We Christians talk a lot about sin, bad sins and not so bad sins, as if such a thing is possible. We all have our "biggies". Hypocritically, the ones high on our list are the ones we struggle with the most. How many firebrand "Christian social warriors" have fallen before the very sin they scream about from their pulpits. But the real question, what does the Holy God of Heaven and Earth say about the foundational sin, the ultimate evil.
I believe we have a rather large clue in Hebrews 3:7-4:3. We treat God's relationship with His chosen physical people, Israel, as mere stories, perhaps mere sermon texts to get at a practical application, out of the "for the other guys" old testament, we do this to our ruin. Paul says that all the things that "happened unto them for examples: and they are written (Holy Spirit inspired and preserved) for our admonition (warning and serious instruction) upon whom the ends of the world are come. Therefore, let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." I Corinthians 10:1-13 gives context to the behavior spoken of in Hebrews 3-4 as a hard heart. (3:8), a heart that has gone astray (3:10). And 3:12 contains a severe warning against the ultimate evil in God's Eyes: An evil heart of unbelief, an unbelief that leads to a "DEPARTING FROM THE LIVING GOD."
And what was the result of this unbelief? Disobedience! "Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, WHOSE CORPSES FELL IN THE WILDERNESS? And to whom did He swear the they would not enter His Rest (the Promise) but those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in BECAUSE OF UNBELIEF. " ( Hebrews 3-16-18) If you carefully consider the context, Israel's rebellion (in it's many forms), their disobedience, was the outgrowth of UNBELIEF!!!. We will elaborate on this theme and consider God's Ultimate Solution in future posts.
I believe we have a rather large clue in Hebrews 3:7-4:3. We treat God's relationship with His chosen physical people, Israel, as mere stories, perhaps mere sermon texts to get at a practical application, out of the "for the other guys" old testament, we do this to our ruin. Paul says that all the things that "happened unto them for examples: and they are written (Holy Spirit inspired and preserved) for our admonition (warning and serious instruction) upon whom the ends of the world are come. Therefore, let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." I Corinthians 10:1-13 gives context to the behavior spoken of in Hebrews 3-4 as a hard heart. (3:8), a heart that has gone astray (3:10). And 3:12 contains a severe warning against the ultimate evil in God's Eyes: An evil heart of unbelief, an unbelief that leads to a "DEPARTING FROM THE LIVING GOD."
And what was the result of this unbelief? Disobedience! "Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, WHOSE CORPSES FELL IN THE WILDERNESS? And to whom did He swear the they would not enter His Rest (the Promise) but those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in BECAUSE OF UNBELIEF. " ( Hebrews 3-16-18) If you carefully consider the context, Israel's rebellion (in it's many forms), their disobedience, was the outgrowth of UNBELIEF!!!. We will elaborate on this theme and consider God's Ultimate Solution in future posts.
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