HEBREWS 12
12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears. – Hebrews 12:12-17
HEBREWS 12 OBTAIN THE GRACE OF GOD
In this account, the writer encourages and urges the believers to pursue peace with everyone and to obtain the grace of God. But wait, isn’t grace given to all those who believe in Jesus? Let us once again define grace. According to got questions.org “grace” is an essential part of God’s character. It is closely related to God’s benevolence, love and mercy. We heard from the bible that it is God’s favor towards those who do not deserve it. I’d like to quote the same website as to the benefits of grace to every believer. For us to be able to comprehend the true meaning of grace, we need to consider who we were without Christ and who we become after Christ died for us. This grace doesn’t stop once we are saved. We have it for the rest of our lives, working within and upon us. Here are some of the many additional benefits that grace secures for every believer:
• Grace justifies us before a holy God (Romans 3:24; Ephesians 1:6; Titus 3:7).
• Grace provides us access to God to communicate with Him (Ephesians 1:6; Hebrews 4:16).
• Grace wins for us a new relationship of intimacy with God (Exodus 33:17).
• Grace disciplines and trains us to live in a way that honors God (Titus 2:11–14; 2 Corinthians 8:7).
• Grace grants us immeasurable spiritual riches (Proverbs 10:22; Ephesians 2:7).
• Grace helps us in our every need (Hebrews 4:16).
• Grace is the reason behind our every deliverance (Psalm 44:3–8; Hebrews 4:16).
• Grace preserves us and comforts, encourages, and strengthens us (2 Corinthians 13:14; 2 Timothy 2:1).
After hearing the benefits of grace, no wonder the author of the book of Hebrews in verse 15 instructs the believers that they need to ensure they obtain the grace of God. Since sanctification is an ongoing process, we need to continually work at keeping ourselves pure and undefiled until the coming of the Lord. How can we diligently live a life full of the grace that was given to us while we didn’t deserve it? We need to depend on our God and never count any of our work as something we have done. We need to praise the Lord who is the source of all things so we can stay humble and grounded on truth. Self-sufficiency is a killer of grace. Love for the things of this world and the pleasure seekers may find it difficult to obtain this ongoing grace. Because of this undeserved favor, we all need to be thankful and praise our generous and loving God. In other words, we have to count our blessings so that we will never fail to reap the rewards that God has promised to all those who love him.
REFLECTION
- How does understanding grace keep us in check from falling from grace and growing our faith?
