Hebrews 12:1-2, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
The most important truth to notice in the preceding text passage of Scripture, is that we as the saints are taught to LOOK TO JESUS! No Christian will run the race if they take their eyes off the blessed Savior, who is the Author and Finisher of our faith. What God starts He will finish! God never does a half-job! God is not an absent parent. Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” We hear a lot of foolish talk from wayward preachers about “turning from sins” to be saved, but that is not how salvation works! If you require a person to “be willing to turn from sins” to be saved, effectively you have added keeping the law of Moses, perverting the Gospel!
Turning from sins is human reformation, not Bible repentance (which is a change of mind). When you trust Christ to get saved, the Lord begins a good work in you! The blessed Holy Spirit comes inside your body to live (1st Corinthians 3:16-17). Theologically we call this being “indwelt” by the Holy Spirit. Running the race as a Christian has absolutely NOTHING to do with receiving the free gift of eternal life. One of my regular web visitors at Jesus-is-Savior.com sent me this inspiring devotional they wrote to encourage me for standing alone:
Our journey with the Lord is like a marathon in many ways. We must maintain a disciplined training program to ensure we are prepared. The race itself can be long and hard. There will be times we run out of energy and want to quit, but crossing the finish line will be more rewarding than anything we can imagine! And along the way, we will certainly learn to appreciate the encouragement we receive from the cheering crowd.
Hebrews 12:1, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witness, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”
This verse follows what we often refer to as The Great Hall of Faith. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews describes many people from the Old Testament who were commended for their faith: Able, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Samson, David, and many others.
At the end of this impressive list, we read that even though they were faithful, "these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise" (Hebrews 11:39). Their reward was postponed until the coming of Jesus; "God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." (Hebrews 11:40). The testimony of the faithful is meant to give us great encouragement. It's as if they are cheering us on with great anticipation, knowing that one day we will be “caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
This cloud of witnesses now also includes the testimony of New Testament believers as well as Christians throughout the last 2,000 years. It also includes Brothers and Sisters who love us and pray for us today. As we run the race and sometimes grow weary - sometimes even stumble and fall - these witnesses continue to cheer and encourage our every step; "You can do it, I believe in you! And if you stumble, I'll help you back up!!"
We can all run faster and further than we think! Yes, the race is long and sometimes difficult, but we're definitely not alone. Let's run with renewed perseverance; and when we become discouraged, let's listen for the cheers from the great cloud of witnesses!Amen and amen!
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