Hebrews 12:1-4 "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin."
Jesus is both the author and finisher of our faith. He is the author of our faith when He died for our sins on the cross and purged us from the guilt of our sins before God. This work is complete. He is also the finisher of our faith. This is walking out our faith in love and holiness before men. Holiness does not gain us favor with God. Jesus did that for us when He paid the penalty for the sins of our entire lifetime. But for men to see the Lord in us, we must learn to express His nature of love through us. Our bodies are not yet redeemed. We still have sinful desires in our flesh. We must lay aside the sin which so easily ensnares us and learn to walk in love instead of selfishness.
Remember Hebrews 5:13-14. It says that by reason of use of the word of righteousness, the gospel, we would discern both good and evil. We discern an evil conscience within us that condemns us before God. We need to hold fast to the gospel that Jesus purged us of our sins. This will cleanse us of an evil conscience before God. Hebrews 13:18 describes the good conscience, that we should desire in all things to live honorably before men. If we do not walk in love and holiness before men, they will reject our message of grace. They will say we are using grace as an excuse to live selfishly, and they will be right.
Hebrews 12:9-11 "Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."
Notice that God is teaching and training us to walk in holiness. He does this by His word of righteousness or the gospel. As we hold fast to the gospel, it cleanses our thoughts. This will lead to cleansing of our actions. Notice this verse says that holiness is the peaceable fruit of righteousness. Righteousness before God apart from our works is the root of our faith. Holiness is the fruit of our faith. Let me give an example. Romans 14:17 says that the kingdom of God within us is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Notice when we understand righteousness or the gospel, that Jesus bore the penalty for our sins, it begins to produce peace and joy in us. As we focus on the gospel, our anger and frustration give way to peace and tranquility. That draws others to the Lord and to us instead of alienating them with selfish behavior.
Hebrews 12:14 "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness without which no one will see the Lord:"
This verses means that if we don't walk in holiness, no one will see the Lord in us. They won't see His nature of love and holiness expressed through us. It is not a threat that we won't go to heaven if we don't walk in holiness.
Hebrews 12:18-25 "For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.........But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven...."
Remember Hebrews 1:2-3. How is God speaking to us in the New Testament? By His Son Jesus, when He had by Himself purged our sins. These verses in Hebrews 12 are comparing again how God spoke to the people of Israel at Mount Sinai and gave them the Law. This produced fear of punishment in them. They were afraid of God and did not want to hear His voice. Hebrews contrasts that with God speaking to us under the New Testament of grace. Jesus purged our sins and sat down at the right hand of God. We should have no more fear of punishment from God. He wants to lead us into walking in love and holiness. He will accomplish this in us as we respond to Him in love because of His great love for us. If we turn away from Him Who is speaking grace to us now, we are turning back and rehearsing what He said under the Old Testament. This will leave us fearful and leave us in bondage.
Hopefully these blogs have been a good summary of the book of Hebrews. It is such a wonderful book. We are to hold to the gospel, the message of His grace in Christ Jesus, and not to fall away back to hearing or rehearsing the Old Testament Law. The sins of our entire lifetime have been purged through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, once and for all. We can draw near to God in complete peace, without any fear of punishment. He loves us so much and wants to hold us close.
Keith Oliver
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