“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” Western Christianity has come to major on petty, outward things, while ignoring and considering to be minor, weightier internal matters. We give all our attention to scraped knees and neglect the cancer within. We are more concerned with temporary relief than permanent ruin.
The people addressed in our text lived good outward lives, and were active for God. They, like many today, believed that it mattered little whether one had faith or not, just as long as their conduct was right. “An evil heart of unbelief” was accepted among them if the outside of their cup was clean. They had departed from the living God, but continued going through the motions of living for Him.
The one sin that damns the lost, and destroys a believer’s life, was not an issue with them. And so it is with many professing Christians today. They hide “an evil heart of unbelief” behind a white vest of religion. They live their daily lives with no thought or need of Christ whatsoever. They are the masters of their own ships.
The Hebrews’ “evil hearts of unbelief” soon became “hard hearts.”
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