JSM17 said:
DHK Wrote:
Heb 3:12-4:1
Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.
How can anyone fall away from that in which he is not of?
Thank you for your explanation of these verses. Now it gives us something to work with. Concerning verse 12, look first at verse 11:
Hebrews 3:11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
--He was referring to those who did not believe. Only Joshua and Caleb believed. And only they, along with the generation following them would enter into the Promised Land. The entire generation of Joshua and Caleb would be left out in the wilderness to wander and die because of their unbelief. "Belief" is the key word, that is, belief or faith.
The Promised Land is a picture of Rest or salvation, as Christ is a picture of Rest or salvation. There were some Hebrews among those whom Paul was writing to that were thinking of going back into Judaism. Some of them were not believing that Christ could save, but rather that the old sacrificial system would save, and thus the contrast. If they continued in their unbelief (that the OT system of sacrifices would save, and not Christ), they would fall away from the living God (Jehovah). For now, all who come to Jehovah must needs come through Jesus Christ, the Messiah whom the Hebrews have rejected.
13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
Why would a none christian have to be worried about a hardened heart if an uncovert soul has a depraved heart already, is he not hardened towards God already by the deceirfulness of sin?
Paul is writing to believers at large. But within those believers there are some that don't believe and want to return to Judaism. As believers we are to encourage each other.
Every day unbelievers sit under the teaching of the gospel. The more they hear it, the more they harden hearts toward it. They think (out of their own pride), that their religion is better, or that they are good enough. Paul warns them not to harden their hearts.
14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,
These brethren have already become partakers of Christ, this is who the author is addressing, is it not?
Every believe is a partaker of Christ, and every believer will hold fast until the end. The reason is simple. It is Christ that holds our salvation for us. See Phil.1:6. Remember that Paul is writing to believers in general. He is contrasting the OT covenant to the NT covenant. In the NT, we are made partakers with Christ; not so in the OT. These unbelievers better be made aware of what they are about to walk away from.
15 while it is said, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME."
2 Corinthians 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
--This verse is similar in meaning isn't it?
Today is the day of salvation; tomorrow it may be too late. This was a warning.
16 For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?
17 And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient?
19 So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.
Just as those in the wilderness hardened their hearts towards God which is unbelief, so the author of Hebrews warns these brethren the same way.
Those in the wilderness did not enter the promised land because of unbelief.
If you do not believe, neither will you enter into God's rest--heaven.
Salvation is by faith in Christ. It by belief. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." They had to trust Christ and Him alone. The OT sacrificial system could not save them.
This letter is not written directly to non-Christians, or even written to those who were playing church, it is written to Hebrew Christians who were struggling with resorting back to the ways of their fathers.
This is why the Author show the differences between Moses and Jesus, Angels and Jesus, the high priest ans Jesus, the two covenants, Sinai and Zion. This is why he reminds them of the new and living way. The fact is that many of them had not grown as they should have and because of their lack of growth they were stumbling with the possiblity of falling as the author states above.
Your assessment is not bad. But the ones that were stumbling with the possibility of going back into Judaism were probably not saved individuals. Paul was warning them that they better make that decision to trust Christ now before it is too late.
