It's funny to me now as I reread this passage that I didn't notice the link. I wrote previously about the importance that Hebrews had on my own decision to follow Christ. What I failed to note, though, was the significance of Hebrews in my recent growth.
In December 2005, I was first introduced to a study either based on or directly from Unity of the Bible written by Daniel Fuller. The study is also written by Fuller, though even if it's not directly from the book.
Oversimplified, the study is about the various ways one defies God by disbelieving His promises and reminds how we can fight disbelief in God - which leads to death - by remembering God's clear promises to us.
A fundamental scripture used within the study comes from Hebrews 3. It's the following chunk of the chapter.
Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, while it is said,
"TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,
DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS,
AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME."
For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient?
So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.
So, for the past two years I've been studying - sometimes against my will - the theology of Hebrews and I never really made a connection. I know it sounds strange, but it's true. I sort of disassociated this scripture from the Book of Hebrews once it was transplanted into the study.
The most important thing, however, isn't the connection, but the lesson this scripture teaches: we will not enter God's rest if we cease to believe.
For me, this idea plays out in two ways:
1. it reminds me that it isn't sin that denies a person eternal rest in God. It's disbelief. A person doesn't go to Hell for telling lies, or for murder, or for being gay, or whatever sin you want to choose. A person goes to hell when they refuse the Lord.
2. The alternative is true. I am not saved by the things I do. The Israelites all followed Moses out of Egypt, but it wasn't enough to simply follow Moses and struggle in the desert! They were required to believe! Suffering doesn't equal salvation. Following rules doesn't equal salvation.
