Post by Cindy on Dec 7, 2015 11:45:05 GMT -5
I've been reading Mark and came to another place where Jesus speaks about hardened hearts - in the disciples this time. Since that's been a subject I've been studying intently for some time now, I really dug into it again. Just as I was about to think I was "finished' for the day, a thought hit me that totally blew me away. Over and over I've read from over 22 different commentaries, a dozen bible dictionaries and several handbooks and theology books, about how easy it is for a heart to be hardened and how it gets harder with each decision made. Generally we think of unbelievers hearts being hardened when they either put off a decision or decide against accepting God's offer of salvation. We know that there is a "line" so to speak that once a person crosses it, there's no return. In other words, if an unbeliever is told about the gospel and decides against pursuing a relationship with Christ (putting off a decision is the same as deciding against it)at that time, their heart is hardened a little. Each time they hear about Christ, and don't decide for Him, it's hardened more. Keep in mind that hearing about it again can be anything from someone saying something that reminds them about God, hearing a song, seeing a t-shirt or bumper sticker etc; seeing a bible and not picking it up to investigate what they've heard, to a full blown attempt at witnessing to them. If they continue down that path of either putting off a decision or deciding against Christ,one day their heart will be so hard that they will be unable to accept God's gift even if they should want to do so. They will have crossed God's invisible line and it will be too late. People who repeatedly resist God's Truth become spiritually insensitive and dull and lose the ability to understand it.
This is what got me: Generally when we think of telling someone about Jesus, we think of it exactly opposite of how it really is. We think we'll tell someone about Jesus, then they'll think about it and then we'll tell them again or more another time and they'll consider it more...until eventually when we and/or others have told them enough, or they've heard it often enough, they'll finally accept God's offer. We may do things like take them to church with us, or maybe tell them what God's done for us etc thinking that each time we do, it's like adding more power toward them getting saved, right? Well, at least I've always thought so. But it doesn't work that way at all! God says it's the opposite of that! Each time they're told and don't decide for Christ, they lose a little of their ability to understand because they're becoming spiritually insensitive, deaf,and blind!
In other words, we think it's more likely someone will become saved the more they hear about God, whereas God says that if they don't decide the first time that every time after that it becomes less likely! Obviously people DO become saved after hearing about it numerous times, but that happened only because of God's mercy not because they heard about it so often. What it made me realize was that my very first attempt needs to be "all out" and I need to do my level best to see to their salvation right then and there, just as if I knew there would literally be no tomorrow.
I've always done the opposite, thinking that I had plenty of time and that I'd wear them down sooner or later, so I never pressed the issue. Now I see that we really do need to press the issue, because even if it's the first time we've discussed it with the person, we have no way of knowing how many others have already done so, or how much they've been exposed to it already. So that's what I took away from what I was studying. I can guarantee you that the information I gave you about hearts becoming hard is what the Bible says. What I can't guarantee is what I got from it about needing to make our first effort count for all we're worth. I believe that's correct from what I've learned about hardness of heart, but everyone should check it out for themselves as well. I just had to share it though as it really blew my mind!
“So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ” See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Hebrews 3:7–13)
“For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2
This is what got me: Generally when we think of telling someone about Jesus, we think of it exactly opposite of how it really is. We think we'll tell someone about Jesus, then they'll think about it and then we'll tell them again or more another time and they'll consider it more...until eventually when we and/or others have told them enough, or they've heard it often enough, they'll finally accept God's offer. We may do things like take them to church with us, or maybe tell them what God's done for us etc thinking that each time we do, it's like adding more power toward them getting saved, right? Well, at least I've always thought so. But it doesn't work that way at all! God says it's the opposite of that! Each time they're told and don't decide for Christ, they lose a little of their ability to understand because they're becoming spiritually insensitive, deaf,and blind!
In other words, we think it's more likely someone will become saved the more they hear about God, whereas God says that if they don't decide the first time that every time after that it becomes less likely! Obviously people DO become saved after hearing about it numerous times, but that happened only because of God's mercy not because they heard about it so often. What it made me realize was that my very first attempt needs to be "all out" and I need to do my level best to see to their salvation right then and there, just as if I knew there would literally be no tomorrow.
I've always done the opposite, thinking that I had plenty of time and that I'd wear them down sooner or later, so I never pressed the issue. Now I see that we really do need to press the issue, because even if it's the first time we've discussed it with the person, we have no way of knowing how many others have already done so, or how much they've been exposed to it already. So that's what I took away from what I was studying. I can guarantee you that the information I gave you about hearts becoming hard is what the Bible says. What I can't guarantee is what I got from it about needing to make our first effort count for all we're worth. I believe that's correct from what I've learned about hardness of heart, but everyone should check it out for themselves as well. I just had to share it though as it really blew my mind!
“So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ” See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Hebrews 3:7–13)
“For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2
!!
