Hebrews 3:19

Hebrews 3:19

Unbelief keeps us out!

We’ve tried in recent verses, to understand the purposes of God behind the central teaching of these chapters, that it is possible to be delivered from bondage but to still live outside of God’s rest. We have seen that the three reasons why a generation of Israelites “missed out” is because of rebellion, sin and unbelief. It seems a travesty that these ex-slaves, who cried out for God’s mercy were unable to benefit from the fulness of His provision. They never made it to the Promised Land. We’ve also drawn parallels with our own spiritual status, for the author of Hebrews is clear that we too may be in danger of missing out on the delights of the Promised Land!

All sorts of “salvation theologies” have been proffered over the centuries, from those who adamantly insist that it is possible for believers to lose their salvation, to those who are equally adamant that “once saved, always saved.” What can we add to this debate? Firstly, it is not up to us to determine who is in the camp and who is out, the Bible is clear that it is those whose names are written in the “Lamb’s Book of Life” who ultimately are set free from slavery to sin. Jesus has the final say and He alone knows who are true to their faith and who genuinely love and trust Him and are forgiven from their sins, by His blood. Does God intend to take men and women out of the slavery of the world and just dump them in a wilderness? No! Every step from the moment of deliverance is a step towards the fulfilment of all His promises, it is only the attitudes and behaviour of we humans that keep us from the inheritance that is prepared and awaiting us. In other words, if someone claims to be a true follower of Christ and that He has delivered them from slavery to sin, we must expect to see that person making progress on the journey, you cannot leave Egypt and spend the remainder of your life standing still in the wilderness, there is a point to this journey, there is a destination in view. 

I have often wondered if the deliverance through water at the Red Sea was Israel’s water baptism, but their journey through the waters of the River Jordan into the Promised Land was their baptism in the Holy Spirit. In other words, people may be saved and baptised in water but because of sin and unbelief they never experience the fullness and joy of God’s Spirit in their lives. Chapter 4 will go on to explain that it is not our rest that God calls us to enjoy but His rest, there is an expectation that we will keep pressing on, the ultimate fulfilment of His promises will be found in a new creation and a glorious future when sin and death will be overcome, and God’s people will be “at rest” with Him. Maybe the whole point of the debate is not so much about missing out on the salvation the Lord offers in our past, but rejecting the One who is preparing for our future?

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