Pursuing Peace and Holiness: Making Every Effort to Live as God’s Children (A Look at Hebrews 12:14)
Everyone is pursuing something: fame, stardom, a career, a spouse – and more. Now, these are first-world pursuits. Where I live and work, the pursuit of clean drinking water and food takes precedence for most people. But for those of us who name the name of Christ, we must ask an important question, “What does God want us to pursue?”
Paul writes to Timothy, encouraging him to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, endurance, love, gentleness, and more. The Apostle Peter calls on Psalm 34:14 and urges believers to, “…turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it” (1 Peter 3:11).
To pursue something requires effort and intentionality. Peter’s words remind us that to go after peace; one must stop going after something else. In this case, we should turn from evil to doing good. That act of doing good is connected to the command of seek(ing) peace and pursu(ing) it.” This same theme arises in Hebrews 12:14,
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Living in peace requires each of us to make an effort. The NKJV and the NASB translations urge us to pursue peace with all people and holiness. Again, the connection between pursuing peace and doing good (empowered by the Holy Spirit) is connected.
In my last entry on Hebrews 12, I discussed the reality that God’s discipline is proof of our sonship. His discipline gives us comfort and assurance of His presence. But why does God bring discipline into our lives? Is it punitive? Does He enjoy watching us suffer? No! Hebrews 12:12-13 reveals the purpose of God’s correction:
Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
God’s correction makes us strong! But why does God want us to be strong? Let me offer two thoughts from Hebrews 12.
Hebrews 12:1 tells us to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us….” This race requires strength to endure to the end (see Matthew 24:13).
Hebrews 12:14 encourages us to “make every effort to live in peace….” Following peace is a lifelong pursuit that necessitates spiritual (and may I suggest physical) stamina.
God’s loving discipline makes us fit to pursue peace and live in holiness.
The Kingdom of God is unshakeable because it is built on a peaceful foundation. The King of this kingdom is called “the prince of peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Through the violence of crucifixion, Jesus made peace with God available to all who trust Him as savior (Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:13-17). In His most famous sermon, Jesus explains that the citizens of God’s kingdom are characterized as peacemakers (Matthew 5:9).
Peace with God is made sure through the sacrifice of Christ. But what about peace with man? Let’s consider this question by looking at the life of Paul. He went from persecuting Christ’s followers to becoming one of them. How? Through salvation that comes only through Christ.
In Romans 14:17, Paul describes the Kingdom of God as a kingdom marked by righteousness, peace, and joy. Then he says that when we serve Christ based on these kingdom values (Romans 14:19), we will please God and receive human approval (Romans 14:18b). How do we pursue peace?
The first step to pursuing peace is to find peace with God. Proverbs 16:7 states, “When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” We must experience peace in our hearts before we can live in peace with others.
Let’s consider Paul again. His conversion on the road to Damascus transformed the persecutor into a peacemaker. His heart was radically changed, making it possible to love what he once despised. Pursuing peace with God and man became a primary value of Paul’s life.
When writing to the Church in Colossae, Paul urges them to “let the peace of God rule” their heart (Colossians 3:15). To the Church at Thessalonica, Paul pens, “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16).
Notice in Paul’s writing that peace belongs to God, who gives it to His children. This impartation of peace comes in many ways, but let me focus on two.
Through the Word of God: “Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble” (Psalm 119:165).
Through Prayer: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7).
Through these means of grace, God makes it possible for us to live in peace with Him and others. Through the enablement of the Holy Spirit, we can let His peace rule in our hearts. That rulership (let’s call it Lordship) creates the ability to live peacefully with all people.
Next week we will look at Hebrews 12:15-17 and discover three progressive restraints that hinder our ability to run the race God has marked out for us.
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