Punishment for Those Who Deserve It

The other day I was helping a friend of mine who stays far away from here. He probably doesn’t even know how much I do for him. I spent almost a whole day in my already busy week doing stuff for him. Although it was physical work, I enjoyed it.

It was good to do some manual labour for a change. I enjoyed doing something different. I enjoyed driving into town, stopping at a big shop to see what they have in stock.

While I was making space in the garage to store his stuff, Renata commented from her office that my friends were using me. I argued with that, saying that they would never abuse me.

But that made me think. I wonder what it would feel like if your friends abused you. I know my friends wouldn’t do it, but what if? It wouldn’t be nice if you did something good for your friends out of love and they were just abusing you.

Would I continue doing stuff for them? Maybe I would get to a point where I would draw a line and say this is it! It wouldn’t be easy to just continue doing things for them.

God draws a line in the sand when people abuse Jesus. When people turn their backs on Jesus and insult Him, they are past redemption. God does not allow people to mess with Him or Jesus. And we must listen and hear these words clearly. God is not a God who shifts the goalposts to make room for those who’re off the road. Somewhere enough is enough and the next step is into the fire:

28If the penalty for breaking the law of Moses is physical death, 29what do you think will happen if you turn on God’s Son, spit on the sacrifice that made you whole, and insult this most gracious Spirit? 30This is no light matter. God has warned us that he’ll hold us to account and make us pay.

This is certainly not light music and I’m truly happy that I won’t be lumped with those people. Even so, I have to take care. Don’t I sometimes fall into the trap of a lifestyle that causes Jesus’ blood to be unimportant?

All of us must make sure that we always live within the prescriptions of God’s Word. We must remember that God is a just God. Yes, He overflows with love and grants us grace upon grace, but God will not permit us to mess with Him or with Jesus.

May you and I never experience what it means when God starts handing out punishment. Let’s make every effort to live as grateful children of God. Grateful that Jesus’ blood flowed to pay for our many, many sins.

May we never abuse Jesus’ blood and grace.

Scripture
Hebrews 10:26-31

Reflection
Do you live within God’s guidelines?
Where may you be going off course?
Who do you need to help not to be subjected to God’s punishment?

Prayer
Father, sometimes I tremble to think how bad You will punish people who do not live according to Your will. Help me not to fall into the trap. Help me to help others live on the right side of the line. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.