Hebrews 4:12-16

Hebrews 4:12-16 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 2:1-3 We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?

God's words are true and shall never pass away. Jesus, THE WORD, came to reveal God and his righteousness. He always did the will of the Father, always spoke his words, for He is the Word. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the author of Hebrews reveals that God's word is living and active. Otherwise, his word still permeates this world, exposing every situation to God. Nothing is hid from God's presence; He knows everything man has done or thought. John 1 says that his light shines in darkness, but man does not understand and fails to perceive He is there. Man tends to believe he can hide his evil actions and thinking from God, but he cannot. Someday every activity and thought will be brought forward into the light for all to see, unless they have been dealt with by Jesus Christ's redemptive blood. How can any of us escape our just punishment if we ignore such a great salvation. God will deal with sinners one way or another, either with the blood of Jesus, by receiving God's grace and mercy, or with the punishment of eternal death, absence from God's presence. Sin will not stand in the presence of God, but He paid the price for our sins through the death and resurrection of his son, Christ Jesus.

God's living, active Word is Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. God's Word judges every thought and intent of our hearts. Our actions and words might seem supportive and positive, but God knows the dispositions and intents of our hearts. We might do and say the right things, but if our underlying spirits remain out of sync with God's mercy and love, He knows. Let us say, a woman feels totally frustrated with her child or her husband, yet she does a good job of hiding her anger under the umbrella of good words and positive actions. God will judge the secret attitude of her heart if she does not repent. He judges hypocrisy, the duplicitousness of her heart. He judges anything other than truly genuine love that expresses his mercy. Jesus exemplifies God's love, for while we were yet sinners, He died for us. I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

God divides soul and spirit, thoughts and attitudes. He knows the essence, the motivation, of everything we think, say, and do. Even if a man could live a whole lifetime with just one fleeting aberrant sexual thought of unfaithfulness to his wife, without redemption that one wrong thought would come before God at the judgment seat as if it lived for a thousand years. A deceitful and adulterous thought will exist as a lifetime event in the eyes of a righteous God. God does not allow any sin in his presence without judgment. All that is unloving, unfaithful, and uncaring must be covered with Christ's blood, for such sin can never enter into God's eternal domain. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Even attitudes and actions that we don't perceive as sin are judged by God if they are not like him. We cannot harbor anger and resentment towards the poor or the aliens in our midst because God's word instructs us to help the poor and to accept the aliens. We might think we have based our attitudes on solid reasoning, rational thinking, but if our spirits lack love and concern for others, we harbor a spirit that God will judge unless we seek his mercy.

How can we escape God's judgment and wrath if He judges every attitude, thought, and intent of our hearts? We have a God who is slow to anger and quick to forgive; we have a high priest, even Jesus Christ, constantly pleading our case before the Father. Jesus alone paid the price for our sins and made a way for our redemption and eternal safety with the Father. Through his sacrifice, He makes right even those things that we do not recognize as sin. He makes us like the Father: righteous and holy. Therefore, Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. We read in 1 John that as we walk in the light of his love, we have fellowship with others, and Christ's blood cleanses us from all sin. Today, out of love toward him, let us live for the glory of the One who has covered us with his blood and brought us into his family. He deserves our very best.