Much of Hebrews has been speaking of how the way to God is opened to us through Jesus. We’re so thankful for the conclusion of 10:18, that since forgiveness is secure, there is no need for further sacrifice. Isn’t the gospel mostly about celebrating this atonement? Why then do we need the warning passages about God’s judgment, such as we heard yesterday morning: “For we know him who said, ‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay.’ And again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
Hebrews 10:30-31 is considered an embarrassment by many “Christians” who have tried to make the faith more palatable to the culture at large. According to their thinking, God is LOVE – simple and undefined – and we do not need to say much more about him than that. This thinking, however, will only inspire a half-hearted, lackluster devotion to God, as has been proven through the trajectory of denominations that hold the Bible quite loosely. Believe it or not, lives simply aren’t transformed and fulfilled by the image of an impotent grandfather figure in the sky, who spends his days merely pining after his estranged creatures.
I speak a bit tongue-in-cheek, but my point is that we love God for His glory and full-orbed goodness, not merely for his love and forgiveness. And that glory includes all of God’s qualities. His love is not somehow contrary to his justice. His justice requires a judge’s wrath against evil. It simply can’t be any other way, because there can be no kingdom of righteousness and peace in the end if chaos and crime are given a free pass. And deep down, we know we don’t want a King who turns a blind eye or grades on a curve. We worship God also because he is great and good and because he unfailingly defends that which is pure.
It shouldn’t surprise us that enjoyment of God’s mercy and fear of God’s justice actually go hand-in-hand. Hosea 3:5 prophesies: “Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God and David their king [read ‘Jesus’], and they shall come in fear to the LORD and to his goodness in the latter days.” Now you might think that fear is not a good thing to motivate Christians, and you’d be right if you were thinking of a hopeless, servile fear, such as one would have of a cruel slave-master. But check out Psalm 130:3-4: “If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” In this passage, the enjoyment of forgiveness produces fear. Why? Because this is a good Master who can be counted on to absolutely do what is right, and when the gospel has awoken our hearts, we realize that rightfully this should mean his wrath against us, not Jesus.
This is just like the hymn lyrics: “Tis grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed.” Grace does both! It teaches us to rightly fear and it reminds us that in Christ we have nothing to fear. Both the fear and the comfort are fruits of the Spirit’s work in our lives. The author of Hebrews keeps us in exactly that gospel moment, where we see both that “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God,” and yet “in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation.” In this tension there is a panoramic vista of the glory of God. In this tension (not drifting toward faithless despair or self-worshipping presumption) there is safety and joy.