Proverbs 28 - Respect

28:4 - Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble
Do you show others respect? Have you ever heard the phrase that "respect is given, trust is earned"? Do you know that the more respect you show others the more respect you will be given. We are called to respect God always! Do you? Do I? The answer is no. I can think of times daily when I do or say something that does not show God the respect He deserves. Blood flows through our bodies pumped by the heart. If the arteries harden or the walls of the heart harden then our blood pressure will be abnormal and could even kill you. Unfortunately this type of disease is incurable and you have to learn to live with it. This can also be said of our spiritual heart. If we allow our heart to harden towards God, there is scripture that says we may never gain salvation. This is the ultimate blasphemy of the Lord. In fact, it may be worse for those who have experience God's goodness, yet still turned away.

Hebrews 6- 4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away,to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

This scripture has always confused me and I have heard many interpretations. Some use this scripture to refute the permanence of our salvation. Others say that the person who was "enlightened" never really accepted the Holy Spirit so therefore they were never saved. I tend to agree with this latter statement because the author says that they crucify Christ again. Not that they themselves accept the sacrifice that Christ made of the cross for them a second time, but that they crucify him again, condemning Him and thereby condemning themselves. Another way I tend to look at this like someone who tells me they don't like smoking a cigar. How ridiculous is that. I don't understand how they could smell the rich and wonderful aroma, take the full bodied taste of the smoke into your mouth, letting it flow over under your tongue, into your throat, and all over your taste buds and then not accept that they like it. I just can't comprehend this.