Drawing Back

Drawing Back

“Looking diligently, lest anyone draw back from the grace of God . . . .”

This is a strange exhortation. All believers pray for grace, and it is grace they praise. Nevertheless, this exhortation tells us that one can easily draw back from it. The reason is that people have a false understanding of grace.

Earlier in the chapter we read about the Lord’s chastening, and that He scourges every son whom He receives. In other words, it is a very great grace that when the Lord receives us, we have the Father of spirits to chasten us. Tit. 2:11-13.

To draw back from the chastening is to draw back from God’s grace. The chastening is what humbles us so that we can hear God’s voice.

We would rather be clothed than unclothed, and most people strive to be clothed so that their sin and their shame will not be revealed. The preachers sew a cover for all the sleeves and make hats for the heads of people of every height. Ezek. 13:18. They brush everything over with whitewash. V. 10.

When God’s grace comes and unclothes us, so that we sense our need, and laughter turns to mourning and joy turns to gloom, most people draw back. Jas. 4:9.

On that day when this mortal shall put on immortality and this corruptible shall put on incorruption (1 Cor. 15:52-54), those who draw back will remain behind like Esau did when Jacob was blessed.