Because it’s Christmas Eve, we should point out that yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause in the Bible. There are two adjacent verses that make an important contrast: the first speaks of holiness, and makes it sound like most of us are never going to make it to heaven, while the second urges us to welcome everyone into the grace of God that will save us all.

The first of the two demands holiness or sanctification. If you remember your Latin, you’ll see that when this verse talks about sainthood or holiness, that makes it the Santa Clause: “Pursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). Holiness is important. God expects that the power of the Spirit to transform our lives will make a difference. If that isn’t happening, then there must be some serious problem: a problem that requires a warning that says without holiness, no one is going to make it. Thus, you and I need to allow the Spirit to do that transforming, sanctifying work, or we will never see the Lord.

But then the next verse urges us: “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God” (12:15). You might think that’s God’s job, to make sure nobody gets left out; but the author of Hebrews assigns that to us. Clearly it is God’s intention here for everyone to make it: see to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God. This forms a strong contrast with the previous verse: at one moment it looks like everyone might get left out, and at the next we see God wanting nobody to get left out.

This contrast resolves if we recognize that there is a universality of extent, and a universality of effect, an exterior and an interior transformation, being expressed in these two verses. Jesus intends for his salvation to include everyone, without exception; and he intends for it to include every part of me, without exception. Without holiness, I’ll never see the Lord: so make sure nobody misses out.

* * * * *

Pour over us your holiness, O Lord: for you are holy. Let your sanctification sanctify us, every bit of us, down to the depths of our souls. And let your grace reach throughout the whole world: and let us be agents of your grace, to see to it that no one fails to obtain it.

If you find these studies helpful, please Like, Subscribe, Comment, and Share. Thanks!