Ruth: 1:20-21; The doctrine of bitterness, part 16 - coming short of the grace of God.

Class Outline:

Title: Ruth: 1:20-21; The doctrine of bitterness, part 16 - coming short of the grace of God.  

 

HEB 12:14 Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.

 

Holy is a life set apart unto Him, unto your intimate Friend. So then, as those who pursue holiness:

 

HEB 12:15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;

 

Another related passage to our own is in Gal 5 - "you have fallen from grace."

 

HEB 12:15

See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;

 

GAL 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

 

We do not do what is right simply because it is commanded and we wish to avoid the pain of the curse (slavery). We do simply because of the fact that it is right and that pleases us and the Lord (freedom).

 

In freedom, the adult son acts out of love for the Lord rather than fear. He understands the divine virtue and applies it in all circumstances, no matter how new or alien the circumstance may be.

 

The child acts out of fear of punishment until he is an adult.

 

Sometimes God has to treat us like children (discipline) so that we will learn that we are adults and that we will see the beauty of the adult spiritual life of freedom.

 

Often, the only way we will learn is by the desire to remove the pain. Our loathing of pain forces us to remain in the plan of God, and over time we come to see how wonderful the plan of God really is. Once that is seen, the threat of pain is no longer necessary, and we are then acting like the adults that we are.

 

But the way of discipline, being treated like a child, will only take us so far. It will not take us to maturity. We must learn and see and love adulthood, and that means loving righteousness above all.

 

GAL 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

 

GAL 5:2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.

 

Under the Law the believer isolates himself from the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

 

If they put themselves under the Law then they will isolate themselves from the ministry of the Holy Spirit within, which Christ made possible through His death and resurrection.

 

The ministry of the Holy Spirit was not provided under the Law. The Spirit would come upon some people for a short time in order to perform a task, after which He would leave them. None were indwelt by God the Holy Spirit. Christ gave His life in order to give us the ministry of the Spirit, so that when we set out in freedom to do the will of God, that God within us enables us to accomplish it. So then, to put themselves under the Law and isolate themselves from the ministry of the Holy Spirit, is to live of life of no benefit.

 

GAL 5:3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.

 

Not only would they lose the ministry of the Holy Spirit, but they would also assume the obligation of the entire Law, the entire legalistic system.

 

GAL 5:4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

 

The words "severed from Christ," are an unfortunate translation.

 

“severed from Christ” - katargeo (to reduce to inactivity) apo (from) = “you have become unaffected by Christ”

 

Severed from is a harsh translation of this word. This has nothing to do with their standing as Christians, which is clear from the entire letter. It has everything to do with their spiritual lives as saved people.

 

[our main passage]

HEB 12:15

See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;

 

We have seen that Christ said, “You are My friends (philos) if you do what I command you.” Friendship is endearing, joyful, and of love. It is intimate in that what Christ is and does, we go with Him, follow Him, and remain intimate with His mind and way. By returning to slavery and isolating themselves from the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the Galatians have walked away from their friendship with Christ, having become unaffected by Him.

 

The friendship of Christ depends on our keeping His commands, which depends upon the grace of God. To walk away from that friendship towards fleshliness is to fall from grace.

 

Some have come to think that grace means that we are able to do anything we want, but that is not at all what grace means. They would imagine that Christ's friendship wouldn't depend upon anything we think or do, but that is not what friendship is. Would I be your dear friend if all I did was rob from you, ignore you, love many others more than you?

 

To keep His commands is to love His commands and so to love Him. The grace of God makes me what I am. The grace of God gives me the knowledge, understanding, and even the energy to follow God's commands and so live as He lives.

 

Fallen from grace - Christ has no effect upon their Christian lives.

 

Christ has no more effect upon them in the living of their Christian lives, therefore, they have fallen from grace. What will occur for them if this continues and they don’t understand their freedom in Christ? The root of bitterness will grow and many will be defiled.

 

GAL 5:5 For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.

 

GAL 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love

 

At first glance this verse looks eschatological, meaning the return of Christ, but such a context would not be sandwiched into the context of this passage, which is Christian living. The hope of righteousness is the expectation of living righteousness in our lives through the unseen and unfelt ministry of God the Holy Spirit. In other words, the believer is to know that he will walk in righteousness and he waits expectantly to see it in his life.

 

"hope of righteousness" refers to the believer's intense desire for and eager expectation of a practical righteousness which will be constantly produced in his life by the Holy Spirit as he yields himself to Him.

 

The verb "waiting" refers to an attitude of intense yearning and eager expectation. Such a believer loves righteousness, sets his mind upon it, and despite the opposition within him and around him, he knows that the Holy Spirit within him will accomplish it. The next verse is tied to it, for the fruit of the Spirit is love.

 

The same was said in Hebrews:

HEB 12:14

Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification [hope of righteousness] without which no one will see the Lord.