The Key To The Christian Life (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 12)

Welcome to the second to last week of our weekly Hebrews Bible Study, right here on Scattered Journal Pages. It’s almost over, and I can’t believe it.

 

These Tuesdays with all of you, spent digging into the Word of God have meant so much to me, as has your support. I adore the book of Hebrews, and the soul-level truths discussed in it. While I could never do the book proper justice, I have been loving taking the extra time to really study Hebrews and see points I would’ve missed if I hadn’t taken the time to slow down and really read.

Last week, we discussed four main things.

 

*Following the law and making sacrifices is not the way we attain perfection.

*Our holiness is because of Christ’s sacrifice alone, ONCE FOR ALL. The Old Covenant is null and void.

*We can have full assurance of faith, and total hope – we are clean, and God is faithful to us.

*You cannot lose your salvation, but you can reject grace. And that leads to ultimate judgment.

 

And last week’s takeaway? Jesus is our holiness, our perfection, and our hope. He forgives us, He cleanses us, and He gives us grace – the sacrifice happened one time, and yet it covers all of our lives.

Previous Posts in This Study:

// Welcome to The Hebrews Bible Study!

// Who is Jesus to You? (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 2)

// How Simple Belief Rescues Our Souls (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 3)

// Why Grace Brings Us To True Rest (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 4)

// We Are Redeemed! (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 5)

// Our Only True Hope (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 6)

// Why Jesus Is Truly Enough (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 7)

// Where Do You Find Your Identity? (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 8)

// It is Forgiven. (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 9)

// Jesus Has Made You Enough (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 10)

// What Will You Do With Jesus? (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 11)

Let’s Get Started!

 

Today, we’re reading Hebrews 12. Click the link to be redirected to it.

Number One:

 

In fixing our eyes on Jesus, we can freely let go of sin – for He is so much greater. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

 

We’re all sinners, and there’s no denying that fact. We’ll mess up, we’ll fail, we’ll struggle – because we’re human.

 

But in our human-ness, we can’t simply accept the mindset of, “If I’m gonna fail eventually, why live the Christian life at all?” because that’s a flawed perspective – one that assumes we’re hopeless.

 

But we’re not hopeless.

 

As these verses tell us, let us look to Jesus. In focusing on Him and not ourselves, we can have real freedom.

 

In seeing everything He’s done for us, the grace He’s lavished on us, the peace and love and joy that He brings us – sin isn’t all that appealing anymore. In seeing the vastness of God’s forgiveness, sin can fall away.

Number Two:

 

God’s discipline is not His condemnation, for in Christ, we are forgiven. (Hebrews 12:7-11)

 

Sometimes we incorrectly assume that when things go wrong, it’s God sentencing us for things we’ve done in our past.

 

Yet God doesn’t work that way at all. Because of what Jesus has done for us, we are seen as clean. As forgiven. As holy.

 

Does that mean our lives will be painless? No, not at all. Consequences occur for our actions – but condemnation does not.

Number Three:

 

We can’t miss grace. (Hebrews 12:15)

 

I talk about grace a lot on this blog, because honestly, it’s central to understanding our faith. To understanding why we’re here and what we’re supposed to do.

 

Grace says, “I know you’re not perfect, but I love you anyway. I know you’ve thought your way was best, but I forgive you.”

 

If we miss that, we can forget God’s greatness and make it about our own. We can forget about His love for us, and live in fear instead. We can forget about His mercy and live shamefully.

 

But that’s not what He has intended for us.

 

If we want to live full lives, we must accept His grace for what it is – radical, undeserved, and completely, beautifully free.

Recap:

 

*In fixing our eyes on Jesus, we can freely let go of sin – for He is so much greater.

*God’s discipline is not His condemnation, for in Christ, we are forgiven.

*We can’t miss grace.

 

In short? Focusing on Christ is they key to the Christian life.

Questions of the Week:

 

1. When struggling with something, what is the first thing you tend to run to?
2. How can you tell the difference between correction and condemnation?
3. How do you see grace in day-to-day life?

 

*aj