Free Bible Commentary
“Hebrews 3:12-19”
Categories: Hebrews“Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 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. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, while it is said, Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked Me.’ For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.”
---End of Scripture verses---
If there is a passage in the Bible that teaches more clearly that it is possible for a Christian to lose his salvation, I don’t know what it would be. Remember that this inspired letter was written to some unspecified Hebrew Christians who were tempted to abandon their faith in Christ because of the persecution they were experiencing. These brethren needed to “encourage one another day after day” (verse 13) to remain faithful to Christ no matter what.
Verse 12 tells us plainly that we can fall away from the living God. One thing that can cause that is an “evil, unbelieving heart”. I think most of us have seen this happen in our own lives. Most of us know someone who was a true, converted believer in Christ, and then just simply lost their faith. I think even a salvation by “belief only” proponent would have to admit that if someone stops believing they are lost. It is universally known that a person has to believe in Jesus to be saved (John 3:16), and the Hebrew writer tells us that “without faith it is impossible to please God” (11:6).
When we “sign up” to follow Christ, we will become “partakers” in His suffering and persecutions. “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). But we will only be “partakers” of His glory in eternity, “IF” we “hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end” (verse 14). Even in the face of that persecution. The word “if” is a term of “conditionality”. Certain conditions must be met if we want to be assured of our eternal salvation. The “biggie” is that we must remain faithful to Christ until death.
The author used God’s unfaithful children of the exodus out of Egypt as the prime example of His “chosen” people falling short of His promises. They were not permitted to enter into the Promised Land because they continually “sinned” (verse 17), because they were “disobedient” (verse 18) and “because of unbelief” (verse 19). The whole point of this exposé on their fall from grace is to warn us that the same thing will happen to us if we prove ourselves to be faithless and disobedient like they were.
Please read Hebrews 4:1-11 for tomorrow.
Have a great day!
- Louie Taylor
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