Today’s Thought Confidence Where There Should be None G. Ward

 “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.” Hebrews 10:26

I love the game show, Jeopardy. Strangely, the answers are given by the host and it then becomes the responsibility of the contestant to propose completion of the trial with a question. There is often a disquieted spirit both on the show and in the room you’re in as brainiacs seek to win. I’m certain that with this game of chance study guides are given in advance so that the process of hypotheses is rendered fairly. Even so, one’s testing skill has to be superior. Jeopardy’s contestants can’t/should be ordinary Joe’s. Their intellect must be exposed to a plethora of subject matter, or just consider Wheel of Fortune.

Unlike games of chance, it doesn’t take individuals testing at superior levels to understand that Holy God’s love for them is without intellectual barriers; even idiots like me can identify with Christ sufficiency over man’s inadequacy. Although appearances may declare some as winners over others in the earth, there is but one status for man (“Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Heb.11:6). Be very careful with your exegesis of the Hebrew writer’s letter for the church at chapter 10. It doesn’t promote a theology of some having a potential towards sinless-ness; particularly the kind that blatantly violates to never be regarded again by Holy God. Throughout the chapter and in the first verses of this chapter, he synopsizes the entire letter synonymous with how Jeopardy invites guest’s participation (the answer comes first):”The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Heb.10:1-4).

Because of this, don’t consider sinful regression (willful) in thinking you can establish another way towards redemption (Jn.14:6) other than through the perfect Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world (cf. Jn.1:29)! Happy Wednesday!