I'm preaching at Redeemer this Sunday out of Hebrews 12:14-17. I printed these verses out and am carrying them with me.
What a great text this is!
- Make every effort (this is the "race" motif in Hebrews) to live at peace with everyone.
- Make every effort to be holy (hagiasmos, "set apart" for God's kingdom).
- Without set-apartness for God you won't see God.
- See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God.
- Get rid of any roots of bitterness; rebuke a spirit of victimization - this will harm you and cause others to miss out on God's grace. Your bitterness defiles the Jesus-community (and mine too, of course).
- Make sure you and your brothers and sisters are porn-free (pornos; "immoral").
- Reject all godlessness that would exchange everlasting unseen things for short term, seen pleasures.
A holy life is about our character, in Christ. This is precious and perilous. N. T. Wright writes:
Human character and reputation is like a tree; it takes decades to grow,
but it can be cut down or burnt to a cinder in a matter of minutes.
N.T. Wright, Hebrews for Everyone, p. 155
