Adversaries

Temple Baptist Church - 10-23-2019

Hebrews 10:22-31

Introduction:

A.  We have taken a lot of time in these verses because of the seriousness of the subject.  Verse 27 uses the word “adversaries” in reference to those who forsake the assembling of ourselves together.

B.  Adversaries – those who are opposed to or stand against something.  Literally, enemies.

1.  An Adversary of God.  We belong to God but live for self. 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  (20)  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

2.  An Adversary of the Church.  We become a discouragement to others instead of exhorting one another. 

Matthew 5:15  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

3.  An Adversary to the Lost.  We become a reproach instead of an example. 

Matthew 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

C.  Verse 25 uses the word “manner” – a habit or custom.  The First Mention of the word “manner” is found in Genesis, chapter 18.

Genesis 18:11  Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.  (Something done with regularity.)

D.  The “assembling of ourselves together” is:

1.  A Special Time - Acts 20:7  And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

2.  A Special Place - Matthew 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

3.  A Special Purpose - John 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

4.  A Special Person - Philippians 2:9-11  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

E.  When faithful people become unfaithful ones, the reasons become obvious.

            1.  A lack of understanding the importance of assembly.

2.  An absorption of worldliness.

3.  A decline in spirituality.

F.  Let us look at what God thinks about the sin of forsaking.  Not what I think; not what you think; not what others think; but what God thinks.

1.  No More Sacrifice For Sins – vs. 26

a.  “Forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” is a Willful Sin.  We place our will above God’s will.  When we stay out of church, we do it willfully.

b.  “Forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” is a Knowledgeable Sin.  We know and understand what we are doing.  When we stay out of church, we do with knowledge of what we are doing.

c.  “Forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” is a Presumptuous Sin.  In the Old Testament, there is no sacrifice for sins of presumption.  When we stay out of church, we presume that God does not know, God does not care, God will do nothing about it

2.  Fearful Looking For Of Judgment And Fiery Indignation – vs. 27

a.  “Forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” shows a lack of fear of Certainty.  “looking for of judgment”

b.  “Forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” shows a lack of fear of Consequence.  “fiery indignation”

c.  “Forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” shows a lack of fear of God.  “which shall devour the adversaries”

3.  Possible Death – vs. 28-29a 

a.  A despising of God’s Commandment.  “He that despised Moses' law”  Despise – to dis-esteem.  The word “Despise” dates all the way back to the Latin word despicare (des-pi-care), which combines de "down" with specere "to look at." So if you look down your nose at something, you.   say you despise it. Nowadays the word gets used a lot to describe things people really, really dislike, too. 

b.  A merciless Judgment.  “died without mercy”  A corporeal death (consisting of, or relating to a physical material body); there was no atonement nor sacrifice for him, nor pity to be shown. 

Deuteronomy 13:8  Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him:

c.  A New Testament Accountability.  “Of how much sorer punishment”  God expects much more of us than He did the Old Testament saints because of the completion of God’s Word.  They saw “through a glass, darkly; but then face to face:”  Then references the completion of “that which is perfect,” the completed canon of Scripture.

Acts 17:30  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: