“So, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts’” (Heb. 3:7,8).
What does ‘hardening’ mean?
The urging of the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, “Do not harden your hearts,” is originally directed at believers. It warns believers not to ignore or reject the voice of God, which is heard in God’s congregation or in the heart of a believer. However, the exhortation could just as well be directed at a non-believer who has begun to feel that God is calling him. He too can harden his heart and thereby reject God’s call to be forgiven. The state of hardening is sometimes called “the peace of hardening,” because in that state, sin does not trouble the person’s conscience.
The Christian Doctrine of our church teaches about the condition of worldliness or indifference, the call of God, the time of visitation, and the rejection of God’s call:
“If after a child is baptized, there is no opportunity for the Holy Spirit to care in the fellowship of Christ, the spirit of the world conquers his heart. He but faintly longs for God and eternity. He truly feels the emptiness of his life and from time to time sin troubles him; but he does not grasp that the most important matter for him would be the salvation of his soul. This condition is called sorrowlessness (=worldliness).” (The Christian Doctrine, Chapter 66)
Jesus once told his listeners a parable about a man whose heart was attached to temporal riches. The spirit of the world captured his heart and he lost eternal life. Jesus continued: “God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:16-21).
A worldly person who puts all their hope in temporal things is, after all, to be pitied (1 Cor 15:19). The prophet Amos cried: “Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria” (Amos 6:1).
The time of visitation – the time when God calls
Faith does not come from within a person, no matter how much he or she wants it. However, even in the life of a person who lives apart from God, there are moments when God draws that person especially close to Himself. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them” (John 6:44). God can awaken a worldly and sinful person through suffering or struggles in a loved one’s life, but often also through His Word.
Such a time is called a time of visitation. The Apostle Paul wrote to the congregation of Corinth: “As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 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 Cor 1-2).
Most often God calls us already in our youth. “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them” (Eccles. 12:1). But at other times, too, people can feel that the kingdom of God is close at hand, right at their fingertips. Then it is worth grabbing the opportunity, because it may pass over quickly. Isaiah taught: “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near” (Isa. 55:6).
Rejecting the Call
With God’s power, man can accept God’s call, but this does not always happen. Because of their sinful nature, man is only able to reject God’s call. Theythen present many kinds of excuses in order to avoid stepping into the light of God’s face. Thus they sink deeper and deeper into indifference and hardens his heart.
Do you remember how Jesus cried over the destiny of Jerusalem? Luke says: “As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you” (Luke 19:41-44).
The enemy of souls, however, is holding on tightly to its own.“Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.” (John 3:20)
What can lead a believer to become hardened?
Continuous disobedience to God’s word, i.e., committing sin and ignoring the voice of the conscience, leads to hardening of the believer’s heart and separation from God. One typical sin that a person may not even see as sin is love of the world.
John writes: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever” (1 Joh 2:15-17). That is why Jesus repeatedly said, “Watch out!”
Disappointments in life can also contribute to hardening. If everything does not go according to my plan and wishes, doubts may arise that even God has abandoned me. The heart can be filled with bitterness, a demanding attitude toward God, or indifference. Ultimately, this can lead to hardening of the heart and loss of the gift of faith. Carelessness and unwatchfulness alienate a person from the kingdom of God and the mutual unity of believers.
God calls all people. He wants everyone to be saved. However, an individual can decide for themselves that they do not want to obey God’s call. If they refuse to accept grace, it is their own fault, but if they humble themselves to repent and accept the grace of the forgiveness of sins, it is God’s work and His power.
Awakening
Hardening is a condition of the soul where a person has closed their heart to God’s Word and the voice of their conscience warning them about sin. Quite often hardening is permanent and final. A rare and great work of God is needed for one who has hardened their heart to awaken. Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:14-16) is an excellent example of this.
When God stops a person, they realize how sinful and evil they are. In fact, they realize that they have not only committed individual sins, but that their whole life is wrong, for the Bible teaches: “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” (James 2:10). Then anxiety and distress take hold of the person’s mind, and they begin to seek peace. This means that the merciful God is drawing them to Himself.
But in addition to feeling distress over sin, they begin to feel drawn to the Saviour and hope that, in spite of everything, the Saviour will not reject them.
“Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge” (Ps. 51:6)
“This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you” (Eph. 5:14)
“You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence” (Ps.
90:8)
This distress over sin and the longing for grace before God is called awakening. It is crucial to be aware that you cannot improve yourself by your own decision and whenever you want. Repentance is only possible if God has awakened the your conscience to be aware of your sinfulness. Jesus said: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them” (John 6:44).
How Can I Avoid Hardening
A hardened man despises God’s goodness. Paul writes to the Romans, “Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4)
A person with an awakened conscience is no longer in a state of hardening, but they still need to repent. There is a good reason why the Bible calls them for repentance when they hears God’s call. If a person continually puts off repentance, their heart may harden. Therefore it is necessary to reiterate the opening words that are repeated no less than twice in the third chapter of Hebrews: “As the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts’”.
Pray for the grace of repentance and the strength to receive the blessing of the Gospel during your outreach. Show obedience to God’s call. When the atoning blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin, we experience faith as a living force in our daily lives. Our hearts remain open and sensitive to God’s word. We are protected in true faith. Unity in the kingdom of God is our joy and our protection against the temptations of the world.
Author: Risto Saulio, edited by Antti Halonen
Image: iStock