As the Old Testament is the shadow of the New Testament, you see Baptism in the new covenant being compared to the process where Israelites passed through under the cloud and sea to join Moses (1 Corinthians 10:1-2), so does every believer go through baptism to join Christ.
It goes on to explain how they were a part of the miracles and drank from the spiritual Rock – Jesus (1 Corinthians 10:4)
Yet, sadly, it is written of them, “Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.” (1 Corinthians 10:5). Can that happen to Believers of Christ who verbally have accepted Christ and live as they please?
Speaking in Hebrews chapter 3, while addressing them as the holy brothers, who have a heavenly calling, the Holy Spirit clearly says to them:
“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put Me to the test and saw My works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known My ways.’ As I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.'”” Hebrews 3:7-11
What was it about them that made God give up on them?
Their hearts were hardened in following the rebellious nature of man. The nature of man that wants to do what they want to do and however they liked to and whenever they wanted to do.
What had caused this?
The answer is in the verse 13 of the third chapter of the Hebrews. “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13
Sin was allowed to dwell in their hearts so long, without true repentance, that it no more caused them to be convicted of their rebellion against God.
1 Timothy 4:2 talks about, “consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.”
Sin has the ability that if it is not immediately dealt with, it becomes a part of you. Like the skin that dies and loses the sensation when seared by a hot iron. Conviction of sin melts away when it is not dealt with immediately.
The warning goes out to the holy people of God, “Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again He appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”” (Hebrews 4:6,7 ESV)
Yes, it is true that God does not take away His gift and salvation given to man, but it is also true that you can choose to obey God and not harden your hearts with sin.
It is a fight: a fight to the end (Heb 3:14) to rise up from living in the pit of sin. We have got to run this race, with the fear of God and accept the love He showed us on the cross.
Our theology cannot only embrace the loving God whom we wrongly represent as Santa. He is also the fearful judge, who will judge those who fall away from the living God. (Heb 3:11,12)
Remember, He is the groom coming for a bride who is waiting and lives in preparation to meet Him face to face, not a girl who is checking out all her options. He is both the passionate lover and the fearsome judge. We cannot exclude one from the other.
Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. (Heb 2:1) Let’s shake ourselves up from anything that is holding us down in running after Him!
Have a blast with Jesus!
What do you think we need to do to prepare ourselves for the Bridegroom and the King? What are the steps needed to be taken to keep ourselves ready for Jesus? Do share your thoughts in the comments section. You know we love hearing from you!