Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith. The Father brings correction as a beloved child of God.
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The Hebrews 11 “Hall of Faith” is called the great cloud of witnesses! May I remind you the of one of the closing verses of chapter 11?
Hebrews 11:40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
The hall of faith could not be made perfect without us! We are people of faith; the covenant we have been birthed in operates in the faith realm! God has made a greater provision for us! Our provision is completely founded in the work of Jesus Christ! We are called to lay aside the weight and sin that so easily ensnares us. The how is LOOKING UNTO JESUS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH!
Jesus is the Author of our faith! Jesus is the Finisher of our faith! He who began a good work in you will carry it to completion! You are the joy that was set before Him! Jesus endured the cross bearing the guilt shame and punishment with the end result in mind; our reconciliation to God!
Hebrews 12:3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.
Consider Jesus is a theme of all of Hebrews. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin! Only Jesus could pour out His own soul for an offering for our sin! Consider Jesus Christ and the cross. He faced the ridicule, the mocking, the scourging, the crown of thorns, the spear in His side, and the blood ran down! Jesus took the punishment of sin and bore it all! The Father poured out His wrath for the sin of the world upon Jesus! Jesus strived against sin and won the victory!
Hebrews 12:5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.“
The rebuke of God is for our healing and benefit! The Father’s love for us is the motive for the correction. The Father never corrects His children outside of His love! The Father’s correction never includes His wrath. Jesus already faced His wrath!
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
This is the good news of the gospel, the believer will not face the Father’s wrath because of the greatness of the sacrifice of Jesus. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him!
Hebrews 12:7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.
Submitting to the chastening of the Father proves we are sons! Those who can live in sin comfortable are illegitimate children; the Father corrects those who belong to Him!
Hebrews 12:9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.
Do not miss the point of submitting to the Father of spirits! We get connected to God Spirit to spirit! The Father’s correction is for our profit. God is wants His children to fully partake of the provisions Jesus Christ made! We were created in true righteousness and holiness!
Ephesians 4:22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
When we were born again we were created in true righteousness and holiness! Holiness is not reforming the old man. We died to the old man at salvation. Holiness and righteousness is the state we were created in. We are new creation in Christ Jesus! We need to reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive unto God!
Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
When God rebukes us it does indeed have a joyful outcome! God correction always comes with solution. If we will yield it will have the peaceable fruit of righteousness. God word will train us! You strengthen the hands which hang down and the feeble knees. Make straight paths for your feet. Practically speaking we can straighten the path by getting in agreement with the word of God.
James 1:21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
Allowing the word to be implanted brings salvation to our souls. When our mind is renewed our soul prospers and is in line with our spirit.
Hebrews 12:14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
When we pursue peace by surrender to the word of God we can open the door for others to see the holiness of God. Lay hold to the goodness found in the grace of God! Running from the Father’s correction can bring us bitterness of soul; many can become defiled by it. Bitterness of soul can be witnessed by what comes out of ones mouth. Complaint in our mouth spurns the correction of God and justifies the disobedience.
Hebrews 12:16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 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.
Esau gave up His birthright for a bowl of bean soup! The words and action following were from the bitterness of soul. He promised he would kill his brother. His action of bitterness of soul caused him to take ungodly wives to spite his parents!
Hebrews 12:18 For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.
Mount Sinai is not your mount! Too many Christian are in turmoil because they are trying to live from the wrong mount.
Hebrews 12:20 (For they could not endure what was commanded: "And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.“ 21 And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, "I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.")
Mount Sinai was unapproachable! The law came and made sin exceedingly sinful! Men trying to achieve right relation with God by performance have come to Mount Sinai for righteousness. Since righteousness depended upon man’s good performance the law could offer no life; it could expose sin and show man their need for God.
Hebrews 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,
You have been brought to Mount Zion! Mount Zion represent the grace you and I have been birthed into! The law came through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ! You have been brought to the city of the living God! We are indeed citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem! This is the place where an innumerable company of angels minister to those who inherit salvation! God is on the side of the one who has come by faith in Jesus Christ! You are a part of the church of the firstborn! Firstborn status is granted by Jesus making us co-heirs with Him! Every believer is registered in heaven. It is in this covenant of grace that the spirits of just men have been made perfect. What a covenant! This is the covenant where righteousness is imputed to those who have exclusively place their faith in Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 12:24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
The blood from beginning has spoken. Abel was the first man murdered and his blood cried out to God for justice. Jesus brought justice by His blood. From the murder of Abel to every sin to the end of the age Jesus paid for it. He is the lamb that takes away the sin of the world! Jesus' blood is still speaking. The saints of God have coined the term to plead the blood of Jesus. This passage is the justification for that pleading! Jesus' blood is still speaking!
Hebrews 12:25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven."
Woe to the man who refuses to hear the blood of Jesus speaking. For those who receive, it brings healing to those who refuse it will bring sure judgment.
Hebrews 12:27 Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.
When you hear what the blood of Jesus speaks you are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken! The power of the blood is the word of correction from the Father that yields right results. Let us have grace by which we may serve God!
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