Hebrews 3:14 "For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end."
We're going to step aside just here to share a thought from Andrew Murray that we believe just goes well here and we quote: “The greatest stumbling-block in the way of victory over prayerlessness is the secret feeling that we shall never obtain the blessing of being delivered from it. Often have we put forth effort in this direction, but in vain. Old habit and the power of the flesh, our surroundings with their attractions, have been too strong for us. What good is it to attempt that which our heart assures us is out of our reach? The change needed in the entire life is too great and too difficult. If the question is put: 'Is a change possible?' our sighing heart says: 'Alas, for me it is entirely impossible!' Do you know why that reply comes? It is simply because you have received the call to prayer as the voice of Moses and as a command of the law. Moses and his law have never yet given anyone the power to obey.
What we have said about deliverance from the sin of prayerlessness has also application as answer to the question: `How may the experience of deliverance be maintained?' Redemption is not granted to us piecemeal, or as something of which we may make use from time to time. It is bestowed as a fullness of Grace stored up in the Lord Jesus, which may be enjoyed in the New fellowship with Him every day. It is so necessary that this great Truth should be driven home and fastened in our minds that we will once more mention it. Nothing can preserve you from carelessness, or make it possible for you to persevere in living, powerful prayer, but a daily close fellowship with Jesus our Lord and the power of the Cross.
He said to His disciples: 'You believe in God, believe also in Me... Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me ...He that believe on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do' (John 14.1, 11, 12).
The Lord wished to teach His disciples that all they had learned from the Old Testament concerning the power and holiness and love of God must now be transferred to Him. They must not believe merely in certain written documents but in Him personally. They must believe that He was in the Father, and the Father is in Him, in such a sense that they had one life, one glory, one hope, one spirit and yes one faith. All that they knew about Christ they would find in God. He laid much emphasis on this because it was only through such a faith in Him and His divine glory that they could do the works which He did, or even greater works. Greater because there by His deaths resurrection would cause more to become as He was, seated at the right hand of God in the Heavenliest, by faith plus nothing. This faith would lead them to know that just as Christ and the Father are one, so also they were in Christ and Christ was in them. It is this intimate, spiritual, personal, uninterrupted relationship to the Lord Jesus which manifests itself powerfully in our lives, and especially in our prayer lives. Let us consider this and see what it means: that all the glorious attributes of God are in our Lord Jesus Christ.” Taken from “The Books of Andrew Murray” in the book “The Prayer Life” chapter three with limited editing by us.
Now picking up with our thought here in Hebrews chapter three and verse 14. An we think you'll see how this all blends in together.
In other words, if salvation is real, if salvation had been totally (this action of God includes our redemption and placement into the spiritual body of Christ) completed by that act of God, then it can never end. It can never be taken away, because that is an act of God. We've said it over and over, stop and think of all that God does. Not what we do, but think of all that God does the moment He saves us and sees our trust. He forgives us, and as we have already seen in I Corinthians, chapter 12, He places us into the one body, He redeems us, He pays the purchase price, He justifies us, He sanctifies us, He glorifies us, He puts the Holy Spirit within us, Should I keep going?! Can God undo all of that? No way. God WILL not! Or He wouldn’t be the God of His Word. He wouldn't be a Covenant keeping God, the Ever Living One, the God of an Endless Life. But this one thing we have to get hold of He demands our obedience to His divine Will and purpose which this Gospel reveals and the Old Testament Law demands, death.
And so, the whole IF problem is, have they been genuinely saved, or have they merely tasted or only made a emotional affirmation. Have they considered it, but in their heart they are still saying, I can’t quite buy this? Alright, so let’s go on to verse 15.
Hebrews 3:15a
"While it is said, Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts,…"
That goes back again into the previous verse. What hardens hearts? Sin! And who is at the head of the sin business? Satan. Let us show you in II Corinthians, chapter 4, and let’s just look at verses 3 and 4:
II Corinthians 4:3-4a
" But if our gospel be hid (in other words, of no use) it is hid to them that are lost: (they are still in their lawlessness. They are still in their sin, and in these people that are still in their lawlessness, in these people)In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which (oh, what is the word?) believe not,…"
Isn’t that simple? It doesn’t say a word about all the sins of the flesh that we mentioned before. No, that’s not their problem. That’s just the result of their unbelief. But, the opposite of unbelief is belief! Trust, trust in His Faith! See? Now reading verse 4 again.
II Corinthians 4:4 "In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the visible image of the invisible God, should shine unto them."
So who keeps people in their darkness. Well, Satan does. How does Satan do it? By keeping them involved in their sin. Now, can you see why we’ve got a problem today? My, our kids are hooked on the videos and the TV programs that are nothing but rot and smut, and it simply destroys their character, then there's our school and religious systems which corrupts their thinking. No wonder it is so hard to get through to them. The only way, evidently, churches think they can get them is to use the world’s approach. We can’t agree with it, but more and more are going that way. The problem is they have been blinded by the deceitfulness of sin. That's why there's no prayer life in the individual or church, yes its because they've allowed sin in the camp and the devil has had a field day now for over 5000 years.
Alright, back to Hebrews chapter 3, and verse 15 again, and then I want to come back to Romans again.
Hebrews 3:15a
"While it is said, Today if you will hear His voice,…"
Alright, how do we hear the voice of God? How do we hear it? Well, Romans, chapter 10 tells us. We're sure you know and you will recognize them as soon as we start. Starting at verse 13.
Romans 10:1314a
"For whosoever (none excepted, this is an invitation to the whole human race.) shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (that’s a promise. Now then, the question is,) How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?…"
In other words, how can they become believers of someone they Know nothing of? Or as is the case today who knows nothing of God or His mysteries as revealed to Paul.
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