Remember these examples, lay aside sin, and fix your eyes on Christ! (Hebrews 12:1-2)
"Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
In light of the examples of faith we find in Scripture, the writer of Hebrews no gives us a sixth exhortation: “Lay aside entangling sin and live focused on Christ!” It is no accident that this is one of the more remembered and referenced verses of the Bible. It is a straightforward and easy-to-understand instruction. If you were to pick a single verse to guide you, this would not be a bad one. It compares life to a sprint, where Jesus is at the finish line beckoning us on, and it recommends that we get rid of things in our lives that will trip us up. The life of faith is all about enduring to the finish with our eyes fixed on the goal.
The other five exhortations in Hebrews lead up to this one, by the way. They are:
1. Pay attention to God’s Word, to not drift away from it! (2:1)
2. Take care, and exhort each other daily, to not harden your heart to God’s Word! (3:12,13)
3. Grow in maturity, to not become dulled to God’s Word! (6:1, 5:11-14)
4. Draw near to God in faith! (10:22)
5. Do not reject the hope found in the gospel! (10:35)
6. And, with all of that, now live your life focused on Christ as you cast off harmful and hindering sin!
In light of the examples of faith we find in Scripture, the writer of Hebrews no gives us a sixth exhortation: “Lay aside entangling sin and live focused on Christ!” It is no accident that this is one of the more remembered and referenced verses of the Bible. It is a straightforward and easy-to-understand instruction. If you were to pick a single verse to guide you, this would not be a bad one. It compares life to a sprint, where Jesus is at the finish line beckoning us on, and it recommends that we get rid of things in our lives that will trip us up. The life of faith is all about enduring to the finish with our eyes fixed on the goal.
The other five exhortations in Hebrews lead up to this one, by the way. They are:
1. Pay attention to God’s Word, to not drift away from it! (2:1)
2. Take care, and exhort each other daily, to not harden your heart to God’s Word! (3:12,13)
3. Grow in maturity, to not become dulled to God’s Word! (6:1, 5:11-14)
4. Draw near to God in faith! (10:22)
5. Do not reject the hope found in the gospel! (10:35)
6. And, with all of that, now live your life focused on Christ as you cast off harmful and hindering sin!
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