Help! I Need You! - Hebrews 3:12-13
"See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."
Hebrews 3:12-13
Yesterday we established that a hard heart is an unbelieving heart, and the challenge was not to be found to have a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. So the question today is... "How do we do that?" When you read the Scriptures, especially the New Testament, you cannot ignore the value that God places on community... relationships with other believers. Being a lone ranger was just not God's design. It is true that God has given us His Word and His Spirit, but He has also given us each other. The Old Testament teaches this as well.
"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
Proverbs 27:17
Jesus established the church. What is the church? It is a body of believers of whom Christ is the head! We are all connected to each other and as the Scriptures teach...
"there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other."
1 Cor. 12:25
So how do we guard ourselves from a sinful, unbelieving heart? Well the author of Hebrews tells us. He says that we should "encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." Notice that we are told to encourage each other daily! Do you want an indication on how powerful sin is at deceiving the heart, look no further than here. It is so powerful that we need encouragement from each other daily!
I have to pause and chuckle because I thought to myself earlier this morning... "Maybe I am blogging too much. Maybe everyday during the week is too much." Then I read this and said, "Nope! We need encouraged everyday!!!" The author says to encourage each other daily, "as long as it's still called Today!" Do it now! Do it often! Encourage one another in the faith!!! It's sin's deceitfulness that tells you that you don't need others in your life! It's sin's deceitfulness that convinces you to be passive about encouragement. Folks, we need each other! So encourage other believers often and with urgency, and open yourself up to others who can encourage you as well!
Comments
David joSepHs’ pARaPHrasE
“Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God. But enourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
People, be good to yourselves and another, with the intention of preventing sinfulness which is unequivocal to (Pater) Father, God. Persuade and embolden while your awake because if anybody has something undesirable happening in case it is evil grieving the Spirit…
I love paraphrasing scripture because it is what allows me to emulate the Spirit inside me most. The people were no doubt concerned about apostasy and regarded the rebellion of Israel in the wilderness as leaving their God. You want to bow down to a King Melchizedek, or Yahweh Maccaddeshcem (Exodus 31:13)? Israelites did neither of the two but rather worshiped a golden calf that wasn’t black and white. Now they are suppose to rest in this Savior named Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews? We are sanctified, thank you very much - Jesus! To some this seemed no different than falling away from the living God again… I’ll challenge anybody through the faith we share; however, let it be an encouragement for our future glory.
Much information in your comments! Keep on keeping on brother!