Hearts Can Be Hardened: Don't Wait To Repent

2 Timothy 3:1-5

"3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.

2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,

4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."

This matter of a hard heart can happen to those who are in the church, those who refuse to use the Scriptures as their instruction book for life principles, thinking they are saved, but have never been changed into a new creation by Christ. So many claim to be believers, but bristle at any suggestion that God's Word is their authority, that Christ is called the Word and that continual rebellion against God is likely evidence that there has not been a change in the heart required, a change that comes from the cleansing Holy Spirit.

 

When we encounter someone who thinks they are above correction, rebuke and discipline we have very likely met a pretender. Anyone who holds themselves in high regard raging against correction, have never been humbled. A humble person who desires to know truth, will not rage, if they are guilty of sin they will be ashamed, go to prayer to see if it is true and repent as God reveals truth to them. If the accused is not guilty they will gain solace from the Lord and return to the accuser with a calm answer based on Scripture.

 

Matthew 5:11 "“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account."

 

Isaiah 54:17 "No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”

Romans 12:19 "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

 

1 Peter 3:9 "Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing."