It brings us to the shocking realisation that our unrighteousness is exposed by His righteousness, and our depravity is magnified by God's perfect goodness. The evil heart, the unbelief, and the departing, all fuse into each other and become one. Just as Israel were saved from Egypt, so we are saved from the slave-market of sin, but are warned to take care - not follow in the footsteps of those who started to murmur against God, and fell from grace. Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. (62). Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. The God who is alive works in this world through His living Word in conjunction with the Holy Spirit (see Ephesians 6:17). They had been redeemed from Egypt, but unbelief prevented them from gaining their reward. But our author boldly assumes that the, has deserted old Judaism, and is in and with the Christian Church. If men’s hearts were right, their belief would be right. Subscribe. I have preferred to retain literally what the Apostle states, rather than to give a paraphrase as to the wicked or depraved heart of unbelief, by which he intimates that unbelief would be connected with depravity or wickedness, if after having received the knowledge of Christ they departed from his faith. 1. Have you ever had any one whom you valued and loved fall into utter neglect of you? Subscribe Man (1.) If we are faithful, we can share in the partnership Christ offers to us (Revelation 2:26–27). , all fuse into each other and become one. Jews might retort that they served the same God as the Christians so that they would not be departing from God if they went back to Judaism. (See above, on Hebrews 3:7.). [Note: See Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, s.v. Ah, we do not need to describe it! "The Father, abiding in Me is doing His works." 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. Take heed is the same warning made in verse8, for these Christians not to make the same mistake their Jewish forefathers made in the wilderness. It is to take up a position exactly the opposite of that of Jesus and Moses who were faithful (Hebrews 3:2). They are saved - yet as though by fire, and will suffer loss of reward. Now to bring "the Living God" into an already "religious" though ceremonial scene--how shall we describe it? And our author assumes that to apostatize from Christ is not merely to relapse into a harmless Judaism; it is to fall into sin and death. John Piper @JohnPiper ... You watch his pen “draw out” meaning. He who denies the Son, believes not the Father, who has wrought so many miracles to sanction his mission. Not merely all ought to be on their guard, but to be so concerned for each one as not to suffer any to perish through their negligence (Calvin). Having been brought out from Egyptian bondage they spent the rest of their lives in failure. Note on John 3:18-21. But every believer is tempted to give up his confession of Christ and go back into the world system"s life of compromise and bondage.". Close. 12.Take heed—To be connected immediately with the as of Hebrews 3:7, where see note. 12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. Ah, if we could all learn to keep considering Him! Note on. Redeemed but defeated. To be joined with "Wherefore," Hebrews 3:7. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. The drunkard will not believe the truths of temperance doctrines because he loves ardent spirits. This type of exhortation is what is happening starting in Hebrews 10:19ff. Apple YouTube Email. Third, Hebrews 12:2 says that, after Jesus’ death, God raised Him from the dead, and Jesus ascended into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of God the Father. "Share in" (NIV), "partners" (NRSV), "made partakers of" (KJV) is the adjective metochos , "sharing, participating in," found in verses 1 and 14, but verse 14 is perhaps the substantive "partner, companion." b. Unbelief - faithlessness. Heart of unbelief—For unbelief of divine truth springs from all evil temper. 3:14 For we have become partakers of Christ, As we have noted in Mark 9:24, the man desiring the Lord's blessing cried, "I believe; help Thou mine unbelief!" Subscribe. To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you -, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, СмоÑÑиÑе, бÑаÑÑÑ, ÑÑÐ¾Ð±Ñ Ð½Ðµ бÑло. In Hebrews 4:12-13 he stops to magnify the word of God. Hebrews 3:12, NLT: "Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Upon the quotation which the Apostle had made from Psalm 95 :, he founds an exhortation against there being in any of the believing Hebrews an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. An evil heart of unbelief is not a heart made evil by unbelief, but a heart of which the essence is that it does not believe. 15 As has just been said: Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. Paul's letter to the Romans is the most comprehensive treaties on the state of fallen humanity. "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father." Here believers seem to be in view (as in Luke 8:13; Acts 15:38; 1 Timothy 4:1; cf. "No believer today, Jew or Gentile, could go back into the Mosaic legal system since the temple is gone and there is no priesthood. Adam, used as the proper name of the first man. (Read full chapter In the end we should be looking constantly and positively to Christ and not at ourselves. They heard God's voice, but they hardened their heart against hearing, knowing, and obeying, this "living" and loving God! In departing.âBetter, in falling away from a Living God. Subscribe. .’ “Take heed lest haply” as in Hebrews 12:25, Colossians 2:8, for the more classical . Close. Compare Hebrews 3:10. What they are to be on their guard against is the emergence of ’ , a wicked heart of unbelief manifesting itself in departing from Him who is a living God. Titus 1:14). Hebrews 3:12 Treasury of Scripture Knowing, Finished-Telestai (Easter Reflections - (8). [Note: See Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, s.v. He departs from them-the worst of woes (Hosea 9:12). Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God." (7-13) And of necessity of faith in Christ, and of stedfastly following him. The very point the writer wishes to make is just this: Remember that to apostatize from Christ in whom you have found God, is to apostatize from God. They were saved that first Passover night, but lived the rest of their life in defeat. The believing Hebrews stood by faith, and, if they let slip the truth, must necessarily fall. Behold the marks in Christ's hands and feet and side. Evil unbelief stopped them from living a triumphant life in a land of promise, where every enemies would be routed by the power of God. The heart of unbelief will manifest its evil in apostasy. And what did man's "religion" do? And the inference is that to fall away from Jesus Christ is so to rebel against the living God. And (we pray!) "The Word was God." It was the Living God, the Son, who bore our sins, and returned to the Father's right hand. The first thing that they are to do is to ‘take heed’. Home All Posts... what does hebrews 12 mean. From the living God; not the idols of the heathen, but the God of Israel, who is known emphatically by this name (Isaiah 37:4), and who is now the God of the Christian Church, its Defender and Judge (see Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 10:31; Hebrews 12:22). They believed as the angel of death passed over their homes whose lintels were smeared with blood - and they praised God, because the blood of the lamb atoned for their sin. What Does Hebrews 3:12 Mean? In Hebrews 3:12, the apostle Paul reports of Israel's "evil heart of unbelief," the fountain, the source, that gave birth to her irrational, erratic, unreliable spiritual and moral behavior. And we are warned to "take care, brethren, that there is not in any one of US an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God". This signifies Jesus’ authority (at the right hand ) and the fact that His work is finished (He sat down). See Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 10:31; Hebrews 12:22. Unbelief is shown to cause man to have an evil heart. Consenting to sin, being deceived by its solicitations. departing = falling away. This word is also used in the famous passage of Hebrews 11:1, but there probably has the meaning "guarantee of ownership/entitlement, title deed" (BDAG 1040-1041). Intro & Index; Hebrews 4:1-2. Jehovah is called “the living God” in contrast to lifeless impotent idols, and the designation is suggestive of His power to observe, visit, judge and succour His people. Take heed. However this does not mean that genuine Christians who become deceived will lose their salvation ( John 10:28; 2 Timothy 2:13). 1 Timothy 4:1. living God. Now think of a God who knows our every thought, and who has loved us all along the way--who gave His Son in His love for us, Who finds those who professed His name and confessed His Son, so indifferent to His constant overtures of love, as to fall away from the Living God! Hebrews 3:12. They never think of "falling away" from a religious Profession any more than the Roman Catholics. New Living Translation. —For unbelief of divine truth springs from all evil temper. Heart. Mon-Wed: Closed | Tue–Sun: 9:00 AM-12:00 PM - 4:30 PM - 8:00 PM . It was the Living God, the Holy Spirit, who came at Pentecost and is here now, to indwell every believer, to be the conscious Leader and Power in every spiritual activity! Heb. We are not saved by our good works, and we do not lose our salvation by our bad works (i.e, failing to persevere faithfully in the faith). You will be sinning just as they did if you reject the gospel, or if having once accepted it, then renounce it.”, John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament, William Newell's Commentary on Romans, Hebrews and Revelation, Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament, Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary, Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament, Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible, Alexander MacLaren's Expositions of Holy Scripture, Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament, George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, E.M. Zerr's Commentary on Selected Books of the New Testament, Haldane's Exposition on the Epistle to the Romans and Hebrews. Thank You that in Christ we can all live a victorious life to Your honour, if we trust Your word and obey Your will. The phrase ‘evil heart’ is found in Jeremiah 16:12; Jeremiah 18:12 and describes a stubbornness of heart and mind which is set against obedience to God. Unbelief in consequence of this hardness which leads them to call even the truth of the Gospel in question. It is their attitude toward "The Living God"! "No believer today, Jew or Gentile, could go back into the Mosaic legal system since the temple is gone and there is no priesthood. "aphistemi, apostasia, dichostasia," by Heinrich Schlier, 1:512-13.] It is of little consequence to eternity whether it be the doctrine of faith or life of faith we reject, if persons are equally lost by either practical or speculative infidelity. But every believer is tempted to give up his confession of Christ and go back into the world system"s life of compromise and bondage." 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