Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
A few years back, somebody stopped by our property to pick something up. We were waiting patiently on the road until they drove up and parked in our driveway. When they finally arrived, they quickly hopped out of their vehicle, closed their door, and walked over to greet us. It was a very hot day as we visited on the road, so they had left their truck running with the air conditioning unit on. As they prepared to leave, they realized that their truck was completely locked. Every door and window was locked tight, and you couldn’t get in no matter how hard you tried because their keys were in the ignition. Their truck had a feature, that once you left the safety of the interior, an auto lock would engage. Because he had abandoned the comfort and safety of his vehicle, he found himself completely locked out.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
Some people will abandon the Christian faith, and eventually find themselves locked out of the kingdom of heaven. At one time they were walking in the truth, inside of the teachings of Christ and the church, but then left and returned to the world from which they originally left behind. Salvation is found through repentance, but there will be some people who have been instructed in scripture for many years who will completely reject what they have been taught. They don’t want to do it anymore. They close the door on the things that they have learned from God’s Word, becoming rebellious and disobedient. When they do this, they are not only closing the door on those who have instructed them, but on God Himself. At this point the auto lock is engaged, because they willfully abandon the way of truth. Although they were educated in the scriptures, some will refuse to submit to its teachings, because of which, it is impossible to bring these people back to a place of repentance.
Hebrews 6:4-8. ⁴ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, ⁵ And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, ⁶ If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. ⁷ For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: ⁸ But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
There are many people in this world who have never had the opportunity to hear the gospel of Christ and be baptized into the faith. They have never had the chance to repent of their sins, and turn from darkness to light. They are in a state of ignorance. But there are many others who have been baptized, who at one time were walking the narrow path of obedience towards God, but then willfully rebel against God’s Word. These people are not ignorant, because they know what they are supposed to be doing, but the path becomes too narrow for them. Jesus explains that this was going to happen in the parable of the sower. They would endure for a period of time, and then fall away.
Luke 8:13 “They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.”
It’s clear in our study passage that there will be many people who will walk in faithful obedience to God’s Word, but eventually reject it, and then turn back to the teachings of this world. At that point they are beyond redemption, because they refuse to repent. Instead of continuing to abide in the truth, they turn their ears to lies instead. The Apostle Paul warned about these same types of people.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 ³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; ⁴ And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
No matter how much one may try, these people can never be brought back to repentance. They refuse to return to reconcile with what they gave up and left behind. They become no different than Judas and Esau. They had been given the free gift of God’s grace, and had the opportunity to begin a new life, but they threw it all away because of pride, impenitence and rebellion. For people such as this, it had been better off that they had never been born.
2 Peter 2:20-22 ²⁰ For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. ²¹ For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. ²² But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
To know God’s will and rebelliously choose to go against it, is grievous in the sight of God. When they turn away from what they have been taught, and refuse to listen to their conscience, it becomes so burned that it has no feeling anymore. No genuine feelings of godly sorrow or contrition, just a prideful rejection of reconciliation with God and others. Instead of continuing in their conservative Christian beliefs as they have been instructed, they turn to a false form of liberal Christianity, where anything goes. It’s not the true faith, just a skewed form of false religion, led by seducing spirits and devils.
1 Timothy 4:1-2 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
You must assume that most people don’t want to believe that they will be damned, but Jesus warned that without repentance, this was going to happen. God will avenge and punish those who take this course of action. Remember that Lot’s wife was given an opportunity to be saved, but Instead of continuing her walk towards freedom, she wanted to return to the world from which she had left. She even left her own husband, but when she turned back, her life was over, consumed along with the world that she was called out of. Just as God destroyed her, God will punish those who do the same.
Hebrews 10:26-31 ²⁶ For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. ²⁸ He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: ²⁹ Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. ³¹ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Some people will begin living faithful and obedient lives towards the teachings of our faith, but then willfully turn away from what they have been taught. They will backslide to the point that they become irretrievable. Once they turn from the truth, they will believe the lies of this world istead. They take the compass that leads to eternity, and throw it into the trash. People such as these don’t deserve eternity, and it’s impossible to get them to repent. Those who close the door on the truth, will only find themselves eventually,…..
……Locked Out
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
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