Looking Unto Jesus continued…
What a happy day when I realize that Jesus washed away all of my sin. What a day it is when I realize that I never need to be scourged or chastened by God because Jesus has made everything right between me and Father God when He hung on that cross. What a day it is when we can see ourselves like God sees us and not seeing ourselves as being beaten by God every time we may do something wrong.
Let’s go on to verse 11 where it says that no chastening for the present seems to be joyous. Now let’s not forget Who he is talking about here. Are we supposed to look at ourselves in this chapter in Hebrews? To find out Whom this is talking about lets look at verse 2 in chapter 12 and it will tell you Who it is we are to look to in regards to what this chapter is saying. Hebrews 12:2 ….looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of faith (the word “our” is not there in the original language) so it is saying Jesus is the author and finisher of faith, not our faith, but that is another blog subject for the future) is it saying looking unto ourselves in this chapter? No it is saying looking unto Jesus who endured the cross.
What is this chapter all about? It is all about Jesus and what He endured at the cross. Where it says in verse 11 that no chastening seems to be joyous for the present it is not talking about you and I. It is talking about Jesus enduring this at the cross. That chastening was not joyous by any means. It was horrible and cruel and everything else you can think of. Is it saying that Jesus endured all this suffering on the cross on our behalf and then says that we have to endure all this chastening too? There are many people around the world that believe it is exactly that way when they go through things they may not understand. I think we must really look at this in this way. If Jesus took all our suffering then why does God still require us to suffer and be chastened in order for us to partake of His holiness? Is that not a bit ridiculous? I think it is very much ridiculous.
Back to verse 11 again and it will tell us what this chastening results in. It results in the peaceable fruit of righteousness. What does this chastening make you before God? It makes you righteous. What else have we seen it makes you? It makes you a partaker of His holiness. How many of us have been made a partaker of God’s holiness by going through sickness, financial problems, or any other kind of rough times? Let’s not forget that yes it is through chastening, yes it is through scourging, and yes it is through suffering that we partake of His holiness and righteousness. But it is not through our own sufferings. It is through the chastisement and scourging and suffering that He took upon Himself upon the cross.
The chastisement of my peace was upon Him that I might be a partaker of His holiness. It is so important to see this. It is so important to see that all these things were taken by Him on our behalf. It is so important to see that when rough times come our way it is not God chastening us so we can be more holy. This chastening brings us peace and joy because it was upon Him and not upon us and because of that I can be a partaker of His holiness and righteousness. Peace is declared because of the blood of His cross and righteousness (right standing with God) becomes ours.
