Hebrews Chapter 12 is pretty popular among Christians today, at least the first two verses. However, reading through the entire chapter recently made me realize that God is very serious about His expectations from us as those called by His Name. I was almost hearing the passage audibly, as if it’s being read to me; and, of course, I was trembling!
You see, in a bid to win souls and to make God more attractive to unbelievers, we have expounded the Goodness of God so much that it has almost put out of view the Severity of God. Sadly, many of us are not even aware of the scriptural injunction to “…consider the goodness AND severity of God (Rom.11:22a NKJV).”
In this piece, I will attempt to crystallize out the salient points of those twenty-nine (29) verses contained therein. What I’ll put up here is, of course, not exhaustive; so feel free to add more in the Comments. Read the passage again and share with brethren what other things you learnt.
Point 1
First, we learn from vs. 1 that IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY to run the race, laying aside every weight and every sin that easily beset us. This bears emphasizing for it is not uncommon to see believers asking God to help them run the race, or to help them overcome a particular sin or weight in their life (which, of course, they are unwilling to do away with). That is Irresponsibility, Spiritual Laziness, or a demonstration of Scriptural Ignorance, for God has given us that responsibility and He will not do it for us.
Point 2
Vs. 1 also shows us the race which we are to run: it’s the race “set before us”. In a sense, you’re only competing with yourself, not with anybody! Your race is not necessarily my race. I have a race set before me; you have yours too. The end-point may be the same, but the route need not be. Passages like Gal.6:4 and 2Cor.10:12-14 shows us the foolishness of competing with one another, and seriously warns us to desist from such. That s/he’s your mate is NOT enough reason to measure his/her successes against yours. Be wise!
Point 3
Still in Vs. 1, we’re forewarned that whatever race is set before us is not going to be easy. We’re instructed to “run with patience.” It’s delusional to think it will be easy. Achievers who make it seem it took them nothing “but the grace of God” to achieve a feat are only being natural, for no one really want to hear stories of how hard it was. They’re like the duck: looking calm above the water, but paddling seriously with their feet below the surface. Don’t be deceived! Even when God provides the manna, you still have to “go out there” and gather it.
Point 4
Lastly from Vs. 1, we have a form of encouragement: that mortal men like us have ran their respective races in the past, and ran up to the Finish Line. Together, they form the “cloud of witnesses” cheering us up as we run, telling us we can make it to the end, telling us stories about their race, the challenges they faced, and how they overcame. “Now all these things happened to those people as examples, and they were written for our instruction, to whom the ends of the ages have come (1Cor.10:11 EMTV).” YES, WE CAN!
Point 5
Vs. 2-3 puts before us a Perfect Example to look unto for inspiration, lest we become weary and discouraged in our soul. In a clause (Vs. 2b), the life of Jesus was summarised for us: His motivation, His labours, and His reward. Why is Jesus fit to be our Perfect Example? It’s because there’s no kind of (KIND OF) issue we face that He did not face. I challenge you prove me wrong on this! (There’ll be a prize for you if you succeed). Jesus has been through it all – all we’ve been through, all we’re passing through, and all we’ll ever pass through. We should follow His footsteps for He’ll prove to be a Sure Guide.
Point 6
Vs. 4 reminds us once again that it is OUR RESPONSIBILITY to resist weight and (besetting) sins. This reminder is needful for many a time we feel the pressure is getting too high. Whenever you feel you cannot carry through any longer, just remind yourself that “You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed, struggling against sin (EMTV).”
Point 7
Vs. 5-10 underscores the extreme importance of Divine Discipline. In the race set before us, God wants us to run according to rules (see 2Tim. 2:5 CEV). That is why He may from time to time stop us for some disciplining. Otherwise, we will run only to be disqualified in the end. When we understand the blessedness of the Divine Disciplining, we will actually pray more for it. We also see that this disciplining is one way to prove you’re actually a son (daughter) of the Most High God, and loved by Him.
Point 8
Vs. 11-12 reminds us that Divine Disciplining is not at all pleasurable. It is never fun to be corrected, especially by the Lord. In fact, at the time it is always painful. But then, if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace. Therefore, we must patiently endure the disciplining of the Lord when they come; and strengthen ourselves to continue on the journey.
Point 9
Vs. 13 teaches us that we are not to pause the journey because of some injury we sustained. Have you erred grossly or messed up big time? Or, have you worked so hard that you’ve been “injured”? The solution is not for you to take a break; rather to “make straight paths for your feet” – removing all those obstacles that can cause you to stumble. This will actually bring healing to your injured feet as you walk.
Point 10
Vs. 14 gives us two commands in a compact form: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord (KJV).” To better understand these commands, we will do well to look at Jesus’ words in Matt. 5:38-48. Those words sound unrealistic, but that is His expectation from us – and He’s very serious about it!
Point 11
Vs. 15 sounds a SERIOUS WARNING to us, Christians. We see there that it is very possible to fall out of the grace of God. Rom. 11:29 should not be treated as a general rule, but must be interpreted in the context of the issue being discussed by Paul. It is our personal duty to see to it that our salvation is secure. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Behold, I come quickly. Hold fast to that which you have, so that no one may take your crown (Phil.2:12; Rev.3:11).”
Point 12
Vs. 16-17 is in parenthesis. It cites Esau as an instance of someone who fell out of the grace of God. Other instances are Eli and family (1Sam.2:30-35; 3:11-14) and King Saul (1Sam.15:23). We will be deceiving ourselves to think God has no other choice than to use us for that purpose He created us for. Nobody is indispensable; if people will not praise, stones will! 2Tim.2:21 states that only those who purge themselves from [impurities, evils], shall be vessels unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
Point 13
Vs. 18-24 explains to us the nature of the personalities and environment we have come into as a result of our faith in Christ. We have come, not to Mount Sinai, but to Mount Sion, unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels. The high point being that we have also come to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel. This information is very essential, for experience reveals that environment largely determines how we comport ourselves.
Point 14
Vs. 25 now sounds a warning to us, having understood where we’ve come into and to Whom we’ve come. Jesus is a personal Friends; and like in all relationships, familiarity breeds contempt. Therefore we must be careful not to trivialise this relationship or make light of the words of the Lord to us. “For if those whose ears were shut to the voice which came to them on earth did not go free from punishment, what chance have we of going free if we give no attention to him whose voice comes from heaven? (BBE)”
Point 15
Vs. 26-27 reminds us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. The Voice which shook the earth on Mount Sinai still speaks. And, yet once more, this Voice is going to shake not only the earth but the heavens also. When this happens, only that which cannot be shaken – that which stands firm upon the Rock – will remain. We must ensure that we, as well as our works, are rooted firmly and built up in Him, if we’re to survive this coming shake.
Point 16
Vs. 28 implored us to have [Gk: hold fast unto the] grace, through which we serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, seeing that we have received a kingdom that is not, and will never be under any threat of overthrow. Ours is a Kingdom that is sure to survive the shaking, so we must do all in our power to retain the grace to serve God acceptably.
Point 17
Vs. 29 is a quiet reminder of the “other side” of God, known since the days of old, but seem to be forgotten by New Testament Christians. Our God IS a Consuming Fire (first said in Deut. 4:24). I hear a lot of people differentiate between Old Testament God and New Testament God. Brethren: God has not, and indeed cannot change (Mal. 3:6). Our God IS a Consuming Fire. So, never you mess around with Him.
“Now that you know this truth, how happy [blessed] you will be if you put it into practice!”
– Jesus Christ (John 13:17 GNB).
– Jesus Christ (John 13:17 GNB).
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