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Hebrews 12:14-17 NIV

Use God’s strength to set things right in your manner of living. The document discusses four areas Christians must focus on: 1) Pursuing peace with all people and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord, 2) Not falling short of God's grace, lest bitterness take root, 3) Avoiding immorality and living profanely like Esau, and 4) Not despising one's spiritual birthright as Esau did his for momentary satisfaction. The overall message is that Christians must diligently work to strengthen their relationship with God and others through holiness, grace, morality, and valuing their spiritual blessings.

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William Enoc
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32 views2 pages

Hebrews 12:14-17 NIV

Use God’s strength to set things right in your manner of living. The document discusses four areas Christians must focus on: 1) Pursuing peace with all people and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord, 2) Not falling short of God's grace, lest bitterness take root, 3) Avoiding immorality and living profanely like Esau, and 4) Not despising one's spiritual birthright as Esau did his for momentary satisfaction. The overall message is that Christians must diligently work to strengthen their relationship with God and others through holiness, grace, morality, and valuing their spiritual blessings.

Uploaded by

William Enoc
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Use God’s strength to set things right in your manner of living.

Hebrews 12:14-17 NIV

Make every effort to live in peace witheveryone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the
Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to
cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who
for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he
wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears,
he could not change what he had done.

A. peace with all people, and holiness: This means to walk right with both men
(pursue peace with all men) and to walk right with God (and holiness).
Discouragement makes us sloppy and unconcerned with holiness and
personal relationships.

i. Regarding holiness, we are told without which no one will see the Lord. A
lack of holiness is a critical obstacle to a close relationship with God.
ii. “Unholy Christians are the plague of the church. They are spots in our feasts
of charity. Like hidden rocks, they are the terror of navigators. It is hard to
steer clear of them: and there is no telling what wrecks they may cause.”
(Spurgeon)
iii. At the same time “This holiness is a thing of growth. It may be in the soul as
the grain of mustard-seed, and yet not developed; it may be in the heart asa
wish and a desire, rather than anything that has been fully realized, — a
groaning, a panting, a longing, a striving.” (Spurgeon)
iv. Spurgeon described four types of people who try to get on without holiness:
· The Pharisee: Confident in outward ceremonies instead of true holiness.
· The moralist: Feels no need for holiness because his life is so good.
· The experimentalist: Their entire Christian life is lived inward, never
looking to outward conduct but only to feelings.
· The opinionist: Their Christian life is all about believing the right doctrines
and is unconcerned about the way one lives.

B. Lest anyone fall short of the grace of God: We must live right in regard to
the grace of God. This means to diligently keep both our self and others from
a return to legalism in either outward form or inward attitude that falls short
of God’s grace, lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble.

i. “A bitter root is a root that bears bitter fruit… So it is possible for the seed of
bitterness to be sown in a community and, though nothing is immediately
apparent, in due time the inevitable fruit appears.” (Morris)
ii. Bitterness corrupts many, rooted in a sense of personal hurt, and many hold
on to the bitterness with amazing stubbornness. What they must do is
remember the grace of God extended to them, and start extending that grace
towards others – loving the undeserving.
iii. William Barclay wrote that the phrase fall short of the grace of God might
also be translated failing to keep up with the grace of God. The idea is that
the grace of God is moving on, past the pain and hurt of the past. We should
move on also.

C. Lest there be any fornicator or profane person: We must get right in


regard to our moral conduct. Remember that there are blessings reserved
only for the pure in heart: they shall see God (Matthew 5:8).

i. Thomas on profane: “It comes from the Latin words pro-fanum. Outside
every fane or temple there was an area of land open to every one, where
people gathered, and open place without enclosure. In contrast with this was
the sacred enclosure of the temple or ‘fane’ itself. Esau had not such sacred
enclosure in his life, and in this sense was a purely secular man.”

D. Like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright: Many Christians
today sell a birthright of intimacy with God as cheaply as Esau sold his
birthright (Genesis 25:29-34 and 27:30-40).

i. For he found no place for repentance: “It is not a question of forgiveness.


God’s forgiveness is always open to the penitent. Esau could have come back
to God. But he could not undo his act.” (Morris)
ii. Though he sought it diligently with tears: When Esau later sought the
blessing he was rejected by his father Isaac and found no place for
repentance before Isaac. Esau’s birthright wasn’t restored simply because he
wished it back. It could never be regained because he despised it.

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