“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 like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.” (Hebrews 12:14-17 ESV)
I like it here that this combines “peace with everyone” with
“for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” So this “peace with
everyone” will never involve compromise of truth, righteousness, holiness,
integrity, honesty, moral purity and faithfulness to God and to his Word in
order to “make peace” with anyone, even with others who profess faith in Jesus
Christ. We are never to bend on truth or back down on moral convictions in
order that others will like us and/or so that we will be “at peace” with them.
But we are not to be at war with other people. We are not to
be those who pick fights with other people, and who are mean, hateful, and
nasty toward others. Now, this does not mean that we back down on contending
for the truth of the gospel just so other people don’t think we are being
contentious and hateful, but that we don’t deliberately try to stir up anger in
other people just so we can quarrel with them. We should be those who speak the
truth, though, but we are to speak it in love, with the love of God.
Now, with regard to us striving for the holiness without
which no one will see the Lord, this word “holy” means to be different, unlike
the world, because we are being conformed by God to the likeness of character
of Jesus Christ. So we are no longer to be conformed to the ways of this sinful
world, but we are to be transformed of God in heart and mind away from sinful
practices to now walking in obedience to our Lord and to his commands in holy
living. Therefore, sin must no longer be our practice, but we should obey God.
For, if we claim to be in fellowship with God while we still
walk (in conduct, in practice) in darkness (sin, wickedness), we are liars. And
if we say that we know God, but while we do not walk in obedience to his
commands, we are liars. For it is not enough to just give lip service to the
Lord, but we must deny self, die daily to sin, and follow the Lord in obedience
if we want salvation from sin and eternal life with God. For if sin is what we
practice, and not obedience to God, we will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
[1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Luke 9:23-26;
Matthew 7:21-23; cf. Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians
5:16-21]
And going right along with what was just spoken, we are to
see that no one fails to obtain the grace of God. And what is God’s grace to
us? His grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce
ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and
godly lives while we await our Lord’s return. For Jesus Christ “gave himself
for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for
his own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11-14; cf.
Ephesians 2:8-10).
His grace to us, as well, is God’s gift of salvation and
eternal life with God which we must receive by God-gifted and God-persuaded
faith in the Lord Jesus. But this faith is not of the flesh, but of the Spirit,
and so it will align with God’s will and purpose for our lives. And biblical
faith = obedience and submission to God and surrender of our wills to the will
of God and the forsaking of (dying to) sin and walking in holiness and in
righteousness in living lives pleasing to God (Romans 6:1-23; Ephesians
4:17-24).
And we are to guard our hearts and minds against a “root of
bitterness” which may spring up in our hearts if we choose to not forgive
others of their sins against us, or if we are bitter against others for their
walks of faith in the Lord Jesus, and for their desire to follow the Lord in
obedience to his ways, if we know that is not where we are, and if we know that
we are not living for the Lord, but we are still trapped in sin. So this is
kind of like how Cain felt about his brother Abel, and so he murdered him.
And those who are bitter of heart and mind and spirit are
more likely to remain in their sins, for at the root of all bitterness is anger
at God. It is not accepting God’s sovereignty over our lives, but it is anger
at God when life doesn’t go the way we had hoped that it would. For the
Scriptures teach that it is out of the heart that come good or evil. For out of
the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false
witness, and slander. These are what defile a person (Luke
6:45; Matthew 15:17-20).
So, if someone is sexually immoral, in practice, it is
because of what is stored up in his heart that he has not let go of. And this
includes a root of bitterness, hatred, jealousy, rivalry, pride, resentment,
unforgiveness, and the like. He truly hates God and he hates those he sins against
which is why he is able to sin against God and against other people
deliberately and habitually without conscience and without remorse. For it is
all about him and what he wants, and it is without regard for God and other
humans.
And this is being compared to Esau, who sold his birthright
for a single meal. And when he desired to inherit the blessing, he did not
receive it, even though he sought it with tears, for he never repented of his
sins. And that is the same for all of us if we choose to remain in our sins and
to not listen to the Lord and to not follow him in obedience. For it means we
have sold out the inheritance that could have been ours if we had just
surrendered our lives to the Lord and died to our sins and now followed him in
obedience.
An
Original Work / September 11, 2012
Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.
Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Men deceiving: We’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.
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