Living For The Gospel

INTRODUCTION

Read Hebrews 12:12-17

Fresh off encouraging their readers to endure for the sake of discipline (v. 7), the author now turns their attention to the actions that must be taken.

In order to finish the race of the Christian faith, we must clear all obstacles, encourage one another, and heed the warning of Scripture’s negative examples.

The first few verses of chapter 12 instruct us to keep our eyes on Jesus, who is the author and perfecter of our faith. He is the example to follow and the goal to strive for.

Romans 8:29

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

The purpose at this point of the letter is to encourage living up to the truth. Much has been made concerning the superiority of Jesus in all matters, and ultimately the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant. Now, it is time to start living it out.

This section of the letter is chalk full of terms of exhortation:

Lift and strengthen

Make straight

Strive

See to it

The readers are being challenged to believe the gospel: live it, trust it, and obey it.

May we, as we go through this passage of Scripture, also be challenged to Live For The Gospel.

DON’T GIVE UP (v. 12-13)

Drooping arms and tired knees appear in people who are utterly exhausted. To lift up the hands and to strengthen the knees demands a renewal of hope. Looking at Jesus and understanding God’s purpose in discipline invigorates people who have faced spiritual exhaustion.

One of the best ways to keep going is to encourage others to keep going.

Hebrews 10:24-25

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Our Patience Should Model Christ’s

In Pilgrim’s Progress, when Mr. Greatheart went with Miss Much-afraid and Mr. Feeble-mind on the road to the Celestial City, he had his hands full. He says of poor Mr. Feeble-mind that, when he came to the lions, he said, “Oh, the lions will have me!” And he was afraid of the giants, and afraid of everything on the road. It caused Greatheart much trouble to get him on the road.

It is so with you. You must know that you are very troublesome and hard to manage. But then our Lord Jesus is very patient; He does not mind taking trouble. He has laid down His life for you, and He is prepared to exercise all His divine power and wisdom to bring you home to His Father’s house.

Proverbs 4:25–27 ESV

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

Proverbs 3:5–6 ESV

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

SEEK PEACE AND HOLINESS (v. 14)

We are to make every effort to live in peace with all men. We must make every effort to maintain peace while we endure discipline. Widespread trials often destroy a sense of community and produce an attitude of “looking out for number one.” This verse warns against this tendency.

Romans 12:18 ESV

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

We must also seek holiness.. People who fellowship with the Lord must detest evil and pursue purity.

Matthew 5:8–9 ESV

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

1 John 1:5–6 ESV

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

To see the Lord involves communion with him, but it may also include an anticipation of Christ’s return.

1 John 3:2 ESV

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER (v. 15-17)

The word translated See to it is the Greek word ἐπισκοπέω, which is closely related to the word επισκοπος, where we get our word overseer (or bishop/elder).

We are to have oversight of each other, helping each other grow in holiness and Christlikeness.

We are also to look out for, oversee, those in our midst, especially within the church, who may not be believers

We are not to judge, but to be sensitive and concerned for opportunities to present them with the claims of Jesus Christ…which is the very thing the letter of Hebrews does so frequently.

We must also prevent the growth of any bitter root. This refers to a person who is superficially identified with God’s people, and who falls back into paganism

This is quite possibly a throwback to Deuteronomy 29:18-19,

Beware lest there be among you a man or woman or clan or tribe whose heart is turning away today from the LORD our God to go and serve the gods of those nations. Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, one who, when he hears the words of this sworn covenant, blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.’ This will lead to the sweeping away of moist and dry alike.

These words warn against the development of any practice or attitude which may contaminate the minds or consciences of believers. Some individuals can act like a poisonous weed and utterly devastate believers around them.

Concerned Christians must take actions to prevent this.

In verse 16, the author mentions both sexual immorality and Esau in the same sentence. Is there a relationship between Esau and sexual immorality?

Scripture gives us no indication that Esau was sexually immoral, so it does not seem that the combination is meant to point to Esau’s sexual sin. Rather, the conjunction in the sentence (sexually immoral or unholy like Esau) indicates the strong relationship between sexual immorality and irreverence. They are both markers of unfaithfulness to God.

And we know, based on 1 Corinthians 5-6 and the many other places the sin of sexual immorality is addressed, that it was indeed a prevalent issue in the early church.

And not just in the early church.

The Greek word that is translated as sexually immoral is the word πόρνος.

What does that sound like to you?

From a 2014 Barna Survey on porn addiction in the church:

The statistics for Christian men between 18 and 30 years old are particularly striking:

77% pornography at least monthly.

36% view pornography on a daily basis

32% admit being addicted to pornography (and another 12 percent think they may be).

The statistics for middle-aged Christian men (ages 31 to 49) are no less disturbing:

77% looked at pornography while at work in the past three months.

64% view pornography at least monthly.

18% admit being addicted to pornography (and another 8 percent think they may be).

Even married Christian men are falling prey to pornography and extramarital sexual affairs at alarming rates:

55% look at pornography at least monthly.

35% had an extramarital affair.

The only thing I don’t like about these survey results is that it only focuses on men.

The reality is that women are just as susceptible and struggle with porn addiction, as men. [Begga’rs Daughter]

This is not an issue that we can just sweep under the rug. We must face this head on.

Victory over porn is very possible, and must happen.

CONCLUSION

Anonymous (local pastor’s Facebook post)

Learning in many ways is easier than doing, once you've learned enough to do. In doing, you quickly discover the endless nuances of difficulty, the sheer, boring pain of endurance necessary for success, and the constant pressure of the load of expectations that come with graduation. But success is only possible in doing, never learning only.

Truth that is known, but not obeyed, becomes a judgment on us rather than a help to us. The biggest fool of all is the one who knows the truth but does not apply it to life.