Stay in the running! Part 2 - Bible Study

The Assurance of the Love of God (Heb. 12:5-13)

The key word in this section is chastening. It is a Greek word that means "child training, instruction, discipline." A Greek boy was expected to "work out" in the gymnasium until he reached his maturity. It was a part of his preparation for adult life. The writer viewed the trials of the Christian life as spiritual discipline that could help a believer mature. Instead of trying to escape the difficulties of life, we should rather be "exercised" by them so that we might grow (Heb 12:11).

When we are suffering, it is easy to think that God does not love us. So, the writer gave three proofs that chastening comes from the Father's heart of love.

The Scriptures (vv. 5-6). The quotation is from Prov 3:11-12, a statement that his, readers had known but had forgotten (This is one of the sad consequences of getting "dull" toward the Word; Heb 5:11-12.) This quotation (Heb 12:5-6) is an "exhortation," which literally means "encouragement" Because they forgot the Word, they lost their encouragement and were ready to give up!

The key words in this quotation are "son," "children" and "sons." These words are used six times in Heb 12:5-8. They refer to adult sons and not little children. (The word "children" in Heb 12:5 should be "sons.") A parent who would repeatedly chasten an infant child would be considered a monster. God deals with us as adult sons because we have been adopted and given an adult standing in His family (Rom 8:14-18; Gal 4:1-7). The fact that the Father chastens us is proof that we are maturing, and it is the means by which we can mature even more.

Chastening is the evidence of the Father's love. Satan wants us to believe that the difficulties of life are proof that God does not love us, but just the opposite is true. Sometimes God's chastening is seen in His rebukes from the Word or from circumstances. At other times He shows His love by punishing ("the Lord . . . scourgeth") us with some physical suffering Whatever the experience, we can be sure that, His chastening hand is controlled by His loving heart. The Father does not want us to be pampered babies; He wants us to become mature adult sons and daughters who can be trusted with the responsibilities of life.

Personal experience (vv. 7-11). All of us had a father and, if this father was faithful, he had to discipline us. If a child is left to himself, he grows up to become a selfish tyrant. The point the writer made (Heb 12:7-8) is that a father chastens only his own sons, and this is proof that they are his children. We may feel like spanking the neighbors' children (and our neighbors may feel like spanking ours), but we cannot do it. God's chastening is proof that we are indeed His children!

People who professed to be saved, but for some reason they never experienced any chastening. If they disobeyed, they seemed to get away with it. If we resisted God's will and did not experience His loving chastening, we should be afraid that we were not saved! All true children of God receive His chastening. All others who claim to be saved, but who escape chastening, are nothing but counterfeits, illegitimate children.

Why do good earthly fathers correct their kids? So that their offspring might show them reverence (respect) and obey what they command. This is why the Heavenly Father corrects us: He wants us to reverence Him and obey His will. A child who does not learn subjection to authority will never become a useful, mature adult. Any of God's children who rebel against His authority are in danger of death! "Shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?" (Heb 12:9) The suggestion is that, if we do not submit, we might not live. "There is a sin unto death" (1 John 5:16).

We can see now how this twelfth chapter relates to the five exhortations in Hebrews. As a Christian drifts from the Word and backslides, God chastens them to bring them back to the place of submission and obedience. (If God does not chasten, that person is not truly born again.) If a believer persists in resisting God's will, God may permit his life to be taken. Rather than allow His child to ruin His life further, and disgrace the Father's name, God might permit him to die. God killed thousands of rebellious Jews in the wilderness (1 Cor 10:1-12). Why should He spare us? Certainly, this kind of chastening is not His usual approach, but it is possible; and we had better show Him reverence and fear. He chastens us for our profit so that we might share His holy character.

The blessed results (vv. 11-13). No chastening at the time is pleasant either to the father or to his son, but the benefits are profitable. I am sure that few children believe it when their parents say, "This hurts me more that it hurts you." But it is true just the same. The Father does not enjoy having to discipline His children, but the benefits afterward make the chastening evidence of His love.

What are some of the benefits? For one thing, there is "the peaceable fruit of righteousness." Instead of continuing to sin, the child strives to do what is right. There is also peace instead of war, "the peaceable fruit of righteousness." The rebellion has ceased and the child is in a loving fellowship with the Father. Chastening also encourages a child to exercise in spiritual matters the Word of God, prayer, meditation, witnessing, etc. All of this leads to a new joy. Paul describes it: "righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Rom 14:17).

Of course, the important thing is how God's child responds to chastening. He can despise it or faint under it (Heb 12:5), both of which are wrong. He should show reverence to the Father by submitting to His will (Heb 12:9), using the experience to exercise himself spiritually (Heb 12:11; 1 Tim 4:7-8). Heb 12:12-13 sound like a coach's orders to his team! Lift up your hands! Strengthen those knees! (Isa 35:3) Get those lazy feet on the track! (Prov 4:26) On your mark, get set, GO!

The example of God's Son, and the assurance of God's love, certainly should encourage us to endure in the difficult Christian race. But there is a third resource.

The Enablement of God's Grace (Heb. 12:14-29)

As we run the Christian race, what is our goal? The writer explained the goal in Heb 12:14: Peace with all men, and holiness before the Lord. (Remember "the peaceable fruit of righteousness," Heb 12:11.) These two goals remind us of our Lord's high priestly ministry, King of peace and King of righteousness (Heb 7:1-2). It requires diligence to run the race successfully lest we "fail of the grace of God" (Heb 12:15). God's grace (foes not fail, but we can fail to take advantage of His grace. At the end of the chapter, there is another emphasis on grace (Heb 12:28).

In this section, the writer encouraged his readers to depend on the grace of God by urging them to look by faith in three directions.

Look back - the bad example of Esau (vv. 15-17). Esau certainly failed to act on God's grace. The account is given in Gen 25:27-34; 27:30-45. Esau was "a profane person," which means "a common person, one who lives for the world and not God." (Our English word literally means "outside the temple," or not belonging to God.) Esau despised his birthright and sold it to Jacob, and he missed the blessing because it was given to Jacob. (It was supposed to go to Jacob anyway, but it was wrong for Jacob to use trickery to get it. Gen 25:19-26.) Afterward, Esau tried to get Isaac to change his mind, but it was too late. Even Esau's tears availed nothing.

What sins will rob us of the enabling of God's grace? These verses tell us: lack of spiritual diligence, bitterness against others (Deut 29:18), sexual immorality, and living for the world and the flesh. Some people have the idea that a "profane person" is blasphemous and filthy; but Esau was a congenial fellow, a good hunter, and a man who loved his father. He would have made a fine neighbor, but he was not interested in the things of God.

God's grace does not fail, but we can fail to depend on God's grace. Esau is a warning to us not to live for lesser things.

Look up the glory of the heavenly city (vv. 18-24). The writer of Hebrews contrasts Mt. Sinai and the giving of the Law with the heavenly Mt. Zion and the blessings of grace in the church (Ex 19:10-25; 20:18-21; Deut 4:10-24). He describes the solemnity and even the terror that were involved in the giving of the Law (Heb 12:18-21). The people were afraid to hear God's voice, and even Moses feared and trembled! God set boundaries around the mount, and even if an animal trespassed, it was slain with a spear ("dart"). Of course, God had to impress on His people the seriousness of His Law, just as we must with our own children. This was the infancy of the nation, and children can understand reward and punishment.

What a relief it is to move from Mt. Sinai to Mt. Zion! Mt. Sinai represents the Old Covenant of Law, and Mt. Zion represents the New Covenant of grace in Jesus Christ (Gal 4:19-31). The heavenly city is God's Mt. Zion (Ps 2; 110:1-2,4). This is the city that the patriarchs were looking for by faith (Heb 11:10,14-17). The earthly Jerusalem was about to be destroyed by the Romans, but the heavenly Jerusalem would endure forever.

He described the "citizens" that make up the population of this city. Innumerable angels are there. The church is there, for believers have their citizenship in heaven (Phil 3:20) and their names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20). "Firstborn" is a title of dignity and rank. Esau was actually Isaac's firstborn, but he rejected his privileges and lost his blessing and birthright.

God is there, of course, and so are the Old Testament saints ("spirits of just men made perfect"). God the Mediator is there, the One who shed His blood for us. We learned that Abel is still speaking (Heb 11:4); and here we discover that Christ's blood speaks "better things than that of Abel" (Heb 12:24). Abel's blood spoke from the earth and cried for justice (Gen 4:10), while Christ's blood speaks from heaven and announces mercy for sinners. Abel's blood made Cain feel guilty (and rightly so) and drove him away in despair (Gen 4:13-15); but Christ's blood frees us from guilt and has opened the way into the presence of God. Were it not for the! blood of the New Covenant, we could not enter this heavenly city!

Why is there so little preaching and teaching about heaven? I guess we have it so good on earth, we just don't think about heaven.

When the days are difficult and we are having a hard time enduring, that is when we should look up and contemplate the glories of heaven. Moses "endured, as seeing Him who is invisible" (Heb 11:27). The patriarchs endured as they looked ahead to the city God was preparing for them. One way to lay hold of God's grace is to look ahead by faith to the wonderful future He has prepared for us.

Look ahead - the unshakable kingdom (vv. 25-29). God is speaking to us today through His Word and His providential workings in the world. We had better listen! If God shook things at Sinai and those who refused to hear were judged, how much more responsible are we today who have experienced the blessings of the New Covenant! God today is shaking things. (Have you read the newspapers lately?) He wants to tear down the "scaffolding" and reveal the unshakable realities that are eternal. Alas, too many people (including Christians) are building their lives on things that can shake.

The "shaking" quotation is from Hag 2:6 and refers to that time when the Lord shad return and fill His house with glory. As events draw nearer to that time, we shall see more shaking in this world. But a Christian can be confident, for he shall receive an unshakable kingdom. In fact, he is a part of God's kingdom today.

What shall we do as we live in a shaking world? Listen to God speak and obey Him. Receive grace day by day to serve Him "with reverence and godly fear." Do not be distracted or frightened by the tremendous changes going on around you. Keep running the race with endurance. Keep looking to Jesus Christ. Remember, God loves you. And draw on God's enabling grace.

While others are being frightened, you can be confident!