Live in peace with everyone
Hebrews 12:14 - “But peace and holiness go together; there can be not right peace without holiness.”
“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”
Hebrews 12:14 NIV
Today’s verse from Hebrews is relevant at any point in time, but especially so during the Christmas season. It’s all too easy for us to get stressed out by the world and its secular traditions around Christmas, and sometimes living “in peace with everyone and to be holy” seems like a lofty goal indeed!
This section of Hebrews suggests that Christians use God’s strength to set things right in our lives rather than depending on our own meager skills. The first part of the verse tells us to do what we can to get along with everyone, including God (“to be holy”). It’s so easy to become discouraged and not be concerned with personal relationships or our relationship with God.
The second section of the verse tells us why holiness - being virtuous and righteous - is important. Without being in the state of holiness, “no one will see the Lord”. A lack of holiness is a huge stumbling block in the way of having a close personal relationship with God.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon had a number of observations about holiness:
“Unholy Christians are the plague of the church. They are spots in our feasts of charity. Like hidden rocks, they are the terror of navigators. It is hard to steer clear of them: and there is no telling what wrecks they may cause.”
Spurgeon also saw holiness as being something that is in flux for most Christians:
“This holiness is a thing of growth. It may be in the soul as the grain of mustard-seed, and yet not developed; it may be in the heart as a wish and a desire, rather than anything that has been fully realized, — a groaning, a panting, a longing, a striving.”
He even categorized those people who try to live their lives without holiness into four groups:
The Pharisee: Confident in outward ceremonies instead of true holiness.
The moralist: Feels no need for holiness because his life is so good.
The experimentalist: Their entire Christian life is lived inward, never looking to outward conduct but only to feelings.
The opinionist: Their Christian life is all about believing the right doctrines and is unconcerned about the way one lives.
I’m sure that we can recognize a bit of each of these four categories in other Christians we know… but can you perceive any of these traits in your own life? Matthew Henry points out that we need to recognize the signs of unholiness in ourselves and strive against it:
“A burden of affliction is apt to make the Christian's hands hang down, and his knees grow feeble, to dispirit him and discourage him; but against this he must strive, that he may better run his spiritual race and course. Faith and patience enable believers to follow peace and holiness, as a man follows his calling constantly, diligently, and with pleasure. Peace with men, of all sects and parties, will be favourable to our pursuit of holiness. But peace and holiness go together; there can be not right peace without holiness.” (emphasis mine)
We should first seek holiness, keeping our minds and hearts focused on Jesus in our constant work of sanctification. Peace, with others and with ourselves, cannot exist without first living a live of holiness.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Today’s prayer comes from Knowing Jesus:
Heavenly Father, thank You that I have been redeemed, sanctified, and set apart by You, because I am Your blood-bought child. My dear desire is that my life is truly holy and set apart for You in thought, word, and deed. If possible, as far as it depends on me, I pray that I would live in peace with all men. Help me to keep the eyes of my heart fixed on Jesus, and I pray that the life that I now live in this body may reflect my heavenly position in Christ. In Jesus' name, AMEN.