Hebrews chapter 12

vs 1

The reasoning behind throwing off what hinders us and entangles us is the "cloud of witnesses" just alluded to in chapter 11. With that in mind, we can see that this is a call to faith and hope - so it must be sin that entangles us, trapping us from pushing on in hope. Everything that hinders is probably also sin, but might not be - it could be all those things that we keep saying "aren't sinful by themselves" but that do just get in the way because they're not focused on God.

Instead of being entangled, we should be running with perseverance.

vs 2

This, then is to be the model of the Christian life. I much prefer the word 'pioneer' to author. Author just means wrote it. Pioneer means did it first. And Jesus is given the primacy, even temporally, through his life and death. Probably because he was the first one to be resurrected. we won't all be called to go to the cross. But whatever we are called to, will we endure it?

vs 3

That's one of the biggest challenges we face in the western world - so much distraction and entanglement that we grow weary or lose heart. Funny that, through lack of considerable opposition that was faced in the past, we lose heart and grow weary. We grow weary of the soft times. Perhaps we should try and make our lives a little harder.

vs 4

That's almost a comfort to me. Because I've never had to shed blood for being a Christian.

vs 5-6

To us, discipline often means correction for something done wrong. I wonder if there isn't a more pro-active meaning too - that of teaching discipline of life. A positive sort of attitude, if you know what I mean. Is suffering always a chastening? No, Job proves that. But it might be a disciplining, a reminder to focus.

vs 7

Hardship isn't necessarily punishment. After all, a carpenter teaching his son to build will not punish him for hitting himself on the thumb with a hammer - the hardship of a sore thumb is punishment enough. But he will be there to offer words of discipline, "Now you know not to put your thumb there."

vs 8

But hang on - what about all of those illegitimate children of God, those that have not been adopted into the family? They still seem to suffer the same hardships as the righteous.

vs 9

Of course, this is a generalisation, but if you assume that the discipline was done properly, then it is a truism. People who bash their children are not disciplining them, they are assaulting them, and hence don't deserve respect. Sometimes we might feel God is being heavy handed, but since he's perfect, it's hard to criticise his methods. Sometimes threats work with kids - sometimes you have to go through with them so they know you're not messing around.

And that's the thing - if we question God's discipline, even though he's perfect, then we are doing the opposite of what this verse tells us - we are not submitting to his discipline.

vs 10

This verse even allows for the fact that parents can get it wrong. They do what they think is best, but still sometimes stuff up. We might think God has made a mistake, but then that's obviously wrong. He is God after all. If we were to submit to his every discipline, we would be holier than we are. That's a sobering thought.