Hearts Are Hardened Through Sin

Hebrews 3:7–13
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In many places, the Bible warns us not to “harden our hearts.” This means to stubbornly set ourselves against God so that we are no longer able to turn to Him for forgiveness. This passage is one of those warnings (vv. 7-9). Some Bible scholars say this was written to Christians who had hardened their hearts against God. Others say it was written to those who knew the gospel but had not committed themselves to it. I personally do not know, but believe these verses could have been written with both in mind.

Yes, it is possible for born-again  believers to become spiritually cold and harden their hearts against God. Do you remember how convicted you were when you were first saved and you were faced with the need of giving up some sin or habit in your life? But as time went on you began to find excuses, and today the very things that once brought you feelings of guilt and conviction are now condoned without any conscience toward them. If this is the case, as with the Israelites, you have hardened your heart, and is why you are not growing spiritually. This is why it took the Israelites forty years to make a journey that normally would have only taken eleven days (v. 9).

God was angry with them, and grieved with that generation. He said, “They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I swear in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest” (vv. 10-12). He told them that they must warn each other every day, as long as it is called “today,” so that no one will be deceived by sin and hardened against God (v. 13).

Application

Is there some hard-hearted person that I could be used by God to soften? What part could I play in this softening process?