John Brown, Hebrews Quote 9
From Hebrews by John Brown p. 178
To “depart from the living God” is just an expression for apostasy from Christianity,--in the case of those whom the Apostle was addressing, the renouncing the profession of the faith of Christ and returning to Judaism. Those who did so, no doubt, flattered themselves that they were not departing from, but returning to God; but the Apostle presses on them this truth, that they could not abandon Christ without abandoning God. There is but one God, --He is “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,”—He is “God in Christ reconciling the world to Himself;” and, of course, he who renounces Christ abandons God.
The appellation living God is emphatic. Some have supposed it just equivalent to the true God; as if the Apostle had said, ‘In apostatizing from Christianity to Judaism, you as really depart from the living God as if you were becoming the worshippers of idols.’ I am rather disposed to think that the expression “living” is intended to convey the idea of power. ‘Dead’ is often equivalent to powerless; ‘living,’ to powerful. This is remarkably the case in two passages in this Epistle: “The word of God is quick (living) and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of the soul and spirit.” “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” It is quite safe to depart from dead gods. No spiritual advantage can be obtained by adhering to them; no danger is incurred in abandoning them; they cannot punish the apostate. But it is otherwise with him who apostatizes from the living God. He departs from Him “with whom is the fountain of life,” and who alone can make him happy; He departs from Him who can execute all the threatenings which He has denounced against those who forsake Him.
There is need of constant watchfulness on the part of the professors of Christianity, lest under the influence of unbelief they “depart from the living God.” “Take heed,” says the Apostle. There is nothing, I am persuaded, in regard to which professors of Christianity fall into more dangerous practical mistakes than this. They suspect everything sooner than the soundness and firmness of their belief. There are many who are supposing themselves believers who have no true faith at all,--and so it would be proved were the hour of trial, which is perhaps nearer than they are aware, to arrive; and almost all who have faith suppose they have it in greater measure than they really have it. There is no prayer that a Christian needs more frequently to present than, “Lord, increase my faith;” “deliver me from an evil heart of unbelief.” All apostasy from God, whether partial or total, originates in unbelief. To have his faith increased—to have more extended, and accurate, and impressive views of “the truth as it is in Jesus”—ought to be the object of the Christian’s most earnest desire and unremitting exertion. Just in the degree in which we obtain deliverance from the “evil heart of unbelief” are we enabled to cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart, to follow Him fully, and, in opposition to all the temptations to abandon His cause, to “walk in all His commandments and ordinances blameless.”
Reader Comments