Heb 10 :26-31
When we
talk of indifference, we mean people who care less. Here we are talking of
people who care less about their spiritual life hence are given to sin. They
repeatedly commit sin and it has become their way of life. Not because they do
it ignorantly. Not because they do it out of weakness but because they have
decided to continuously live in it; doing nothing to stop the flesh from this
lust. We know the work of the flesh struggles against the work of the spirit.
·
In
the flesh is no good thing (Ro 7:18)
·
The
flesh produces dead works (Heb 9:14)
·
We
should therefore not put our trust in the flesh (Phil 3:3) because you cannot
please God when living in the flesh (Ro 8:8)
[My
intention is that at the end of this message you will be able to know that you
are not supposed to feed the flesh with that which it desires] Ro 13:14
a)
What
are the things that feed the flesh? Gal 5:19-21
·
Adultery
which is illicit sexual intercourse outside the bond of marriage violating the
conditions of that covenant
·
Fornication
which range from prostitution, unchastity including homosexuality and
lesbianism.
·
Uncleanness
which includes impure life, a filthiness of heart and mind including all that
which is ceremonially unclean before God (Lev 7:19-21)
·
Lewdness
which includes sensuality, lewd dancing, lasciviousness, debauchery, immoral
dress and indecent conduct (2 cor 12:21; Eph 4:19; 1 Pet 4:3)
Today many
people have entered into homosexuality as a response to sensuality. They say,
they are civilized, and that they are responding to their sensibility. This is
sin and we cannot respect their desires as far as they are immoral. God does
not respect homosexuality that is why He punished Sodom and Gomorrah. We are
His disciples and will not respect that at all. God is about to thunder again
against this generation.
To the men and women of God who
are indifferent; who do not say anything about these bad practices, God will
also ask you what you have done as His disciple. Today our youths copy just
anything up to immoral dressing. Girls dressed with all the contours of their
body exposed. Others dress with exposed breast or buttocks. Young boys today
dress with their inner wears exposed and trousers hanging at the base of the
buttocks, and indecent conduct is normal for the youths today.
Parents who allow these will
also answer before God because the blood of these lost children shall be asked
of the parents and the Christians around them. What are you doing about what
you see today? In Cameroon, since last month Nov 2013 the ministry of youth
affairs has launched a campaign against indecent dressings and conduct in
public. It is high time the church takes its responsibility to bring the
transformation that is needed in the lives of men and women in our society
today. It is true that force cannot bring the transformation that our Lord wants to bring to the heart of men. Today I was told in Bamenda that some young boys have been beaten by the BIR and that the city council has taken it a responsibility to bring decent dressing in the town of Bamenda. Many youths are now afraid to dress poorly exposing their buttocks. This is good but we as Christians need to do more to bring real change to these youths of our nation. They need to dress well because of love for their neighbor and God, not because of fear.
The Bible tells us that the man
who is indifferent is a brother to the wicked (Proverb 18:9). So, do not be
slothful, God does not want people who are slack
·
The
flesh does not produce any good thing. Idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife,
jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
envying, drunkenness, reveling, and others are the works of the flesh.
·
But
we need to please God with the fruit of the spirit which is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Knowing
that indifference is also sin; will you continue in sin?
b)
Willful
sin
Willful sin
is deliberate life-style of turning away from the grace of God. This is a
person who has rejected the truth of the gospel. And the gospel is the word of
God. And the word that was with God and that was God is Jesus Christ. If we
continue in sin after hearing this word of truth, then there is no sacrifice
for sin again but the judgment of the Lord.
·
The
truth is the grace in the work of God that was revealed through the cross (Gal
1:6). That is the truth of the gospel.
·
When
you continue in sin, you no longer have sufficient sacrifice (Heb 6:4-6) for
your sins. The cleansing blood of Christ is no longer effective in your life
Why?
Moving away
from grace, you are going for the law hence you are severed from Christ. You
are truly cut off from Christ (Gal 5:1-6). So the cleansing blood is no longer
for you.
·
Flee
from sin and do not be indifferent about sin my brothers and sisters
c)
The
result of rejection is punishment from God
·
The
soul and the body will be destroyed in hell (Mtt 10:28)
·
The
punishment will be server because they have rejected God who is more than the
law of Moses
·
Jesus
is more than Moses (Heb 3:1-6)
·
The
new covenant is greater than the Old Testament (Heb 8:6)
·
Jesus
is a better priest than the levitical priesthood (Heb 7:11-20)
·
The
sacrifice of Jesus is better than the sacrifice of animals (Heb 9:11-22)
·
The
punishment will be greater if you reject the greater things listed above. These
things are embedded in Christ alone.
i.
If
you turn back to the Old Testament system, then you mean that the sacrifice of
Jesus was not sufficient
ii.
You
are in that case insulting the grace of God that was revealed on the cross (Ti
2:11)
iii.
Today
many Christians are abandoning the truth not to turn to the levitical system
but to turn to the world. They will receive the same punishment and Peter says
they are like “ a dog that returns to his own vomit,” (2Pet 2:22)
iv.
God
says vengeance is mine. God will not overlook your rejection. He will judge you
and pay you for your deeds. They are the enemies of righteousness (Ro 12:19)
v.
It
is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Do not be deceived that you can turn away from the cross, and yet escape
God’s vengeance (Lk 12:5). REPENT NOW and LIVE!
Amen!
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