Drop out, cop out Christianity is an accurate way of describing late-20th century and early 21st century mainstream Christendom. From the pulpit to the pew, defections are widespread through the ranks of the soldiers of the cross. Recent reports about the movement back to church—especially among youth and young adults—is encouraging if not hopeful.
But even before the canon of the scripture was closed; in fact, even before the apostolic era of the church had passed—in the almost earliest days of the church—there were alarming trends of large numbers of professing Christians who looked back over their shoulders to life before their public confession of Christ, thinking that life was simpler—even “easier”—then. It should not have caught anyone off guard. Paul had explicitly warned that believers would depart from the faith. (I Tim.4:1)
But the severest warnings to Christians, in scripture, come in the Book of Hebrews, chapters 3, 4, and 10.
God does not want us to grow weary and to give in, and give out, on our life with Christ. He yearns for us to keep on keeping on. He earnestly desires for us to “enter into rest”—even on this side of heaven. We could call this the “rest” of living a victorious Christian life, as opposed to a constant defeating struggle with “the flesh”—or the “old man”—with whom we must deal with until we breath our last breath.
But that “rest” can come NOW. With the greatest urgency, the writer of the book of Hebrews warns first century saints (and us) that if they are not careful they will miss the “rest” of which he writes. That which will rob them of their “rest” as saints, and that which will rob us today of our “rest,” is “an evil heart of unbelief.” It robbed the children of Israel in the wilderness; it robbed the nation of Israel year after year until they were taken captive by Assyria and Babylon because of their evil hearts; it is robbing many today, and, if we are careless, it will rob us of our faith-rest, too. Note with me the characteristics, causes, consequences and cure of the “Evil Heart of Unbelief.”
- The Characteristics of the Evil Heart of Unbelief, Hebs. 3:12
• Discounting the works of God on behalf of His people
➤ He divided the sea while they passed through, making the waters to stand as a heap on either side of them;
➤ He led them by His presence by a cloud in the daytime and a pillar of fire by night;
➤ He brought water out of rocks to give them a drink in the wilderness;
➤ He rained manna down from heaven so that they ate “angel’s food!”;
➤ He rained the flesh of fowl upon them as the sand of the sea for meat to eat;
➤He guided them 40 years in the wilderness, and neither their clothes nor their shoes waxed old upon them! But,
➤“For all these things they sinned still and believed not His wondrous works.” (Ps.78:32)
• Disregarding His Word, Hebs. 4:2—They had “heart trouble!”
➤Their hearts were hardened, Hebs. 3:8
➤Their hearts erred from the truth, Hebs. 3:10
➤Their hearts were unbelieving, Hebs. 3:12
- The Cause of the Evil Heart of Unbelief (the deceitfulness of sin), Hebs. 3:13
• The deceitfulness of sin says, “Just this one time won’t matter; go ahead, do it!”
• The deceitfulness of sin says, “Everybody’s doing it!”
• The deceitfulness of sin says, “God is loving; He will understand.”
• The deceitfulness of sin says, “You owe it to yourself; if you don’t look out after yourself, who will?”
• The deceitfulness of sin says, “I’m only hurting myself by doing this.”
• The deceitfulness of sin says, “This is just a little sin; it’s not any big deal.”
• The deceitfulness of sin says, “I know it’s not right, but just look at the good that is going to come of it.”
• The deceitfulness of sin says, “If I don’t do it, someone else will; I will do it, and God knows my heart, He’ll understand and He will forgive.”
• The deceitfulness of sins says, “All right, go ahead and do it, but just this one time only!”
• The deceitfulness of sin says, “It’s OK, nobody will ever know.”
• The deceitfulness of sin says, “All I want to make me happy is just this little bit more.”
• The deceitfulness of sin says, “It isn’t right, but after all I must provide for my family.”
• Yes, the deceitfulness of sin says all of this and more. But God says, “Be not deceived, God is not mocked, whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.” (Gal. 6:7)
- The Consequences of An Evil Heart of Unbelief: “Failing to enter into rest.”—Hebs. 3:19 (Note: this rest is not talking about salvation, cmp. I Cor. 10:11)
• All were under the cloud (led by God’s presence), I Cor. 10:1
• All passed through the sea (delivered by God’s power), I Cor. 10:1
• All were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea (i.e., all identified with God’s man and with God’s message), v. 2
• All did eat the same spiritual meat (i.e. the Word of God), v. 3
• All drank of the Rock Christ, I Cor. 10:4
• All were saved, but many did not enter into rest, or the promised land of victory; all over the age of 20 died before stepping into the promised land, because of an evil heart of unbelief. (This is also identified as “the sin unto death.” ) I John 5:16,17
- The Cure for An Evil Heart of Unbelief
• Appropriating victory through faith, Hebs. 4:2 (This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.) I John 5:4
• Appropriating the quick and powerful Word of God, which is sharper than any two-edged sword, Hebs. 4:12
• Appropriating the intercessory work of Jesus on our behalf, Hebs. 4:14,15
• Appropriating the power of prayer, Hebs. 4:16
So, the stern warning, as well as the way of escape, was sounded to these early Hebrew converts that were thinking about turning back to Judaism. The urgency of the appeal was reiterated often by the word “today!” (Hebs. 3:7, 3:13, 3:15) The plea should not fall upon deaf ears even now. Today, harden not your hearts; dispel unbelief by victory through faith, the Word and prayer. “Let us go on to perfection.” (Hebs. 6:1)
“For we know Him that hath said, ‘Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebs. 10:30, 31)
YOU and GOD 