Devotions From the Heart: Not Entering In

by Derek Gitsham

"So we see that they could not enter
in because of unbelief." Hebrews 3:19


There are many warnings in the book of
Hebrews that point to the fact that if
certain conditions are allowed to persist,
then there will be dire consequences in
the life of the believer.

Many Christians will have problems with
this concept but the Hebrew writer leaves
us in no doubt that we can fall, and we
will fall, if we allow unbelief to gain a
foothold (4:11). He says in the 10th chapter,
verse 35, ‘that we are not of them who draw
back into perdition, but of them that believe
to the saving of the soul.’

Again in the 6th chapter and the 9th verse:
‘but beloved we are persuaded better things
of you, and things that accompany salvation,
though we thus speak.’ There were a list of
corrective things also in the book of Hebrews
imploring them to grow up and become those
that were being fed with strong meat and not
living on milk (5:12-14).



The thing that becomes apparent reading
Hebrews is that if the process of faith is
continuing in the life, there need be no
problem in backsliding into unbelief. Unbelief
is the result of the heart not progressing in
the things of God through a deliberate pursuit
of God.

Hence this is the reason why in the 6th chapter
he encourages them to go on to perfection,
literally, “to be borne or carried along to
perfection.” In the 12th verse of the same
chapter he tells them to ‘be followers of them
who through faith and patience inherit the promises.’

Another reason why saints fall into unbelief is
because God delays things in their lives. God’s
delays are not His denials; the fact that we are
encouraged to be patient is telling us that things
are not coming into our lives immediately. Many
times God has to prepare us to receive what we
desire from Him by faith. Pursue Him, dear ones,
and keep unbelief outside the door, then shall we
enter in to all that is ours.