Can A Christian Fall Away? (Hebrew 3)

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 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. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. (Hebrews 3: 12-14)

Be careful! The Hebrew writer sees danger for the Christian and so he gives him (and us) a clear warning. The alarm has been sounded and the dreadful words that many people deny even exists are used... fall away. Books have been written. Sermons have been preached. And arguments have been had. Many will say, "no, it is impossible for Christians to fall away!" But there it is, "leading you to fall away from the living God".

So, what will we do with this? We could deny it all together! We could explain it away. We could use other verses that seem to teach something else to argue against it. Or... we could accept that the Hebrew writer understood something that we need to understand... maybe. Three verses stating the exact same message just might be evidence of a truth that we need to grasp.

Verse 12....Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. Take care "brothers". The people being addressed are Christians. The warning is directed to those that have placed their faith in Him. The problem is unbelief. Christians never struggle with that! Do they? I have. Some days God seems farther away. Some days I doubt. The warning is that if that continues and grows, the risk is that the Christian will "fall away from the living God." Some of you are shaking your heads right now, "that can't happen!". Ok, let's move on.

Verse 13...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. The solution to the problem that is detailed in verse 12 is given in verse 13. We need each other! I have a responsibility to my brothers and sisters. I "must" give them encouragement. I must see their needs and meet them. Without that continual exhortation, the danger is that the heart will be hardened. I have seen this and I am sure you have also. Concrete is hauled in trucks that continually mix it... why? If it sits, it hardens. If the Christian is left alone to his / her own devices, their hearts will harden. Life will happen and they will begin to lose faith. Sin will deceive us and we will turn away from Him. We need each other!

Verse 14...For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. This is an if/ then statement given in reverse order. Let's turn it around... if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end, then we have come to share in Christ. The sharing in Christ is conditioned on our remaining faithful to the end. (check out Revelation 2:10) This is not an abstract thought, it is the thought that is consistent throughout the Bible! What do we think Jesus is teaching in the parable of the soils in Matthew 13? Why did Paul write so many letters of encouragement that warn of the dangers of losing faith? If none of this is possible, why all the warnings?

Hebrews 3 establishes Jesus as the one who is worthy of our faith. He is greater than Moses. Moses was a servant, Jesus is the Son! It begins by addressing the readers as "holy brothers, those that share in the heavenly calling" and proceeds to warn them of the dangers they would face and the outcome of their faith. What about you? Are you struggling with belief? Do you see another Christian struggling? Get busy being encouraged or encouraging. Once the concrete has hardened, it is too late.

Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.
(Revelation 2:10-11)

You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. (Galatians 5:4)

For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. (Hebrews 6:4-6)