Hebrews 12:12-13 NIV
[12] “Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. [13] “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.”
Like the Apostle Paul who built his call to us to live out our new lives on Jesus and what He has done, our writer also calls his readers to respond to what God has done through Christ. Every detail of this new covenant, every provision God has made for us, will fizzle out and come to nothing without our response of faith and obedience. Yes, like the Israelites of old, we are also called to obedience… not to earn God’s favour but because He has done everything for us so that we can approach Him without fear. Obedience is our response of love and gratitude for what He has done. Even our struggles are evidence of God’s love because He is training us for our place in His forever family. Therefore, stand strong on who we are in Him and what He has done for us.
Since sin is the big issue, and since God has dealt with our sin, He demands a way of life that mirrors His attitude to sin. As Solomon discovered…
Proverbs 8:13 NLT
[13] “All who fear the Lord will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.”
Holiness is not something we achieve. Jesus has made us holy by His own blood, and He works that holiness in us through His Word by His Spirit.
John 17:17 NIV
[17]”Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”
Hebrews 10:12, 14 NLT
[12] “But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand…
[14] For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.”
We confirm this holiness by submitting to Jesus’ authority and by obeying His commandments…to believe in Him and to love one another.
Now, our writer singles out two ways in which sin erodes our lives in Christ…bitterness and immorality.
Bitterness and immorality poison our souls and retard our spiritual growth in faith and perseverance.
Hebrews 12:15-17 NLT
[15] “Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of BITTERNESS grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. [16] Make sure that no one is IMMORAL or GODLESS like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. [17] You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.”
The sins of bitterness and immorality are evidence of GODLESSNESS, excluding God from our lives. When we leave God out of our responses to tests and temptation, we end up being our own gods. We will be sucked into selfishness that disregards everyone and everything except satisfying our own selfish and sell-centred concerns.
First, bitterness, for example. What is bitterness?
Mets AI gives us a good definition of bitterness.
“Bitterness of heart is a profound emotional and spiritual state characterized by intense resentment, anger, and hurt. It’s often a response to perceived injustice, trauma, or prolonged suffering.”
Bitterness alienates and isolates us from God and people and, at the same time, infects the people we are connected to with feelings of unease and insecurity. Bitterness is a form of idolatry. It sets us above others by our attitude of blame-shifting. “You did this to me. I am better than you!”
How do we express bitterness?
Again, Meta AI helps us…
“Characteristics of Bitterness of Heart
1.”Resentment”: A deep-seated feeling of anger and resentment towards individuals, circumstances, or even God.
- “Anger”: Intense emotional pain and frustration, often accompanied by a sense of helplessness.
- “Hurt”: A profound sense of emotional pain, often stemming from trauma, betrayal, or injustice.
- “Un-forgiveness”: A refusal to forgive oneself or others, leading to a buildup of toxic emotions.
- “Isolation”: A tendency to withdraw from others, becoming increasingly isolated and disconnected.”
Our writer calls bitterness “a poisonous root”. Roots grow plants that bear fruit. The fruit of bitterness is the opposite to the fruit of the Spirit, a focus on self-preservation and aggression towards others.
Bitterness is rooted in self-pity, the worst way in which we show that our flesh is in control. We are on the throne of our lives and we deserve and demand all the attention we can get.
Therefore, the only way to deal with the flesh is to put it to death.
Romans 8:12-13 NLT
[12] “Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. [13] For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.”
Kill the flesh by changing your attitude and perspective! Forgive! Forgiveness takes the attention away from ourselves and cuts us free from the bitterness that consumes us. Forgiveness neutralises the poison of bitterness that kills…first it kills our fellowship with God, then our fellowship with one another, and eventually it will kill us ourselves.
Second, immorality. Immorality is not only practising sex outside the boundaries of marriage. Immorality means living as we choose, without boundaries, ignoring good and righteous standards. Esau was immoral because he treated his birthright as the eldest son with contempt by trading it for food.
When we leave God out of our everyday decisions and actions, we descend into godlessness. All our professions of faith in Jesus mean nothing. From a practical perspective, we are no better than atheists who deny God with their mouths and behaviour.
So, our writer urges…
Hebrews 12:14 NLT
[14] “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.”
Work at living at peace and in holiness by putting self to death as though your life depends on it… AND IT DOES!
To be continued…