Monday, June 23, 2014

Hebrews 12:1-11 "Needing Some Spiritual Exercise"



Hebrews 12:1-11 'Needing Some Spiritual Exercise?'

     In (v.1a) the writer stops to look around at the perspective or position we as saints of God are in, with the multitude of those who have gone on before, and their testimony of faith in the midst of testings, sufferings, victories and in some cases death in their march through the ages for the Lord Jesus Christ. His immediate response, to these unique surroundings we are given the opportunity to enjoy, is the clarion call to each of us.
                                                1.Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us'                                                                       

                                                     2. 'Let us run with patience the race that is set before us'

                                                     3. 'Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith...'

                                                     4. 'Consider Him...'

     We are exhorted, yea even commanded to not only look around and appreciate God's perspective , the Big Picture if you will, on our blessed position in the midst of not only what has gone before, but most of all, the importance of what the Lord Jesus Christ has accomplished for us on the Cross of Calvary.

     He is the Ultimate Example of the Hall of Faith as the Author and Finisher of our Faith! Fix your gaze upon Him Who only is worthy to be exalted even though it may seem that the previously mentioned Old Testament saints were in some way exalted, it was only to bring us to a place of understanding the glorious position and purpose of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes these saints of old are great examples of faith, testing, victory and suffering, but they pale in the presence of the Light of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

     So, in order to fix our gaze upon Him, in order to completely focus our spiritual eyes on Him, and 'consider Him', we must of necessity follow the instructions given in v. 1-3. Total absence of sin in our hearts and lives will bring our spiritual eyes of understanding into focus on the One Who alone can provide us with the ability to 'run with patience the race' while we 'consider Him'!

     Fixing our gaze upon Him Who willingly suffered and died for us will reveal the 'goodness of God' (Romans 2:5) and bring us to repentance and humility, recognizing the excruciating spiritual pain and physical suffering He endured! However, as our Example, He had His eyes on the 'Joy that was set before Him' which could well be referring to the joy in Heaven which is expressed when just one 'sinner repents'!

     His Omniscient Eyes could have been beholding the multitudes of victorious men, women and children who were hopelessly bound in the strong chains of bondage to Sin, Satan and Self seeing them rejoicing in the 'so great salvation' they would enjoy due alone to His suffering on the Cross!

     Whatever the source of His joy, we do know that He in the midst of it all was able to provide the example James 1:2 commands His children to display, yes, 'Count it all joy, when ye fall into divers temptations' and this was the most intensive, the most extreme testing ever experienced by man, the God-Man Jesus Christ was capable to accomplish the Task that liberated all of mankind from the penalty, power and one day presence of sin!

     We are then exhorted to view the process of chastening (v.4-9) as from the hand of God, remembering that any difficulty that we face has been allowed to come our way through the filtering love of the God of heaven! He makes and breaks the appointments of life for each of us so we must be certain that we are in full communion with Him during times of outward uncertainty or confusion when we too must suffer through testing or trouble.

      We are called to remember that the greatest test of obedience in the greatest time of suffering for any man, was the Cross of Christ Who was fully man, just as He was fully God!

     Two reminders of our failure in time of chastening are found in (v.4, 5). 'Ye have not yet resisted unto blood...' and 'Ye have forgotten the exhortation...' The first brings to our attention the actual severity of our suffering/chastening vs. the suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ.

     What we must go through here is in no way close to what He has suffered during His 3 1/2 year ministry and death here on earth. We have Him in Spirit dwelling in us and therefore can indeed rest in Him during our times of suffering/chastening. The second reminder shows us the mindset we are found in when we begin to complain about the suffering/chastening we are called upon to endure. We soon forget the instruction of the Word of God (v.5b & 6) when trouble comes to us, but instead we turn to our carnal ways and ask the all too familiar question 'Why me ?'.

     Verse 7,8 continue revealing God's additional promises of chastening showing that enduring under the chastening hand of God which is the right response, God then approaches us as sons. His chastisement also shows the genuineness of our son-ship, for without it we are illegitimate children and not of the Father, the God of Heaven! So, there is a sign of security given to the child of God who is chastened by our loving Father providing us with the confidence and assurance in a time of trouble!

     The goal or purpose of chastening is made clear in (v.9,10) using the contrast of our earthly fathers brief chastening 'after their own pleasure' with the Heavenly Father's 'but He for our profit' followed by the purpose statement 'that we might be partakers of His holiness'.

     Holiness of life, allowing the Lord Jesus Christ to live through us, giving Him the opportunity to be seen in us is the ultimate goal of each born-again child of God. This can only be accomplished as we follow the simple instructions of (v.1-3) and fix our gaze upon Him, expecting Him to do what He promised!  It is only as we abide in Him, moment by moment, yielding our all to His will, that He is able to accomplish His will through us, for as the Lord so powerfully reminded us 'without Me ye can do nothing' (John 15:5).

     The passage closes with the result of chastening/suffering explained in (v.11). The obvious is stated in order to underline the truth of the result which comes to the saint 'When the smoke clears' after the time of chastening/suffering. When Job went through the harrowing experiences recorded in the book of Job, the Lord gave no specific explanation, but in essence told Job, who was said to be 'upright and perfect' (Job 1:1,8,2:3),

     It was good for you to go through this experience, which is the very same promise given to all of us in Romans 8:28, 'All things work together for good to them that love God', and the goodness expressed here in (v.11) is revealed in 'The peaceable fruit of righteousness' which is manifested in those 'which are exercised thereby'.

     This effective life-changing spiritual exercise provided from the hand of God will indeed bring 'The peace of God that passes all understanding' as we rest in Him, the Lord of lords and the King of kings if we will truly maintain the viewpoint, the Big Picture, that all that comes is from the hand of God and is merely the 'Spiritual Exercise' we need to put us in the place of blessing that the Lord so greatly desires for us!

     So, my friend, are you 'Needing Some Spiritual Exercise?'...the Lord's loving plan for you includes it, in order that you might be a full 'partaker of the Divine nature' and enjoy the blessings of the Lord Jesus Christ in the present, and in the eternal age to come!


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