Saturday, February 2, 2013

The Deceitfulness Of Sin Can Harden Us & We Die

Paul who in chapter 2 has been speaking of what Jesus accomplished on the cross, gives a very serious warning. One that is not taught, but is explained away by countless teachers. Paul's words speak for themselves. His letter to the Hebrews may have been the only New Testament letter many of them ever read. The Hebrews did not have today's ear tickling teachers and the rest of the New Testament. They actually believed what Paul wrote. Imagine that.

I do not see how we can read this passage and not be soberly concerned about our walk with the Lord. This is the purpose of the warnings from the Father. He is not willing that any should perish. That is why he cries out in the scriptures so many times through his prophets and teachers for us to turn away from sin. That is why I cry out his warnings. They have been forsaken by multitudes and multitudes will go to hell. He loves those people. He has put a love in me for them.

Please note that Paul addresses this letter to "holy brothers" and then gives them a warning that surely shook them up.
   
Hebrews 3  ISV


1Therefore, holy brothers, partners in a heavenly calling, keep your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession2He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was in all God’sa household, 3because he is worthy of greater glory than Moses in the same way that the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4After all, every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5Moses was faithful in all God’sb household as a servant who was to testify to what would be said later, 6but the Messiahc was faithfuld as the Son in charge of God’se household, and we are his household if we hold on to our courage and the hope in which we rejoice.f

7Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,
Today, if you hear his voice,
8do not harden your hearts
as they did when they provoked me
during the time of testing in the wilderness.
9There your ancestors tested me,
even though they had seen my actions 10for 40 years.
That is why I was indignant with that generation and said,
They are always going astray in their hearts,
and they have not known my ways.’
11So in my anger I swore a solemn oath
that they would never enter my rest.g
12See to it, my brothers, that no evil, unbelieving heart is found in any of you, as shown by your turning away from the living God13Instead, continue to encourage one another every day, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, 14because we are the Messiah’sh partners only if we hold on to our original confidence to the end.i 15As it is said,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts
as they did when they provoked me.j
16Now who heard him and provoked him? Was it not all those who came out of Egypt ledk by Moses? 17And with whom was he angry for 40 years? Was it not with those who sinned and whose bodies fell dead in the wilderness? 18And to whom did he swear that they would never enter his rest? It was to those who disobeyed him, was it not? 19So we see that they were unable to enter because of their unbelief.

             Seek Ye First The Kingdom Of God


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