Here is Your Warning Against Unbelief

There are only two kinds of people in the world. First, there is the natural man, the sons of Adam, the first man. All people are conceived and are born into this first group. These carry the defining title “sinners.” By inheritance, nature, and practice…sinners sin against God (Rom 3:23; 5:12; Eph 2:3). The wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23); and it is appointed once for a man to die and then comes the judgment (Heb 9:27). Under the penalty and guilt of sin and death comes the sentence of eternal punishment in the hell of the lake of fire (Mt 25:41, 46; Jude 7; Rev 20:14–15).

Set apart from the destructive course of the natural man are those the Bible identifies as “saved.” God radically changes the course of those included in this second group (Mt 7:13–14). He does this by solving their sin-death-judgment-eternal hell problem. God’s motive is love for this group of saved souls (Eph 1:4–5; Rom 5:5, 8). The mystery is why He chose to love this motley crew of now grateful saints. Alas, the hidden things belong to God, but what we have revealed to us by God is ours to enjoy (Dt 29:29).

Within Christ’s church are two groups of people. First, there are those who think they are genuine Christians but who are not born again of God’s Spirit (Jn 3:1–8; 1 Pet 1:3). The writer of the book of Hebrews helps us to know about this group, who eventually deny the faith they once professed and who fall away from the church (Heb 6:4–6). They fall away from God, too, despite the ever-present call for repentance (Acts 17:30).

Despite their exposure to heavenly things, the people of this first group were not chosen by God the Father in eternity past before the foundation of the world. Their names were not written in the Lamb’s book of life (Rev 13:8; 17:8; 21:27). The Father did not give them to God the Son before creation; and the eternal, incarnate Son did not come unto the world in order to redeem them from their slavery to sin (Mt 1:21; Jn 1:14; 8:34; Rom 6:6–18).

We know this first group in the church because they do not have the indwelling Spirit in their hearts (Jn 14:17; Rom 8:9, 11). The Holy Spirit was not sent to regenerate the people of this status (Jn 14:26; 15:26; Rom 5:5; 1 Cor 2:12), who are actually unbelievers. They always have been unbelievers; and they always will be in the camp of the reprobate even though they are in the church at times. They may even be the most “religious” church members.

We see these disobedient unbelievers in the history of Old Testament Israel, too. The wilderness generation (1446–1406 B.C.) serves as a pristine example of what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 9:6. Not all those who were identified as ethnic Israel are actually members of the true and spiritual Israel, who is Jesus Christ (Is 49:1–6). One’s Jewish bloodline was no assurance of right standing before Yahweh (Jn 1:12–13; 2 Cor 5:21; Rom 9:6). Only believers are justified before Him in the likeness of Abraham (Gen 15:6; Rom 3:28; 5:1).

Rebellion against Yahweh is one of the most prevalent themes in the Old Testament. Thus, for Christians, today, both Jews and Gentiles, we have an example of both faithful and apostate people. In Hebrews 3:7–19, the writer grants us a view to sinful unbelievers on the path to apostasy. Each of us, my dear reader, must examine himself to see if his calling and election from God are valid (2 Pet 1:10).

Man looks at the outward appearance; but God searches the heart (1 Sam 16:7). The heart of the unrepentant reprobate is deceitful (Gen 6:5; Jer 17:3; Rom 1:18–21; 3:10–12; Eph 2:12). His mind is blinded by the devil (2 Cor 4:4). He cannot see the light of Gospel truth, nor does he have ears to hear the truth of God’s Word when it is preached to him. Not hearing God’s Word, there is no faith in him (Rom 10:17; 2 Thess 3:2).

The Israelites experienced deliverance from slavery in Egypt (Exodus). They saw many signs and wonders as they began their trek to the Promised Land (Heb 2:4). They heard God’s Word of assurance that He was with them even when He called them into Canaan at Kadesh-Barnea. He was angry with them for their unbelief and disobedience for refusing and rejecting Him (Heb 3:18). They were disloyal as one who commits adultery (Gk. porneia). That group died under God’s judgment during the subsequent 40 years. They did not enter what had been promised to them. Their children and grandchildren were also afflicted because of their sin.

Obviously, the church also has believers in it. Our lives manifest who we are in fact. There is a stark contrast between Spirit-filled Christians and those who are Christians in name only. We should judge ourselves in this matter because if we do not judge ourselves God will judge us for sure (2 Cor 13:5).

Our lives are filled with tests from God to humble or harden us. We are exposed to the kindness and severity of God (Rom 11:22); and there is always an effect that reveals our heart condition. There is also God’s heart in the matter of testing for rebellion. He disciplines His own children with a motive of love for them (Heb 12:4–11). He also judges the children of the devil who suffer God’s wrath without mercy (Jn 8:44; Rom 1:18; 9:15–16, 22; 1 Jn 3:10). God does not cause their sin and suffering to work for good. Temporary judgments only serve the unrepentant as a foretaste of eternal punishment (Heb 10:31; Rev 14:10).

God is good to Israel (Ps 73:1), that is, Christ and His body of believers (Is 49:1–6; Gal 6:16); but for the false brethren in the fold of Christ, there is only hopelessness and the anticipatory terror of eternal despair (Heb 10:27). The warning of Scripture remains in every generation (Heb 2:13; 3:7–19). Many are on the wide path leading to destruction, even in the church (Mt 7:13–14; Eph 5:6).

My dear reader, behold the mystery of unbelievers in the true church; and the reality of whole churches filled with apostates. Let us be warned about the deceitfulness of sin, the heretical doctrine of demons, and the unclean spirits who ever tempt us to walk away from God in unbelief.

Let us hold fast to the Word of God’s promise, especially regarding His deliverance of us to the promised land, in the better country of heaven on earth, in the new creation to be revealed at the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (Is 65–66; Heb 11:16; 2 Pet 3:13; Rev 21–22). He alone is our hope until the end. He who promised to complete what He began in us is faithful and true. Trust Him.

David Norczyk

Spokane Valley, Washington

August 29, 2023