The passage from Hebrews 12:11-17 discusses the Lord's discipline and how believers should support one another through it. Discipline, though painful, leads to righteousness and peace. This unified response showcases peace and holiness, helping others to see the Lord through our lives. Holiness and peace are essential for believers.
The theme of the entire passage, Hebrews 12:11-17, is the discipline of the Lord and how we should respond to it together.
First, we must recognize that our Father disciplines us to improve ourselves and become more like Him. Although discipline may seem painful as long as it continues, it produces justice and peace afterward.
For this reason, we must understand that the Lord is not imposing a punishment on us. Therefore, when we see other believers suffering under discipline, we should not judge them. God is not leaving an indelible mark on them to show us that we should avoid, despise or punish them.
Instead, we are to help them, exhort them, do for them the same thing that the Holy Spirit does for us. Together we must bring a strength that will enable them to renew their strength and overcome their weaknesses. In this way, God can improve the whole church by disciplining a single member. Our joint response to discipline adds peace and holiness to all.
Verse 14 is the key to the context:
Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord.
After death, the whole world will see the Lord, either for reward or for judgment. Refer to 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:11-15. Therefore, this verse cannot be saying that those who rejected peace and holiness in this life will never see the Lord. They will see him to be judged.
This also cannot be saying that God will never appear to wicked people in this life. Of course, the Lord reserves the right to appear to anyone He chooses. The scriptures contain examples in which the Lord chose to appear to many very bad people. For example, Genesis 41:25, 28 (The Pharaoh of Egypt); Numbers 22:9, 25-35 (Balaam); Daniel 4:17, 24-25 (Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon); Daniel 5:5, 23-28 (King Belshazzar and his nobles); Acts 22:6-8 (Saul of Tarsus).
No, Jesus not only appears to the wicked, but he has also left the believers here to show Jesus himself to the wicked through us:
14 You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden. 15 Neither do you light a lamp and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. 16 Even so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
For this reason, Hebrews 12 must be talking about peace with all and holiness, without which no one, no one in this world, in this life, will be able to see the Lord through our lives.
Everyone can see the Lord in the peace and holiness that flow from a correct and unified response to the Lord’s discipline. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35 (WEB).
Next: Is There Anything God Can’t Forgive?
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