TEXT: Hebrews 12:12-17

SUBJECT: Exposition of Hebrew #16: Living Under Discipline

Hebrews 12 is not one of the happiest chapters in the Bible. But it is one of the most realistic. Consequently, it is good for us. Life cannot be built on fantasy; it must be founded on truth. Vv.1-11 tell us the truth. The life of faith is no "flowery bed of ease". It is a long and hard foot race say. It is growing up under a father's firm discipline. Both metaphors imply much pain and maximum effort. The life of Paul illustrates it well: "in labors more abundant--he was--and "in stripes above measure".

The hardships, however, don't leave us downcast or self-absorbed. No, the life of faith is the heartiest of lives and the most useful. Vv.12-17 tell us about it; they inform us of the life we must live under the discipline of God.

The life of faith is an encouraged life, vv.12-13. "Therefore, strengthen the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed".

The Hebrews were spiritually spent. Like runners near the end of a gruelling race, their hands were "hanging down" and their knees had grown "feeble"--or began to buckle. This is no wonder; their lives had been hard. After turning from Judaism to Christ, they became "a spectacle"--chapter 10 tells us--and "suffered the plundering of their goods". Respected members of society who scrimped and saved to put together decent lives were stripped of their dignity, thrown out of work, and reduced to lives of poverty and disgrace.

More than tired, however, they were becoming lame in their spiritual race. Like runners cramping up under a hot sun, they were beginning to wobble and lose their straight line. If they didn't correct themselves soon, they would be injured for good.

To these fatigued runners, the Holy Spirit says: "Strengthen the (drooping) hands and the (weak) knees!" and "Get back in your lane!" In other words, "Be encouraged!"

Is it possible? In sports, it is. Have you ever heard of a "second wind"? Every athlete has. He comes to the point where he cannot go on, then something happens: a surge of adrenaline occurs. He's stronger than ever. If the Hebrews will just stay at it, they will receive a spiritual boost. How? By recalling that the present discipline--though hard and painful--is proof of God's love. And nothing will stir a man more than knowing he's loved in heaven. Paul felt the impetus: "...the love of Christ constrains us..." Also, by recalling the prize beyond the pain. No one ever suffered as Christ did. He found His courage in "the joy that was set before Him...and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God".

The life of faith, therefore, is an encouraged life.

Secondly, the life of faith is a peaceful life, v.14a. "Pursue peace with all men".

The Hebrews were under pressure. And pressure often makes people irritible. Chapter 13 hints that their brotherly love"wasn't what it once was. Nor were they as hospitible as they had once been. They also had trouble submitting to those in authority. Sound familiar? It does to me. It describes most people when they are under pressure.

But the Lord's people mustn't be like "most people". They must--even when things are going badly--"pursue peace with all men". The word "pursue" is better than the KJV's "follow after". But neither is adequate. The word connotes violence, as though you were hunting down a rabid dog or chasing an escaped prisoner. Nothing casual about it; it's an intense, fervent, and stubborn pursuit.

Pursuit of what? "Peace". The violent pursuit of peace is what God wants from His people. It sounds incongruous, doesn't it? Aggressiveness is usally linked with war. But God wants us to be bull-headed when it comes to peace. In politics, we have "hawks" and "doves". The "hawks" are itching for a fight; the "doves" prefer half-measures: negotiation, compromise, and so on. The Lord's people must be "Peace Hawks". We must pursue peace with the same drive that war mongers pursue conflict.

The pursuit of peace begins with ourselves. "As much as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men" says Romans 12:8. Conflict may come, but it mustn't be due to anything in us. What sort of traits produce conflict? Pride, envy, stubbornness, a quick tongue. Peace requires the opposite of these. James provides a short list. "The wisdom which is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy, and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy". The pursuit of peace begins with personal repentance.

Pursuers of peace are also interested in making peace between others. "Blessed are the peacemakers--says the Beatitude--for they shall be called the children of God". Do you see the connection? "Children of God" means "sharing His nature". God is a Peacemaker; His people must be too. It will require the same thing in us as it did in Him: personal sacrifice.

Are we willing to "sweat great drops of blood" to bring quarrelling saints together? We ought to be.

The objects of this peace are "all men". In context, it probalby means "all believers". Believers who don't know as much as you do; believers who don't live up to God's standards as well as you do. No believer is excepted. Including the most aggravating. You must "Pursue peace with all (believing) men". I hope no one finds a loop hole here; I trust no one will say with the hypocrite: "And who is my neighbor?" This verse specifies believing men, but other verses add unbelieving men to the list of those with whom we ought to pursue peace. "Love your enemies".

The life of faith is a peaceful life.

Thirdly, the life of faith is a holy life, v.14b. "Pursue...holiness, without which no one will see the Lord". "Holiness" means "separate" and is used in a variety of ways in the Bible. Here, inter-personal behavior is the subject. The holiness for which he calls speaks to how you treat other people--your husband or wife, your children, your brethren, your neighbors, and so on. Unless you are living in love for others, you are not "pursuing holiness". And neither will you "see the Lord" favorably.

God save us from an abstract holiness that never goes beyond our doctrinal statements or private devotions! Holiness must be visible--not in the wearing of phylacteries and the enlarging of borders--but in everyday life.

It is evident in the loving husband and the submissive wife; in the caring parents and the obedient children; in the honest worker and the fair boss; in the patient church member and the generous neighbor.

The life of faith is a holy life. The stakes are high; the issues are eternal. Richard Alderson put it bluntly, but well: "No Holiness, No Heaven!"

Finally, the life of faith is a concerned life, vv.15-17. "...looking diligently lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance though he sought it diligently with tears".

What must we do? We must "look diligently". The object is not ourselves--but others in the faith. The wording is identical to I Peter 5:2, "taking the oversight". It means "keep an eye on others". Not as busybodies, but as believers concerned for their souls.

What we're to look for are three things:

The reason that we're to be concerned for each other is the deadly danger of apostasy. The logic is this: (1) If we aren't concerned for each other, some may turn from Christ; (2) If one permanently turns from Christ, he is lost--no matter how much he weeps for mercy on the Day of Judgment. Esau's repentance did him no good--it was too late! Neither will the apostate's repentance before the Bar of Divine Justice.

We must do our best to prevent the ghastly judgment from falling on our brethren. In short, the life of faith is a concerned life.

The upshot is this: Because the disciplined life must be the most active life, we mustn't allow hardships to keep us down. We mustn't "despise the chastening of the Lord" or "be discouraged when we are rebuked by Him". We can only retain our courage as long as we remember what our discipline means--God loves us--and Who bore it more fully than we--"the author and finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ".

May God give us this understanding, for Christ's sake. Amen.