A POWERFUL COMBINATION

HEBREWS 3:12-15 NKJ 
12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said: 
“Today, if you will hear His voice, 
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” 

OBSERVATION: 

Remember, the book of Hebrews was a letter to Jewish believers, some of whom were abandoning their faith in Christ and turning back to Jewish laws.   

When the writer, writing by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, says to beware, we also need to pay attention.   

The warning is against allowing such a level of unbelief that they would depart from the living God. The Holy Spirit calls this an evil heart of unbelief. So, we can't think lightly of turning our backs on God.   

But there is an answer. The believers were challenged to encourage one another daily so that they would not be hardened through sneaky sin. He doesn't call sin sneaky, but he does say it's deceitful. Sin will lie to you and say it's no big deal; all the while, your heart gets harder and harder. Here is where I put in a plug for church. It gives us the opportunity to encourage each other. We don't do well in isolation, but as we come together, we can encourage and be encouraged. Now back to our regularly scheduled devotional. 

The author puts in a case for holding onto their confidence in Christ. These Jewish believers started their walk with the Lord by faith. They had a confidence that He was the Messiah. Now they have to stay with that confidence. This is actually the second time in this chapter that the believers are charged with keeping a firm hold on their confidence. The term steadfast would imply no wavering or backing up, just steady and strong.   

Then the phrase, do not harden your hearts, comes up again. So we can see a pattern. They have to make a concerted effort to stay steady with their confidence in Christ and not allow their hearts to get hard and turn back. Tender hearts with a strong steady confidence make for a powerful combination. 

APPLICATION: 

I don't know that the temptation to abandon faith in Christ is as pressing in our culture as it was for these Jewish believers. But I do believe the temptation to lose confidence and not walk with the Lord is very real.   

When I was a believer but living away from a relationship with the Lord, I did not deny Jesus as Savior, but I sure was not living for Him. I was totally hardened by sin.   

Thankfully, the Lord is merciful and received me back. I haven't been perfect by any means, but I have kept my confidence and kept my heart tender toward the Lord. I can testify it truly is a powerful combination.   

PRAYER: 

Lord, my confidence is in You. I choose to stay with You and walk close. Thank You for receiving me back.