Hebrews 12:10 says that God chastens His children for our profit, so that we MIGHT be partakers of His holiness. I show in the book how sanctification, righteousness, only comes through affliction which kills the flesh and leads to death to self-rule. He says here that very thing; that refining leads to holiness. We are not considered holy until self-rule is dethroned by death to self-rule. This is brought about through affliction, where self-will or self-rule is cut off…circumcised. Remember again that “we must through much tribulation enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14).
Hebrews 12:11 says that this chastening yields (produces) the peaceable fruit of righteousness. In other words, we don’t automatically dwell in Christ’s righteousness at salvation. We walk the walk of salvation and purify our hearts by submitting to affliction and crushing. This yields the fruit of righteousness because it allows Christ to be fully formed in us.
Remember that righteousness is attributed to us by way of faith, but this is sanctified faith and not saving faith. Abraham BELIEVED God; he was single-minded. Nehemiah honors Abraham is chapter 9:7 and says that God found Abram’s heart faithful before God. He walked in purity of heart toward God, not according to his own self-will. Nehemiah also notes that God changes his name, or gave him a new name. So He found Abram’s heart faithful toward God, and changed his name. Also, remember how God told Abram, after He made the covenant with him, that he should NOW, walk before Him and be PERFECT!
Let’s chew on all of this. More next time,
Amen!