THE BESETTING SIN
Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore
seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us
lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and
let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Looking unto
Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before
him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand
of the throne of God.”
- "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets;
I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” Matt. 5:17
- "But go and learn what this means: `I DESIRE COMPASSION,
[I.e. more than] AND NOT SACRIFICE, ' for I did not come to call the
righteous, but sinners.” Matt.
9:13
- "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did
not come to bring peace, but a sword." Matt. 10:34
- "I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me;
if another comes in his own name, you will receive him." John 5:43
The prior verses deal with His mission
(#1) to establish the law of love. Many were (#2) endlessly performing
sacrifices to cover endless sin in their lives. He came to this earth to
separate the (#3) true from the false, even in families, some overcoming sin
while others endlessly performing. He was well aware of the Anti-Christ that
would be accepted with open arms (#4) because his law was not established on
love, but a disregard for God, because he welcomed sacrifice, and men could buy
into him due to their hatred for God, living a life of unbelief promoting sin
instead of their lack of belief in God which eliminates the sin that doth so
easily beset Adam, Israel, and men today. Not having God involved in their
decision making. Not consulting the Creator. Religion is as close as they desire
concerning a relationship with God.
Notice that sin is in the singular. This sin has a context
that the writer has established in the letter. The besetting sin, that which so
easily entangles us, according to the
context, is merely that of unbelief
and doubt. This letter to the Hebrews in the prior chapters are
saturated with Jews who refused to believe. There were those who did believe but
failed to live long enough to receive[TY1] the promises the OT had made. They are awaiting a better
resurrection as well as an eternal body as we do. They died in faith that they
would see those promises exactly fulfilled. This chapter starts with a statement
of conclusion {therefore}.
Christ did not come into this world to have men claiming
to be following Christ, being called Christian, and keep on sinning the same
sin or sins over and over again, calling
it a besetting sin. “I just can’t
seem to quit performing this sin.”
The writer of this letter knew the
ultimate passion of Christ’s heart was the establishment of the law of God, and
the creation in men of a character of holiness which should issue in a conduct
of righteousness. He did not come into the world to persuade God to excuse men
who are moral failures. He came into the world to establish the law, to stand
in the midst of human history as the severest of all moral teachers, embodying
the highest ideal of law, and at all costs insisting on obedience thereto. The
modern day church has lost this mission of Christ.
In the ultimate triumph of Christ,
when He shall see the travail of His soul and be satisfied, and in those who
have been ransomed and redeemed shall find the fulfillment of His highest
purpose, He will “not” lead into the
larger life a great host of men and women crippled and incapable, without
spiritual power, and defective in moral character that just couldn’t stop
performing certain sins. When His work is done in His own, He will present them
to His Father without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, absolutely perfect,
with the perfection of His own holiness of character and righteousness of
conduct. They will be ready to enter their mansion in the Father’s city (house)
and from that city rule and reign with Him. Those are foreign thoughts in the
church today and perfecting & perfection is a very touchy subject.
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