Welcome to God’s dinner table, so to speak. As we approach it, we realize that normally we all arrive initially at God’s table through one of its utensils: the fork in the road. That place where two sides converge and we have to decide which road to travel. If one road said: “dead end”, would you take that road? It’s broad and has happy meals on it. It is at this place of decision where whether we want M & M’s (my mayhem) or God’s real food for eternity.
One other utensil at this table is a spoon; that piece that is utilized for primarily liquid food – soup, ice cream. It gathers up the food; otherwise it would slip through the fork. We are to be a receiver of all God is and has, and that liquid, “the water of the word”, would fill us to overflowing. “They that hunger and thirst after righteousness will be filled”. May God fill all of the holes, that we be holy?
The knife of truth – Hebrews 10:26; II Timothy 3: 1-7: a knife at the table is provided to help us cut through food – typically meat, so we can take smaller amounts and chew properly. We cannot eat the whole piece, generally. So, this knife strikes and punctures the meat. Does the meat cry out? The Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, is akin to this. Its double edged purposes both cuts through to the truth, and the other edge stabs the enemy. This is why we need to study portions of scripture and see how they apply to our soul. This portion is very strong – reminding us that contrary to the cities of refuge we discussed a few weeks ago, where grace houses a person who sinned unintentionally by accident, self defense, etc. It was also predicated on the fact that there was no prior hatred or history of entanglement. Here, the knife cuts into us and if we are those who willingly sin after knowing the truth, there is no sacrifice, because one is crucifying the Lord afresh – and He only died once. The only way for grace to be bestowed here is for repentance – true broken hearted sorrow, or it will have a bad taste in God’s mouth.
Just when you thought it was safe to come to church, the word studies are back: 1) the word “willingly” is the Greek word “hekousios”, and means “voluntarily, of one’s own accord, free will.” In the beginning of that word it gives us the general attitude of such a one: “what the heck?” (Pardon that last word – it’s for effect). (hek-00-se-ous). This knife cuts through the motives and intent of our heart (Hebrews 4:12). 2) The word “sin” in 2 Timothy 3:6 is the Greek word “hamartano”, meaning “to miss the mark, do wrong, sin”. In ancient times it meant an archer missing the target. It’s amazing how much easier it is to sin and miss the target of God’s righteousness, than it is to follow God. This word comes from two words: “a” means “not” and “meros” means “a part, share”. Together it means intentional sin (patterned behavior) will ultimately make one give up his/her share; a forfeiture. Who wants to give up an heirship with Christ? 3) “After” is the Greek word “meta”, meaning “with, among, after”, and it involves joining with God and his ways (keeping his company). Remember that God won’t be welded to sin in its purposeful intentional blow to the holiness of God.
Then it reminds us that this type of problem occurs only after we receive knowledge of the truth. The threshold here is when one knows to do good and does it not, to Him it is sin. It’s all about what and who we know. Knowledge is experiential knowledge, intimate relationship within. 4) Truth is the Greek word “aletheia”, meaning “not merely spoken, but truth of idea, reality, in sincerity of the moral sphere; that divine truth true to fact”. Whose fact? God’s. Truth is God’s reality of standard and it cannot be adjusted by anything or anyone else.
If one sins intentionally after knowledge of the truth, there is no longer a sacrifice for sin. The phrase “no longer” is the Greek word “ouketi” (ook-et-ee), and comes from two words: “ou” means “not, no” and is the root of the word “ouch”, and “eti” means “still, yet, remain”. Together this means in degrees those in this situation have the eternal ouch. There is no Band-Aid big enough to cover it. Why? Because it says “there remaineth no sacrifice for sin”, and that word “remains” is the Greek word “apoleipo”, meaning “to leave behind, leave, desert, abandon.” when we feed our sin, we are abandoning the Savior and his sacrifice and making it of none effect, because we are in the territory of the Garden of Eden and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. We are saved from what we don’t know, yet we are to live with what we do know.
The word “sacrifice” is the Greek word “thysia” and means “offering or sacrifice to God on his terms”. It comes from a word “thoo-o”, meaning “to kill the animal”. When we sin intentionally, we kill Christ afresh, only He isn’t dying again, so it means we cut ourselves off from that city of refuge – that grace which graces the table of hope.
The Christian life means we’re supposed to crucify our flesh and die daily. To crucify means to slowly starve the flesh, by not giving it what it wants. II Timothy 3: 1-7 reminds us of the age wherein selfishness abounds. It speaks of the immoral behavior and sinful patterns of knowledge. This portion ends in verse 7 with saying “They are always learning, but never acknowledging the truth” – God’s facts unalterable. We are to be alterable…..Find God’s altar of surrender.