DATE POSTED: Thursday, January 4, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Florida Hunting Adventures, Okeechobee, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Good News Translation (GNT) IS FOUND IN Hebrews 6:4-6

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: For how can those who abandon their faith be brought back to repent again? They were once in God’s light; they tasted heaven’s gift and received their share of the Holy Spirit; they knew from experience that God’s word is good, and they had felt the powers of the coming age. And then they abandoned their faith! It is impossible to bring them back to repent again, because they are again crucifying the Son of God and exposing him to public shame.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: We all may agree, and perhaps often insist that we not be judgmental of one another, since God is our eternal Judge. But what do we tend to do when our friend or family member has turned their back on the faith? I was totally caught by surprise when I read these verses in Hebrews, for my first impression was that the writer was indicating that we turn our backs on these individuals. in fact, if I had read this in a commentary, I would have switched to a different commentary and assumed that perhaps the one might be way off. But friends, I read these verses in several different translations of the Bible, and they all indicate the same inference. So, let’s consider the Scripture. If we don’t lose our salvation – since God will never reverse His acceptance of our request for forgiveness of our sin, we must try to understand what God would have us understand about this unusual statement. It seems most certain that the statement is referring to a Christian who has turned from their belief/trust/dependence on God. in today’s religious society, it seems like we may first conclude that this person may never have been serious about his/her conversion. But I don’t see where the verses indication anything to help us conclude that. Does this person lose their salvation? There are way too many references in the Bible to help us conclude that God never goes back on His word – John 10:28 is a prime example. Som perhaps we should look at the context from which the writer declared these words – he was speaking about Spiritual Maturity, and I covered this subject in my very last devotional. Often those who fail to grow, or mature, in their faith, will gain hardened hearts and soon start to act like those without Christ – as if He never died on the cross for them. They may even mock Jesus when things are not going as they command and demand. So how do we get this person back into the stream of rich Christianity, or a renewed relationship with Christ? And I believe that this is where the writer is coming from. We absolutely can’t. Just as in any other broken relationship, the two individuals must be willing to talk, forgive and work together to resolve differences and renew a right relationship. Think about you trying to tell a retired space scientist about things going on in space. He already knows everything about space! Similarly, try telling a back-slidden Christian about his relationship with God. He already knows the lingo, he knows his Bible, and he knows how he got to his current stage. It’s up to him to seek the face of Jesus and work through those things that are separating him from the Master. Jesus hasn’t changed – just the back-slidden Christian. The best thing we can do for each other, friend of God, is to pray for one another – that we will all draw closer to Jesus; more submissive to the Holy Spirit; and declare the awesome power of God – every day of our lives. No man is an island. We all need Jesus, and to keep Satan at bay, we all need more strength and determination than we ever had before.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: I was challenged by a pastor recently when he told his congregation that every word uniquely and particularly placed in the Bible, was placed there under the inspiration of God for the intended purpose of speaking to and directing His children. I’m glad that I didn’t just pass by this challenging Scripture, for I feel like it spoke to me and strengthened me to encourage those who may tend to drift away from the Master and not be as mature in their faith as God desires. Lord Jesus, I believe that unbelievers tend to watch us, in an effort to see if You are impacting our lives. May the meditation of my heart, and the resulting words from my mouth, together with the actions that follow, be acceptable in Your sight dearest Lord, and wonderful Savior. May they see Jesus! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby your home and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!