Keeping Near, Keeping On (Part 2 of 2)

The woodlike becomes stressed and stormy. One of the things that sustains us is our relationships with one another in the body of Christ. The book of Hebrews chapter 10 reinforces the critical importance of persevering in our faith and the need to hold strong to our relationships with one another so we don't drift away today on Truth for Life.

Alastair Begg presents a message titled keeping near keeping on. These individuals were told who have received the knowledge of the truth. They have recognized to some degree the validity of the gospel. They have embraced it, at least intellectually, as a formulated system of life and belief by the they have never experienced it as a life-giving force, something that transformed and changed and it is these people that he is speaking one of these individuals do while verse 29 tells us first of all, they trampled the son of God underfoot, what is that mean to trampled the son of God underfoot, this individual, Jesus Christ is garbage for the sake of knowing all this other stuff is reminiscent trampled underfoot. So for those of you are here and you're stumbling in your Christian life in your say I better take care.

Of course you should, but I presume you're not trembling Christ. They were profaning or treating is on an unholy thing. The blood of the covenant.

Whatever else that means it surely means that they were treating the death of Jesus is based just be like the death of any man. These individuals had previously been marked by some dedication to God by some professing of faith in Christ blood.

They had suggested to themselves and to the others around them that the symbol was an expression of reality, but they were in fact the cousins of Judas Iscariot, who was real close and did the right stuff and made the right noises, but he was reprobate over not relying on our attachments to religious stuff out attendance simply to religious duties. For those of you have your Bible open. You will notice that it says that they treated as an unholy thing. The blood of the covenant that sanctified him and I should immediately strike you as a problem because you look at that is able.

If he was sanctified does not mean that he was a Christian can you be sanctified without being a Christian I see before I come to the troublesome phrase, let me lay down on a sheet of paper all the things that aren't troublesome about this particular question, let me lay down what the Bible categorically says about whether a person can be a Christian and fall away from grace. Then I'll come back to this phrase is what I know.

While I know first of all that Jesus said that his sheep hear his voice and follow him. He calls him by name. He gives them eternal life. No one will ever perish, and no one will pluck them out of his hands or write add-ons and Jesus said once you're in his hand you're not coming out categorical statement then I'll read Romans eight the end of Romans it. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ not a persecution or trial, nakedness, or peril, or sword. All these things are more than conquerors write that down and I wanted Philippians 1M confidently you begin a good working you will bring it to completion of the day of Jesus Christ. In other words, God is not the author of unfinished business.

What he starts in complete I would've first Peter now remind myself that we been born again of a living hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead. We have an inheritance that is imperishable For us in heaven and we are guarded or By God's power for that day. I would oppose words. I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day and that's just the start now proceed from there I will lay down the clear instruction of Scripture as to whether a genuine believer can be lost and I will conclude on the clear balance of Scripture that it is not possible what the Bible teaches is that when we have been redeemed by Christ. When we have been brought into the orbit of his grace that he brings to completion the good work that is begun in its then I'll come back to this phrase. I now deal with this phrase in light of what I know to be true, and I will know that this phrase cannot overturn the clear and plain instruction of Scripture. Then I will make sense of this phrase in light of the totality of biblical exposition and then what will I say, well actually what I'll do is I'll go to my commentaries not see what other people say because they're a lot smarter than me and I'll read one guy and I'll go. Goodness gracious. He knows less than me about another guy and say I can never tell anybody that that's ridiculous.

I go to another. I go to the old ones, usually John Brown of Paddington a good Scotsman from a long time ago what you have to say John so I turned them up and this is what he says I don't think Scripture warns us to say that any man who finally apostatized is is sanctified by the blood of Christ. In any sentence except that the legal obstacles in the way of human salvation.

Generally, were removed by the atonement. I need a claim entry on John Brown to understand this. So I read on a little further and I find them saying I apprehend the word is used in personally and that its true meaning is by which there is sanctification is what he's saying is given the balance of Scripture. The only way we can realistically understand this is for it to read.

He is treated as an unholy thing. The blood of the covenant by which there is sanctification. John is not actually what it says it says that sanctified by now you're really the sweat a little bit because you you don't know what to do and then I said to myself what where is there a reference to somebody getting sanctified is not really sanctified in the Bible all you say first Corinthians 7 that's right turn to ferment for screen is chapter 7. The story is marriage to unbelievers, get married, one becomes a Christian and the unbeliever is still in the house. Paul says, don't throw the unbeliever out.

It's important that your together. God is interested in your marriage. First Corinthians 7.

In verse 14 and then he says this for the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband was at me that you were saved on the basis of attachment is that an expression of conversion.

I don't believe so. What is Paul saying he is saying this, but as a result of the unbeliever living within the framework of a believing spouse the arm by that believing spouse who walks with Christ being brought into the sphere of spiritual blessing. There is a sanctifying influence which is brought to bear upon a person lives with in the realm of grace. They are brought if you like, to the very threshold of the church. They are associated with it by they are not assimilated by its and I can only but assume that it is something along these lines that is being described here in Hebrews chapter 10 that as a result of their attachment to this external way of life. There is a sanctifying influence, and influence. Which brings them within the very threshold of God's goodness in the same within a person may come and attend communion services here at Parkside church and testify in some measure to having sensed God's presence and having sensed something of the reality of Jesus sanctifying if we like influence upon now. Enough said. You must go on and get your own recipe books out and cook for a while on your but I wanted you to know it is a little bit of a problem and I don't want you thinking I was trying to skip course if you want to just go ahead and teach that genuine believers can invite loser salvation and then you have a problem with this phrase, you have a problem with all the other verses that I just mentioned to show how big of a problem.

Would you like that's right my responsibility is not to preach sermons to you like somebody was a genius of mental arithmetic whereby we knew instantly as a genius in a mental arithmetic illness gives the answer really fast.

You don't how he does it but he always gets and after a while you don't think for yourself because you know that he will always do the thing.

1.72 times whatever it is that guys ultimately a nuisance is one day B on your own, you will build that up. You will build or subtract you will build the multiply. I don't want to leave you in that condition. I don't want to preach mental arithmetic sermons whereby you all sit out there and go, but I was brilliant. Celia got that answer no. I want you to know that some of the struggles trying to get to the answer so that you will also then be able to struggle when you read your on Bibles and when you study on your is not Zen Buddhism and here there's not a lot of this in a lucky dip's demands attention man's thoughts to men's prayer men's working after papers commence all kinds trampled the son of God underfoot, treated as an unholy thing. The blood of the covenant and insulted the Spirit of grace insulted the Spirit of grace. Notice that the Holy Spirit is a person not a thing, not an influence. You can only insult the person now. What are the implications of such actions well were told in verse 26 if you backup there is no sacrifice for sins left. There is only one efficacious sacrifice for sins, and that is in the atoning death of the Lord Jesus and therefore to reject that leaves no possibility of forgiveness and that is exactly what a person is not trampled Jesus underfoot. He profaned his blood. He insulted the Spirit of grace.

Therefore, where is he going to go for forgiveness. Nowhere is there is no forgiveness. The only place he could go for forgiveness.

He said it doesn't offer forgiveness. I understand this. This doesn't mean that if an apostate to turn in repentance and faith. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross will be of no help to them.

Of course it would.

And that's what we want or John people, even those who have wondered the furthest I do appear to have turned their bikes on everything we still want to go to them. We still want to win them. We still want to woo them back, and where we going to bring them. We want to bring them to the cross. I'm going to pray that God will bring them to repentance and faith. And if someone who appears to be apostate returns to that cross and humble, believing trust, then efficacious dimension of all of it will be applied to the life that's what the Bible says, however, if an apostate continuing in their apostasy turns their back on this only possibility of forgiveness and mercy than the only thing that awaits them is a fearful expectation of judgment. Verse 27 what is left is such an individual. A fearful expectation of judgment in the raging fire that will consume the enemies of God, not particularly pleasant visit. Not the kind of message whereby you make friends and influence people's another way to build a big congregation want to come in and talk about their felt needs for happiness and hope and enjoyment and contentment in a good life and happy time in applying the principles become walking and says you know what you continue in your condition you are in any prostrate of anything except a fearful expectation of judgment and eternal fire by your hard words Jesus said here is the son is life. He does not of the son of God is not of life. John 336 by the wrath of God remains on him.

Romans chapter 1 the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the ungodliness and wickedness of man do you believe that the pagan men and women. There is only a fearful expectation of judgment that it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this. Then comes the judge that it is the Bible that sets the whole world in perspective.

What an awesome thing says the writer to fall into the hands of the living God, and you don't need to fall into the hands of the living God is a printer prospect of judgment. You can be welcomed into the arms of the living God. That's where the prodigal discovers in chapter 15 minutes total hash of his life turned his back on everything that represented righteousness to them went away and wasted his substance with riotous living.

Woke up one morning set I've been an idiot came to himself said, you know, I've sinned against heaven and in God's sight. I'm not even worthy to be called a son. I get a job out in the outhouses induced clean stuff and I'll arise now go to my father and I'm just going to tell him this and he goes out the road with a fearful expectation of judgment. What an awesome thing to fall into the hands of an angry God and what it is, does he discover he discovers that God runs down the street to and gathers them up in his embrace and kisses him, how can a totally holy God do that to totally ugly sinners. The answers in the cross of Jesus Christ because there he bore my pain bore my punishment for my sin bore my condemnation in order that I need not fall into the fearful expectation of judgment.

By that I might be gathered up in the welcome of his loving embrace. Ladies and gentlemen. Ultimately this morning were divided into two categories, those who been welcomed into the loving embrace of the arms of God in the cross of Christ and those who sit yet waiting with a fearful expectation of judgment, I say to those of you who are honest enough to admit yourself in the second category, would you not today, exactly where you are cry out to God for his mercy and say I do not want to live in this condition for one moment longer and I believe you have pursued me in the person of your son and that you have opened up my eyes to the dreadful list of my rebellion and that you are reporting on know the wonder of this good news. I said that I try and finish so I must. That is the solemn warning. Enough said.

In verses 32 to 34.

He provides a necessary reminder in the same pattern as in chapter 6. Remember chapter 6 verses 4 to 8.

He lays out this dreadful warning and he says, but I am confident of better things in relationship to you.

Check is exactly what he does here. He says remember the earlier days after you become Christians you receive the light you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering up the words and hear a very important word for contest is the word Gleason which is a significant only in so far as we get our English word athletics from it and it has to do with the struggle and the pain and the commitment that is necessary in achievement in an athletic competition second word is the word one word in Greek the actors Gemini which translates in the face-off and it is a word there that describe the Roman arena where people doomed to die were exposed to the gays and the scan of the crowds, he says.

Remember, you were publicly exposed to insults and persecution, and when it wasn't happening to you is happening to other people and you stood with them. What a wonderful expression. This is what a wonderful reminder what he saying is when you set out on the voyage. Remember, it rained. Remember, you weren't hardly out of the harbor and the clouds darkened and he just descended on. Remember, you weathered the storm. He says remember those things what happened as a result of the adversity. These people were facing. Will the trade therefore you let me summarize it for you in verse 33. It deepened their partnership with one another.

They stood side-by-side. There's nothing like adversity to draw nation together and that's what happened when the battle ensued against the when the contest became terrific when they realize that they were all on the same relay team that they all stood side-by-side the deepened and the partnership also verse 34 they developed in their sympathy you sympathize with those in prison you visited the prisoners even though the people said you're not there friends are you because to go and visit the prisoners is to identify with. That's why when we sent ambassadors to China from the perspective of the suffering church we send them to the wrong place because they go and they have big meetings and big fancy hotels where they ought to go is to the prisoners who are dying in a quest for freedom.

We would go there because if you go there that what you're saying is you sympathize with the prisoners and their calls.

So we should only believe in democracy deepen the partnership develop their sympathy certainly demonstrated the resilience he joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property and fourthly determine their priorities, it all made clear that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions is true love ones that it is in experiences of pain-and-suffering and adversity that we make some of our best progress. Some of his in recent days have face personal tragedy and the Lord stood by as we been knocked down were not not.

Some of us have lost in relationships lost in love lost and friendship lost loved ones from the very spirit of our own earthly pilgrimage, and yet we've proved it all the Christ is most precious.

Some of us have been ready to quit and our brothers and sisters of stood by his and help is on some of his age, they are here this morning may be ready to quit and he preached a sermon for one person, one person walked in the door so you and I want to give this one last shot is my lesson because you know yourself, you be making a hash and the temptation is been to say I made such a mess of this that I might as well just obliterated altogether. Let me finish not with a solemn warning and a necessary reminder but to finish with a positive expectation live verse 35 don't throw away your confidence. It will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere and you say to me you say that's a very thing I can't what I need to do.

I don't do the good I want to do. I don't do the bad I don't want to do this I keep on doing, wretched man, and the devil comes is that's right. Forget Chuck it is a waste of time.

In any case, give it up as people are crazy. You were you going to do, let me say to you, don't throw your confidence. You know better than that. Remember when you set out on the voyage. Remember when the storm broke on you if you remember how you weathered the storm will know you love the harbor lights and view it would be silly to start the voyage now keep near keep on you see the perseverance of the saints is actually the perseverance of God.

It is because God perseveres in his love towards us that we are enabled to persevere in our love towards him to verify that we managed to continue is an indication of his continuance with us and he doesn't quit on his kids. What do I do then will do the will of God. What's the will of God, whether you would read your Bible, you would pray that you would be in fellowship with God's people that you would be ready to give an answer for those who ask the reason for the faith is within you that you would give yourself the holiness rather than to impurity that you would be thankful in all things that you would let the joy of the Lord be your strength that you and forsake assembly together and so on. The no mystery in the will of God is not the will of God is not some package let down from heaven on the end of a strength. It's a scroll that unrolls from day-to-day. Just read your Bible is all in here to be a genius and frankly if you don't find one thing you're supposed to do most of us are so poor at doing the one thing that if you spend the next six years is trying to do the one thing that be enough to be doing for now.

When you begin a job cleaning up some versus what I do next to nevermind mixing into the first thing some of his in our Christian lives always wonder what were going to do next to the thing you're supposed to do right, we say that's better. I like the finish I understand it now so real warning big danger sign the necessary reminder as I can look back to better days as a positive expectation. Don't throw away your confidence persevere do the will of God. You receive what he has promised. Because after all, we are not those who shrink back and destroy. We are those who continue undersea may be so, for his glory and for our good men. This is true for life title. Today's message from Alistair Begg is keeping near keeping on 32 messages in our study of Hebrews called fix our eyes on Jesus. If you'd like to purchase this three volume series on CD or on USB or if you'd like to download the audio files for free go to Truth for Life.org.

The study is also free to hear or to download using the truth like mobile app. Just search for the series called fix our eyes on Jesus, as we think back on today's message. It's interesting to note that the writer of Hebrews says we face adversity our relationships with others will deepen author and pastor Ed Welch in his book created to draw near, says the reason for this is because were wired for connection we have a fundamental desire to draw close to God, but sometimes we imagine God prefers to keep his distance in this book Ed Welch shows us that couldn't be further from the truth, created to draw near, helps us better understand how through the blood of Jesus, God extends an invitation for us to draw near to him with open arms and have an intimate relationship with him through Christ sure to request your copy of the book created to draw near comes with our thanks when you give a donation today and keep in mind every gift you give supports our mission to teach the Bible with clarity and relevance.

Simply go to Truth for Life.org/donate or call 888-588-7884 if you prefer to mail your donation right to Truth for Life at PO Box 39, 8000, Cleveland, OH 44139. The word faith is used in a variety of contexts, but were followers of Jesus, understanding the biblical meaning of faith and how to sustain it can transform our lives be listing Friday as Alastair answers the relevant question what is faith. I'm Bob Lapine.

This daily program features the Bible teaching of Alistair Begg and it's furnished by Truth for Life where the Learning is for Living