Hebrews 3. Two days ago, we learned the word “apostasy”. Apostasy is when a believer walks away from the faith – they’ve drifted, allowed their heart to grow hard, persisted in sin, and resisted the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 3 offers a big warning about apostasy, and an example of what could happen if someone chooses to walk away.

Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore, I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart… As I swore in my wrath, “They shall not enter my rest.” (3:8-11).

The reference here is to the nation of Israel (especially Numbers 14 and Psalm 95) – the people of God, whom He delivered out of slavery in Egypt with many miracles, led through the Red Sea and the desert, provided daily manna and quail as food, and gave them water sources in the desert. These were the people of God, who at seen ALL these things – and they persisted in unbelief, doubt, sin, and endless complaining for forty years!

These were the people of God, who hardened their hearts in rebellion. They were present – like present in church if you will – but always going astray in their hearts. Apostasy is not unbelievers on the outside of the church, it is unbelievers with hard hearts on the inside of the church who have been repeatedly exposed to the things of God, but it has not changed their hearts or transformed their lives.

God was provoked by the rebellious hearts of his people, and he swore they would not enter his rest. God was done with them. He is very generous, but his patience does not last forever. That’s why the word of warning is important – today if you hear his voice – listen and obey today! You may not get another chance tomorrow.

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end (3:12-14).

Today is the day to lean into a relationship with God. The deceitfulness of sin is so sneaky, tricking us into thinking that there will not be consequences, or we will not get caught. I am always stunned at the interviews with people who get caught embezzling money or having an affair – like how did you think this was going to end? Did you really think no one would notice?! They’ve always been deceived into thinking their sin will go unnoticed.

The antidote to being deceived or having a hard heart is to stay in regular Christian fellowship, exhorting one another daily. This does not mean going to church every day; it means having one-one discussions, accountability partners, small groups, and other occasions where other believers keep tabs on your soul. When we withdraw from fellowship, we distance ourselves from the transparency and accountability that keeps us out of sin.

The promise of sharing in Christ is conditional – if we hold firm to the end (3:14). Let’s commit to helping each other finish well.