By Mike Riley
In Hebrews 12:1, the besetting sin spoken of here according to the context of Hebrews is the sin of unbelief (Hebrews 3:12,19; Hebrews 4:6,11; Hebrews 10:35-39). It is the sin from which all other sins in a measure proceed, and by means of which they are ever more or less cherished and supported. In this article, let us consider some of the following aspects of the Christian race:
1) Unbelief will keep us from our salvation which is in Christ (Gal. 3:27-28) – It will also keep us from obeying God’s eternal word (Hebrews 11:6). The sin of unbelief is like the long, loose robe that was commonly worn in the first century. To a runner, it would entangle his feet, encumber him, and hinder him from the “victory crown” (1 Corinthians 9:24-25).
2) Not only must one believe in the One who can equip him to win – God (2 Timothy 3:16-17), he must also believe he, himself, can win – If we don’t really believe we can run the race and “win”, there is not much reason to enter into the race. As Christians running the Christian race, we can never display an “I can’t” or defeatist attitude. We must display the same type of winning attitude that the Apostle Paul displayed in (Philippians 4:13).
3) In order to successfully run the Christian race, the Hebrew writer admonishes us to “lay aside every weight” (Hebrews 12:1) – Christians are to “put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds” (Colossians 3:8-9). Paul enumerates other “weights” that Christians are to “put off” (Ephesians 4:25-31).
4) The entire book of Hebrews gives us reasons for keeping and maintaining the Christian’s race – There is no reason for the Christian to be “beset” with the sin of unbelief, for the Christian has a “better hope” (Hebrews 7:19) and a “better testament” (Hebrews 7:22). With the “better covenant” comes “better promises” (Hebrews 8:6) and “better sacrifices” (Hebrews 9:23). Furthermore, “ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance” (Hebrews 10:34). To acquire these things, however, we must be “in the race,” and to be “in the race” means to faithfully live a Christian life according to God’s salvation plan.
5) The basic tenants of this plan include: (1) hearing God’s Word (Romans 10:17; (2) demonstrating our “faith” in Christ Jesus (John 8:24). We do this by (3) repenting of our sins (Luke 13:3,5; Acts 17:30); (4) confessing our belief in Jesus (Romans 10:9-10; and (5) being baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of our sins (Acts 2:38); (6) we must then faithfully continue to “run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2).
Conclusion
After successfully completing the Christian race, we can say along with Paul, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them that love his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8). The receiving of that “victory crown” (Rev. 2:10) will certainly be worth it all! (1 Corinthians 2:9).