Thoughts & Intentions

If you have read the Lord of the Rings Trilogy or watched the movies, you are familiar with the Eye of Sauron. Sauron is the evil opponent of the hero Frodo and his friends. He has an enormous fortress in the land of Mordor. At the top of his tallest tower is a glowing eye that keeps watch over Middle earth. (For those not familiar, I am including a picture.)

The characters, as well as those watching the movies, can feel Sauron’s evil eye upon them. It strikes terror and unease, causing those under its searching gaze to feel exposed. Instinct is to hide wherever you can as quickly as you can. This is how many of us feel when we read Hebrews 4:12.

For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

We don’t want our thoughts and intentions exposed. In fact, instead of confidently going before the throne of grace to receive the mercy and grace we need (Hebrews 4:16), we often try to hide from God. Like Adam and Eve, we think that a few fig leaves and ducking behind a bush will hide our nakedness (Hebrews 4:13) from God. Hebrews 4:12 is an important verse for describing the truth of God’s Word. It’s a common memory verse, but we need to study it in context, so it’s full meaning comforts us instead of sending us running from God in shame. Take a few extra minutes and read Hebrews 3:7-4:16.

There is more in chapters 3 and 4 than I can do justice to, but we can take away a few things today. In previous weeks, we have studied the blessings and purposes of God’s Word. We will see more of those blessings and purposes today.

Chapter 4 picks up where chapter 3 leaves off. The author of Hebrews has been discussing rest for God’s people. He references the Hebrew people (Israel) wandering in the desert for forty years. They could not enter God’s rest because they were disobedient (vs 3:18) and disbelieved God (vs 3:19).

Backing up further to 3:12-13, the author of Hebrews writes, “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

We can enter into God’s rest now (vs 4:4-3). The puritan theologian John Owen depicted this rest for the believer as peace with God (our rest is in God), freedom to worship God in response to the Gospel, freedom from the law, and rest like God Himself enjoys. But what prevents us from this rest? Disobedience and hearts hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. We need others to help us see our sin (vs 3:13), but more importantly we need God’s Word.

Although I know I can be blind to the sinful thoughts and intentions of my heart, I also know that while remaining on earth, I still struggle and will continue to struggle with sin. It’s there in my thoughts, intentions, words, and actions whether I always see it or not. I need help. I need the loving illumination of God’s word to show me where sin still is at work in me, hiding down in my thoughts and intentions.

In verse 4:12, God’s Word is described as “living and active.” It is powerful. It works in our lives to bring transformation. God’s Word is also described as being “sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow.” There is not one iota of God’s Word that is useless. It has been compared to the precision of a surgeon, knowing exactly what needs to be revealed and how to expose it. God’s Word is so exact that it divides soul and spirit, joints and marrow. (I know there may be differing opinions on man being dichotomous or trichotomous, but the main point is that God’s Word is perfectly powerful, sharp, and accurate to pierce even the most hidden sins.)

Lastly, God’s Word is described as “discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. No creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to Whom we must give account” (vs 4:12b-13).

Again, this may bring on a wash of anxiety, but stick with me. I have had numerous instances of melanoma and pre-melanoma. Each time, my dermatologist cuts it out. I won’t lie. The numbing shots are painful especially the ones above my eye. The first day or two after can be difficult as the raw wounds heal, but I know my dermatologist didn’t use her scalpel on me out of meanness. In fact, she feels terrible that she is so often “cutting” on me. She performs these little surgeries on me because the cancer cells need to be exposed. They need to be removed. Observing the discoloration on the surface of my skin is not enough. The cancer cells need immediate action taken against them, so they do not spread internally.

This is what God’s Word does for us. It is God’s loving tool to prevent sin from hardening our hearts. Before the fall, Adam and Eve were naked and unashamed (Genesis 2:25). For those in Christ, we need not fear being naked and exposed before God. First, He already knows it all anyway. There is nothing we can hide from Him, but Hebrews 4 gives us further encouragement not to fear God’s living, active, and piercing Word.

Jesus is our great high priest (vs 4:14). He has made atonement for every one of our sins – past, present, and future – and He has given us His perfect record of obedience. He sympathizes with our weakness because He took on flesh and was tempted in every respect, yet without sin (vs 4:15). He has ascended to heaven (vs 4:14) where He intercedes for us before the Father. This means that He is a living declaration that those in Him are forgiven and have His perfect record of righteousness.

The result? Not fear or shame, but confidence to draw near to the throne of grace (vs 4:16). I love Hebrews 4:16 and use it regularly, but it is even more beautiful when thinking of every thought and intention of my heart being exposed, yet still being able to come before the Father with confidence for the mercy and grace that I need to keep putting off sin and being conformed to the image of Jesus.

I’ve said this before, but I don’t think it can be repeated enough. There is nothing (no hidden, sinful thought or intention) those in Christ can do to make God love them less, and there is nothing (no self-righteousness) that can make God love you more. Nothing will ever be exposed that will cause God to turn His back on you or separate you from His love (Romans 8:38-39). On the cross, Jesus endured the Father turning away from Him as He took on our sin so that you and I would never experience the Father turning away from us.

Yes, God’s Word exposes our innermost thoughts and intentions, but it is so we may be conformed to the image of Jesus whose perfect record of righteousness is already ours.

Reflection

1. Is there sin in your life that causes you to fear approaching God? Have you avoided church, other people, prayer, or reading Scripture because of it?

2. What from today’s passage encourages you to let God and His Word expose your innermost thoughts and intentions?

3. Spend some time confidently going before the throne of grace to rest in your loving heavenly Father and find the grace and mercy you need to help put off the sin He exposes and to be conformed more and more to the image of Jesus knowing you are already clothed in Jesus’ righteousness.