“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.”
Hebrews 3:13
What does exhort mean? According to the dictionary, it means to strongly encourage or urge. So what does the Hebrews writer mean when he tells us to exhort one another every day? He means that we ought to be not only encouraging each other, but urging each other strongly toward righteousness and away from sin.
I love the phrase, “as long as it is called ‘today.’” In context, he’s referring to a verse from Psalm 95:7 that says “If today you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” In reference to that verse, he resolves that as long as the day is called “today” this verse applies. It’s basically a funny way of saying every day. Every single day we must be cautious not to allow sin to harden our hearts. That’s why the Hebrews writer tells us to exhort one another, “that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
There are a couple of things about those words that are important to unpack. First, the hardening effect of sin. When the bible uses the words “hard heart,” it basically means a person that is closed off to God, a brick wall that won’t allow God’s word, love, or mercy through. The Hebrews writer tells us that sin makes our hearts hard. Think about it. Have you ever faced a sin struggle that became so common to you that you no longer even felt guilty about it? You may have even convinced yourself it wasn’t even sinful. That’s the second part – the deceitfulness. Sin rewires your thought process. It convinces you to rationalize around it, even if you know the truth that it truly is sinful. I know I’ve been there.
It takes a community of believers around you to help you realize the wrong and hopefully bring you to repentance. Sometimes, though, it’s too late and the sin has calloused us to the truth of God.
This is what the Hebrews writer wants to make sure that we avoid. By exhorting each other, holding each other accountable, and never allowing tolerance for any sin, we ensure that we will not be hardened to the truth of God.
Prayer:
Father,
Thank you for the community of believers across the world that support and uphold each other in the faith. I pray that you will encourage and empower us to exhort each other constantly, leaving no room for sin to harden our hearts.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
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