Hebrews 3:12-15

Summary retelling of Hebrews 3:12-15

We are told to take care against evil and unbelief.  It is evil and unbelief that pulls us away from God.  However, it is the exhortation of one another that keeps our hearts from being hardened against God in favor of the deceptive nature of sin.  So long as we hold our faith to the end, we shall indeed share in Christ.  We then get a repeat of the first line of the psalm that we heard yesterday.  If we hear the voice of God, do not harden your heart. 

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Evil and unbelief are the enemies of faith.  Evil is doing an action that is contrary to God’s ways.  Unbelief is the motivation that leads to the doing of evil.  When we lose sight of God and God’s ways – when our unbelief is stronger than our faith – we easily stray into the path of doing things that we should not do.

If evil comes fundamentally from unbelief, what is the cure against evil?  If evil comes from unbelief, what is true of the condition of our heart and mind when we voluntarily choose to sin?

Second Thought:

Exhortation helps us from having our hearts hardened.  Now, we need to be clear here.  We cannot keep one another from sinning.  Only God can do something that incredible.  However, what our exhortation does to one another is remind us about the importance of paying attention to God.  We encourage one another to draw close to God and it is God who empowers us to refrain from the sinful passions of our hearts.

What does this passage tell us about the importance of spiritual community?  Why is it important to have spiritual friends and mentors?  Do you think it is easier to live when you have spiritual friends or when you don’t?

Third Thought:

So long as we have faith to the end, we shall share in Christ.  By sharing in Christ, the author means the resurrection of the dead into eternal life in the presence of God.  We are given eternal life through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ.  But we as human beings are also given the free will to accept or reject that gift.  We can accept it or reject it at any time.  Those who do not end their life rejecting God and His salvation will indeed share in Christ.  Thus, we should not harden our hearts against God.

What other passages can you think about in the Bible that speak about needing to remain faithful?  What other stories indicate the need to continue in faith?  Do you think this is an easy task or a difficult one?

Passage for Tomorrow: Hebrews 3:16-19