A Desire to Inherit the Blessing

“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)

The peace that we are to strive for with everyone is not world peace. It is not us joining hands with the people of the world in unity of mind, heart, and action toward one common goal and purpose. For it makes no compromise of faith, morals, biblical doctrines, and practice. I hear some Christians calling for world peace, but they don’t realize what that means. It means a one world tyrannical government and a one world religion and forced compliance. It means that we are all minions bowing to the same “beast.”

The word “peace” means to tie together or to join together into a whole, and it means wholeness and welfare, so we can definitely strive toward the wholeness and welfare of everyone that they would be joined together with Christ and with his body into one complete whole. And we can be at peace with all people to the extent that it does not require compromise of faith and conviction and moral purity and obedience to our Lord, and as long as it does not require that we not preach the message of the gospel of Christ.

For what is attached along with peace here? It is holiness. We are to strive toward peace and holiness, so the one cannot contradict the other. For to be holy means to be set apart by and for God, to be different from the world because we are being conformed to the likeness of character, heart, and mind of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. And without it, no one will see the Lord. For we cannot be one with the world and one with Christ, too. Either our minds are set on obeying God or they are set on obeying the flesh.

And this is written to Christians when it says to “see to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God.” For the grace of God frees us from slavery to sin and it trains us to renounce (say “No!” to) ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for 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” (See Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10).

So, if our desire is to obtain the grace of God, what is required of us? We must willingly surrender our hearts and lives over to Jesus Christ, be crucified with him in death to sin, and be raised with him to walk in newness of life in him as slaves to God and to his righteousness, and no longer as slaves to sin. All this is of God and is made possible because of Jesus’ blood sacrifice for our sins. But we must willingly yield control of our lives over to the Master Jesus Christ, turn from our sins, and now obey God in practice.

For if we remain in control of our own lives, and we live by the flesh and not by the Spirit, so we let our emotions rule our lives, and not God, and we continue in sin living in immorality, and not in walks of faithful obedience to our Lord, then it won’t matter what faith in Christ we profess with our lips. We will not inherit eternal life with God. And that is the point of what this is teaching here and in many other Scriptures, too. So you may be expecting to be received into God’s heaven, but he will say that he never knew you.

[Matt 7:13-14,21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 10:27-30; Ac 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Tit 2:11-14; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10]

So, do not take God’s grace for granted. And do not buy into the lies that so many are teaching today which are telling you that you can make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and now all your sins are forgiven and heaven is guaranteed you when you die, but regardless of how you live. How you live does matter for eternity. For genuine faith which comes from God conforms to the will and purpose of God, for it is persuaded of God. And he persuades us to die to sin and to walk in obedience to his commands.

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer 

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897

Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,

Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,

Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,

Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,

Holy and harmless, patient and brave;

Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,

Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,

Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;

Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,

Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,

Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg 

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