Hebrews 3:11-12
18 May 2025
As I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’
Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil,
unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.
So here we have in verse 12, because this afternoon we’re focusing on verses 11, but mainly 12. What is the third command, the third exhortation in the book of Hebrews? So, so far, just to remind you, in chapter 2 verse 1, there is the, “Therefore, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard.” Then in chapter 3 verse 1, there is the, “Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus.” Now we come to this third warning in the book of Hebrews here in verse 12.
“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart.”
Now that is quite an exhortation. In fact, it’s more than just an exhortation. It is a warning. This is a warning that is given to the gathered church. Now straight away as we read this warning, to clarify what this is not: this is not a warning against the passive neglect of a believer who is backsliding, but rather it is a warning directly against the active opposition of a heart that is evil. Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick.”
Now at this point, as we’re reading this verse and thinking, “Take care, brothers, lest there be in you an evil unbelieving heart,” we would surely have the first impressing question: Surely, in the time of the New Covenant, for us as Christians saved by the blood of Christ, such a warning isn’t needed. Because after all, the salvation of a Christian is the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, Christ’s completed work, and that alone. And it is not on any way basis any work that we do. Well, absolutely. There is no work that we can do to make ourselves saved, to be born again. It is entirely down to the saving work of Christ. But the question then comes to each of us sitting here: is that you?
Because as I’m sure everyone has considered in church gatherings, there are many people, including in churches where there is formalised membership, there’s baptisms and some people coming to the front being added to the church. There are many people who are added to churches. They are recognised as Christians and yet are not truly born again.
This verse, Hebrews 3:12, is talking about an evil and an unbelieving heart, an evil and an unbelieving heart. Now when we read of that, there are two things to say, therefore, with regards to what it means to be a Christian in the context of the life of a church. First of all, in the membership of this church, nobody knows exactly what is going on in another person’s heart. And 1 Corinthians 13:7 exhorts us to, because of love, “Love believes and hopes all things.” And so that’s not to say that, well, as long as somebody says they’re a Christian, as long as somebody says they bring a prayer once upon a time, we’ve just got to take another word and we’ll accept anyone who says they’re a Christian is a Christian.
But at the same time, with seeking to use biblical discernment, seeking to examine whether someone is truly born again, there could be those who are saying, maybe even thinking that they are born again believers, but actually have this evil, unbelieving heart. And this takes me to the second consideration and this is of crucial importance. What is tonight for you the basis by which you would call yourself a Christian? Now for some, they would say, “Well, it’s because I asked Jesus into my heart some thirty years ago,” and that’s the basis for them saying they’re a Christian today. Now do we then look at, well, what does the next thirty years look like in your life?
But then equally, there are those who say, “Well, I do. I pray my prayers every day. I come to church. I am a faithful religious Christian.” And again, is this what it means to be a believer?
Now if you’re sitting here and thinking, “Well, I’ve already got some issues with the whole subject of my assurance of salvation,” but we’ll get to that subject when we deal with verse 14. But when we come here to verse 12, this is also equally a challenge and even for anyone who’s wondering about their assurance of salvation, should be a comfort, an affirmation to the true believer. Because let me assure you on the authority of the Word of God, if you are truly born again you cannot and you will not lose your salvation. Verses like this, verse 12, is not saying take care in case something changes in your salvation and you go from having the heart of flesh where you’ve been a born again believer saved by the blood of Christ and then eventually you end up having an unbelieving heart. No.
This is a warning against the danger of those who were never saved. So let’s be very clear on this biblically. There is no losing of your salvation. If you don’t be Christian enough or do Christian enough things, then maybe you might not get over the line. That is not the gospel.
The gospel is resting entirely on the finished completed work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross: His death and resurrection, and you being declared justified because the Spirit of God has breathed new life into you. That is the means by which you are saved. And one of the ways in which you then discern and live as a Christian is the fruit of what that produces in your life. So we come now to the text itself, and we’re going to briefly deal with verse 11 before we work on this specific warning in verse 12. And verse 11 is helpful for dealing with the warning in verse 12 and also it ties together that Psalm 95, which is quoted from verses 7 to 11.
Because verse 11 concludes by saying, of Israel in the wilderness,
“As I swore in My wrath, ‘They[, Israel,] shall not enter My rest.’”
Now what’s been the reason? Because after all, Exodus 3:17, God Himself promises to Moses at the burning bush, “I promise,” God says, “that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.”
Now we do know, brothers and sisters, that eventually Israel will go to this land flowing with milk and honey, but not this generation. The generation that is taken out of slavery, they will fall at the wilderness. They will not enter the rest that God has promised. Why? Because of their hardness of heart. Because of their rebellion against the living God. What has been pr oven of that generation? The very thing that’s warned in verse 12—they had an evil unbelieving heart. And so with the warning from church history, namely the Old Testament in this context, we look at what Israel did in that wilderness, that they didn’t enter the rest, a subject that will be unpacked in greater detail in chapter 4. And then comes the warning. You look at Israel.
You look at them being the example of an evil unbelieving heart. And now we come to verse 12,
“Take care then, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil and unbelieving heart.”
That’s the warning. That is the warning that should make us sit up and take note. Now one thing that’s interesting, if you notice in verse 1 of our chapter, the second exhortation in the book, it says, “Therefore, holy brothers,” then we come to verse 12 and now it says, “Take care, brothers.” Why the change in language? Why is the word holy been dropped? Well, one of the practical reasons in the context of the end of Hebrews 3 is that the writer is now dealing with some pastoral issues, some wolf-like behaviour which has come up, namely a hardness of heart type behaviour, which is what has led to this being written. So, obviously, what the writer to the Hebrews is warning against is that in amongst these professing Christians, there is this very thing where some of them have actually this evil and unbelieving heart.
Now it’s interesting in this warning that’s given in verse 12 that it talks of leading you to fall away from the living God. Now that language is something that we do see in a similar sort of way elsewhere. Take, for example, 1 Timothy 4:1, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.”
So there are dangers, as we were considering this morning, in terms of the way by which the evil one, our adversary, seeks to devour the flock. Also, we need to understand that another thing that will happen is that those who are not truly born again, that reveal themselves to have this evil, unbelieving heart, they will fall away. They will fall away. And so what we need to do in our time here this afternoon is consider, who are these people? Do such people exist in the lives of churches? And as we’re going to consider, yes, they do. And even where we do examine our hearts and examine where we are in the life of the church.
In order to help consider this warning, we’re going to go to a parable that the Lord Jesus teaches. If we go to Luke chapter 8, it is the parable of the sower. We’re just going to go straight into the Lord Jesus’ explanation of the parable. We’ll start from verse 11 of chapter 8 down to verse 15. So here we have the parable of the sower. The Lord Jesus giving the warning and the teaching of different soils that receive this seed and the way by which it grows or fails to grow. So we’ll pick it up in chapter 8 verse 11.
“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.” Amen.
Now let me just remind you of what Hebrews chapter 3 verse 12 says,
“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart.”
So this is directing those who would be addressed as brothers and sisters. A warning to brothers and sisters that we call brothers and sisters: be warned, be wary of this reality. And here in this parable, the Lord Jesus is giving us teaching of different ways in which the truth of God’s word and the gospel is heard and then received. So let’s just quickly consider this first soil that’s given because in some ways it’s the most obvious problem. But as we consider in these moments, it’s a problem that exists within Christianity.
So in this first soil, we have a picture of it being on a path. So if you put any seed on a path, what’s going to happen? Well, we can visualise it in a city like ours with bird seagulls coming in and they’ll quickly grab it. It’s certainly not going to take any root. And Jesus is saying that some people hear a word in this manner. People with a hardened heart. People who are desensitised often to the truth. Take for example, even some who are being raised in a Christian home, who have been attending church for a long time, they’ve heard the teachings of the Bible, they’ve even heard the gospel, and yet where is their heart? How many times have you heard in a conversation with someone them attributing their so-called Christianity or even a profession of faith on the basis of, “Well, I was growing up as a Christian. I’ve been to church longer than most people in this room have been alive.” So what? Has it taken root in the heart? That’s the issue because it can be, as simple as, it’s taken no root at all. Your heart remains unchanged, and it’s obvious. For some, they can’t even articulate the gospel, let alone live a life because of, on the basis of, being changed by the gospel. And that’s the problem.
And just take the example of Israel in their rebellion in the wilderness and see, they were not a group of pagans who had no knowledge of Yahweh. They were God’s chosen covenant people. They were chosen and set apart that they may worship Him. They saw the plagues. They saw Egypt being struck down. They saw the miracles of the water being given. The manna coming from the desert. They saw it all. They were blessed by it. And what did they do? They got angry when things didn’t go their way. They became almost violent in their quarrels with Moses because their hearts were hardened. And so often also, and this is usually more applicable when it comes to outside the walls of church buildings, we see that, don’t we? When the word of God is proclaimed, when we preach Christ crucified, people will respond either with outright apathy and disinterest because it’s of no relevance to their lives or they’ll respond with disdain and anger. And that’s it.
The sower scatters that seed and the devil comes and just scoops it up straight. And it’s heartbreaking to see. It’s heartbreaking to see. And we know probably now of people in that bracket. And also, let’s not simply just think, “Well, there’ll be no people out there somewhere.”
Let’s consider the dangers of this here within this room. Because again, let me remind you, Hebrews 3:12,
“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart.”
Now with that, we’ll come to the second soil that’s given, which is another way in which we can understand how there can be this evil unbelieving heart in the way by which the word is received. So in verse 13,
“And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy, but these have no root. They believe for a while, and in time of testing, fall away.”
Now this is a bit more difficult to spot and increasingly so in our church culture. Let’s quickly deal with the image of this parable, first of all. So in a territory like Israel, there would have been soil on some places where hard rocky ground would be very quickly underneath. So it would be shallow. So perhaps you scatter the seed on such a soil and it does take root, something grows but it’s got no depth and it will quickly, with any difficult season, just fall away. Now, where is this applicable in the context of Christianity? It’s applicable in Christianity in all too many ways. When we think about what even the worship of God has become, what the church of Jesus Christ has become in so many parts of the world and increasingly so in this part of the world. If you’re on social media, you probably don’t go a day without finding some horror of what is being passed masquerading as Christianity that looks increasingly like the world and increasingly with messages that are in outright opposition to biblical Christianity. And yet at the same time, what do we see?
We see many people receiving Christianity with great joy. Even recently in our country, there have been reports of much higher numbers of people attending church services and being part of churches. Now on one level that is definitely something to be thankful for, but there has to also be a very careful examination of what these churches are. What is being proclaimed in the house of God? Because all too often what we are finding is churches that are big on hyped up emotion, light on doctrine, and heavy on pragmatism and nuances where it is whipping up the people in the auditorium or wherever it may be into some degree of an emotional frenzy, of a great degree of a sense of joy, and even perhaps this will include an altar call where many people will be coming to give their lives to Jesus and we see a growing church.
What is going to happen to that growing church in the next generation? Does this current generation of growing Christians and growing churches know the true gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ? Has the truth of the word of God? Has this seed taken root? That is the question when we see the Lord Jesus Himself and Hebrews 3:12 warn against the danger. And this is the danger that the hearts of so many are wicked, evil, unbelieving, and for a time such hearts are receiving this message with joy, jumping up and down singing praise to the Lord in their thousands. But then what? Then what, brothers and sisters? Because this is where the concern needs to be in light of what the likes of the Apostle Paul prays for the churches. What should we be praying for for such churches?
Colossians 1:9, “That the church would have the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.”
It’s why our Lord says in verse 13 there of this text, “And the ones on the rock are those who when they hear the word receive it with joy, but these have no root.”
And this is why we pray for that root, that foundation that will be lasting. And what does that look like? What do we long to see for people who come into the house of God and they are receiving the word with joy? Because Christianity is joyful. It is an incomparable and glorious joy to behold that the Lord Jesus Christ has come graciously to save His chosen people. But what does it look like for a wretched sinner with an unbelieving heart to receive that truly? It looks like being overcome with a sense of conviction of sin.
It’s why Peter said in Luke 5:8,
“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man.”
It’s why in Matthew 5:4 the Lord Jesus says,
“Blessed are those who mourn.”
If we want to talk about things like true revival, that isn’t my people jumping up and down. It’s when God visits us and breaks us, brings us to our knees in repentance where we are longing that the Spirit of God would change our hearts and shape the direction in which we live, that impacts the way we worship our God, the way by which we lead our families, the way by which we go forth and be truly salt and light in a culture like this. But that’s not so often what we’re seeing. And brothers and sisters we need to be clear: the church is not made of grass that is going to quickly get blown away.
No, we are grounded and rooted like a tree producing branches with fruit. Fruit which is the means by which we are known for the faith we have in Christ, which is that root. Christ produces that lasting change and here we can see that many with evil unbelieving hearts receive it in an only temporary and shallow way. One other warning that’s given with regards to the danger of an evil unbelieving heart in verse 14, and that is those who receive it, but then fall among the thorns. Verse 14,
“And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.”
Who are such people? Sometimes, maybe often, you are those people. If you think about where our attitudes, our priorities rest, and so often, we know that the things, the cares of this world are choking us up. This is the picture. We can picture something that is true and precious, namely this good fruit that’s being produced but getting choked up in these thorns and thistles. That’s the cares of the world. Think about how many people maybe have a mindset of, “Well, I’ve been to church on a Sunday morning. I’ve done my bit for the week, and I’m going to get back to my real life.”
Or perhaps there is more of a clear understanding. “Well, yes, Christianity is an important thing, but there are other treasures. There are other things that you are actually more and heartfelt-wise satisfied by and longing for.” Now let me make this very clear. If your desire is worldly cravings, things of the flesh, Jesus will not satisfy you. If you are living a life as a so-called Christian, but your true satisfaction is in the world in any way, shape, or form, then what you are looking for in Christianity and the Lord Jesus Christ will not satisfy.
And that’s the danger. Who and what is your satisfaction? Who and what is your lasting treasure here this evening? Is it your job, your career status, your family, your hobbies, your leisure? What is it that drives you in your life?
Because this is the warning. It’s the warning that will be exposed in an evil and unbelieving heart because an evil and unbelieving heart will be exposed. Because what we are really looking for is like Aladdin, a genie, who is going to be able to give us our wishes and what we really want, and if Jesus can do that great, if not Jesus something else. Unless we understand that Jesus is the One that we truly long for, the One that we truly need and He shapes and fashions everything that we do. That’s where even when it comes to your assurance of salvation, as you examine your heart now, ask yourself that question as you examine your heart.
Because an evil unbelieving heart desires not for the things of God and the glory and the treasure of the Lord Jesus Christ. It will be exposed and as Hebrews 3:12 warns, you will fall away. And that’s what Jesus is warning against in these dangers. And that’s why examples of men and women of God in Scripture, for example, are such a blessing to us. Take the Apostle Paul. Is he being overly pietistic when he says that he counts all things as rubbish compared to the surpassing knowledge of knowing, walking, and living for Jesus Christ? Is he trying to sound like the more spiritual one? No. This is a man who quite openly, as we’ve seen in 1 Corinthians, would say he is the scum of the earth. He’s not getting applauded down the way for being Mister Amazing Christianity and the Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. No. He’s being beaten, whipped, spat upon, ridiculed, and rejected. Does that sound familiar? Is this not exactly what we saw of the Lord Jesus Christ? And that’s where as we come to the point that the Lord Jesus makes in verse 15 of the good soil.
“They are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart and bear fruit with patience.”
And that’s the difference. That is the transformation, folks. Where can such language of honest and good heart—does that sound like you? Well, if you’re a born again believer, yes, it is you. Incredibly, wonderfully, gloriously, it is you by the grace of God. Yes. Certainly, we can understand Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick.” We can give testimony to and a long list of yes, that is me. But what’s changed? What has changed that could produce an honest and good heart? And this is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, the life-saving message that takes root and transforms the heart, shapes the desires, aligns the affections according to the things of God for the glory of God, for the advance of God’s kingdom. That’s the transformation.
That is the transformation that for those who have an evil unbelieving heart, it simply is not the case. Because for the true believer, what are we holding on to and resting upon this evening? Like, and we go back to, it’s not because of some decision you made once upon a time, it’s not because you’ve prayed enough prayers or you’ve attended church or given enough money. That is not the gospel, in any way what can, will, does, make you a Christian. If you know in your heart here this evening, the truth of the gospel of what the Lord Jesus Christ has done, as we’ve been unpacking in the book of Hebrews so far in coming down to where we are on this sinful, fallen, wretched earth.
And yet though He assumed our physical condition, He did not assume the moral condition. He was spiritually pure and perfect without sin. And that takes us to the very glory of the gospel where this perfect God-Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, would be the One, the only One to lay down His life for sinners like us. Are you resting here this evening in the completed work of Christ? That the sword of judgement you are deserving of which casts you into hell, Christ bore it on Calvary. He bore your sin. He paid that penalty. He faced God’s wrath and judgement. And by doing so, He eternally put away your sin that you could stand freely forgiven, justified in the presence of the living God. That is your only hope and that is your absolute assurance as a Christian and that assurance is a changed heart.
A changed heart. Christ’s blood being shed for your salvation is not simply a covering for sin, though it very much does cover your sin. It is also a transformation of the heart. It cleanses you of all your sin and unrighteousness. That is our hope.
That is the change that is produced. And brothers and sisters, this is why warnings like this are given because tonight the question must then be as we close, do you know and truly believe and live according to this glorious gospel? 2 Peter 1:10,
“Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practise these qualities, you will never fall.”
Verses like that are not saying, make sure you work hard enough and then you will earn your salvation. No. Again, to be clear, your salvation is entirely because of the saving work of Christ for His chosen people and it is the gift of God’s grace that has transformed your heart. That is the only means and reason by which you come in repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. And because of this changed heart, because of this changed life, you read this warning and by the grace of God, you will make your calling and election sure, not by the means of what you do to add to it, but this is the fruit that is produced because of it.
Where is your desire and your affection this evening? Because if you are one who knows the truth of the gospel and lives as a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, this is that truth. That is the change. And oh, brothers and sisters, how not only in our own lives, but in the lives of professing Christians up and down the land, this is what we would long to see. None of you in any way should take any sense of delight or any misplaced pride that there are so many churches that are failing, so many churches that are not getting the gospel right, so many churches that have given way to silly charismania. That is a source of immense grieving, and it makes it all the more reason why we in our hearts should be examining, is this the truth of the gospel that we know? And if it is, are we then going forth and living our lives accordingly and proclaiming this message in all humility and by all God’s grace, longing that the Spirit of God would truly convict more of these many people who are attending church buildings that there would be true conversion.
One of the great ways in which the evil one would seek to devour and destroy the church is by filling it with false converts who think they’re saved. And this is a tragedy and it’s why warnings like Hebrews 3:12 are needed within the house of God. This sort of warning is needed for us here this evening. Don’t rest on oh, we are confessional. We’ve got good doctrine. We’re doing Christian education. These things don’t save you. It is only by the grace of God, by the truth of the gospel penetrating and transforming your heart because that is where we go from the evil unbelieving heart in its rejection of God, which will fall away to a heart that loves and yearns for the things of God.
If this evening as we close, you listen to this and think, “Yes, I yearn for the things of God. I love my Lord and I desire to follow Christ.” You know, brothers and sisters, be comforted. Be overjoyed, but also be challenged of the dangers that are all around and of the need you have every single day of Christ your Lord and Saviour.