{"id":2053,"date":"2022-11-06T12:28:56","date_gmt":"2022-11-06T18:28:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/?p=2053"},"modified":"2022-11-06T12:28:56","modified_gmt":"2022-11-06T18:28:56","slug":"hardened-through-deceitfulness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/06\/hardened-through-deceitfulness\/","title":{"rendered":"Hardened Through Deceitfulness"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\u201cTake heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.<\/strong>\u201d
Hebrews 3:12 <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Before Jesus went to the cross, he left some encouraging\nwords for his followers. He promised that he would send the Comforter (also\ncalled the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost) to them. Read the following to understand\nthe job of the Comforter (Holy Spirit). \u201c7. Nevertheless\nI tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not\naway, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him\nunto you. 8. And when he is come, he will\nreprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9.\nOf sin, because they believe not on me; 10.\nOf righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye\nsee me no more; <\/strong>11.\nOf judgment, because the prince of this world is\njudged<\/strong>\u201d (John 16:7-11). This is an important job. When one is\nfaced with sin, it is the Comforter (the Holy Spirit) that convicts (reproves)\nthe heart of sin. It is then up to the individual as to what they do with that\nconviction. Ideally, when one feels the conviction of sin, there is a turning\naway from that sin to Jesus. This is repentance. This conviction of sin comes\noften to Believers (Christians). However, there is an initial recognition of\nsin for each individual. It is then that the recognition of one\u2019s condition of\nsin is revealed, recognizing that there is a separation between that sinner and\na perfect and Holy God. This is referred to as a call (or \u201cdraw<\/strong>\u201d) to\nsalvation only found in Jesus. Read how Jesus described this event: \u201cNo man can come to me, except\nthe Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day<\/strong>\u201d\n(John 6:44).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read the following issue for all who hear the\noffer of salvation in Christ. \u201c4. For it is<\/em> impossible for those who\nwere once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made\npartakers of the Holy Ghost, 5. And have tasted the good word of God, and the\npowers of the world to come, 6. If they shall fall away, to renew them again\nunto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and\nput him<\/em> to an open shame<\/strong>\u201d (Hebrews 6:4-6). Once a person has heard\nthe conviction of sin from the Holy Spirit (\u201conce enlightened, and have\ntasted of the heavenly gift\u201d<\/strong>), there is a choice that must be made. One\nchoice is to either act upon that conviction (\u201cFor all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God<\/strong>\u201d\nRomans 3:23), confessing sin and trusting in Jesus to take that sin away,\nthereby becoming a Christian (\u201cBut\nGod commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ\ndied for us<\/strong>\u201d Romans 5:8). The other choice is to ignore that\nconviction and continue in one\u2019s sin. If one chooses to ignore the conviction\nof God\u2019s Spirit, there may not be another chance to repent. We have a vivid\nexample from the Old Testament that most are quite familiar with. Remember\nPharaoh and the ten plagues (see Exodus chapters 7-14). Pharaoh did not\nacknowledge God. \u201cAnd Pharaoh said, Who is<\/em> the LORD, that I should\nobey his voice to let <\/strong>Israel<\/strong>\ngo? I know not the LORD, neither will I let <\/strong>Israel<\/strong>\ngo<\/strong>\u201d (Exodus 5:2). God then sent ten plagues. For the first five plagues, we\nread that Pharaoh hardened his heart. However, for the final five plagues, God\nhardened Pharaoh\u2019s heart. There arrived a point that God no longer allowed\nPharaoh the privilege of choosing to turn to God and His will. Pharaoh had lost\nhis opportunity, and God removed the opportunity. The same can happen to one\nwho hears the conviction from God\u2019s Spirit upon the heart today. If one chooses\nto reject God and His will (choosing their own will, continuing in sin), there\nis no guarantee that God will provide another opportunity for repentance. One\nmay just spurn away their day of grace, which would render that one separated\nfrom God \u2013 forever. Remember Esau: \u201c16. Lest there be<\/em> any fornicator,\nor profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. <\/strong>17. For ye know how that afterward, when he\nwould have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of\nrepentance, though he sought it carefully with tears<\/strong>\u201d (Hebrews 12:16-17). He waited too long.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By one\u2019s attitude toward Christ and His gift, that one reveals the true condition of that heart and soul. Read the following warning and invitation: \u201c12. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin<\/strong>\u201d (Hebrews 3:12-13).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you responded to the conviction of sin, repenting and turning to Jesus Christ while it is today?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How to be Saved<\/a><\/blockquote>