When we do something wrong, we should feel a sense of remorse. We should seek forgiveness not only from the one we did wrong to, but from God, the judge of all judges. He is the one who holds our future in His hands. There are those who have no remorse. Their hearts have become hardened to their sin, and no longer does it bother them. Yet, there are those who are seeking repentance and cannot find it.
In Genesis chapter 27, we have an example of the Father, Isaac, speaking the blessing on Jacob. Jacob had deceived his father, but he had received the blessing. Esau came in and begged his father to change what he had done, but it had been said, and Isaac could not change the blessing. In Genesis 27:34, we see Esau’s response. “And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.” In Hebrews 12:17, Esau found no place of repentance. His heart was bitter and unforgiving to his brother, and no amount of crying would change the oath his father had taken. What was done was done.
Hebrews 12:17 “For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.”
In Matthew 27:3-5, Judas had betrayed Jesus. When he realized he was condemned, he felt sorrow for what he had done, but it was too late. The agony of what he had done caused him to commit suicide.
Matthew 27:3-5 “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? See to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.”
Their seeking repentance after they had passed up opportunities to do what was right cost them their souls. In Hebrews 12:17, Esau felt remorse after he had passed the opportunity to repent, but he did not find forgiveness. Judas also passed the point of no return. God has a limit, and He alone is their judge. We must continue to seek to win those who are lost, but if they have passed a point of no return, do not be alarmed that they do not want to listen, or they can listen and it does not move them.
In Hebrews 6:1-6, the writer makes it clear that to be a Christian and then turn away and forsake our faith is a dangerous thing. Your walking away from the grace of God may cost you your eternal soul. There can come a time when you cannot return. Neither Judas nor Esau could return, and though it says they were sorry for what they had done, their desire to repent and be accepted by God had passed.
Hebrews 6:1-12 “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”
Paul warns of making shipwreck of our faith in 1 Timothy 1:18-20. He tells Timothy to fight and hold to his faith. Some have erred from the truth, and he names two in verse 20. Alexander and Hymenaeus, he has delivered over to Satan. They were detrimental to the church and were counted as unbelievers because they were not following Christ as they had in the past.
I Timothy 1:18-20 “This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them might war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.”
Those who once knew God but have chosen to go the way of sin and serve themselves and not God are in danger of apostasy. Some believe this is impossible but let me remind us again what Hebrews 6:4-6 says, “ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance.”
While God’s love is always in action when it comes to His creation, we have a choice to choose Him and remain faithful or to choose to serve ourselves. While no one can save us but God, it is His drawing us and our decision to accept or reject that determines whether we are saved or lost. We are not robots; we can serve Him or remove ourselves from His mercy and grace. No other person can pluck us from Him, but we have a free will to remove ourselves.
If you are seeking repentance, it is a good thing. If you are saved, stay close to God. Do not take your salvation for granted and think you have the liberty to do as you please. If this is your attitude, you may not be saved. A person who has received the gift of salvation should be eternally grateful that they have been spared from hell. True salvation yields praise and obedience in one’s lifestyle. Apostasy does not happen overnight; it is a slow drift until you no longer feel the urging of the Holy Spirit. It is not probable for a Christian, but it is possible. No one is without sin, even after we are saved. However, the goal is to be as free from sin as we can with the help of the Holy Spirit.
