Hebrews 12:1 - Being Vigilant

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Hebrews 12:1 – Being Vigilant
This section in Hebrews is interesting for several reasons. First, Hebrews chapter 11 places examples before us of those who have successfully gone before us serving as examples to us to persevere in our faith. Second, it points out that there is no excuse for not being able to finish and lastly, the focus is always Christ assuring us that we can finish successfully. One final point is that the passage points out that we are on the direct receiving end as opposed to our “great cloud of witnesses” who have never received the promises as we have. On two occasions in the book of Hebrews (2:3 & 10:29) the author points out the overwhelming evidence against those who turn their backs on Christ. Paul in Romans, in contrast to the woes of refusing Christ, affirms “how much more” will they be included when they obey Christ (11:12, 24). The conclusion is the same: refuse Christ as is your choice; but know that there is no excuse based of the vastness and weight of the evidence against your decision to refuse him. The evidence is so vast and great that the decision to choose Christ is virtually irresistible. Of course to those whom Christ has revealed himself to – it is irresistible and these admonishments in Hebrews find their target every time. But if the zeal wanes because the fear of God is no longer of any affect, then danger begins to arise on the horizon. Throughout this great book the author pleads to remain vigilant. He exhorts us to eat the meat and not merely drink milk. For our lives ought to show forth the death of Christ against all forms of godlessness as we earnestly seek those things that please Him. There is exhortation all through Hebrews: 4:14 exhorts us to hold fast our confession and gives us a good reason why, “(because) we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness” since he also was tempted yet overcame. This is some of the evidence I spoke of against those who refuse Christ. The warnings are ever real and present: “Take care brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart” (3:12). Why is this so important? Because Jesus Christ is faithful as a son over all of God’s house we being his house. To those who refuse Christ and his provision for our sin against Him he calls disobedient. And those who are disobedient are so because they do not believe. But their unbelief is unreasonable since the overwhelming evidence stands directly before them – it cannot be overcome or brushed aside. Then the author warns us to fear lest any of us should fail to attain it. The charge to not harden our hearts is ever present therefore our need to exhort each other is imperative. But these things are not attained if we are not moving forward in our faith continually. Chapter 6 talks about being trained by constant practice to know the right from the wrong and if not then we will never move beyond elementary teachings in the scripture where others feel compelled to come back, once again, to the doctrine of repentance. This indicates a level of maturity far below where they ought to be which results, in the end, to despair and alienation from the people of God and belief in God’s goodness towards them. But the hall of faith, as depicted in chapter 11, gives us hope to finish our particular race and to endure to the very end knowing that Christ has paved the way before us. The command in 12:2 is to look to Jesus who is the source and origin of our faith. Moreover, he is the one who maintains it. But our charge is to remain vigilant gathering around mutual partners in the advancement of the Gospel.