Five Perils to a Dynamic Faith (Conclusion)

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This is the conclusion of a message based on Hebrews 12 in which the author of Scripture presents five warnings to the Christian believers in the first century. These warnings are still relevant for believers today.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction to concluding segment

Last Sunday I started this sermon but didn’t have time to finish it, so we are concluding the message today.

In Hebrews 11 the author provided a working definition of faith for his readers, and then he proceeded to list individuals and groups of people who were examples of dynamic faith. He described what faith did for them as a source of encouragement. I believe he was hoping to generate this attitude in the readers, “If faith can do this for them, I believe it can do it for me.”

In chapter 12 he begins by reminding them that they are surrounded by that great “cloud” of witnesses – those who have testified or witnessed to a vibrant, dynamic faith, and he urges his readers to not only remember them, but to also remember the central figure of it all – Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. He continues through the rest of the chapter to warn them of the kinds of perils that could sabotage their faith. There are perils that these readers needed to be alert for, and these same perils threaten destroy the faith of all believers in all ages.

The perils or dangers are introduced throughout the chapter in each case by the use of the word “lest” (KJV) or “that not.”

Last week we talked about the first three perils, which I will list again for those who weren’t here.

The danger of weariness (v.3)

The danger of waywardness (v.13)

The danger of gracelessness (v.15a)

Today we are going to look at the last two perils that are given:

The danger of bitterness (v.15b)

The danger of profaneness (v.16)

IV. The Danger of Bitterness (v.15b)

Hebrews 12:15b (KJV) lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.

“root” – a word that was translated in the Septuagint to refer to any specific person in Israel who may turn away from God and worship pagan idols or cause others to do so(Duet. 29:18); and in Matt. 13:21 it is used to describe a person who has a superficial experience of truth as illustrated in the parable of the sower or the soils. Here in this passage it refers to a Jewish believer who is in danger of apostasy and inducing others to do the same. (Wuest)

Bitterness will bring trouble to one’s self. Bitterness will harm you and me more than any trouble that anyone else could ever do to us.

Bitterness will bring defilement to many others around us.

“many be defiled” – literally, “the many” i.e. the majority.

Every one of us has an influence on dozens of others around us. We have the privilege and responsibility to either lead them forward in faith or lead them away from the grace of God.

V. The Danger of Profaneness (v16)

Hebrews 12:16 (KJV)
¹⁶  Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

Fornicator is understood in its usual meaning – one who engages in illicit sexual relations. Probably not to be understood as a description of Esau.

“profane” – literally accessible, lawful to be trodden; giving the idea of unhallowed and common. It is the opposite of holy, sacred or set apart. (It is okay to walk on this, there is nothing sacred about this.)

Profaneness produces a twisted sense of value.

This is true because it focuses on the temporal rather than the spiritual. It causes people to sell something of lifelong value or even eternal value for something of momentary value. This is very true in the case of a fornicator. Fornication involves the decision to sacrifice future long-term benefits and treasures on the "altar" of immediate gratification.

Also true in the case of Esau. Esau gave up, surrendered or sacrificed something of future, long-term value in order to obtain something that only had immediate and short-term benefits.

Profaneness produces actions that cannot be undone. (Because that which is lost can never be regained.)

“no place of repentance” – Repentance here is not to be understood as sorrow or remorse or regret, but in the sense of changing one’s mind about something resulting in a change of actions or direction. Esau found no place of repentance, because the action he took and the decision he made could not be undone. There was no opportunity for him to change his mind and retract his action.

This illustration of profaneness is applied to the Jewish believers in reminding them that they no longer needed the literal, physical and temporal temple, because they are now participants in the worship at the eternal temple in heaven. (vv.18-24)

Even believers today must be aware of the danger or peril of profaneness. We are dangerously suseptible to the peril of surrendering eternal possessions and eternal values on the altar of immediate, earthly, temporal values.

Conclusion:

One of the ways we can avoid these perils is to have methods for reminding ourselves of the things that are more important and the things that have eternal value. The celebration of the Lord's Supper is one of the ways believers have to help remind us of what's important.

As we prepare to share the elements of Communion this morning, let us start by singing a couple verses of the familiar hymn, "Near the Cross."