PERFECTION

PERDITION

OR

true son of God is exercised by the chastening of the Lord; he is unworthy of the Name if he is indifferent or

It is not without bearing upon the theme of Hebrews 12 that the word `exercise' is gumnazo. The word actually

means `to be naked' because in the Greek sports the competitors were stripped. So we have gumnos translated

`naked' in Matthew 25:36; 2 Corinthians 5:3; Hebrews 4:13 and other places. Coming, as it does, after the

exhortation to `lay aside every weight and the easily-entangling sin, and run with patience the race set before us',

this word gumnazo is very apt.

Seeing then that chastening, though unpleasant, is fruitful, we are exhorted to: `Lift up the hands which hang

down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be dislocated; but let it

rather be healed. Follow peace with all men' (Heb. 12:12-14). In other words, we are not to seek martyrdom; we

are not to pose as sufferers; we are not to pick the roughest tracks and run the thorniest way. Rather are we to gird

up the loins and hope to the end; make the place for our feet as level as we can, not aggravate the lame ankle, but

rather get it well, that we may finish our course with joy. Further, we are to follow peace with all men. Our

discipline will sometimes come through the permitted oppression of man, and when it does we must bow before the

Father's good pleasure. On the other hand we should not go out of our way to irritate our fellows or ask for trouble,

but as far as in us lies, we are to make peace. The word `safe' in Philippians 3:1 is the Greek asphales, a grip for the

feet of a runner, our modern asphalt. Here is another parallel between Philippians and Hebrews.

Another line of exhortation is discovered here by observing a parallel with Philippians 3:19, where the believer

is urged to mark those who so walk that their end is perdition or loss. So here, those who were running the race are

told to make a firm track so that others not so strong or fleet of foot would be encouraged to continue.

`And holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord' (Heb. 12:14).

This will cause us to run up against the elements of the world and the tradition of men, and will probably provide

all the chastisement that we can endure, but without it, we are warned that `no man shall see the Lord'.

The two words that should be emphasized in the whole passage under consideration are `endure' and `exercise':

`If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons' (Heb. 12:7).

`Nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby' (Heb.

We now pass from that which is common to all sons to that which is peculiar to the firstborn, namely, the

birthright. It will help us in the approach to this section to see the structure first:

a Looking diligently.

A 12:15.

b Lest any man fall back.

B 12:16,17.

The birthright bartered (Prototokia).

C 12:18-21.

Ye are not come. Six `ands' SINAI.

But ye are come. Seven `ands' SIN.

The birthright enjoyed (Prototokos).

b Lest ye refuse.

The section opens with a warning: `Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God'. It does not say

`fall from the grace of God', but `fail of the grace of God'. Hustereo, `to come short', occurs in Hebrews 4:1, and

that passage partially explains what we are considering here: `Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of

entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it'. The context speaks of Israel's forty years'

wandering in the wilderness, and their failure, though redeemed to `go on unto perfection'. We are not dealing with

sonship, but with birthright; not salvation, but possession, not deliverance from Egypt, but entry into Canaan. The

warning is threefold:

(1) Lest any fail (come short) of the grace of God.