© 21 Colin Melbourne
Peace and Holiness
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Heb. 12:14 KJV
Q: Does Heb. 12:14 mean that unless we live holy in this life we will never get to see God?
A: I’ve heard that strongly implied by preachers, “one slip and you’ll miss Heaven”, and bible commentaries often slant that way, but they are flat wrong.
With a little thought, the breath of The Holy Spirit, and application of bible-sense, you’ll quickly discover that such ideas cannot come from God, nor can His written New Covenant word mean that.
Holiness is Essential
Let me be clear: Father wants His children to live holy, clean, and pure lives down here in the midst of this present fallen world, and every believer ought to walk separated: In the world, but not of this world.
D-D-D
Believers are called to be; Different, Distinct, and Dedicated to The LORD Jesus Christ.
So we must walk in the light of the revealed word of God and honour Father.
But your holy walk and pristine behaviour will never get you to Heaven to see God.
Such thinking amounts to self-righteousness, which is sin because, all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, Isaiah 64:6 KJV;
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
The Hebrew used for “filthy” is the word used for a woman’s menstrual flow (Strong’s 5708 from an unused root meaning to set a period; the menstrual flux; by implication soiling:– filthy.)
Only God’s Perfect Righteousness is Acceptable
Get that basic gospel fact grounded in your own heart first and foremost, or you’ll soon fall from grace into pride, puffing out your chest as you contemplate how good, noble, and godly you are.
Why You Are Here
If you are not walking in holiness, peace, and love for your enemies, and holding out the word of life at every opportunity, then face up to it with integrity; you are actually an hypocrite, instead of being a Christian: A rebel rather than a servant of God.
The only reason we remain on Earth is to share the life and love of Christ, and His message of eternal redemption.
As Father sent Christ, so Jesus has sent us.
But even if you do that 24/7 faultlessly it can never qualify you to see the Lord.
It will be foetid soiled rags compared to the; holiness, righteousness, and perfection of Christ’s Sacrifice offered freely to whosoever will believe on Him.
Oh the power in the precious Blood of Christ, which Father accepts on our behalf, and adopts us His own forever: In Christ Jesus.
How to Be Holy
Christ’s is the only righteousness, and holiness that qualifies anyone to enter Heaven and see the Lord of Glory.
It comes free, by the grace of God, through trusting in The LORD Jesus Christ. He did all that is required to bring you into God’s Presence forever. Eph. 2:4-10 KJV;
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Halleluia!
Holiness & Peace By Faith in Christ
Christ is your holiness and sanctification, 1 Cor. 1:30-31 KJV;
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
We were all beyond redemption until God’s precious Blood was poured out for our peace and holiness, Col. 1:20-23 KJV;
And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Wrongly Dividing the Word
You ask, Does Heb. 12:14 mean that unless we live holy in this life we will never get to see God?
That cannot be the correct meaning because it flatly contradicts numerous other scriptures.
For example, consider the Jews who thronged Jesus in His ministry; they saw the Lord didn’t they? Mtt. 8:16-18 KJV;
When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
How many of those multitudes who saw God in The Flesh were holy?
None of them, yet they saw the Lord
Or these multitudes following Him, Mtt. 4:25 KJV;
And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.
Not one was holy, none was righteous; they couldn’t be until Christ died for them, instituted the New Covenant of faith in His Blood, and they repented from unbelief in Him.
Even Sinners See the Lord
Next, consider when a sinner dies in sin, and then faces eternal Judgment at the Great White Throne: They see God in Glory, yet none are holy. Rev. 20:11-15 KJV;
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
We could list lots more examples, but it is obvious that Heb. 12:14 cannot possibly mean as you suggest.
Rightly Dividing The Word
So what does Heb. 12:14 mean?
Please read the whole chapter in context and in the Holy Ghost, asking the Lord to open your spiritual eyes.
You’ll notice the chapter concerns Father’s dealings with believers. His chastisement is to enable us to share His holiness with those around us in the world; how we should react to God’s discipline, and how we are to behave towards saints and sinners.
So it is plain that the Holy Ghost is talking about people seeing Christ IN US because we reflect His holiness and peace no matter what circumstances or sin confront us.
It does not mean that if a believer sins, or misses walking in divine holiness and peace, they won’t make Heaven.
It means; if you walk in sin (or trust in your own holiness and righteousness) people will never see God in you, they see a pompous, sanctimonious, twerp.
There’s enough of those already, you’ll agree.
Now, ask the LORD to confirm this correct understanding to you as you re-read Hebrews chapter 12 in the KJV.
He will, then receive and rest in His holiness, His righteousness, and trust in His finished Sacrifice that ensures you will reach Heaven, and hear Him say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant!“
© 21 Colin Melbourne
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