Posted: 11/09/06
Explore the Bible Series for November 19
Persevere in the midst of adversity
• Hebrews 12:1-8, 12-16, 28-29
By Howard Anderson
Diversified Spiritual Associates, San Antonio
Direct access to God through Jesus Christ is the goal of religion. The “cloud of witnesses” enables Christians to persevere in the midst of difficulty. The race of life will require endurance, discipline, consistency, listening and gratitude.
Call for endurance (Hebrews 12:1-3)
The deceased saints of the Old Testament (Hebrews 11) give witness to the value and blessing of living by faith. The motivation for running “the race” is not in the possibility of receiving praise from observing heavenly saints, but we should be inspired by the godly examples those saints set during their lives.
“Let us” is a reference to those Hebrews who had made a profession of Christ, but had not gone all the way to full faith. The race starts with salvation. We are invited to accept salvation in Jesus Christ and join the race. Endurance is the steady determination to keep going, regardless of the temptation to slow down or give up.
Our focus must be on the cross before us—Jesus the “author and finisher of our faith.” Keep our eyes on Jesus as the object of faith and salvation (Philippians 3:38). Jesus persevered so that he might receive the joy of accomplishment of the Father’s will and exaltation (Luke 10:21-24).
Jesus is the ultimate example of willingness to suffer in obedience to God. He faced “contradiction” and endured even the old rugged cross. We can expect to face the same opposition for following Christ (2 Timothy 3:12). The Christian’s fatigue, pressures and persecutions are nothing compared to Christ’s.
Call for discipline (Hebrews 12:4-11)
The struggle of Christianity calls for discipline and not a fatal struggle. We do not have to resist to the point of blood as the Maccabaean leaders called their troops to fight to their death. The writer of Hebrews is shaming his people to think of what the Old Testament saints of the past went through to make their faith possible. The challenge is to prevent a drift into indolence or shy away from conflict. The call for discipline is the challenge to show we are worthy of the sacrifice God made for us in Christ.
Christians should cheerfully bear affliction because the Old Testament saints of the past have borne it. Anything we may have to bear is a little thing compared with what Christ had to bear. We must bear hardship because it is sent as a discipline from God, and a Christian life cannot have any value apart from discipline. The Christian should accept discipline as coming from a loving Father, God.
The ultimate punishment is when God does not get angry with us when we sin, and leaves us alone as unreachable. Remember, there is no discipline of God that does not take its source in love and is not aimed at good.
Call for consistency (Hebrews 12:12-17)
When experiencing trials in life, Christians must not allow circumstances to get the best of them. Instead, they must endure and get their second wind so as to be renewed to continue the race.
Pursue “holiness” and draw near to God with full faith, a cleansed conscience and a genuine acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior and sacrifice for sin—bringing the unbeliever into fellowship with God. Non-Christians will not be drawn to accept Jesus Christ if Christians’ lives do not demonstrate the qualities God desires, including “peace and holiness” (1 Peter 1:16).
Christians are to watch their own lives so as to give a testimony of “peace and holiness,” as well as to look out for and help those in their midst who need salvation. In many churches, the intellectuals know the gospel and are enamored with Christ, but still stand on the edge of apostasy. Their lack of consistency will cause them to miss heaven by 18 inches—the distance from the head to the heart.
Call for listening (Hebrews 12:18-27)
Do we hear the heavenly voice? Listening is the most important part of communication. This passage is a contrast between the giving of the law on Mount Sinai and the new covenant that Jesus Christ is the mediator—a contrast of the old and the new.
The primary purpose of hearing the word of God in all ages is found in Deuteronomy: “And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds and thick darkness. And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire” (4:11-12).
Moses took on himself the responsibility of being the channel of communication between God and Israel. God approved the request of the people (Deuteronomy 5:28), because it showed their feeling of unworthiness to enter into direct communication with him. The whole nation was conscious of sinfulness and unworthiness to approach God.
The Christian has a new covenant and a new relation with God. The new Jerusalem is waiting for her or him. This world with all its impermanence, fears, mysteries and separations goes and life for the Christian is made new. The angels are waiting for us in joyful assembly. The joy of heaven is such that it makes even the angels break into rejoicing.
God’s elected people are waiting for Christians whom God has considered among his faithful citizens. God the Judge is waiting for us to stand in scrutiny. Waiting for us are the spirits of all good people who achieved their goal—those whose names are on God’s honor roll. It was Jesus—perfect Priest and perfect Sacrifice—who initiated this new covenant and made this new relationship with God possible.
Once humankind was under the terror of the law—the relationship between God and us was one of unbridgeable distance and shuddering fear. But after Jesus came and lived and died, the God who was far distant was brought near and the way opened to his presence.
Call for gratitude (Hebrews 12:28-29)
Christians must worship God with reverence and serve him with fear. Nothing must be allowed to disturb the relationship that will be our salvation when the world passes away.
We should show gratitude toward God. According to Moses, we must never break our agreement with God for he is a jealous God (Deuteromomy 4:24). We have a choice. Remain steadfastly true to God, and in the day when the universe is shaken into destruction, our relationship with him will stand safe and secure. Be false to him and that very God who would have been our salvation will be a consuming fire of destruction. The eternal truth is if an individual is true to God, they gain everything and, if they are untrue to God, they lose everything. Nothing really matters except loyalty to God.
Discussion questions
• What is it about life that requires such endurance? What are some of life’s common trials?
• How can peace in the midst of difficulty be attained? What impact might that peace have on others?
• How do we make time to listen to God? Is listening an essential part of prayer?
We seek to connect God’s story and God’s people around the world. To learn more about God’s story, click here.
Send comments and feedback to Eric Black, our editor. For comments to be published, please specify “letter to the editor.” Maximum length for publication is 300 words.