For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers… ~ Hebrews 2:11 ~
I have been working on a deep-dive into the book of Hebrews this year. Surface readings and studies over the years just don’t suffice for this theologically rich Epistle and, after God laid the word “Perseverance” on my heart with the dawn of 2025, He also brought me to Hebrews 10:23 to seed this mission deeper (Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.). ALL of Hebrews points to this as one of its powerful messages and here, in chapter 2, we see the substance of HOW this perseverance is possible.
Hebrews, as a 1st Century letter, does not begin as most would expect a correspondence to start out. Many have suspected this Epistle is more of a sermon, one cutting straight to the heart of some issues in the church with Jewish converts to Christianity. At the time, angel worship was quite common. The author of Hebrews spends his introduction seeking to dispel this notion while establishing the supremacy of Christ.
As he shifts to the Chapter 2 narrative, we observe a beautiful and personal turn: the relationship made possible by Jesus’ time on earth and His sacrifice for all. Yet, like so much of Scripture, a simple surface reading of this powerful passage may cause us to miss the depth of the message here.
Jesus’ suffering and sacrifice is for everyone but not everyone is called “brother” [or sister]
This is a hard truth many people don’t want to face because it requires something of us. Culture wants the easy path, let me live my life and I can slap on an “I believe in Jesus” sticker and call it good. Yet, Jesus’ sacrifice set the ball in motion for sanctification. What does that really mean?
Sanctification = to set apart of religious use, to free from sin
Now, before you drop into despair realizing how hard it is to remain set apart for Christian purpose let alone remain free from sin, remember: that is why Jesus died. Scripture is bursting with examples of how imperfect man is still accepted and used by God – how? It isn’t that we sin, rather, it is why and what we do with our mess-ups which make all the difference.
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ~ Philippians 3:12 ~
Paul himself, the apostles’ apostle, admits how sanctification is a process, one we ought never give up on… perseverance. Even Hebrews 10, where my verse this year came from, goes on in subsequent passages to articulate the importance of “hold[ing] fast the confession of our hope without wavering” (v10:23) and the consequences if we don’t.
But here is the thing, and rewinding back to Chapter 2, it isn’t all in our strength alone. Yes, we have a part to play in resisting the enemy, resisting temptation – in the big things and in the small. But Christ has not only sanctified us by His Sacrifice and our Confession and repentance, He has made us part of His family in doing so. To help see this, let us consider the NLT translation of this passage:
So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sister.
Do you see that? The source, the hierarchy is GOD. He is Father of us all, the one we look to as ‘head of the family’. Jesus sanctified us, made us holy, by His sacrifice. It begs to ask, why would Jesus be ashamed of us? Well, if we are not sanctified (have not accepted His gift of grace and salvation) or we say we have but we do not act it (slapping on the “I believe in Jesus” sticker with no real desire to live for Him because we have not truly repented and accepted), then we are not qualified here. Yet, the fact that he is not ashamed (dare I say, he is “proud”) to call us brothers [and sisters] when we have accepted him, reflects His approval as he sees our hearts, walking as He would hope we walk, maybe not perfectly, but persistently forward. A beautiful, yet long, cross reference which helps to drive this home, can be found in Acts:
And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent… ~ Acts 17:26-30 ~
God, and certainly Jesus, are not these lofty unrelated beings like the idols made of gold or silver or stone – they are real and they are relational and they have placed a call on every human being’s life. When we accept salvation, we become part of the family.
I know, in this day and age, families are a complex entity. It is unfortunate that most cannot be used as a good model of comparison here. However, that wasn’t always true. In ancient times, the concept of family and using this object reference in Scripture, was central to one’s identity and social structure. Not only does it denote intimacy, it also displays a shared inheritance and undercurrent of belief systems one would walk out.
The fact that Jesus is not ashamed suggests his willingness to associate with believers because they are part of the family and, yes, in spite of our various imperfections we are working through. Again, in ancient cultures, honor and shame were significant social values, terms not taken lightly when spoken to the original hearer of this message. Grace, love, and mercy on display.
It has never been easy to walk in faith, modern times are no exception. Yet, remembering we are not our own, we are part of a greater family, destined for a better inheritance than any we could find here, and provided with strength and purpose by our Father to walk the right direction… makes the journey a bit easier as we seek to perfect our sanctification hand-in-hand with Christ Who made it possible.
Do you wrestle with a particular temptation or sin? Perhaps it is worry, controlling, anger, or not wavering in speaking up for Truth…. Or maybe it is bigger, a habit or addiction. God has given you power with Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit to be an overcomer, not a victim. Paul explains this well in Romans:
But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. ~ Romans 6:17-18 ~
What we often don’t realize is how the cage of sin was opened when we accepted Christ, we don’t have to stay in there anymore. He has invited us out to sit at His table and enjoy new hope and new possibilities. I think we sometimes become so accustomed to the bars, we don’t realize the Power we have been given. I know I didn’t for a long time, and my faith hobbled along until I realized just how much POWER Holy Spirit power is. It was when I finally let go of my presuppositions, my crutches of control and want, that freedom really entered and I was able to look up and see Whose table I was at – oh sweet victory!! Sure, I struggle with the little things still, like worry, like irritability, like control, those are part of my sanctification journey. But I struggle forward, reaching for Christ each time and knowing, as part of His Holy family, I am not alone and He will pull me through. He can pull you through too.
I pray you see Whose table you are seated at today, and how proud your Savior is that you have chosen to be there! Embrace hope and possibility and growth. He sees you as worth it.
Blessings,
One way to stay the course is to be daily in the Word of God. I have a few Bible study guides on the Resource page. As always, they are FREE downloads because I always want tools for Spiritual growth to have easy access. If time is limited, try reading a Psalm or Proverb each day or pick a New Testament book to reach a chapter of each day, reflecting on what you have learned. My Bible study guides have tips for driving passages home. Be sure to check them out! More will be added in coming months.
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