DON'T LET GO AND DON'T LOOK BACK

Proclamation:

"It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in The Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of The Word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace." Hebrews 6:4-6 (NIV)

Explanation:

The human author of these words is unknown but they were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by someone other than one of the apostles. (Hebrews 2:3)   This unknown author basically said that if a person has received The Word of God and then rejects it, and returns to their previous philosophies and beliefs, they will not be forgiven for their severe unfaithfulness.  "It is impossible for those ... to be brought back to repentance.  To their loss they are crucifying The Son of God all over again ..." (Hebrews 6:4-6) 

Application:

Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62)  Once we accept Christ as our personal Savior, we may mess up on occasion, but there is no letting go of Christ, no looking back wanting the past, and no turning back to our sinful past.   We may remember the sinful things that we did, but there is no wanting to return to our previous non-Christian beliefs.  Don't let go of God, and don't look back wanting the past.  Remember Lot's wife, when The Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah for their wicked ways, she looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:24-26)  Her problem was not just looking back, but she was longing for what she had left behind.  There is a cost for following Jesus.  We must let go of our previous beliefs and lifestyles. 

Hear Him Follow Him And Don't Look Back

"He said to another man, 'Follow me.'^' But the man replied, 'Lord, first let me go and bury my father.'  Jesus said to him, 'Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.'  Still another said, 'I will follow You, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.'  Jesus replied, 'No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.' "  Luke 9:59-62 (NIV)

After His transfiguration, Jesus was walking along the road with His disciples and they were approached by several men.  The first man said that he would follow Jesus anywhere.  Jesus told the second man to follow Him, but he wanted to first go bury his father.  The third man said that he would follow Jesus, but first he wanted to say good-bye to his family.  Jesus basically said, let the spiritually dead take care of those mundane things.  Then He added, if they had the desire to follow Him, and looked back to their worldly life and longed for things in it, then they were not fit for service in the kingdom of God.

Once we have heard The Word of God, it is time right then to take action and follow Him.  Delaying action for any reason is just plain procrastination.  God does not want to hear our excuses, either we will follow Him or we won't.  Longing for anything in the life that is behind us is unacceptable.  Remember what happened to Lot's wife when she looked back towards Sodom.  (Genesis 19:26)  Once we hear The Word of God, nothing in our past life should interfere with our following and obeying Him.  Start the walk with Christ immediately, and grow in Christ as you walk with Him.  Step out on faith and trust in God.  Do not wait until you "get yourself together", that is just procrastination.  Putting anything before God makes us unfit to serve Him. 

Press On Don't Turn Back Or Look Back Longingly

"Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?" Galatians 4:8-9 (NIV)

The Apostle Paul is preaching to the Galatians regarding justification by faith, explaining both the theological and the practical ramifications of the doctrine. After reminding them about Abraham, the promise of the covenant, and the purpose of the law, Paul points out the futility of ritualism and worshiping idols. His question to them was, do you really want to go back to being as you were before knew God?

Salvation bring with it a great responsibility, because we are children of a Holy God, we are expected to live holy. We are blessed, and to whom much is given, much is required. (Luke 12:48) Once we have a personal relationship with God, how can we turn our back on Him and reject all that He is and all that He has done. We do not want to be like Lot's wife who looked back longingly towards Sodom and Gomorrah, after being warned not to, and was turned into a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:17 & 26) Once we accept Christ there is not turning back. Jesus said, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62) One cannot do a good job with the plow and plow straight while looking back behind himself. Where we have been is not as important as where we are going.

Don't Let Go And Don't Look Back

"It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in The Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of The Word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace." Hebrews 6:4-6 (NIV)

If a person has received The Word of God and then rejects it, and returns to their previous philosophies and beliefs, they will not be forgiven for their severe unfaithfulness. "It is impossible for those ... to be brought back to repentance..."

Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." Luke 9:62 (NIV) Once we accept Christ as our personal Savior, we may mess up on occasion, but there is no letting go, no looking back wanting the past, and no turning back. We may remember the sinful things that we did, but there is no wanting to return to our previous non-Christian beliefs. Don't let go of God, and don't look back.

Remember Lot's wife, when The Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah for their wicked ways, she looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. Genesis 19:24-26 (NIV) Her problem was not just looking back, but longing for what she had left behind.

There is a cost for following Jesus. We must let go of our previous beliefs and lifestyles.