(Hebrews 10:26 NKJV) “For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.”
This Scripture gives us a clear warning; knowledge brings responsibility! Once we have received “the knowledge of the truth,” we must live by it. The Holy Spirit explains that if we go back to sin after he has enlightened us to the truth, then we cannot receive forgiveness again: “there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.”
Each of us is accountable for the knowledge we have received; God will call us to give an account of whether or not we have lived by the light of it:
(Hebrews 4:13 CSV) “No creature is hidden from him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.”
The following Scripture notifies us of the consequence of returning to our old life after having experienced the knowledge of Jesus’s salvation. Explicitly; if we have escaped sin through the knowledge of Jesus, and then return to it, we will be worse off than if we had never known the truth.
(2 Peter 2:20 NKJV) “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 in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.”
“Back-sliding,” as we call it, should be completely removed from our vocabulary and thinking. A new Christian once said to me, “I think I’ll just backslide for another 5 years or so, and then I’ll come back to Jesus.” His implication was that he wanted to enjoy the “pleasures of sin for a season” (Heb. 11:25 KJV). However, the Holy Spirit is the only one who can convict us of sin and draw us to Jesus. If he has done that for you, and then you turn him down after tasting the life in Jesus, you have no guarantee that he will draw you again; basically, you can’t bring yourself back to God without the Holy Spirit’s help:
(Hebrews 10:29 NLT) “Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us.”
Without wanting to sound discouraging to those who struggle to get free of their old life, I do have to communicate what Jesus actually said. Take the following passage for example; he is very clear that we should not even look back, let alone take our “hands off” the life of following him, looking for an easier option:
(Luke 9:62 KJV)
Don’t ever even look back; keep your eyes on Jesus—no matter what storm comes your way:
(Hebrews 12:1–4 NLT) “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. {2} We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. {3} Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. {4} After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.”
Today, Jesus is telling us through his word to “choose life.” That is, to put our eyes on him—the Living Word of God—and to keep them there. Completely remove the concept of backsliding from your thinking, and don’t ever allow the devil to deceive you into even contemplating it. I believe he is also saying that, to a certain extent, we will not receive fresh new life-giving revelation if we haven’t lived in the light of what he has already revealed to us. Let’s begin to put that right today. After all, it’s better to fix it now, than to wait for the final day of account:
(2 Corinthians 5:10–11 NKJV)
(John 12:47–48 NKJV)
