Hebrews 3:12-13: Exhorting One Another

Hebrews 4:12-13 "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."

We take a brief interruption in our study of the Psalms this morning to look at one of my personal favorite passages in the book of Hebrews. Last week, Dylan (my RA) gave me the wonderful opportunity to lead our hall's devotion tonight. Thus, the past two days I have been looking at the beautiful truth found in Hebrews 3 and 4 in order to lead them, but why not share it with you also? Today, in Hebrews 3:12-13, we are going to find out that as long as "today" is called "today," we ought to exhort one another not to fall into sin.

The context of Hebrews 3 and 4 is very interesting. Hebrews is a book talking all about how Jesus is greater than anything else this world has to offer, and the application thereof. (You should read it! It's a good book.) In tthe majority of Hebrews 3 and 4, the author is applying the fact that Jesus is better than Moses, an idea that is found in the beginning of chapter 3. The author of Hebrews's point is this: because Jesus is better than Moses, we can thus enter into God's REST, because although Moses failed to enter it, through Christ, we can not enter it.

The principle above is surely way too deep to dive into a short devotional, so we are going to look into one aspect of that application: exhortation. The writer of Hebrews encourages his readers in Hebrews 3:12-13 to exhort one another so that we might be encouraged by our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to enter the REST that God has offered. Ultimately, the author of Hebrews tells us, REST is entered by means of belief and obedience. Thus, we must exhort one another to live in both belief and obedience (which the author of Hebrews argues go directly together) so that we might enjoy the very REST that God offers us.

So, how do we do that? How do we exhort our fellow brothers and sisters to believe in God and obey him so that they might enjoy the beauty of the Lord's rest? Well, first of all, the author of Hebrews says to do it all the time. "As long as it is called 'today,'" the author of Hebrews says, we ought to exhort one another to not fall into sin. Last time I checked, "today" is still called "today." And until you wake up and "today" is called something different, we still ought to exhort our fellow peers toward godliness. Isn't that just beautiful?

So, where's the application today? Dear brothers and sisters, spur one another on towards love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24). When you see a brother or sister obeying the Lord, encourage him by honoring his faith in Christ. When you see a brother or sister disobeying the Lord, exhort him to turn from his ways and follow Christ (that is, in a gentle and humble manner in the appropiate place and time, see Matthew 18). Futhermore, exhort by example. Live a gody life in the presence of your peers so that you may encouage them in the faith. Amen.