35  Falling Short of  God’s Grace  (12:12-17)

Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears. (12:12-17)

Nothing in Scripture is more important than doctrine. It is foundational to everything else. Biblical doctrine can be defined simply as “God’s truth,” and apart from His truth we could know nothing about Him, or anything about ourselves spiritually, or how God looks at us or what He wants us to be or to do. Apart from doctrine there could be no basis for obedience, faith in God or love of God, since we would know nothing about Him.

But Scripture contains much more than doctrine, much more than information about God and about ourselves. It also contains exhortation for living out the truths we learn. Knowing and believing are one side of the coin; living and obeying are the other. Paul joins the two in his charge to Timothy: “teach and preach” (1 Tim. 6:2). “Preach” here means to exhort or admonish. The job of a pastor is to teach right doctrine and to exhort right living, and the job of every Christian is to know right doctrine and to pursue right living.

In my earlier ministry I was asked to preach at a well-known mid-western Christian college. I spoke from 2 Corinthians 5, trying to apply practically some of Paul’s rich teaching in that chapter. After the message I was handed a note by one of the students that reprimanded me for passionate exhortation and suggested that, especially with such a sophisticated audience, I should just present the facts of Scripture as I saw them and let the audience “take it from there.” I was taken aback at first, but after thinking about what he said, I wrote a note back to the student that said, “Thank you for helping me examine my ministry, but be assured that I am following a pattern established in the Scriptures.” Teaching without exhortation is not biblical. It is not giving the whole counsel, or purpose, of God (see 2 Tim. 4:1-2).

The basic thrust of Hebrews 12:12-17 is clearly exhortation. Strengthen, make straight, pursue, and see to it are all terms of exhortation. The purpose here is not to teach truth only but to encourage living up to the truth. With all the doctrine that the book of Hebrews contains, its primary original purpose was not to teach but to exhort. “But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly” (13:22). Much of the doctrine the readers had heard before. They had a good intellectual grasp of the gospel. They were being urged now to believe it and to follow it, to trust it and obey it.

Truth that is known, but not obeyed, becomes a judgment on us rather than a help to us. Teaching and exhortation are inseparable. Teaching sound doctrine that is not applied is worthless, and exhortation that is not based on sound doctrine is misleading. God’s method for instruction is simple—explain the spiritual principles and then illustrate and encourage the application of them.

Many people have an intellectual grasp of the doctrines of Scripture but know nothing of practical Christian living. As someone has said, they understand the doctrines of grace but do not experience the grace of those doctrines. It is one thing, for instance, to believe in the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture; it is quite another to live under the authority of Scripture. It is one thing to believe that Jesus Christ is Lord; it is quite another to surrender to His lordship. It is one thing to believe God is omnipotent; it is quite another to lean on His mighty arm when we are weak or in trouble.

The “thens,” “therefores,” and “wherefores” of the Bible are usually transitions from teaching to exhortation, from truth to application, from knowing to doing. In the book of Romans, possibly Paul’s most doctrinal letter, he focuses primarily on doctrine. But he does not let his readers “take it from there.” Doctrine should lead to something. It should make a difference, a change in our lives. Chapter 12 begins with something of a climax to all he has said before. “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship” (v. 1). After setting forth the “mercies of God” for eleven chapters, he exhorts us to respond by commitment. After the truth that “each one of us shall give account of himself to God,” he says, “Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way” (Rom. 14:12-13). After teaching that all food is clean in itself, he says, “Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil” (Rom. 14:14-16).

In the book of Galatians, after spending several chapters setting forth the truth that Christians are free from the law, Paul exhorts, “Therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” (Gal. 5:1). As soon as he finished explaining the doctrine of sowing and reaping, he says, “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially those who are of the household of the faith” (Gal. 6:7-10).

Hebrews 12 also begins with an exhortation. After faith has been carefully explained and defined and illustrated, the writer says, in effect, “Now that you know what the Christian race of faith is, go out and run it.” It is not enough to know the New Covenant is better; we must accept it for ourselves. It is not enough to know that Christ is the superior and perfect High Priest; we must trust in His atoning sacrifice for us. It is not enough to know how we should live; we must actually live what we know. The biggest fool of all is the one who knows the truth but does not apply it to life.

Verses 12-17 give three exhortations: for continuance, for diligence, and for vigilance. They are addressed first of all to believers, although they apply to unbelievers as well. The writer is saying, “On the basis that you should be in the race of faith to win and that your suffering is part of God’s loving discipline for your good, here are three things you should concentrate on doing.”

CONTINUANCE

Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. (12:12-13)

These verses resume the race metaphor. The first thing that happens to a runner when he starts to tire is that his arms drop. The position and motion of the arms are extremely important in running, to maintain proper body coordination and rhythm. Your arms actually help you pull through your stride, and they are the first parts of the body to show fatigue. The second to go are the knees. First the arms begin to droop and then the knees begin to wobble. But if you concentrate on the drooping or the wobbling, you are finished. The only way you can hope to continue is by focusing on the goal.

When we experience spiritual hands that are weak and knees that are feeble, our only hope is in “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith” (12:2).

The writer of Hebrews got his metaphor from Isaiah. The faithful in Israel had been through a lot. They had many evil kings, some false prophets, generally disobedient and stubborn fellow Israelites, powerful enemies who threatened them, and seemingly no prospect of ever living in their own land in peace. They were discouraged and despondent, ready to give up. So the prophet reminds them of the coming kingdom, when “the wilderness and the desert will be glad” and “they will see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God” (Isa. 35:1-2). Then he counsels them to counsel each other: “Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble. Say to those with anxious heart, ‘Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; the recompense of God will come, but He will save you’ ” (v. 3-4). In other words, “Don’t give up now. A better day is coming. Look to that and you will have the encouragement and strength you need. Victory is ahead!”

The emphasis of Hebrews 12:12 is the same as that of Isaiah 35:3-4. We are not told to strengthen our hands or our weak and feeble knees, but the hands and the knees, regardless of whose they are. In other words, we are not to concentrate on our own weaknesses but to help strengthen other Christians in theirs. One of the surest ways to be encouraged ourselves is to give encouragement to someone else, “encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near” (Heb. 10:25). One of the best ways to keep continuing is to encourage others to continue.

And make straight paths for your feet refers to staying in your own lane in the race. When you get out of your lane, you not only disqualify yourself but often interfere with other runners. A runner never intentionally gets out of his lane; he only does so when he is distracted or careless, when he loses his concentration on the goal, or when fatigue robs him of the will to win.

“Let your eyes look directly ahead, and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Watch the path of your feet, and all your ways will be established. Do not turn to the right nor to the left; turn your foot from evil,” we are told in Proverbs 4:25-27. When we set out in the race of faith, nothing should distract us or cause us to waver or change course. If we do, we will not only stumble ourselves but cause others to stumble as well.

Paths (trochia) refers to the tracks left by the wheels of a cart or chariot, which later travelers follow. When we run, we leave a track behind us, which will either lead or mislead others. We should take great care that the tracks we leave are straight. The only way we will leave a straight track is to live right and run a straight course.

So that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. (12:13b)

Lame could apply to weak, limping Christians, who are easily tripped up or misled. It is certainly true that our weaker brothers will be among the first to be hurt by our poor example (see Rom. 14).

But I believe the primary reference here is to professing Christians, those who have identified themselves with the church but who are not saved. They have made a step toward Christ but have not gone all the way. They have the appearance of being in the race of faith, but are not. They are in danger of apostatizing, and are particularly vulnerable to stumbling. They are prime candidates for Satan to trip up.

These are the borderline, fence-straddling kind of people Elijah challenged on Mt. Carmel. Elijah was clearly on the Lord’s side and the prophets of Baal were against him. Some of the people no doubt were firmly with Baal and a few were firmly with Elijah. But most of the people, though they were Israelites, were undecided. They preferred not to take sides if they could avoid it. Actually, they tried to play both sides. During the week they would consort with the immoral priestesses of Baal, and on the Sabbath would go to the Temple and worship. So Elijah confronted them with, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him” (1 Kings 18:21). The only response he got was silence, but the challenge had been made.

The Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) uses the same word (chlos, “lame, hesitate”) in 1 Kings 18:21 that the writer uses in Hebrews 12:13. Elijah was confronting lame, vacillating Israelites and trying to persuade them to take a side. The writer of Hebrews was warning believers about the danger of misleading lame, uncommitted unbelievers and of causing them to apostatize back into Judaism. Under the pressure of persecution, these professing but unbelieving Jews were beginning to doubt the gospel and to weaken in commitment. Inconsistent Christians leaving wandering paths would be no help.

Sadly, Christians sometimes are the greatest stumbling blocks to Christianity. A bad example by a true believer can tilt a person away from full commitment to Christ, and therefore from salvation. A poor testimony can cause irreparable harm, many times without our knowing it. It can cause an already limping unbeliever to be put out of joint, completely dislocated spiritually.

God wants unbelievers healed, to be saved. It is not His will that any person should perish (2 Pet. 3:9). This is a serious exhortation indeed—to be sure that our living does not cause anyone to reject the gospel. Jesus warns us,

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peckmeasure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matt. 5:13-16)

Peter gives a practical illustration of the principle in a believing wife’s testimony before her unbelieving husband. “You wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior” (1 Pet. 3:1-2). Directly and indirectly, our testimony should glorify God and therefore be the best possible influence on those around us.

DILIGENCE

Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. (12:14)

This verse is not easy to interpret, and has been a problem for many sincere Christians. At first glance, it seems to be teaching salvation by works—if we successfully pursue peace and sanctification, we will be saved and will see the Lord. The truth is, however, that a person who is not saved cannot pursue either peace or sanctification, at least not successfully. Only the Christian has the ability, through the Holy Spirit, to live in peace and in holiness. “ ‘There is no peace,’ says my God, ‘for the wicked’ ” (Isa. 57:21) and any righteousness men try to produce apart from God is as “a filthy garment” (Isa. 64:6).

I believe the writer is speaking of practical peace and righteousness. Positionally, in Christ, Christians already are at peace and already are righteous, but practically we have a great deal to do. Because we are at peace with God, we should be peacemakers. Because we are counted righteous, we should live righteously. Our practice should match our position. Otherwise the unbeliever will stand back and ask, “Why don’t you practice what you preach? If you don’t live like Christ says to live, why should I accept Him as my Lord and Savior?” (cf. 1 John 2:6).

Pursuing peace primarily relates to loving men, and pursuing righteousness primarily to loving God. If we love men, we will be at peace with them, and if we love God we will live righteously.

LOVING MEN

Peace is a two-way street. It is not possible for two persons, or two nations, to live at peace with each other if one of them is persistently belligerent. Jesus was peaceful toward all men, but all men were not peaceful toward Him. Paul clarifies the principle. “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men” (Rom. 12:18). We are only responsible for our side of the peace process, but we cannot use another’s belligerence as an excuse for responding in kind. We have an obligation to live peaceably, whether or not those around us treat us peaceably. If they do not live peaceably, that is their problem; it is never our excuse.

I once witnessed an interesting drama on the street. A man driving ahead of me apparently had just picked up a brand new car. It still had the dealer’s license on it. Another driver, anxious to pass him, pulled around on the right, running through a huge mud puddle as he did. The new car was a mess. A third man, probably a friend who had taken the first man to the car dealer, was in another car. The two of them forced the impatient man off onto the shoulder and blocked him in. They then proceeded to pour soda pop all over the offending vehicle. It was not a demonstration in peacemaking.

On another occasion, I inadvertently cut off another driver. He pulled up beside me at the next light and began cursing profusely. When he finished, I leaned out the window, admitted I was wrong and asked him to forgive me. That was obviously far from the response he expected, and he roared off in a huff. But an effort had been made for peace. In so far as I could, I tried to make peace (see James 3:13-18).

LOVING GOD

Sanctification has to do with our loving God. It speaks of the pure, obedient, holy life we live set apart for God’s glory, because of that love. When we love Him, we will want to be like Him, and when we are like Him, others will see Him in us and be attracted to Him. Love toward men and love toward God are inseparable.

The most difficult part of the verse to interpret is without which no one will see the Lord. I believe the reference is to unbelievers who see and observe our pursuit of peace and holiness, without which they would not be drawn to accept Christ themselves. The passage does not read, “without which you will not see the Lord,” but without which no one will see the Lord. In other words, when unbelievers see a Christian’s peacefulness and holiness, they are attracted to the Lord. Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). And He prayed to His Father that “they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me” (John 17:21). Our love for each other is a testimony to the Father and to the Son. It is a means of drawing people to Christ, apart from whom no one will see the Lord. As we run the race, leaving a straight path, showing love to men by peacemaking, and showing love to God by holiness, people will see the Lord.

Paul agonized over some of the immature Christians at Galatia, to whom he wrote, “My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you” (Gal. 4:19). It was his heart prayer that, above all else, they grow in Christlikeness. Christlikeness is our greatest possible testimony to the world.

VIGILANCE

See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled. (12:15)

See to it translates a single Greek word (episkope), which is closely related to episkopos (an overseer, or bishop, and synonymous with elder). We are to have oversight of each other, helping each other grow in holiness and Christlikeness. We are also to look out for, oversee, those in our midst, especially within the church, who may not be believers. We are not to judge, but to be sensitive and concerned for opportunities to present them with the claims of Jesus Christ. And since this letter speaks so often to such people in the assembly, this is a critical point.

TO PREVENT THE FALLING SHORT OF GOD’S GRACE

The first purpose of our oversight should be to win the unsaved to Christ. Comes short means to come too late, to be left out. If an unbeliever dies before trusting in Jesus Christ, he will be lost forever, eternally short of God’s grace. Tragically, countless thousands of people have spent their entire lives in church, yet have never come to salvation. Other thousands have come to church for a while, seen no evidence of anything supernatural or attractive, and turned away, apostatized. We are exhorted to see to it, to be on the lookout, that, in so far as we are able to influence them, no one around us lives under the illusion of being a Christian when he is not, or that no one is exposed to the gospel and turns away from it (cf. Matt. 7:21-23; 1 John 2:19).

We are tempted to hold back witnessing to those who profess to be Christians, but who we have reason to believe are not. We are afraid of offending them. Yet how much greater offense is it to their eternal souls if we fail to present Christ? We are exhorted, commanded, to make every effort to see to it that no one comes short of the grace of God.

TO PREVENT BITTERNESS

The second purpose for vigilance is to prevent bitterness. Moses warned the Israelites in the wilderness that there should not be among them “a man or woman, or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of those nations; lest there shall be among you a root bearing poisonous fruit and wormwood. And it shall be when he hears the words of this curse, that he will boast, saying, ‘I have peace though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart in order to destroy the watered land with the dry’ ” (Deut. 29:18-19). “Poisonous fruit” also carries the idea of bitter. The root of bitterness refers to a person who is superficially identified with God’s people, and who falls back into paganism. But he is no ordinary apostate. He is arrogant and defiant concerning the things of God. He thumbs his nose at the Lord. God’s response to such boastful unbelief is harsh and final. “The LORD shall never be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the LORD and His jealousy will burn against that man, and every curse which is written in this book will rest on him, and the LORD will blot out his name from under heaven” (v. 20).

An important purpose of vigilance is to be on guard against such apostates, lest they cause trouble, and by it many be defiled. Some apostates simply fall away from the church and are never heard from again. A person in the root of bitterness, however, is a corruptive influence, a serious contamination in the Body. He stays in or near the fellowship of the church and spreads wickedness, doubt, and general defilement. He is not content to apostatize by himself.

TO PREVENT SHALLOW SELFISHNESS

That there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears. (12:16-17)

Perhaps the saddest and most godless person in Scripture outside of Judas is Esau. On the surface, their acts against God do not seem as wicked as those of many brutal and heartless pagans. But the Bible strongly condemns them. They had great light. They had every possible opportunity, as much as any person in their times, of knowing and following God. They knew His word, had heard His promises, had seen His miracles, and had had fellowship with His people; yet with determined willfulness they turned their backs on God and the things of God.

Esau not only was immoral, but was godless. He had no ethics or faith, no scruples or reverence. He had no regard for the good, the truthful, the divine. He was totally worldly, totally secular, totally profane. Christians are to be vigilant that no persons such as Esau contaminate Christ’s Body. See to it... that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau.

Jacob, Esau’s brother, was not a model of ethics or integrity, but he genuinely valued the things of God. The birthright was precious to him, though he tried to procure it by devious means. He basically trusted God and relied on God; his brother disregarded God and trusted only in himself.

When Esau finally woke up to some extent and realized what he had forsaken, he made a half-hearted attempt to retrieve it. Just because he sought for it with tears does not indicate sincerity or true remorse. He found no place for repentance. He bitterly regretted, but he did not repent. He selfishly wanted God’s blessings, but he did not want God. He had fully apostatized, and was forever outside the pale of God’s grace. He went on “sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth,” and there no longer remained any sacrifice to cover his sins (Heb. 10:26).

We must be vigilant so that no one turns from the truth, becomes bitter, or follows the course of selfish Esau, who wanted God’s blessing desperately—but not on God’s terms (cf. Mark 10:17-22).