Hebrews 13:10-14 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. 13 So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. 14 For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.
           
On Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16), the Jewish high priest would offer to God a sin offering of blood (a bull and a goat) for both himself and Israel for annual atonement for sins committed in ignorance. After the blood from these animals was offered in the Holy of Holies, their carcasses were taken outside the city gate to be burned. This Jewish system of sacrifice was temporary and pointed to a superior sacrifice later fulfilled in Jesus Christ. So when the Hebrews author writes, “We have an altar…” in v. 10, he is speaking to fellow Jews who had such an altar in the Jerusalem tabernacle. Although the priests who served there regularly ate the meat they sacrificed as their God-given provision, they had “no right” to eat it on Yom Kippur, for the bodies of the animals were to be taken “outside the camp” and burned on that special day.
           
In v. 12, a comparison of Yom Kippur is made with Christ. As the high priest on Yom Kippur made blood atonement for the sins of Israel and then had the carcasses of the dead animals burned outside the gate, Jesus likewise “that He might sanctify the people through His blood, suffered outside the gate.” As the OT priest was to separate himself from the sins of the people on Yom Kippur, not eating the sacrificial meat, so also Christians must remain outside the camp of the worldly system of evil, no longer to take part in its customs, practices, and values. As Jesus, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), suffered outside the city gate to make believers holy, so too are believers to separate themselves from the world.

Of course the old system of animal sacrifices was abolished in Christ, and although it at one time pointed to something greater, the greater arrived: Jesus. His altar of worship speaks of the perfect sacrifice on the cross, done once-for-all, not once-per-year, year after year. Contrary to OT Israel, when Christians sin in thought, word, or deed, they do not take a lamb and seek out a priest; they seek Christ alone, whose blood paid for all their sins—past and future. Although there are similarities in the Yom Kippur sacrifices and Christ’s, they end here, for whereas Christ’s blood was offered to “sanctify the people” (make them holy), the OT animal blood offered in the tabernacle never removed sin and never made anyone holy (10:4). It merely “atoned” for sin, covering it until Jesus came and abolished it completely.
           
Now Christ, in dying outside the city gates like a common criminal and compared to a dead animal carcass, was “numbered with the transgressors” (Isa. 53:12), in spite of the fact that He was sinless. Being nailed to a tree, or cross, Jesus was cursed (Gal. 3:13), in spite of the fact that He is the Blessed One. Worse, He endured mockery and scorn while on the cross (Matt. 27:38-44), in spite of the fact that He deserved worship and adoration. Believers likewise are to “go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach” (v. 13). Since we are spiritually separate from the pagan world system in which we live, when we “go out” into it, we go to Christ who is also outside the pagan world system. There we suffer the same shame He did for teaching the same things He taught and for acting the same way He acted.
           
Now should we only expect gloom and doom in our faith? Not at all! For “we are seeking the city which is to come” (v. 14). Here we are temporary residents, spiritual aliens. This world is not our home! Like the men and women of faith in the past, we look to the future—to God’s promises of a new heaven and a new earth (Rev. 21:1), a kingdom ruled by our King, Jesus.
 
Food For Thought
We as Christians live in this godless world, but we certainly don’t have to be participants of it. Scripture tells us, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?” (2 Cor. 6:14-15). We thus have nothing in common with the world system and should be separate from it (2 Tim. 2:4). How sad it is when Christians begin to look and act just like the wicked world around us!

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Hebrews 13:7-9 Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.
           
Five spiritual fruits that are imperative for the true believer in Christ are presented in Hebrews 13:1-6. In v. 7, a sixth fruit is given: respect for leadership, specifically those leaders “who spoke the word of God to you.” This “word of God” would be the gospel of Jesus Christ along with the doctrines of God—His triunity, grace, omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, omnibenevolence, and sovereignty to name only a few. Having been lovingly taught such wonderful doctrines, Christians are to “remember” such leaders, being mindful of them. Then, “considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.” This means that Christian leaders worth their salt are those who preach the word of God, not the word of men, doing so out of love, all the while living out the truths they preach to God’s glory. Being genuine in their own faith, their way of life accurately reflects their love for Christ. In short, they sincere, not charlatans.

Christians who are blessed to have such leaders are to “imitate” (Gr. mimeomai), or mimic them. Christian leaders worth imitating run their businesses honestly, love their spouses perceptibly, and raise their children diligently with love and discipline. They read Scripture daily, pray persistently, and give generously. They love God’s people and all else that God loves, but they also hate what God hates (Rom. 12:9). They might be dead or alive, but they exist for us to imitate. The Apostle Paul, for example, was so confident in his behavior that he put himself out there for the Thessalonians to imitate, telling them to “follow our example” (2 Thess. 3:7, 9).

A Christian leader worth following is (or was) himself a follower of Christ, and as v. 8 indicates, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Swindoll says, “In contrast to His creatures and His creation, God is immutable. He is an immovable Rock. He never has a bad day, doesn’t learn things He never knew before, isn’t fickle or moody, doesn’t go back on His word, and doesn’t start something He can’t—or won’t—finish.” Of Himself, God says, “I, Yahweh, do not change” (Mal. 3:6, LSB). As the “Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow” (James 1:17), it is clear that God is immutable—forever unchanging. How logical! For if God, by the ontological argument for His existence, is that than which nothing greater can be conceived, then how could He ever change? He is already the greatest conceivable Being. There is no change that can make Him greater. God can thus never change!

As to how God became man (Jesus) in the incarnation without changing, clearly the Son of God was always divine while in flesh, never separate from His divine nature. This truth ensures that Christians can never be moved by the ever-changing trends in the world in which we live. Though there will always be a new preacher, book, or newfangled idea that people rush to, these “varied and strange teachings” mentioned in v. 9 are always eventually exposed as ideas of men stemming from their imaginations; they are not the “word of God” our leaders taught us—that which we are to imitate (v. 7). Good leaders and word of God thus go hand-in-hand.

Since it is “good for the heart to be strengthened by grace” (v. 9), a false teaching is easily exposed when it attacks the grace of God, exchanging grace for works. Here the works are presented as “foods, through which those who who were so occupied were not benefited.” The writer has in mind Jews who were trying to lure his audience out of God’s grace and back into the obsolete dietary regulations of Judaism Hebrews believed granted them strength. But clearly, it is grace that strengthens the Christian heart, not rules, and not food. That old system is gone!
            

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1 Timothy 6:9-10 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
           
Having just explained that false teachers are known by their love of money, Paul follows up by warning those whose goal in life is to be wealthy. Whereas true godliness promises a life of gain when accompanied by contentment (6:6), those who desire a life of wealth are not content with what they have and will thus never attain godliness. Godliness is gain; greed is loss.
           
Note the downward spiral in v. 9 that ends in “ruin and destruction” for those who desire riches above all else. First, they “fall into temptation,” that is, they enter into trials that test their character. What is the dollar amount for which we will sell out? How many folks must we hurt or bilk to get where we desire to be financially? Second, the temptation will lead him into a “snare” (Gr. pagis), or trap, like that used for capturing animals. We may have acted unethically in some area, and now we are trapped in a world we never intended to enter. Third, this leads to “many foolish and harmful desires.” To act “foolish” is to act unreasonably, to make bad decisions. The “harmful desires” refers to all that one thinks money can gain. All of this leads finally to a “plunge… into ruin and destruction”—the loss of everything. Note the “plunge” which pictures a fall into hell for selling one’s soul to gain wealth. Jesus therefore asked, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul” (Mark 8:36).
           
In v. 10 Paul explains the warning in v. 9 about riches, saying, “For the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil.” Note he does not say that money is the root of all evil; it is the love of money, namely greed, that is a root of “all sorts of evil.” There are other vices, not just the love of money; hence, greed is a root of evil. A greedy person is known for his selfishness, having a reputation as a cheat, a fraud, and a liar. The greedy will envy those who have more than they do, look down upon those who have less than they do, divide with family members who desire their money, and hate everyone who refuses to submit to them. Greed ruins marriages and friendships while fueling senseless murders, sex-trafficking, pornography sales, illegal drugs, and abortion.
           
No wonder Paul says that “some by longing for [wealth] have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (v. 10), literally “impaled with many griefs.” How grisly! It describes the sorrows that accompany, not the rich per se, but those who desire to be rich and are not content with what they have. They feel as if a stake has been driven through them, for the griefs their ungodly desires bring upon them are painful in every way. They may have huge homes and fast cars, but their hearts are cold, their children despise them, and they are left to enjoy their money all by themselves. The truth is, it is impossible to pursue both God and money at the same time. One will either hate one and love the other, or love one and hate the other. That is, they will either love God and hate money or hate money and love God.

Food For Thought
            One can love money like they love pizza. After all, the things money can buy us can indeed bring us some pleasure. From a new car to a new pair of shoes, it’s good to have money. But it’s like a drug, for unless we are content with what God provides for us, we will never have enough. There will always be a newer computer, a bigger house, and more wealth to be had. Remember, it’s not money that is the problem; it is the love of it. To love money therefore is to love death because that is the life we are choosing if we refuse to be content with what we have. Our misplaced love will ruin us in the here and now, and worse, in eternity. 
            

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Hebrews 13:5-6 See that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you nor will I ever forsake you,” 6 so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?

Continuing the list of Christian evidences from Hebrews 13:4, the fifth evidence of a genuine Christian is that he is free from the love of money. The love of money is covetousness, found in many Christians, and yet it is rarely confessed as sin. Plain and simple, the love of money is an affront to God because it reveals a distrust in God. Money, in and of itself, is not a sinful thing; it is the love of money that is the root of all evil (1 Tim. 6:10). By it Achan lost his family and his life and the lives of at least 36 others (Josh. 7:1, 5, 25). Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, got greedy and so obtained the leprosy that departed from Naaman (2 Kings 5:15-27). But the worst of all was Judas Iscariot who betrayed the Lord Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

Some folks like to hoard money, others like to spend it on themselves and display their wealth, and others just get a rush from acquiring more and more. Yet they never seem to have enough! True Christians, however, must be free from the love of money. This English phrase comes from three Greek words: “a” (not), “phileo” (fondness; love), and “arguros” (silver). Together they mean “without fondness for silver.” Contrary to loving money, the genuine believer in Christ is “content” with what he has (v. 5); he is “satisfied.” But being satisfied demands something with which to be satisfied, and Christians are to be satisfied with the Spirit that seals them with a guarantee of eternal redemption (Eph 1:13-14). The error therefore of putting one’s love and faith in money is that it tends to replace God as the anchor of the soul during times of trial. But a genuine Christian is content simply with knowing Christ.

One of God’s promises to Israel was that He would neither leave them nor forsake them (Deut. 31:6, 8; Josh. 1:5). The writer of Hebrews reminded Christians of the very same thing, for money was not necessary to live abundantly. Those who believed such can never lead properly or effectively since money is their true love. Effective leaders in the church, and all genuine Christians for that matter, know and count on God’s promises that He will never leave them. They thus do not need a hefty bank account to give them security. In fact, they know that the love of money grants no assurance of security and only weakens their faith. Christian leaders who love money prove themselves weak leaders since they cannot trust God.

When the text says that God will never “leave” His people, it means that He will never send them back, relax His relationship with them, or let them sink. It is preceded by two negatives in the Greek text that emphasize that impossibility. Literally, the text says, “I will not, I will not cease to sustain and uphold you.” The word “forsake” refers to some circumstance where a person might find himself helpless or abandoned, and there are three negatives before this word. Literally, “I will not, I will never, I will not let you down.” Now that is emphasis!

The confirmation of faith in v. 6 comes from Psalm 118:6—a messianic psalm fulfilled in Christ and claimed by Christians. So since the Lord helps and has guaranteed His aid, there is no one to fear. This is a “confident” assertion revealing solid, absolute faith in God’s promise.

Food For Thought
            Some in the Church today have fallen prey to the love of money, claiming to need it as a security blanket just in case something bad should happen. One family in Eastern Europe told some American missionaries: “We are suffering, but you in America are very comfortable; and it is always harder to be a good Christian when you are comfortable. Be assured that we’re praying for you!” How ironic! We have everything; they have little. Thank God for their prayers!
            

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Hebrews 13:4b …and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

Marriage, a holy creation of God to be “honored” by man (Heb. 13:4a), demands that the marriage “bed” (Gr. koita) be “undefiled.” Though a “bed” can obviously refer to a piece of furniture for sleeping, it is also used as a euphemism for sexual intercourse (cf. Rom 13:13) and in the sense of conception (Rom. 9:10). In Hebrews 13:4 it refers to the sexual relationship between a husband and wife, specifically in the marriage between two Christians. Their sexual union must be “undefiled” (Gr. amiantos)—a word used in 7:26 for Jesus Christ as the great High Priest who is “holy, innocent, and amiantos.” It is also used in James 1:27 to describe the eternal “undefiled” inheritance Christians will receive upon their entry into heaven. Thus, the sexual relationship between a Christian husband and wife is to be the most pure relationship two human beings can have, for it is compared not only with heaven but with Christ Himself.

Though divinely honorable, marriage is one of mankind’s most abused God-given institutions. Yet no matter how man tries to redefine marriage, God’s definition is immutable. Those who defile the marriage bed are called pornos and moichos— “fornicators” and “adulterers” respectively. Adultery is the sin that married people commit when they have sex with one who is not their spouse; fornication, is the act of engaging in any sexual activity outside of marriage. When the Apostle Paul told the church in Corinth not to associate with sexually immoral (pornos) people (1 Cor. 5.9), he was warning them not to even associate with professed Christians who were fornicating. They were to be expelled from the church gatherings.

Elsewhere in the NT, the Apostle Paul warns of pornos (immorality), saying “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience” (Eph. 5:6). Paul thus told Timothy to “flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man (Gr. pornos) sins against his own body” (1 Cor. 6:18). Therefore, “Do not let immorality (pornos) or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper among saints” (Eph. 5:3).

God is a God who judges sinners. Since He has lovingly mapped out His requirements for those who call upon Him for salvation, there are no excuses for those who ignore His teachings. Hebrews 13:4 plainly teaches that God will judge sexual sin; He will evaluate, decide, and condemn. Now since He will pass the final judgment on sinners, it is the task of other Christians to warn of God’s judgment. Sadly, this is sometimes seen as unbiblical since it is often mistaken as judging others (Matt. 7:1). In reality, warnings of God’s impending judgment are true acts of brotherly love (v. 1) since they warn God’s people to avoid God’s harsh discipline for sin.

Marriages and families have been butchered by sexual sin for millennia. Though people move on with their lives afterward, they are never quite the same. Sexual diseases and emotional problems, violence, and even murder follow on the heels of unfaithful spouses. When these sins are found among Christians, the same consequences follow, but worse, the gospel is hindered. God made sex to be beautiful within marriage but destructive outside of it. Stay within it!

Food For Thought
You may have sinned sexually at some point in your life, or you may have made a habit of it throughout your life. But sexual purity must begin to take root when we come to Christ, no matter how sexually perverted we once were. God demands purity and holiness among His people, and He judges those who are impure. Lest you think sexual purity is unattainable, God’s Spirit says otherwise, for He grants it in full measure to all who trust in Christ.
            

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Hebrews 13:4a Marriage is to be held in honor among all…

Continuing the list of Christian evidences from Hebrews 13, v. 4 presents a fourth fruit that grows in the life of Christians: an honorable marriage. The fact that the author even broached the subject of marriage points to the fact that marriage was being corrupted, perhaps even in the churches. It is known that certain ascetic influences in the early church minimized marriage in favor of celibacy. Some, like Origen, a third century theologian, had themselves castrated, believing they could serve Christ more robustly as eunuchs. This is strange, however, in light of how the Apostle Paul warned that apostate teachers would appear in the last days forbidding things like marriage (1 Tim. 4:3). Truth is, God ordained marriage and made it honorable.

Unlike the English text where “marriage” is the first word, for emphasis, the Greek text places “honor” (Gr. timios) as the first word in v. 4, a term used in the NT to describe a well-respected teacher (Acts 5:34), valuable gems (1 Cor. 3:12), the blood of Jesus (1 Pet. 1:9), the promises of God that make believers partakers of His divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4), and in reference to the fruit of the ground that a farmer works diligently for (Jas. 5:7). That God the Father created marriage is tantamount to its honor as an institution. Jesus the Son likewise honored marriage, performing His first miracle at a wedding (John 2). And the Holy Spirit honored marriage by using it as a picture of the Church in the NT (Eph. 5:22-33; Rev. 19). The “honor” of marriage thus means that it is unique, something highly valued, to be deeply treasured. What a far cry from those today who denounce marriage as legal rape or who mock it as a kind of prison.

God created marriage in Genesis 2:18—holy matrimony between one man and one woman —male and female who were born as such having at least three purposes. First, the procreation of children, first given to Adam and Eve by God who told them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth” (Gen. 1:28). Second, marriage was to be a preventative for sexual sin: “Because of immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband” (1 Cor. 7:2). Elsewhere, Paul counsels the unmarried and widows to marry if they lack self-control (vv. 8-9). Third, marriage was a preventative measure for loneliness: God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him” (Gen. 2:18). So He did!

Food For Thought
How might we as Christians “honor” marriage? First, through male headship, for God is honored in a family where the husband leads the family: “Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman... The husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the Church” (1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 5:23). Second, marriage is honored when the wife permits headship, being submissive to her husband (Eph. 5:22-24, 33; 1 Pet. 3:1-6). No man can lead his wife unless his wife permits it. Thus, a wife who permits her husband to lead her and their family honors marriage. Third, marriage is honored when both the wife and the husband honor each other: “You husbands… live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker vessel, since she is a woman; and grant her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered” (1 Peter 3:7). Husbands are to therefore be men worthy of a wife who will submit to them. In other words, men, love your wives “as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her” (Eph. 5:25). A wife will have no trouble submitting to a man who loves Christ and who loves her as Christ loved the Church. It is honoring to the institution of marriage to obey God’s guidelines for marriage, and it is beneficial for a happy, fulfilled marriage.
            

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Hebrews 13:1-3 Continue in brotherly love. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels unawares. 3 Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.

The author of Hebrews spent the first ten chapters writing doctrinal truths. In chapter 11 he gave examples of faithful believers from the past. In chapter 12 he gave exhortations to believers in the present based upon the faithfulness of those saints of the past. Now in chapter 13 he puts together a hodgepodge of miscellaneous issues needing attention as he closes his epistle. These issues concern love, hospitality, marriage, and church leaders—all of which will comprise the evidences of faith expected from those who call themselves Christians.

The first evidence of true faith is “brotherly love” (Gr. philadelphia)—from philos (fond affection) and delphos (brother); literally, “the philadelphia must continue.” In short, Christians love one another (cf. Rom. 12:10; 1 Thess. 4:9; 1 Pet. 1:22; 2 Pet. 1:7). After all, the Church is a spiritual family, sharing a bond far higher than mere blood relations. The philadelphia is therefore a Christian fraternity promoting and exhibiting love (cf. John 13:34-35; 15:12, 17). The original audience appears to have had philadelpia towards each other, and though there were divisions among them due to the instability of the faith of some, they were to continue their love fraternity and not divide. Love for each other was to endure in spite of their circumstances.

In teaching brotherly love, it is possible that the author also had fellow Jews in mind who were not Christians. So the Jewish audience who had converted to the Christian faith were also to continue their love for their unbelieving Jewish brothers without turning from them. But the primary command in 13:1 is love for Christian brothers to continue. For it to continue implies that it already existed. All Christians have love and need not pray for more. They only need to put the love God has poured into their hearts into full motion and love as Christ loves.

The second evidence for true Christian faith is philoxenia, or hospitality (v. 2)—literally “the philoxenia must not be neglected.” The philoxenia was also a kind of fraternity—the Church comprised of both “the philadelphia” and “the philoxenias.” In the early Church hospitality was vital since persecution drove many Christians from their homes and jobs. There were also traveling preachers who needed lodging (cf. 3 John 5-8). Although overseers are required to be hospitable in order to hold the office of overseer/elder (Titus 1:8), hospitality is for all saints to practice (Rom. 12:13). Some have even “entertained angels without knowing it,” as was the case of Abraham and Lot (Gen. 18-19). God may send undesirables to His people for lodging, and they may very well be angelic! Bottom line: a faithful Christian is hospitable to all.

A third evidence for true faith is concern for “prisoners” (v. 3), specifically Christians jailed for preaching the gospel. This command was dangerous, for since many had been incarcerated in the first century for their faith, to bring aid to them was considered guilt by association. In other words, bringing a Christian prisoner food or water put both parties in danger. These prisoners, however, needed nourishment, essentials not typically provided for condemned criminals in the Roman Empire. But dangerous or not, ministry to a Christian prisoner is service to Christ Himself, for in helping them, we serve Him. In fact, any ministry of care toward others in need is considered service to Jesus Christ Himself (cf. Matt 25:36, 40).

Food For Thought
            What if an angel visited your front door, asking for food, water, or money? This angel might not look like you think an angel should look. Maybe he is dirty and smelly. But whether he is an angel or just a man in need, our task as Christians is to love and care for such. Be alert!
            

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Hebrews 12:28-29 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
           
The “therefore” in v. 28 draws the author’s argument to a conclusion. Having reminded that God will return to shake the world and burn it with fire at Christ’s return (vv. 26-27), Christians are to be prepared, alert, and ready. When God has completed His final judgments, only they will remain standing and will receive that which cannot be “shaken” (Gr. asaleutos)—an eternal kingdom that is immovable. This is the eternal kingdom of God, ruled over by Jesus Christ.
           
Scripture says that Christ will return to earth and reign (Matt. 25:31; Rev. 19)—the place where He was rejected. It will not be the same cursed earth from Genesis 3 where sin and death rule; it will be a “new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth [will have] passed away” (Rev. 21:1). Being unshakable means that the new heaven and earth will not be susceptible to the events that transpired in Eden where Adam sinned. The new heaven and earth will be where Jesus reigns over His people, those glorified who will also reign with Him over the people of the Millennium—those who miss the Rapture but come to faith in Christ during the Tribulation—they and their future offspring who will populate the Millennium (Rev. 20).
           
Now since believers will receive such a kingdom by God’s grace, the author says, “Let us show gratitude”—our continual appreciation of God’s mercy and grace by never losing sight of God’s gift to us in Jesus Christ. It is quite possible that the reason many refuse to think much about heaven today is because they have it too good here on earth! Yet the opposite is also true, for the Hebrews audience illustrates the truth that when life’s trials become too much, believers can forget heaven and long for earthly relief. Continual gratitude is the fruit of true believers.
           
Gratitude for what Christ has so graciously given allows Christians to “offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe” (v. 28). Reverence for God entails attentiveness, respect, and prudence. If we define awe over God as “timid trepidation of danger,” or reverent “fear” of God, then let every Christian fear God out of respect and timid trepidation of danger. Perhaps one who is continually thankful to God is one who has a healthy regard for Scripture—reading it daily, prioritizing personal and corporate worship, and loving God’s people.
           
If this is true, then unbelievers truly cannot worship Christ, for true worship comes from a thankful heart over what Christ accomplished on the cross—precisely what unbelievers reject. Unbelievers refuse Christ’s atoning sacrifice; that is why they are unbelievers! Until their eyes are opened, they will never receive God’s grace. Hence, they cannot worship Christ.
           
True worship is always acceptable to God. In the OT, when animals were offered on the altar of burnt sacrifice, fire consumed it. In reference to “our God is a consuming fire” in v. 29 (cf. Deut. 4:24), God is either going to accept the Christian’s worship or reject it. If our offering is given with reverence and gratitude, God consumes it (cf. 1 Kings 18:38). But note the terror for those who do not offer acceptable worship to God, who fall back into a religion of works to try to gain His approval. For them, God is a “consuming fire” who devours His enemies when He shakes the earth in the end (cf. 10:27; Num. 11:1; 16:35; Ps. 97:3; Isa. 66:15; 2 Thess. 1:8).

Food For Thought
            What might God say to modern worship? Today’s irreverent music, shallow teachings, and poor financial giving points to a problem in worship. True worship comes from sacrifice, giving God what He desires, not what makes us feel good. It comes from a thankful heart over all that God has done for us through Christ. If God seeks such (John 4:23), does He seek your worship?
            

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Hebrews 12:25-27 See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. 26 And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” 27 This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
           
The author’s argument from 12:18-24 is essentially this: “As Christians, when we approach God, we come not to darkness and gloom, or death and punishment, as Israel did at Mount Sinai; we come to God’s heavenly throne of grace at Mount Zion! Whereas Israel in the past could not approach God apart from a priest, we may approach Him daily and boldly through our great High Priest, Jesus Christ who achieved salvation for us by dying on the cross, paying the penalty for our sins. Now as forgiven saints, we are acceptable to God—all because of Christ.”
           
With this in mind, v. 25 exhorts Christians: “see to it…” Unlike the previous “see to it” (Gr. episkopeo) in v. 15 which entails oversight of both oneself and others while in the Christian race of faithfulness, this “see to it” (Gr. blepō) concerns ongoing care and vigilance for oneself not to “refuse Him who is speaking”—the Holy Spirit who indwells believers (Rom. 8:9-11) to hear the voice of God. Of course back in Hebrews 1:2 the author said that “in these last days,” God speaks through His Son. But since the Spirit and the Son always agree, to hear one is to hear the other. If God had spoken to Israel on Mount Sinai promising discipline to those who refused Him by ignoring His words, then how much worse will it be for those who refuse the Son of God?
           
If the first generation of Israelites coming out of Egypt, who ignored God at Sinai, forfeited their right to enter God’s earthly Promised Land, how much worse will it be for those who hear and ignore the words of Jesus Christ who offers grace and mercy from Mount Zion through faith alone? Answer: they will forfeit their opportunity to enter the heavenly Promised Land. Thus, the blessings of the promises associated with the new covenant are infinitely greater than those of the old covenant. “For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven” (v. 25).
           
While Israel stood at the base of Mount Sinai in Exodus 19-20, God’s presence caused the earth to shake. Yet in the future when Christ returns to Zion, He will cause the heavens to shake! This is predicted in the prophecy of Haggai, God saying, “Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land” (2:6). Revelation 6:12-14 gives more insight to this: “…a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth…and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” God’s shaking of the earth!
           
The Apostle Peter wrote of that future day: “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up… the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat” (2 Peter 3:10, 12).
           
The only things that will not be shaken in the end are things that are eternal, things unshakable. God has already prepared a “new heaven and a new earth” that will replace the old order which will have burned and passed away (Rev. 21:1). On God’s renewed earth, the New Jerusalem—the heavenly city, will descend from heaven, Zion itself on the new earth! Then all of God’s people will inherit the eternal, unshakable kingdom ruled by our King, Jesus.
            

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Hebrews 12:22-24 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.
       
The beauty of Mount Zion over Mount Sinai is like comparing heaven to hell. Whereas Sinai represents law and death, Mount Zion represents God in the heavenly Jerusalem—the city of God and of His people, past and present (12:22).
       
At Mount Zion is where Christians come to worship—from the place of mercy and grace. First, the author says we come to “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem” (Heb. 12:22)—“the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (11:10)—what Abraham was looking for when he obeyed the voice of God and came to Canaan in Genesis 12:1-7. This city is the place of eternal treasure and hope for all believers of every age—coming to Zion for salvation. It is for those who trust in God and His word. Only them.
       
Second, Christians come “to myriads of angels, to the general assembly” (vv. 22-23). Since angels were created to praise God (Dan. 7:10) and serve His people (1:14), when Christians approach God through Christ to worship, we join this “general assembly” of elect angels doing likewise, angels who were also present at the giving of the Law to Moses (Deut. 33:2; Gal. 3:19).
       
Third, all Christians, when they approach God through Jesus Christ, come to the “church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven” (v. 23)—a reference to all Christians who have died since the beginning of the Church Age in Acts 2—our fellow heirs of Christ (Rom. 8:17)… “the firstborn of many brethren” (Rom. 8:29). In OT times, the firstborn children received the family inheritance and the blessing of the father. Christians are, as a group, the firstborn of many brethren, our names “enrolled in heaven” (Rev. 21:27), written in the Lamb’s book of life from the foundation of the earth (Rev. 13:8; cf. Eph. 1:4-5). When we worship, we gather with them!
       
Fourth, Christians come “to God, the Judge of all.” Whereas Jews believed no one could come to the terrifying God they encountered on Mount Sinai in Exodus 19, Christians know that the way to God was paved through the Son of God, who, when He died, prompted the veil of the temple, separating man from God, to be torn in two, paving the way to God (Luke 23:45).
       
Fifth, all Christians, when we approach God through Christ, come “to the spirits of the righteous made perfect” (v. 23), namely the OT saints who were also saved by faith alone in God alone (cf. Heb. 11). Unlike Christians who are made perfect at the moment of their belief in Christ, the OT saints had to wait for the death of Christ to realize their perfection (11:40), the death of Christ finally paying the penalty for their sins long after they believed and died.
       
Finally, Christians, when they approach God through Jesus Christ, come “to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant and to the sprinkled blood which speaks better than the blood of Abel” (v. 24). This is a reference to the blood of Abel that cried out from the earth (Gen. 4:10) for vengeance and judgement after Cain murdered him in Genesis 4:8. In contrast, Jesus’ mediatory blood shouts even louder from heaven that those who place their faith in Him are forgiven and have peace with God (cf. Rom. 5:1)—guilt free! So, Jesus’ blood sacrifice, His “sprinkled blood” as the Lamb on the altar of God’s mercy, is superior—cleansing once for all.
 
Food For Thought
       Most Christians today are not looking to go back to the Law given at Sinai either for salvation or to maintain it (although some do). What most of us have a tendency to do, however, is make up our Sinaitic laws—man-made regulations (legalisms) that we not only obey but that we foist on others in order that they be as “holy” as we think we are. If you think every parent must homeschool their child, that alcohol is the devil’s juice, that card-playing is satanic, etc., then perhaps you’ve fallen into this trap? Since these man-made (not Scriptural) do’s and don’ts are not sins in and of themselves, we must never think that they are sinful in those who practice them. In Christ we are free, but we are never free to sin as defined in Scripture. Man-made legalisms are the modern Mount Sinai. But Mount Zion will always be the place of grace and mercy, the place where true Christians come to worship with a whole host of others they can’t even see!
            

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Hebrews 12:18-19, 22 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, 19 and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. 22 But you have come to Mount Zion…
       
The Hebrews author contrasts two literal mountains in 12:18-22: Sinai in the desert and Zion in Jerusalem—historical, geographical locations on any map. In so doing, the author illustrates two rival systems: Sinai as earthly, temporary, and outdated; Zion as heavenly, eternal, and pertinent. Sinai represents worldly worship of God through merit and law in a fruitless attempt to please God; Zion represents spiritual worship of God on the basis of His grace, mercy, and love. Sinai thus represents the old covenant of works; Zion represents God’s new covenant of grace.
       
It was on Mount Sinai where God gave Moses His law, replete with “blazing fire…darkness and gloom and a whirlwind, and to the blast of a trumpet and to the sound of words” from God so loud that Israel begged God to cease from speaking (12:18-21; cf. Ex. 19; Deut. 5). This was the old covenant brimming with fear, trembling, and terror of God. Even Moses was “full of fear and trembling!” (v. 21). The author’s purpose in broaching this subject was to conjure up the emotions of his audience, sternly warning them again (cf. 2:1-4; 3:7-4:12; 6:4-8; 10:26-27) about the dangers of retreating back to the obsolete Mount Sinai way of life. That old life, which could not produce eternal life, concerned living in the flesh, striving to keep a law that was impossible to keep, and coming to God in fear because of guilt. Zion was the superior place of worship!
       
As for Zion, circa 990 BC, King David drove the pagan inhabitants of Jerusalem (Jebusites) out, placing the ark of God on Mount Zion, a mount that became synonymous with God’s dwelling. His son Solomon later moved the ark from Zion to the temple he built on nearby Mount Moriah. Zion was later included in that larger area, becoming synonymous with the very city of Jerusalem—the city of God where priestly mediation was made between God and Israel.
       
Of course Sinai and Zion are polar opposites—the former representing the terrifying dread of the Law and unapproachability to God (cf. vv. 18-21); the latter representing mercy and grace with the wide-open door to approach God through Jesus Christ—boldly. Whereas the Law given at Sinai condemns, grace and salvation was provided at Zion on the cross of the Christ. After all, it is on Mount Zion that “the Lord commanded the blessing, life forever” (Ps. 133:3).
       
The Hebrews audience, by and large, because of their outward confession of Christ, had come to Mount Zion as redeemed children of God. As professed Christians, they were like all Christians of every age: citizens of the heavenly city, “for our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20). Since our true citizenship is in heaven, our temporary residence on earth is fleeting. But the danger the Hebrews author was addressing was the possibility that it was the faith of his audience that was fleeting! After all, they were considering falling back into Judaism—life at the base of the dreadful Mount Sinai.

Food For Thought
       Living under God’s grace is not easy for some, especially if they came from a religion like Judaism, Roman Catholicism, Mormonism, Islam, or Jehovah’s Witnesses—religions that require works and good deeds to even have a chance that God might allow them into Paradise. Once saved out of these Sinai-like religions, trusting in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, it is easy for them to fall back into old habits like works-oriented lifestyles so as to impress God. But God is only impressed with His Son Jesus Christ. Only Him! For God to ever have any affection toward us other than wrath, we must trust Jesus alone for our salvation. Zion over Sinai.
            

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Hebrews 12:18-21 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, 19 and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. 20 For they could not bear the command, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned.” 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “I am full of fear and trembling.”
       
Beginning in Hebrews 12:18 the author provides another pertinent example of Christ’s superiority in the new covenant (NC), reminding his Jewish audience of the events that emerged in Exodus chapters 19-20, circa 1445 BC. At that time, on Mount Sinai, God met with Moses and gave him the written Law (old covenant) that was to govern Israel in Canaan.
       
The setting for Exodus 19-20 concerns the awesome power of God as He gave Moses the stone tablets (the Decalogue) that contained both the blessing for obedience and the curse for rebellion. Mount Sinai that day was like a blazing fire, replete with “darkness and gloom and whirlwind” (Heb. 12:18), “whirlwind” being a term similar to a tornado. This was God manifesting Himself to Israel that day for their own faith (Ex. 19:9), in glory and power, giving them an overwhelming glimpse of His authority and the reverence due Him. In the midst of this validation of God’s power, no one was to go near or touch the mountain of God, for to do so meant death, for “if even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned” (v. 20; cf. Ex. 19:12).
       
The people of Israel encountered God in a terrifying way that day. As the heavenly trumpet sounded, its blast became increasingly louder, summoning Israel to mountain’s base. It was there that their frightening experience intensified to the point where they begged Moses to ask God to turn His attention away from them, to speak to Moses only, for they were overwhelmed by God. For his part, Moses attempted to comfort Israel, saying, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you that the fear of Him may be before you that you may not sin” (Ex. 20:20). In other words, God’s display of power and holiness that day was to be forever branded on Israel’s memory.
       
Moses, commenting on that dreadful occasion in Deuteronomy 9:19, himself said, “I am full of fear and trembling” (Heb. 12:21). Yet Moses was not fearful for himself only; he was fearful for Israel. After all, he was Israel’s mediator, and he had the awesome task to bring Israel’s fearful complaint and sinful lives before the Almighty God. Mount Sinai was a fearful place!
       
That was then—back in 1446 BC; this is now—at least now in the context of the Epistle to the Hebrews. The author was contrasting those ancient events with what his audience was experiencing in the here and now. These Jews knew their history, a reflection of the old covenant in the Mosaic Law. Yet they had apparently forgotten that history (cf. 12:5). Their new covenant Savior, Jesus of Nazareth, had brought them not to Mount Sinai with fear and trembling over their sinful hearts but to Mount Zion—the spiritual dwelling of God where they could come boldly before God’s very throne and stay there to find mercy and grace to help them in their time of need (4:16). Their new covenant situation was nothing like the old covenant!

Food For Thought
       A works-oriented religion (Roman Catholicism, Mormonism, Islam, et al.) attempts to gain God’s favor through merit. But God cannot be appeased through our works, for our sin killed His Son! Salvation has to come through God’s grace alone—Him deciding to pave a way for our forgiveness. Praise God we don’t live under the old dispensation of Sinai, for no one can please God through the Law, represented by Mount Sinai. By God’s grace we are able to come to Jesus Christ through faith alone, approaching God through Mount Zion. It is Christ’s work through which we approach God, and boldly! There is no other way, for salvation is only by God’s grace.
            

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Hebrews 12:15-17 …that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it with tears.
           
Hebrews 12:15 teaches that it is the responsibility of all Christians to look out for each other and monitor ungodly behavior. We are to make sure, insofar as we are able, that unbelievers and Christians in our midst do not fall short of the grace of God. No one should observe us and yet fail to see Christ. Christian behavior involves deeds in keeping with peaceful relations, growing in holiness, and keeping an eye on those with divisive attitudes, leading to a root of bitterness.
           
As such, Christians are to help themselves (vv. 12-13) by confessing their sins, reading Scripture (thus feeding their souls), and committing to regular church attendance in a Christ-honoring, Bible-teaching church (cf. 10:25). They are also to look out for one another (vv. 14-15), strengthening one another by encouraging grace and forgiveness—peace with all. And for the love of all things holy, they are not to become entangled in the sins of pornos and bebelos—immorality and godlessness (v. 16) like that of Esau. Though sexual sin finds its way into the church from time to time, it cannot be tolerated. Many a church has fallen by ignoring it.

In v. 17 the writer appealed to Genesis 27:30-40 where Esau later regretted his decision to sell his birthright. Having realized his error in judgment, and even though he “desired to inherit the blessing” reserved for the firstborn son, what he had done could not be undone. Although he sought this blessing with tears, he was rejected because there was no place for repentance. Now this could be taken in one of two ways. On one hand, it could be said that what Esau did was like a person losing his or her virginity. Once it is gone it can never be regained. So although God forgives, the sin itself has lifelong ramifications. For Esau, he lost his birthright and could never regain it. But his sin was certainly forgivable by the grace of God.

More accurately, Esau was simply an “immoral” and “godless” person who desired God’s blessing but not God. Notice he did not regret his actions until it was time to receive the blessing. His regret was thus too late. He willfully despised his God-given birthright for a single meal, and though he was later sorry for the consequences of his actions, he never repented of his actions. If he indeed sought forgiveness, and we hope he did, God would have granted it! But, like David (cf. 2 Sam. 12:9-11), he would have to live with the consequences of his sin. He could finish his race faithfully as David did, but the consequences of his sin would always haunt him.

Sadly, there will be many in the eternal fires of hell who are just like Esau (cf. Heb. 6:4-8; 10:26). They will cry with regret over the consequences of their sins, but they will find no place for repentance because they do not truly regret their sin, only the consequences. Regret of sin, yes, but regret that is far too late and for all the wrong reasons.
 
Food For Thought
No Christian who has committed sexual sins, either before coming to Christ or after, commends such behavior. Everyone who has repented of their selfish unbelief knows that sexual and physical appetites, when given free rein, will ruin us and certainly hinder our Christian race. The grace of repentance is always available of course, but what we lose in our rebellion can often never be regained. The consequences of sin are never worth a quick fix, never worth the cost. Christians therefore have many things for which to be cautious. We might like to be around men like Esau—down-to-earth hunters and fishermen, but godless people are not worth our time, unless we’re sharing Christ with them. We cannot tolerate their behavior in our churches. Jesus spoke very strongly about dealing with those sinful people (cf. Rev. 2:14-17; 3:20).
            

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Hebrews 12:15a-16 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God 16 …that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.
           
Recall that “see to it” (Gr. episkopeō) in v. 15 is a present active participle that modifies the main verb in v. 14 which is “pursue peace with all.” So, while a Christian is pursuing peace with all, they are daily seeing to it that “no one,” not them and no one they know of claiming to be Christian in Christ’s holy Church, “comes short of the grace of God” (v. 15). With this command in mind, attention is turned to an OT man who came up far short of God’s grace: Esau, the twin brother of Jacob and son of Isaac and Rebekah.
           
Verse 16 reveals two obvious, yet prevalent, sins that can destroy—and has destroyed—many a runner in the Christian race: the sexual and physical appetites. These two sins are easily seen in Esau, “who sold his own birthright for a single meal” (v. 16). Esau’s story can be found in Genesis 25:19-34. As a hunter of wild game, he came home one day hungry after a big hunt and found his twin brother Jacob cooking some lentil stew. Desiring to have some, he asked Jacob to serve it to him quickly since he was famished (Gen. 25:30). The crafty Jacob, seizing the moment, responded saying, “First sell me your birthright” (v. 31), for although they were twins, Esau was the firstborn (25:25) with the right of Isaac’s blessing. We might expect that Esau valued his birthright more so than his appetite, but no, for Esau responded to Jacob, saying, “Behold, I am about to die… of what used then is the birthright to me?” (25:32). Esau therefore chose a quick meal over the Abrahamic blessing.

In Hebrews 12:16, Esau is first depicted as being “immoral” (Gr. pornos) from which the English “pornography” is derived. Notably, nowhere in the OT is Esau called immoral, but the women he married were—the two Canaanite daughters of Heth (progenitor of the Hittites) whose marriage to Esau made life miserable for Isaac and Rebekah (Gen. 26:34-35).

Though the Bible says little about Esau’s immorality, Rabbinical tradition, both Palestinian and Hellenistic, paints the biblical red and hairy, man’s-man Esau as a slave to his sexual urges. Philo of Alexandria (20 BC to AD 50) in his Questions and Answers on Genesis observed this about Esau: “The hairy one is the unrestrained, lecherous, impure and unholy man.” Likewise, the Palestinian Targum on Genesis 25:29 depicts Esau as coming home famished on the same day he sold Jacob his birthright, claiming that “that day he had committed five transgressions,” one of which was adultery with a betrothed maiden. These accounts verify what the Hebrews author says about Esau, that he was a pornos subject to the whims of his libido. He was thus the epitome of the modern, testosterone-driven man’s man. Before he thought of anyone else, he thought of himself, his lusts driving and overwhelming him to be the pornos he inherently was.

Not only was Esau a pornos, he was a bebelos—“godless.” This Greek term depicts one who, although they might believe in God’s existence, they have no regard for God. John Calvin says of such men: “those in whom the love of the world so holds sway and prevails, that they forget heaven as men who are carried away by ambition, addicted to money and riches, given over to gluttony, and entangled with other kinds of pleasures, and give the spiritual kingdom of Christ either no place or the last place in their concerns.”

In sum, Esau was a hairy, red-headed ruffian who valued hunting for fun and food almost as much as the women with whom he fornicated. Today, he would have perhaps been called “Big Red” (since his nickname “Edom” means red), known as a tough man’s-man who knew many women, ate big, and drank liberally. Bereft of any thought of heaven, Esau was wholly earthbound.

Food For Thought
R. Kent Hughes says of Esau, “Instant gratification was his rule of thumb. He was void of spiritual values. Godless! Esau was like a living beer commercial—bearded, steroid-macho, with two things on his mind: sexual pleasure and physical pleasure—food, drink, sports and sleep. ‘Hey, you only go around once. You’ve got to get it while you can.’ He was the prototype of modern godlessness—like the forty-five-year old man who had spent all his post-college years devoted to money and when asked, ‘How is it with your soul?’ answered candidly, ‘My soul? I don’t even know whether I have one.’ Tragic!”
            

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Hebrews 12:14-15 Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled.
           
The imperative verb “pursue” (Gr. diōkō) in v. 14 is, first, a command for Christians to chase after “peace with all men.” Also, as a present tense verb it signifies a daily quest for this peace with all men. Though this is a general command to all, it is specifically for Christians, for  unbelievers are dead in their trespasses (Eph. 2:1), unable to seek God (Rom. 3:10-12). Only those indwelt by the Spirit (Rom. 8:9-11) can please God. But why would the writer exhort Christians to pursue such peace if they already have the peace of Christ? The answer is that Christians, though at peace with God through Christ (Rom. 5:1), still must strive to be at peace with one another. In spite of having been made holy by Christ when they first trusted Him, Christians still must pursue, strive after, and struggle for holiness. Though the pursuit concerns loving others and being “at peace with all men” (Rom. 12:18), this is no easy task.

Now Christians don’t just pursue peace, they pursue “the sanctification” (Gr. hagiasmos), a Greek term also translated as both “holiness” and “set apart” in English. The pursuit of peace is thus a pursuit of holiness, a life spent in pursuit of a pure, obedient life set apart from a selfish life in order to glorify God. How is such a life achieved? One way of peace is through forgiveness. After all, God is not instructing His people to be at peace with warmongers and those who hate that which his good. But in pursuing peace with those we might have grievances against, “the sanctification” is practiced—the divine fruit that only true Christians bear.

Notably, “the sanctification” is essential for one to “see the Lord” (cf. Matt. 5:8). Christians can practice this in their evangelism, for by sharing the gospel with unbelievers, they too are given the opportunity to be at peace not only with God through Christ but with Christians. Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Being sanctified after coming to know Jesus is what evangelism reveals, for when unbelievers see Christians pursuing peace and holiness with them, they can be attracted to Jesus.

Verse 15 says, “See to it” (Gr. episkopeo)—a participle that means “to oversee,” the noun form translated in English as “bishop; overseer.” Christians are to thus oversee each other, helping one another grow in holiness. In light of v. 14’s exhortation to live at peace with all, coming up short of God’s grace in v. 15 is an exhortation to forgiveness. After all, if peace with others is hindered by anything, it is an unwillingness to forgive those who have hurt us. To “come short of the grace of God” would thus be a failure to show the same grace towards others in forgiveness as God has shown to us as believers by forgiving us our sins.

The second phrase in v. 15 confirms this, for to come short of the grace of God would mean that a “root of bitterness” has sprung up in one’s life, highlighting our unwillingness to forgive and come short of the grace of God. That root of bitterness toward one who hurt us can and will “defile” (Gr. miainō) us. It will stain our holiness and hinder our witness. We Christians must “see to it” that this never happens—not only in us but in our fellow believers. If it happens to us, we must repent. If it happens to others, we exhort them that they not fall short God’s grace.

Food For Thought
            The Christian life is both a proactive and a reactive life. It is one of vigilance—looking for and being alert for those who want anything but peace. So live in peace with each other, yet refuse to tolerate troublemakers in Christ’s Church. They can defile a church in one minute. We are not to tolerate them any more so than Christ would (cf. Rev. 2:14-16, 20).
            

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Hebrews 12:12-13 Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.

The image of the race comes back into view in vv. 12-13, and the author urges believers to persevere when fatigued. Marathoners say the first thing that tends to tire are the arms that keep pace with the legs, pulling them through each stride. The position and motion of the arms are thus vital, for when they tire and begin to drop, the knees grow “feeble,” paralyzed. At this point, the runner may inadvertently drift into the opposing runner’s lane causing a collision and even an injury to one or both runners. But once the fatigue sets in, the experienced runner knows to shun all thoughts of being tired and focus solely on the finish line. For Christians the focus is Jesus.

Of course the “race” is a metaphor for the Christian life, and it is the author’s way of setting the tone for the application of his letter. Having instructed his audience about Christ’s superiority (chaps. 1-11), reminding them that their trials equate to God’s loving discipline (12:1-11), it was now time to encourage them to action—action in keeping with the Christian faith and doctrine. Teaching doctrine is designed to transform one’s thinking about Christ, but without any action doctrine means little. Truth that is known but not obeyed does not bless, it curses. Doctrinal teaching must therefore lead to holy behavior, for it is one thing to know that Christ is Lord; it is another thing altogether to submit to Christ as Lord and prove their faith genuine.

The author is thus saying, “Having been reminded of who Christ is and what the Christian race is, start running your race!” The audience had been in the race but had grown weary. Having been reminded of who Christ is and His superiority, they now had the wherewithal to gain the strength they needed for their arms which would strengthen their knees which would in turn keep them in their own lane looking to the finish line. Notably, the audience, and by extension all Christians in every era, were not only to strengthen their own hands and their own knees but “the hands… the knees” as a corporate effort. As the Church, Christians are to avoid concentrating on themselves and look to help others. The hands and the knees would thus entail the entire body of Christians working together, helping one another. In this sense, the Christian race is not only an individual contest, it is a corporate effort whereby Christians help each other to the finish line.

Those feeble Christians who comprised the Hebrews audience had strayed into the lanes of others, as it were, causing them to stumble. The word for “paths” (Gr. trochia) in v. 13 refers to the tracks left by the wheels of a cart that other travelers could follow. The author is thus saying that strong Christians who are focused on Christ should encourage others by “make[ing] straight paths” in the sense of being role models for their weaker brothers who had become fatigued in their race, perhaps ready to throw in the towel. These feeble runners are dubbed “the limb which is lame.” They needed stronger runners to come alongside so that they would not be “put out of joint, but rather be healed.” These “lame” (Gr. chōlos) Christians are those who, though known as such, were perhaps not genuine in their faith. They were in danger of apostatizing—willful turning away from Christ (cf. 6:4-6; 10:26-27), needing to strengthen their weak faith.

Food For Thought
            Biblical doctrine is beautiful and essential to becoming a Christian. But without careful obedience it is ultimately worthless. We are running a race, so it’s no wonder we get tired and want to stop for a rest. But what will weak Christians and unbelievers think of us and our Christ if we just sit on our doctrine? The time is now to run the Christian race, maintain our focus on Christ, help others along the way, and persevere in faith to the ultimate end—to our last breath.
            

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Hebrews 12:9-11 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

Children are commanded to obey their parents in Scripture (Eph. 6:4), and parents are commanded to discipline their children, that is, if they desire to please God and raise godly children. Since “foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him” (Prov. 22:15), and since “He who withholds his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently” (Prov. 13:24), godly parents must never “hold back discipline from the child, for although you discipline him with the rod he will not die. You shall strike him with the rod and rescue his soul from death” (Prov. 23:13-14). As a result of proper discipline, children learn to respect their parents and function properly in society.

The Hebrews author, after making this obvious truism, says, “Shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits and live?” If an adult can look back on his childhood and respect his parents for disciplining him accordingly, then a Christian should be able to recognize God’s discipline as divine love. For an earthly father merely loves his fleshly son through his own sinful nature. But the “Father of spirits”—contrasting earthly parents with the spiritual Father—loves far beyond what an earthly, sinful father is capable of loving. So if a sinful father can love his son/daughter through discipline, how much more so our loving God His children? “Shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?” (12:9). The implication here is that, if we do not submit, we might not live. This may very well be another allusion to Hebrews 6:4-8 and 10:26-27 where falling away from Christ entails eternal damnation with no chance to repent.

A father who loves his children will warn them, discipline them, and will test them to mature them into mature adults. That kind of discipline is transitory since childhood is transitory, but fathers who care enough for their children are appreciated for their efforts for a lifetime. Of course God’s discipline takes a giant leap beyond what temporary earthly discipline achieves. God disciplines His children to bring about their holiness, and holiness emerges from suffering and tribulations. But God is no sadist; He does not take pleasure in disciplining His children any more so than a father enjoys spanking his children. Chastening a child is desirable neither for the son nor the father, but its benefits are valuable. Those benefits for children include learning right from wrong, respect for authority, and most notably they learn about Christ and His salvation.

Truly, discipline is not something anyone enjoys, whether giving or receiving. As v. 11 teaches, it is scarcely enjoyable and mostly sorrowful. But the benefits are like a field producing crops at harvest time: discipline “yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” God’s discipline, though at times painful, produces righteousness in His children simply because He loves them.

Food For Thought
Someone once said in reference to discipline: “And so what do I say? I say let the rains of disappointment come, if they water the plants of spiritual grace. Let the winds of adversity blow, if they serve to root more securely the trees that God has planted. I say, let the sun of prosperity be eclipsed, if that brings me closer to the true light of life. Welcome, sweet discipline, discipline designed for my joy, discipline designed to make me what God wants me to be.” Wow! That statement can only come from a child of God who truly wants to be molded to God’s will. Let us learn to pray such a prayer so that we can molded daily after God’s own likeness through trials.
            

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Hebrews 12:6 …those whom the Lord loves He disciplines.
 
Throughout Scripture there are examples of people suffering and of God’s people being disciplined—in the case of His faithful people, discipline being a mark of His love, not His wrath. Notably in Hebrews 12:5-6, the author quotes King Solomon who wrote, “My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord or loathe His reproof, for whom the Lord loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights” (Prov. 3:11-12). That said, the examples of God’s discipline for His children in Scripture come to various people for various reasons.
           
First, we note the example of David, king over all of Israel, a man sought by God after King Saul’s failures—a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam. 13:14). He was loved by God, directed and protected by God, and appointed to be king over Israel by God. His early years, though filled with victories like the defeat of Goliath and the success he had as Saul’s servant, were also filled with struggles and loneliness. By the time David became king, he was mighty and seen as a great man of God. All of Israel regarded David as great, their nation being blessed because of his faithful relationship with God. Then David sinned, committing adultery with Bathsheba and impregnating her, later ordering her husband to the front lines of battle where he would be killed. Why? In order to take Bathsheba as his own wife and deceive all of Israel into believing that the child she conceived by him was done so after they were married. What was God to do?
           
The answer is that since David was God’s beloved son, he would need to be disciplined for his sinful actions. Although adultery demanded the death penalty in Israel for both parties (Lev. 20:10), God graciously allowed both David and Bathsheba to live. Yet since David was God’s son, there had to be discipline. Not only would the child of their adulterous union die, God decreed to David, “The sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife” (2 Sam. 12:10). This is what we might call corrective discipline, for by such discipline, God corrects His children.
           
A second form of discipline carried out by God towards those He loves might be called preventative discipline. This can be illustrated through the Apostle Paul who was given “a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment…” (2 Cor. 12:7). What this “thorn” was exactly is debated, but what is known is that Paul had committed no sin to deserve such, at least not like David. Paul knew that God had given him this thorn “because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations” (v. 7) he had received from God. Such revelations and closeness with God might easily have caused Paul to exalt himself, so he knew that God gave him such an infirmity “to keep me from exalting myself.” Although Paul pleaded with God on three occasions to remove the thorn, God’s response to him was, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (v. 9). Paul therefore boasted in his weaknesses—in God’s preventative discipline.  
           
A third form of discipline God uses in Scripture might be dubbed educational discipline. Job is a great example of such, for although Job was a righteous man who had committed no blatant sin and who thought he knew God well, God’s discipline brought him to an entirely new understanding of who God was and is. After suffering greatly over an unknown period of time—losing ten children, his wealth, and his heath, Job demanded that God answer for how He had treated Job. Yet after God answered him, Job replied to God, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You; therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes (Job 42:5-6). Through divine discipline intended to educate both Job and all who read his account, God educates those He loves—moving us to a greater understanding of His character.

Food For Thought
            How has God disciplined you in your life in your Christian race? Did He remove an idol from you, taking something, or someone, near and dear to you? Has He removed your health, your wealth, a loved one? Perhaps only you can answer whether such discipline is corrective, preventative, or educational. But whichever one it might be, the fact that it happened, or that it is happening, means that God loves you. After all, God disciplines those He loves.
            

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Hebrews 12:5-8 Have you forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons?  “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; 6 for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

The Hebrews audience needed encouragement. They had endured many sufferings, had been made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and had endured the seizure of their property (Heb. 10:32-34). Also, they had been chastised for their conversion from Judaism to Christianity, and they had been shunned by their own families. But in spite of all this, they had not yet suffered to the point of death (12:4) like their faithful brothers before them (cf. 11:1-40).

Now instead of just leaving this audience with the idea that being a faithful believer in Christ is an intense struggle, the writer informs them that their sufferings were merely part of God’s loving discipline. God actually shows His love and interest in His children through discipline. The writer quoted from Proverbs 3:11-12 asking them, “Have you forgotten?” Apparently they had because they mistook their earthly misfortunes and persecutions for God’s abandonment when in reality their misfortunes and sufferings were clear signs of God’s love and favor toward them. The quote from Proverbs was a reminder to them not to take God’s discipline lightly, for He disciplines those He loves. He even “scourges” (to beat with a whip) “the ones He receives”—showing that He does not receive just anyone, only His true children.

The term “discipline” (Gr. paideia) comes from a root that means “child,” the training of a child. It concerns the education of children in order to develop and mature them as adults. Because of sin, children without discipline grow up to adulthood as selfish tyrants. It takes a loving parent to discipline their children in order to mature them. Predictably, children inherently know that parents who refuse to discipline them don’t really love them. But those who are disciplined appropriately by loving parents typically grow into mature adults.

The author was demonstrating to his audience from their own circumstances that God indeed loved them as sons. Their sufferings were reminders that God had not abandoned them, so they needn’t abandon Him. Satan strives, both then and now, to convince Christians that life’s problems prove that God does not love. But the opposite is true. Scripture rebukes believers in sin, and life’s trials mold them into mature Christians as a loving father molds his son into a man. The "scourges” of God are meant to keep His children reminded of His love.

The frightening passage is v. 8 that speaks of those who are not disciplined by God. They are called “illegitimate” (Gr. nothos)—“not lawful; born out of wedlock.” The clear implication is that those not disciplined by God through perilous trial are simply not His. And if they’re not God’s children, they can only be Satan’s (cf. Matt. 13:38; John 8:44; 1 John 3:10).

Food For Thought
Some professed Christians sin willfully and rebelliously but never seem to suffer for such. Likewise, many pastors today refuse to preach the gospel message, opting instead for positive thinking and tradition over truth, believing that truth is too offensive. Yet they continue to grow in wealth and numbers without God’s discipline (cf. Pss. 37; 73). There’s a simple conclusion as to why: God does not consider them His children (12:8). So if you know someone who lives in sin while you struggle daily with God through trials, consider the likelihood that they’re illegitimate children, and you’re a child of God. After all, God disciplines those He loves.
            

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Hebrews 12:3-4 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin.
 
The author of Hebrews is admonishing his audience to “run with endurance the race that is set before us” (12:1)—the “race” (Gr. agon) being the Christian life itself, at times filled with agonizing hurdles. Two vital tactics for effectively running the Christian race are, first, to “lay aside every encumbrance,” and second, to “lay aside the sin which so easily entangles us.” Encumbrances are those habits that are not sinful in and of themselves but that tend to weigh Christians down—from too much TV to social media to busyness to leisure, etc. These should be controlled by Christians, not be controlling over Christians. But of course the sin that easily entangles us must be repented of and shunned for faithfully completing our Christian race. For that is what the race is—a task to be completed and to completed faithfully. It is not a race whereby Christians compete with each other; it is a race of faithfulness from birth to death.
           
The author’s immediate audience were Hebrews (aka, Israelites, Jews) who came to know Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah, or Christ. They therefore had converted from Judaism to Christianity. In so doing, they not only invited criticism from their fellow Hebrews who had not converted, they incurred threats of death from the Roman Empire who, from time to time, viewed Christians as enemies of the state.
           
As with most new Christians, the Hebrew Christians experienced many early joys in knowing Christ as Lord and God. The truth of the gospel had set them free, and they wanted everyone they knew to experience their same joy. But then reality set in, and their joy was put to the test by the trials they began to endure in the agon, the race. Old friendships were lost, family bonds were shaken, jobs were lost, and marriages whereby only one partner converted and which were stressed contributed to these Hebrew Christians questioning whether their conversion was worth it all. Added to that, it became clear to all that following Christ did not shield them from all the common frailties of life like ongoing illness, infirmities, and death.
           
All of these issues are what motivated the author of Hebrews to put pen to paper in order to encourage his beat-down brethren. While some of them were still in the race faithfully slugging it out, some were lagging far behind, and some it seems had quit the race altogether and were standing on the sidelines completely out of breath and with little or no motivation to re-enter. They were like many Christians today: downtrodden, depressed, disappointed, tired, and wondering if following Christ is truly worth the struggle.
           
In vv. 3-4, the writer first compares the “author and perfecter of faith,” Jesus, who “for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame” with the Hebrews audience. Jesus’ race was truly the worst of the worst, for He endured the worst that mankind could dish out, and He ultimately endured the wrath of God for the payment of man’s sin (cf. John 19:30; 2 Cor. 5:21). As a result, Jesus “sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (v. 3). He endured hatred, scorn, torture, and death. In comparison to Jesus, the author of Hebrews in v. 4 says, “You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin.” So while Jesus endured the worst of the worst, his audience wasn’t really even in the same ballpark. In other words, life for us may be difficult at times, but it’s never as bad as it could be.
 
Food For Thought
            Complaining today about how unfair life is? Playing the victim? Consider all that Jesus endured. He is our model. Since we’re still alive, we can keep on running our race. Faithfully.
            

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Ephesians 4:20b-24 …just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
           
Having heard the gospel of Jesus Christ and taught the truth, those who have trusted in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior learned about Him and had their minds enlightened, moving from darkness to light (4:20-21). They have been delivered from their previous way of life, a life in which they at one time lived according to the futility of their minds, being darkened in their understanding and being excluded from the life of God—all due to their hardness of heart which produced in them a willful ignorance to the truth of the gospel (4:17-18). They lived in slavery to their own depraved desires, insensitive to their wicked behaviors (4:19).
           
But having come to salvation, Christians “lay aside the old self,” literally, the “old man.” The “old self” is that previous person the Christian was, “being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit.” The present passive participle “being corrupted” speaks literally of “destruction” that is done to the unbeliever by the deceitfulness of sin, for the “corruption,” or destruction, comes from his own “desires of deceit.” In other words, what the unbeliever desires is that which has deceived him into thinking that what he wants is what he needs. One given to sensual lusts, for instance, is deceived into thinking he or she needs to satisfy those lusts by giving in to them. As they give in to them more and more, their consciences become calloused and they live enslaved to their own wicked desires. Paul speaks of this old way of life like an old filthy garment that has been soiled beyond cleaning but removed and thrown away.

Christians, having once lived in slavery to self, remove the “old self” like an old garment needing to be thrown away and are “renewed in the spirit of your mind.” To renew is to become reestablished, or refurbished and improved. This occurs first “in the spirit of your mind.” If one’s former mind was darkness, and the renewed mind is light, then the renewal of the mind results in an entirely new way of life—from the deeds of darkness to the deeds of light.

When believers come to faith in Christ, they “put on the new self,” to replace their old way of living with a clean life in service to Christ. Paul says that this “new self” is “in the likeness of God,” or literally “in God.” The “old self” was in corruption; the “new self” is “in God.” Whereas the Christian was previously “dead in their trespasses and sins” (2:1), in Christ God has “created” them “in righteousness and holiness of the truth” (v. 24).

From a translation position, it is difficult to determine whether Paul uses the three infinitives in vv. 22-24 (lay aside, be renewed, put on) as commands or indicatives. Does he reflect on what is true of Christians, that they have already laid aside their old selves, renewed their minds, and put on the new garment of righteousness? Or is he commanding Christians to do these things? Though the infinitive verbs are present passive and not commands, they do reflect previous commands. Truth is, Christians are renewed at conversion and are delivered from the penalty of their sins. Yet Christians are still susceptible to the corruptions of the world. So, both are true! Christians are new in Christ, and they must strive to live as new creations in Christ.

Food For Thought
            If you were a prisoner with bright orange clothing, no one could mistake you for anything else. And if you were released from prison, would you not remove your prisoner’s clothing and put on new clothes, garments of the free? Clothing should fit the occasion. So too is it fitting that God’s people wear the clothing of righteousness, having thrown away their old self -- for all the world to see.
            

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Romans 13:11-12 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
           
In view of the Christian’s command to love his neighbor as the fruit of his salvation (not the root of salvation) and the fulfillment of the law of God, believers in Christ are to be reminded of the “time” (Gr. kairos) in which they live—the era or season. This “time” concerns the era after Christ’s resurrection, awaiting His return. This era, season, or epoch, is one for action, not self-centered leisure. Kairos and its OT Hebrew equivalent are used frequently in relation to periods of time. For example, during David’s reign as king, the sons of Issachar were described as “men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do” (1 Chron. 12:32). Jesus used this term while being tested by His adversaries to perform miracles as a sign that He was the Messiah. In response, Jesus chastised them for not understanding the “times” (Matt. 16:1-3), for if they had understood the “times” (or era of the Messiah) they would have concluded that He was indeed the Messiah. Being in the very center of the era (time) of the Messiah, they missed it!
           
Paul, however, was speaking to redeemed Christians in Rome who knew the time/era which was the time of the Messiah. This does not mean that Paul and the early Church believed that Jesus would return in their lifetimes per se; he merely understood that his generation, as do all generations after Christ, lived during the era in which the second coming of Christ (the Parousia) was imminent—the same era as today. In light of this truth, he was striving to admonish believers everywhere to wake up from their slumber, metaphorically speaking, put off the works of darkness (wicked and loveless deeds), and put on the armor of light (the love of Christ).
           
When Paul says that “salvation is nearer to us than when we believed,” he is stating the obvious—that although salvation was initially accomplished upon simple faith in Christ alone, one’s ultimate salvation awaits the day of Christ’s coming, or one’s death. Of course that day becomes nearer with every passing heartbeat! The “night is almost gone” is merely that for the believer their darkness has passed. The “day” of Christ, being “near,” is therefore imminent!
           
In John 3:19, Jesus makes clear that evil people (godless unbelievers) prefer the dark to the light—“dark” being a metaphor for evil and “light” for the Truth. After all, men’s deeds are evil, and when those deeds are exposed, there is shame. While there is cover in darkness, there is exposure in the light. Evil deeds most often occur under the cover of darkness, and although the doers of wickedness assume they are hidden, the light of God exposes them. Those who crave the darkness are actually admitting to their hatred of the light. It is one’s willful ignorance of God that Paul calls “night.” For willfully ignorant people have left the light (cf. Rom. 1:18-23) while they live and sleep peacefully in their sins. By contrast, those who live by “light” are those who have received divine truth—the Son of righteousness who shines through them. Those who are “awake” are those who are equipped like a soldier for battle to serve and glorify Christ. They are armed with the “armor of light” which enables believers “to stand firm against the schemes of the devil” in their struggle against the rulers, powers, world forces of this present darkness, and the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:11-12).
 
Food For Thought
Christians are not to live as though this life will continue forever. It won’t! We are to eagerly await our coming Savior (Heb. 9:28) when the day of our complete transformation into Christ’s image will be finalized (1 John 3:2). And on that day we’ll eat the Supper with Jesus (Matt. 26:29) and enjoy the fellowship of His Church from that day and into eternity.
            

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Hebrews 12:3-4 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;.
           
The author exhorts all in v. 3 to “consider” (Gr. analogizomai)—analyze, a Greek term that means “to think about with effort and precision.” In this case, we are to think about Jesus, expressly the “hostility” (Gr. antilogia)—the contemptuous behavior He “endured” (Gr. hupomenō)—that He withstood; remained under. The author could be talking about Jesus’ entire ministry on earth, but he is likely referring more specifically of His passion—His sufferings on the cross and the immediate events that preceded. Worse, Jesus endured what He did not by righteous people with pure motives but “by sinners.” Why would the author want Christians to think so deeply about Jesus’ sufferings? “So that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” It is believed that this phrase was sports lingo in the ancient world for a runner’s exhausted collapse. In relation to Christians, we are to take our trials and difficulties and compare them to what Jesus endured. And lest we think that Jesus was impervious to pain, and His physical sufferings on the cross were somehow easier for Him than the average man, John Henry Newman says this:

           
As compared the Jesus, the writer points out that we, unlike Jesus, “have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin” (v. 4). In other words, our trials do not even compare to Christ’s who suffered death for the gospel. And He remained faithful unto death, the very worst kind of death preceded by hours of torture on a cross. The message is clear for Christians: we must be totally absorbed with Jesus, not ourselves. As such, we are to turn away from those things that distract us and turn toward He who gives us life through His death, Jesus. It no wonder that reading and re-reading Gospels is so helpful for believers.

Food For Thought
As Christians, we are in the race surrounded by a great cloud of people whose examples call us to be excellent: the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob); the prophets (Moses, Elijah, Samuel, Daniel, Jeremiah); the apostles (Peter, John, Paul); the martyrs (Stephen, Polycarp, Cranmer, Elliott, Saint); the preachers (Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Spurgeon); the missionaries (Carey, Taylor, Carmichael); and there are the countless others we do not know but that God knows who finished their race well. Their very existence, and the stories of their lives, propel us on to finish our own races. Now let us lay aside all encumbrances and sin and finish our race strong!

            

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Hebrews 12:1b-2 …run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of 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.
           
Just one bad shoe on a sprinter can cause him or her to lose their race to one who has indeed laid aside his or her encumbrances. Likewise, as every Christian knows, it only takes one sin in our lives, or one encumbrance, to totally sabotage our Christian walk. The Hebrews author writes to encourage his fellow Hebrew Christians, telling them to lay aside all encumbrances and sin in order that they might “run with endurance the race that is set before” them. The Christian race simply cannot be completed faithfully with encumbrances and sin entangling us. Encumbrances and sin will certainly compete for our attention, but with “endurance” (Gr. hupomonē)—steadfast perseverance, we will not only throw them off, we will finish our race faithfully. That is the goal.
           
To “run with endurance” in 12:1 is the main verb in the context, but there is an attendant participle that explains how to run with endurance: “fixing our eyes on Jesus…” (12:2). By “fixing our eyes” (Gr. aphorontes) we direct our attention toward something, namely Jesus, as our example of perfection. Of note here is that the author does not say “Christ” but “Jesus,” perhaps focusing on the example Jesus set for us in His humanity. Jesus endured everything a human endures—from hunger, lack of sleep, betrayal of friends, death of loved ones—even the cruel injustice of being arrested without charge, tried in a kangaroo court, mocked, beaten, scourged, and crucified. Jesus endured it all without ever sinning. That is why God the Father sent His Son—God in flesh to live our lives sinless. Why? Because we cannot not sin. We needed someone to go before us, do what we are unable to do, and win the victory we cannot win. Jesus did this! Now His victory is our victory when we trust in Him. It is truly that simple!
           
Our focus, Jesus, is first called “the author and perfecter of faith” (v. 2). As the “author” (Gr. archēgos) Jesus is the trailblazer, or pioneer—He who established an institution. In this case, Jesus is the author of “faith,” the Christian faith, or Church. As the “perfecter” (Gr. teleiōtēs)—a term that means “finisher; completer,” Jesus completes the Christian faith which is based on the Jewish, or Hebrew, faith. Jesus completes it, for He is the fulfillment of all that God promised.
           
It is this same Jesus “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (v. 2). Jesus did not focus on the pain of the cross; rather, He looked to the joy of what His time on the cross would accomplish. Likewise, He did not fear the “shame” of the cross but despised it, looking to the glory of ascending to His Father in heaven where He, “having made purification for sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (1:3). So as Jesus focused on the future, looking past present trials, so too must we. Jesus simply looked beyond the here and now to the future glory that awaits all the faithful.

Food For Thought
As a runner is not to look at his or her feet when they run, we as Christians ought not dwell either on our failures or victories. We fix our eyes on Jesus and never move our gaze from Him. After all, Jesus is He who went before us in this race of faith. He gave us life, and He gave us our faith. Certainly He will see us through to the end of the race He put before us. Like Him, we must look beyond the here and now, looking to heaven. Let us set our hope on Christ and our future with Christ—looking to the future joy that awaits us in Christ. Along the way in our race, we will persevere, like Christ if we keep our eye on the ultimate reward. And with our eyes on Him, we will “not grow weary and lose heart” (12:2-3) as our natural enemies rail against us. We have Christ to look at and a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us who did what we’re doing.
            

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Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…
           
The “therefore” in v. 1 calls attention back to the previous context in chapter 11 regarding the long list of faithful men and women from the OT who, though imperfect, simply believed God. They lived by faith while looking to their divine reward in the future. Their faith was “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen… for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (11:1, 6).
           
The author of Hebrews was writing to Hebrews, namely Israelites (aka, Jews) who had converted from Judaism to Christianity which is fulfillment of Judaism. Since the sacred writings in Judaism promised a future Messiah who would fulfill all of God’s promises, realized in Jesus of Nazareth, all true Hebrews believed Jesus was, and is, the Messiah, or Christ. These Hebrews, however, were being persecuted by their fellow Hebrews who had not converted to faith in Jesus as the Messiah. Also, they lived and ministered the gospel during harsh times of persecution under the Roman emperors. As hated outsiders, the persecution was weakening their faith.
           
The Hebrews author therefore highlighted in chapter 11 the saints who had gone before, who had believed God’s promises without ever receiving them on this side of glory. They endured great persecutions (11:35-38), yet they remained faithful. Like Abel, their faith still speaks loudly in spite of their deaths (11:4). This of course was meant to encourage the discouraged. With the testimony of their heroes before them, perhaps they might be reinvigorated.
           
Therefore, with such a great “cloud of witnesses surrounding” them, those first-century persecuted Hebrew Christians might be encouraged. The mention of “cloud” in v. 1 might have caused them to recall how God had led Israel through the wilderness under Moses—Yahweh “going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way” (Ex. 13:21). The OT saints of chapter 11 acted as a “cloud” to lead those early Christians, as “witnesses surrounding us” (12:1). Yet “witness” (lit. martyr) does not imply that they watch NT saints, like a stadium full of fans. Instead, their example of faithfulness motivates. The only real audience any Christian should care for is God alone, for as Oswald Guinness said, “I live before an audience of One; before others I have nothing to prove, nothing to gain, and nothing to lose.”
           
So with faithful witnesses of the past surrounding us, how ought Christians to live? First, “let us also lay aside every encumbrance…” An “encumbrance” (Gr. ogkos) is an impediment, not necessarily a sin. In a footrace, an encumbrance might be certain clothing, boots, or a heavy coat that slows us down. In the Christian life, an encumbrance might be social media, TV, certain friends, food—none of which are evil in and of themselves but which can encumber one’s walk with Christ. Each of us must identify these and then lay them aside; abandon them altogether.

Second, Christians must “lay aside… the sin which so easily entangles us.” All are sinners, but not all of us struggle with the same specific sins. Some struggle with gluttony, some with the love of money, some with drinking and drugs, some with sensual pleasures, some with envy, and so on. Each of us is to identify what our struggles are and lay them aside; repent. Like a spider web that captures a fly, so too will our sins so easily entangle us—unto death. We must therefore repent of such sins and run our race without impediments to our fellowship with Christ.

Food For Thought
The main verb in Hebrews 12:1 is “run,” “laying aside” encumbrances and “laying aside” sin being participles that describe the most effective way to “run” the Christian race. In this we see that the Christian life is like a race. But it’s not a race to see who finishes first, as is evident in how others lived and died before us, finishing before we were ever born. No, the Christian race is simply a race to finish—to our ultimate end. Each of us has a different route—some are doctors, some athletes, some homemakers, some restaurateurs, some pastors, etc., each with various turns and winding uphill roads leading to their ultimate end. Who knows why some have to struggle harder than others or why others seem to suffer so much worse? But when it’s all over, we will have run our race. May it be the prayer of our lives every day that we live that we live each daily faithfully and that we die faithfully. And when we stand before our Creator, Judge, and Savior one day, He says to us, “Well done good and faithful servant!”  
            

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Copyright © 2024 Harvest Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
Harvest Bible Church
14954 Mueschke Road
Cypress, TX 77433