Pursue Holiness, Not Wickedness

Hebrews 12:12-16 ESV

“Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy...”

When God is disciplining those of us who are his by faith in Jesus Christ, and so we are going through trials and tribulations, we may grow weary, and we may get disheartened and discouraged, and we may even be tempted to give up the fight, especially when things get really hard. So, this is an encouragement here to shake off all discouragement and faintness of heart and emotion and to fight the good fight of faith, and to put on those spiritual weapons of warfare provided by God for us to fight off Satan’s attacks.

For if we are making straight paths for our feet, then first of all we must have shaken off those weights and those sins which cling so closely, and so we are now walking in the ways of the Lord in his strength and power, and not in our own strength. We are walking (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh. And we are walking in the ways of holiness and godliness and righteousness and in obedience to our Lord, and we are no longer walking in sin. Sin is no longer our habit.

Then we are to strive for peace with everyone. But this peace does not involve compromise of faith nor of spiritual convictions nor of the truths of God’s word. For this peace has to do with the health and welfare of people. It has to do with their spiritual wholeness, and wholeness has to do with the way of moral purity, uprightness, honesty and faithfulness. It is the way of righteousness and holiness. But this also has to do with unity within the body of Christ, which is first and foremost unity with Jesus Christ.

And we are to strive for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. And to be holy is to be separate (unlike, different) from the world because we are being progressively transformed by the Lord into the likeness of character of Jesus Christ. We are to no longer be conformed to the ways of this sinful world, but we are to be transformed of the Spirit of God away from walks in sin to walks of righteousness and obedience to our Lord. For if we are still walking in sin and not in obedience, we will not see the Lord.

And we are to be diligent in watching out for one another within the body of Christ so that not one of us fails to obtain the grace of God. So what does that entail? What is the grace of God? Yes, it is his favor, but how is it realized in our lives? 

Well, it has to do with Jesus Christ dying on that cross so that we can now, by God-given faith in Christ, die with him to sin and live to his righteousness. And it has to do with Jesus Christ shedding his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our lives of sin so that we will now honor God with our lives. And God’s grace, which is bringing salvation, instructs us to say “No!” to ungodliness and fleshly lusts, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we await Jesus’ return.

So, how would someone fail to obtain the grace of God? This would happen if they did not, by God-persuaded faith in Christ, die with him to sin and live to his righteousness, but they continued in deliberate and habitual sin, and in living for themselves, and not for God. And so they did not obey him and his commands (New Covenant). So in that case they would not even know God, they would not be in fellowship with him, their sins would not be forgiven, and heaven would not be their eternal destiny.

We are also to guard our hearts against all bitterness, especially bitterness against God. For bitterness involves resentment, anger, unforgiveness, and hostility against the Lord, which then leads people into sin and away from genuine fellowship with God. And we are to guard our hearts and minds and emotions against being tempted toward sexual immorality and adultery and any kind of moral impurity which would separate us from God. For if sin is what we practice, we will not inherit eternal life with God.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

I Will Lift My Eyes  

An Original Work / December 12, 2012

Based off Psalms 121-125

I will lift my eyes to my Lord Most High.

My help comes from Him, who saved me from sin.

He will not let your foot slip, and He who watches will not sleep.

Our Lord watches over you, and your life He will keep.

I will lift my eyes to my Lord Most High.

My help comes from Him, who saved me from sin.

I give thanks to Him.

I will lift my eyes to my God in heav’n.

I look to the Lord. My sins, He’s forgiv’n. 

Because of His great love for us, He made us alive with Christ.

Through the kindness of our Savior, He gave us new life.

I will lift my eyes to my God in heav’n.

I look to the Lord. My sins, He’s forgiv’n; 

My home, now in heav’n. 

Praise be to the Lord, who is on our side.

Our help found in Him. He gives peace within.

Those who trust will ne’er be shaken. God will supply all we need.

Our Lord has done great things for us. He’s our friend, indeed!

Praise be to the Lord, who is on our side.

Our help found in Him. He gives peace within.

I can count on Him.

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