Resist the sin of unbelief

Hebrews 12:4-5 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him;” In verse three, we were encouraged to consider the hostility Jesus endured so as not to grow weary or lose heart. Today, in these verses, the author revealed something about Jesus that he wanted his readers to take into account. He opposed sin to the point of shedding blood, and He didn’t lose heart.  I don’t think the author had Jesus’ opposition to the sins committed against Him. I think the spotlight is on His opposition or striving against the temptations to sin in Himself. I say that because of Heb. 2:17-18. “Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.” And again in 4:15-16. “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Perhaps the author had in mind Jesus’ resistance to sin in the garden when He sweated drops of blood under the agony of becoming united with our sins. I think the sin of unbelief is specifically in view in this admonition to resist sin. That has been the warning throughout the book and in the first verse of this chapter. Of course, we should strive against all sin in our pursuit of living to love with Jesus. I close today’s encouragement with an excerpt from A Disciple’s Notebook, a devotional by my mentor Jerry White, Jr. (By the way, it’s available at spiritofelijah.com).  Sin causes suffering. It inflicts pain from guilt and shame. It defiles and separates from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). It viciously destroys love, joy and peace. It ushers in death. Tolerating sin is like permitting a venomous snake to live in your house. Either kill the snake or be poisoned by it. The Lord Jesus accomplished everything necessary for us to utterly slay sin. By steadfast faith in Him and His finished work, and by the power of His Holy Spirit, we do not have to continue as slaves to wrong attitudes, or selfish thought patterns, careless damaging words, ungodly deeds, or neglect of doing what He has commanded. Through Christ we are more than conquerors.” So as you run your race today, living to love with Jesus, determine to resist all sin, but especially the sin of unbelief. Fix your eyes on Jesus.