Hebrews 12:14-16
14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.
After saying that we should "strive for ... holiness" in verse 14, the writer then commands in verse 16 that "no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau". At first glance, this seems like an odd connection, to go from sexual immorality to the example of Esau. The Bible never mentions Esau committing a sexual sin, so what does he have to do with sexual immorality? I think the key is in how Esau gave away his birthright for some short-term pleasure. Esau let his hunger, his desire for food, dictate his behavior (see Genesis 25:29-34). In the same way, we let our hunger for pleasure dictate our behavior. We give away our righteousness for the sake of a few minutes of pleasure. This is actually an example of how food addictions and sex addictions (and really any addiction) have a similar root, where we let our short-term desires overrule our long-term goals.
Lord, help me to discipline my short-term desires.
14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.
After saying that we should "strive for ... holiness" in verse 14, the writer then commands in verse 16 that "no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau". At first glance, this seems like an odd connection, to go from sexual immorality to the example of Esau. The Bible never mentions Esau committing a sexual sin, so what does he have to do with sexual immorality? I think the key is in how Esau gave away his birthright for some short-term pleasure. Esau let his hunger, his desire for food, dictate his behavior (see Genesis 25:29-34). In the same way, we let our hunger for pleasure dictate our behavior. We give away our righteousness for the sake of a few minutes of pleasure. This is actually an example of how food addictions and sex addictions (and really any addiction) have a similar root, where we let our short-term desires overrule our long-term goals.
Lord, help me to discipline my short-term desires.