A LIFESTYLE OF SERIOUSNESS (4th of 4 in series)
This is the fourth and final devotional from Hebrews 10:19-31. If you?ve missed any in the past, you can always catch up at www.PaulTripp.com/Wednesday.
?For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins [?] It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.? (Hebrews 10:26-31)
I don?t have the space to unpack all these verses, but it?s crucial that we see how sin is talked about in this passage. Sin is not described as a breaking of some abstract law; sin is presented as a direct affront to the Triune God.
Look at the words used in these verses: ?trampled underfoot the Son of God? [?] ?profaned the blood of the covenant? [?] ?outraged the Spirit of grace.? That?s serious language.
We live in a culture that doesn?t take sin seriously anymore. We call it ?powerful advertising? ? we ignore, minimize, laugh at, and sometimes even praise what God calls sin. We?ve fallen into the trap of thinking that sin isn?t so bad after all.
Brothers and sisters, we need to take sin incredibly seriously. Yes, the penalty for sin has been paid, but you can still be a Christian and ruin your life because you don?t take seriously the consequences of your sin.
Galatians 6:7 says, ?Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.? There is a direct correlation between the choices of your heart and the quality of your life.
Perhaps even more importantly, you can?t celebrate the beauty of the gospel until you recognize the ugliness of sin. Jesus becomes so much more precious when you realize just what He has rescued you from.
I would encourage you today – take seriously the consequence of your actions, and take seriously the ugly nature of your sin. Your life and your Savior grow in beauty as you do.
God bless
Paul David Tripp
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
Why might a law feel “easier” to break if its abstract instead of personal?
How does our culture ignore, minimize, laugh at or praise sin?
How did you ignore, minimize, laugh at or praise sin this past week?
How have you seen a direct correlation between the choices of your heart and the quality of your life?
How does Jesus become more precious as you take sin more seriously?
