Two spiritual truths are emphasized in this chapter. Those who faced discouragement from multiple trials and afflictions needed to “fix [their] eyes on Jesus.” We can find encouragement from Jesus’ refusal to compromise or turn away from God. Realize that God is permitting discipline in your life for a benevolent purpose so that you may share in His holiness.
Those who were presumptuous and careless in their actions were challenged to pursue holiness (v. 14), to take advantage of the privileges of the new covenant (v. 24), and to worship God acceptably with reverence and awe (v. 28).
The writer of Hebrews combined the two themes of athletics and citizenship in this important twelfth chapter. The atmosphere is that of the footraces in the arena. We can see the runners laying aside their training weights and striving to run their races successfully. Some get weary and faint, while others endure to the end and win the prize. First the writer pictures the race (Heb. 12:1–13), and then emphasizes citizenship in the heavenly city (Heb. 12:14–29). In the minds of the readers, these two themes would go together; for no one could take part in the official games unless they were a citizen of the nation.
The one theme that runs through this chapter is endurance (Heb. 12:1 [“patience”], 2–3, 7). The Jewish believers who received this letter were getting weary and wanted to give up; but the writer encouraged them to keep moving forward in their Christian lives, like runners on a track (Phil. 3:12–14). The writer pointed out three divine resources (the example of Christ, the assurance of God’s love, and the enablement of God’s grace) that encourage a Christian to keep going when the situation is difficult.
Both discouraged and careless Christians need grace and instruction. Our gracious God has wisely provided for both needs.
Chapter Outline:
- Encouragement from Jesus’ Example (vv. 1–11)
- Jesus as Our Pioneer and Perfecter (vv. 1–3)
- God’s Discipline for His Children (vv. 4–11)
- A Call to Renewed Spiritual Vitality (vv. 12–17)
- The Final Warning Passage and the Supremacy of the New Covenant (vv. 18–24)
- Paying Careful Attention to God (vv. 25–29)
PRINCIPLES
- Jesus has provided His people an example to follow in facing life’s trials.
- God demands holiness in His people.
- Jesus provides forgiveness and strength for His people.
- God has provided His people an eternal kingdom never to be destroyed.
APPLICATIONS
- Respond to God’s discipline with obedience to His good purposes.
- Avoid all actions that produce bitter fruit and contaminate the lives of others.
- Live like newborn people whose names are written in heaven.
- Respond to God with gratitude for His mercy and with reverence for His majestic character.
Life Application:
Over the years, many of us have been a part of an organization that went through a restructuring or heard from close family/friends involved in a company restructure. In some way, it probably has affected us all at some point. Who knows what will happen in this post-pandemic world with increased labor discussions (over-worked and burned out employees, the “great resignation,” lack of workers in certain fields, etc.), and certain businesses struggling. Over the years, we have heard or seen many companies restructuring and the effects on those who are now unemployed. A potentially unforeseen trial is now staring these people (and sometimes us) in the face.
Restructuring involves reviewing the companies strategy. It involves a “redeployment” of resources. Generally, it produces (or results in) a smaller workforce, new priorities for spending, and a potential for sharing of power in the company organizational chart. Or it can result in a complete change of power or new personnel. Restructuring requires a clarification of goals and a relentless devotion to attaining the right goals. It expresses a willingness to change any needed activities to reach those goals. Sometimes at the expense of those without any power or voice.
Follow me on this analogy, but restructuring a company resembles personal repentance. Repentance demands restructuring your life around the new demands of Jesus Christ. This, however, is not the popular understanding of repentance. For some people, repentance means to feel sad about sin. They think that it means to weep, to express sorrow, and to feel glum about the past. Remember, repentance actually means change.
We have all seen or read of numerous experiences of public repentance in which waves of people have come forward to acknowledge their failures. Often they have detailed embarrassing personal failures and announced their intention to change. Tears or deep sorrows expressed in writing accompanied their confessions. The real test did not come from measuring their tears or words but from observing their life change over the coming weeks, months, and years. People who repent do not merely cry over their sins. They change their lives by God’s grace. They do not continue to go over the same failures time and time again. They put these failures behind them and get on with the task of living in obedience to God. It does not mean they are not tempted with these things ever again. The enemy will continue to attack
Three features about repentance are important for us to consider. First, repentance involves a commitment to live as a follower of Jesus Christ. The biblical word for “repent” demands a change of mind about God, self, and sin which produces a changed life. People who truly repent will live out the life of Jesus in their bodies. They will tap into God’s power to do what their own will power could never accomplish.
Second, repentance involves our relationship to other people and to society. If we repent, we will not merely withdraw into self-centered personal agendas, but we will work for bringing divine mercy and justice into society. We will also be concerned to see that no believer misses the grace of God. Correspondingly, we will have a much greater appreciation of grace in our lives and be more apt to give grace to others that hurt or offend us.
Third, our repentance will involve some changes which do not at first seem to be spiritual. More than likely we will read the Bible and pray more. We may even change the way we spend our money and the time we spend with entertainment (television, games, social media). We may even develop new relationships and interest in some new activities. For some, it may even mean a change of hobbies or the way things they eat/drink. Repentance will affect the totality of our lives. Hebrews 12 calls upon believers to restructure their lives around God and the ongoing purposes of Him.
Extra thoughts:
Verse 1 – “rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us”
- Verse 1 focuses on the preparation necessary for running the race of the Christian life. Athletic imagery shows that anything which burdens the athlete, such as lack of preparation or extra weight from clothes, is a hindrance. What hinders one may not hinder another, and obeying this command calls for individual discernment. Spiritually, this means we must choose priorities wisely. We are to avoid anything which weighs us down and prevents our full spiritual freedom. We must also be wary of letting our lives be hindered by the sin that so easily entangles. “Entangles” (euperistatos) refers to a habit which easily surrounded someone, a besetting sin. It describes a practice which was prone to hamper or impede spiritual progress. It does not appear that a specific sin was in mind. All sin is an entanglement in trying to serve God. Each of us needs to find the sin that entangles our lives and stifles our spiritual growth. With God’s grace and power, we must cast off these besetting sins.
Verse 5 – Discipline
- Discipline (paideia) appears in Hebrews 12:5, 7, 8, 11 with the meaning of instruction, education, or discipline. Ephesians 6:4 also uses this same word to describe the nurture or discipline which a parent gives to a child. In Hebrews the word describes the instruction God conveys to His children through severe discipline. In both Hebrews and Ephesians, the term refers to a system of training set up by the heavenly Father or an earthly dad to communicate instruction to a child who needed to learn. God often uses hardship to teach righteousness to His children (Heb. 12:11). God’s use of discipline to teach spiritual realities should not be pushed to suggest that God deliberately causes natural and moral evil to produce spiritual changes in His children. God can use such tragedies as the death of a loved one for spiritual good (cf. Rom. 8:28). This passage (vv. 5–6), however, is not suggesting that God deliberately causes these tragedies in order to promote spiritual ends. No one passage of Scripture gives a comprehensive discussion of the interrelationship of God, Satan, and human sin in allowing and bringing about what we as humans call natural and moral evil.
Verse 29 – God is a Consuming Fire
- These words pick up on the description of God in Deuteronomy 4:24. This awesome view of God was derived from the descriptions of God at Sinai (Exod. 19:16–25). The term shows that God is righteous and that He demands righteousness in His children. He will not change His demands for sinful human beings. Our reading and reflecting on these words should develop in us a sense of awe and reverence for God and a commitment to obey Him. These words bring out a feature of the divine character which we must accept along with the emphasis on God’s grace and mercy. They remind us of the need to be prepared for God’s all-searching judgment at the time of Christ’s return (2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Thess. 1:6–10).