and pray for them or practice that we still carry on to this day. Ask chapter 6. Speaking of the deacons.

The servants that were raised up in the church. Peter said, bring seven men from among you for the Holy Spirit and wisdom we may appoint over this business. Business then it says they set before the apostles and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them so you have the Old Testament laying hands on the animal. Yet the New Testament laying hands on the sinner's blessings. You had the Jewish Christians arguing these two points.

Trying to figure it all out and never moving pastor. To this day have Christians keep coming back to the same argument can never get it figured out you never receive it can become problematic if you're not careful what the Jewish Hebrew laying of head on hands, lack pointing it out for each one like Jesus Christ.

He took that animal to the temple. They laid their hands on him. They were blocking Christ out they were saying your work, your death on the cross just wasn't enough so I put the sheep you to make you happy. I brought this sheet to you father, because the death of your son from me just doesn't quite do it. So you have Christians and say you know the Bible just doesn't quite do it. We need to mix it in the little bit.

We need some Freud and some of Maslow. We need some of these psychologist to tell us about how we should live in a sinful world because the Bible really doesn't do it and lap lap lap lap lap lap it up. Many of don't you be guilty of sin, why they did that once I know that's okay you not doing it now.

His divine word, Peter said, has given to us all things necessary for life how to live how we are to please God, the resurrection of the dead. This next is life after death, ongoing topic with them is not a bad topic. None of these are bad topics, but they wanted to know about the future what was coming so they stayed on these topics of resurrection and judgment of the Old Testament taught on these things.

Rick David ended his 23rd Psalm with what and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever. Nothing wrong with that topic but Judaism's resurrection lacked one thing and that is Jesus Christ. This eternal judgment is next.

How are the dead, treated the Scripture indicates that there are two judgments there is one judgment for believers, not the judgment of the soul that's taken care of here but as to your rewards. I think many of you have generous hearts you get to heaven, God's going to bless you for that and you should share some of what he gives you with me trying to help you out. No sense in being generous of you have no one to be generous to so I'm volunteering, but back to reality. The second judgment in the Scriptures is one for the unbelievers and it is one to condemnation and there is going to be a degree of their judgment in hell, but it will be hell.

Nonetheless, this you can read further in Revelation 20 verses 11 through 15. Put those verses in because I know that some may find this very much of interest more so than some of the other topics so Judaism class.

What does it do it factors out Messiah. That's what keeps it from becoming Christianity and Christianity of course embraces the Old Testament, but it separates the moral code from a ceremonial code, and the symbolism of Messiah and it puts everything in its place and benefits from the whole thing because Christ is superior first three and this we will do if God permits. So he again he's not trivializing these topics. Just pointing out you need more you can stay here and read birth. Thus, verse four now verse four. Before we get there we have to introduce this is where we would have the kettle drums beating fiercely, this is heavy now he is saying to them. If you stay babies you are going to find yourself on a pathway to apostasy, not because you're just staying babes in Christ, but because as babes in Christ.

You are mingling in the faith that with which neutralizes the faith canceled without and he saying to them I love you I care about you and I'm not going to pull any punches. I'm going to pull the teeth out of what is fighting against the faith. So now he starts now. That's why he is going to say what he is now saying that recess for it is impossible that for his joining what is said beginning in the end of chapter 5 to now where it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift, and become partakers of the Holy Spirit is just the just easing into it with them. It is impossible. This is a fact they saw the light they receive the gospel.

They are believers. We've established that early on, it will be established throughout the letter. For example, Hebrews 1032 he says to the same audience. Recall the former days in which after you were illuminated. You endured a great struggle with suffering. They were being persecuted for Christ and they took it.

Many of them did not want to be persecuted anymore as they were being persecuted by Jews at this point, not Christians. The temple was still in existence Romans had not yet figured out that Christianity was completely separate from Judaism. The Romans believed that Christianity was a sect of Jerusalem of of Judaism. So they left it alone. But once they were women and is not the same thing. So let me get this right. The barrels. The Nero 9000.

The Rosa Caesars in his Senate and people in Rome so we can persecuted Christians and not offend the Jews. Actually, you can persecuted Christians and the Jews will applaud it and that's when the persecution of the church ramped up but before the Gentile started persecuting Christians, the Jews were persecuting Jewish believers trying to block Gentiles were proselytes to Judaism from receiving. It also in the Old Testament, it seems that apostates were still given an opportunity to repent. Ballin had a chance to repent. King Manasseh did and he repented and he was just out there. First Samuel. He says this while he said I'm going to read a result, he did encourage the people to give up their fake gods and come back to Yahweh. They were apostates. So we read in first Samuel seven so the children of Israel put away the buy a house that's for God is the Ashtoreth serve Yahweh only so apostates were given away back but the New Testament churches will different because the magnitude of the light and who it is that is the light because of the giving of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the believer. Everything has been increased as far as value and sentence New Testament.

The New Testament appears less inviting for apostates. I'm not saying that there is no way back for the apostate, but I am saying it is extremely rare and is not only rare because what the Scripture teaches because what we see we see people who were hot in the faith become antichrist and go to their grave. That way, history is not lack these characters and many want to put their heads in the sand over and not face these facts. So now we come to Hebrews 1026 this is a verse that causes many Christians problems as they don't understand the letter. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, they are no longer remains a sacrifice for sins or let me tell you how most Christians interpret that verse is why the stairway from if we willfully sent after we receive the knowledge of the truth.

They think that if they commit some immoral act that said they blown it is not even close to what this verse is talking about the context cannot be lost.

What he is saying in Hebrews chapter 10 is if you take sacrifices to the temple as I've been saying this morning. If you take those sacrifices. They are expecting to find forgiveness for your sins, you actually commit a sin. You can't be forgiven for. So that's Hebrews 1026.

It's not for you and I when we goof up we commit an act of sin and God is the not say I'm done with you. We have an advocate with the father is no condemnation now for those in Christ Jesus.

The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.

So again, the severity of mixing any error know when I beating up on the Jews were talking about anyone, whether it is Judaism again or any other religion trying to miss hanging Hinduism with Christianity. You know, reincarnation or something like that you're treading on the same cross you mess with those things that have nothing for you. You have everything in Christ Jesus.

When it comes to your salvation. Nothing is missing God is been so thorough with saving sinners, that it is unforgivable for them to thumb their nose in his face and thus Jesus said there's one sin is unpardonable, that is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit what is the work of the Holy Spirit to destroy you to Christ. The fill you with the spirit of Christ to teach you about Jesus to empower you to witness Tari in Jerusalem until I come. And you shall receive power from on high and you will be witnesses to me. Anybody wants to go ahead and tickle around what that risk damning your own soul, he says as and have tasted the heavenly gift fact they benefited from the work of God, persecuted for Christ. They were believers at the say this because it's embarrassing on how many people will come. While they really purposely Hebrews 2 verse nine and he by the grace of God might taste death for everyone. When Christ tasted death, he gobbled it up. And so, where he says here that these Christians had tasted the heavenly gift.

They gobbled it up. That's why they were being persecuted for Christ. They were adhering, but now they were abandoning and have come become partakers of the Holy Spirit fact only a Christian born-again can have the Holy Spirit like this, Jesus said receive you the Holy Spirit and he breathed on his apostles, and they received verse five and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come again fact they were saved. You cannot say that about someone who's never received Christ. Verse six.

Now here comes here is what he's been building toward if they fall away, it is impossible if they fall away to renew them again to repentance, since they crucified again for themselves the son of God and put him to open shame.

This therefore, if the F is not the if of impossibility or hypothetical this or that it is the if of possibility is and you can do this, you can depart from Christ. No one will ever snatch you out of his hand. But if you want to say to God hands off me will take his hand again.

Charles Templeton is the poster boy of our most of our lifetimes as a man I was preaching salvation, saving souls on the level of the Billy Graham departed from the faith letter writing books. I said goodbye to Jesus. This exact title, but that's neither goodbye to God nobody became a full-blown atheist is a will he never was safe. I hate to make these points over and over again. But then, how do I know you're safe.

How do you know your saved if it what is Blessed assurance Blessed assurance is this as long as I want to be saved in Christ.

I am saved and there is nothing that can take that away from. That's the work of God. It is magnificent is something to be paranoid about who I sure hope I don't miss it. Should you be focusing on opportunity to serve instead of tremble you wanted hung over an epitaph hung over your tombstone, and his knees slowed one against the other to live the life in total faithlessness as he just would not trust the one who says I love you, doesn't mean faith is easy in a cakewalk. It certainly is not the more you serve, the harder it will become.

Christianity does not get easier serving as you get older it gets more difficult because the wounds pile up the weight of service adds up. But God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tried beyond that which you are able to bear what should I be preaching to you. Should I be saying or doesn't mean what it says says what it means and it is totally right now. Those who fall away, that is an apostate, not a backslider, a backslider is someone who is morally struggling but still knows who Jesus Christ is and loves him and wants him an apostate says me and watching. That's the difference that apostate is doing. That's what the writer is telling what should he say to them all know you can you can reject the terms of God and write your own terms with him so he is telling us that Christian immaturity is dangerous because if you don't progress in the faith, something else is going to try to creep in and steal your affection away.

Have we not seen this. Have you not seen people give their life to Christ and now they're not interested at all in because he never grew the never part of the fortifications. Should I not say what the Scripture says, because it makes the guilty uncomfortable or not say what the Scripture says, because it makes the immature panic.

Should I not say with the Scripture says, because otherwise good men of God are not saying that they're not saying it that's on them but it's right here in front of us and this is what we go verse by verse through the word so we don't miss it benefit from it all. He says it's impossible to renew them again in the middle of verse six, to repentance. It would be pointless for him to write this unless there were a genuine threat. This is not again on a hot, let me just give you stories is not a story he's telling them right out. He says to renew. That means to bring back that which was once knew you had it once were supposed to mean something that they're not supposed to just be these abstract ideas. They're supposed to bring us to a finish line to a conclusion.

That's why when we confess Jesus Christ. We are born again is serious stuff. That's where you renounce them. You damn your own result in serious stuff. Don't go blaming God review reject him, so this backtalk throughout Scripture, will just take two verses Old Testament first Jeremiah 17 the says Yahweh curses the man who trust in man and makes his flesh his strength of heart departs from Yahweh to depart is to once be at in Colossians New Testament verse 21 and verse 23 and you who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet he is now reconciled rights. All sinners that were against Christ come to Christ. He embraces your friends. Now verse 23 if indeed you continue in the faith grounded steadfast and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I Paul, became a minister stick with the faith abide in me, Jesus said again they were ruling out the fact of Jesus Christ and Christ would rule them out in consequence, since they crucified again for themselves the son of God.

What on earth does that mean it means that they lined up with those who crucified Christ originally to walk away from Christ to leave him and to go to Judaism is to say he's not our Messiah is a false Messiah. He deserves to be the victim of the cross as he was a sleaze warning is a serious disease if he was looking at them they would melt under the glaze.

The days of the glaze that would be a doughnut. I guess I'm kind of like wanting a doughnut. Anyway therefore he says and put him to open shame. They would judge Christ so he needs to be judge is not the Messiah and and it was a shameful act says he didn't do it the cross, despising the shame, will get to that later in Hebrews 11. I believe as well. Anyway, back to this Jesus. What Jesus said about apostates well know, let me hold off on that give you this one instead. For those again who cannot distinguish between backslider and apostate. Let me give you some encouragement in Christ there is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that all righteousness apartment all unrighteousness is sin.

There is sin not leading to death. So the positive the backslider will commit sin, and that will not find themselves in hell because of the struggles that we go to that is not a promotion sin not at all that would be really bad. Verse seven for the earth, which drinks in the rain and often come that often comes upon it and bears and herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessings from God reign in Scripture is an emblem of blessing. Now this is important they are receiving the rain.

Thus, the cultivation these Jews were not being cultivated anymore. They were becoming what ground was broken up, and with what was planted and brought fruit was not was being abandoned and and in its place would come the thorn in the Thistle the weeds, the tears, and so verse eight closes up his illustration, but if it bears thorns and briars is rejected in near being cursed whose end is to be burned.

He's not talking about grasses is using it as an example he's talking about human beings.

The whole point of this is saying this is a collision course. Get off of it is no reason why they couldn't say yes you are right.

We are off of many of them probably did the letter survived, so evidently it wasn't ripped to shreds and said, and he wasn't turned on. This is what Christ says I am the vine, you are the branches.

He who abides in me that needs to stay with me to be sinless that we try you abides in me and I in him, that's fellowship bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me is cast out as a branch and is withered and they gathered them and throw them into the fire there burned so again the serious nature of our salvation.

The word holy does not mean humor, we have to understand that his humor was God. Of course I can look at look at you until you're saying brother never mind there is humor with God.

But his holiness is top is high and we need to be very serious about these things. Next session returned to the believers, but only for a little while. He's going to get back to this dangerous business.

If there are any lost souls here today if there is anyone here and you cannot open your heart up to Jesus Christ.

Are you honest enough with yourself to ask why, why have you closed your heart to him. Someone told you to.

Maybe somebody in the University, somebody in the workplace in the family. Maybe just better in life, whatever it may be you being chunked by Satan. Prices come, you come first to come to me and I take you in and no one will snatch you from my hands move you've been listening to cross reference radio the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick asked Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast. Today's teaching is available free of charge at our website. Simply log on to cross reference radio.com that's cross reference radio.com would also like to encourage you to subscribe to the cross reference radio podcast subscribing ensures that you stay current with all the latest teachings from Pastor Rick, you can subscribe cross reference radio.com or simply search for cross reference radio your favorite podcast to the next time as Pastor Rick continues teaching through the book of Hebrews right here on cross reference radio