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(Hebrews 12:14)
Sanctification is the process of clearing roots, leveling and straightening the path (v. 13) and enduring the strain of being discipled by God (v. 5-11). Grace (v. 15) is the provision of all the equipment and strength and resources that we need for this process. But we must make the choices to lay hold of the provisions and exert the muscles of our minds and emotions to tackle the problems. We do this by lifting up our hands in worship and praise to receive the blessings of God and by lifting up our knees to walk forward (v. 12). In doing so we find that we are receiving therapy to strengthen and heal our weak knees (v. 13) and have more and more endurance for discipline (v. 7).
No one will see the Lord. See in the original means, “to gaze upon with wide-open eyes as at something remarkable, not with merely mechanical, passive or casual vision.”
The original word for peace has within it the concept of atonement. We are not only to be atoned to God but are to pursue atonement with all men as much as possible. Peace with all men is the counterpart to peace with God which is sanctification. We need grace from God to do both of these things. It takes a lot of grace to pursue peace with all men. While we surely will not achieve peace with all men, we are to pursue it. But we can certainly pursue peace with God and will never fail to achieve it if we are willing to pursue it and not stop short of the grace provided for us.
What I am seeing in these verses is bitterness verses beauty. It is only in being sanctified that I am able to begin to see the real beauty of God. But sanctification is the process of removing bitterness from my heart and mind. Sanctification is a prerequisite for seeing the beauty of God more fully.
I also see this passage as strikingly parallel to the one in Isaiah that I keep thinking about along with this one in Hebrews. Take a look at the similarities yourself.
"Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley; Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, And all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken." (Isaiah 40:4-5)
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