Hebrews 12:1 declares, “Therefore let us also, seeing we 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.”
The word “Therefore” is the beginning of a series of appeals to action to these Hebrew Christians, based upon those things written in the chapter before. That chapter is popularly known as the chapter on faith. The cloud of witnesses of which the writer speaks, includes the sixteen individuals who are specifically mentioned for the faith they had exercised; but additionally, many others are included, although not named.
To successfully run the race, we must lay aside those added encumbrances which “slow us down,” if they don’t succeed in causing us to cease the race altogether. Two things we are urged to lay aside are “every weight” and “the sin which doth so easily beset us.” The weight could consist of any number of things — our weaknesses, our inadequacies, the many things in life which have a great impact upon us as we live our daily lives.
In addition to “every weight” the writer adds, “and the sin which doth so easily beset us.” What is this “sin which doth so easily beset us”? There are different opinions, of course. Some view that the “besetting sin” in our lives differs from person to person. There is no argument in the observation that different things tempt different people. Some things which are a temptation to one may not be a temptation to another at all. We agree with the truth of that observation. But, is that the “besetting sin” the apostle has in mind here? We do not think so. Rather, we understand the writer to be urging all of these brethren to avoid the one sin which troubles all men: unbelief.
Early on in the epistle the apostle uttered his warning of such a danger and speaking of Israel’s unbelief at the border of Canaan when ten spies said, “We cannot take the land.” Most of Israel believed their declaration and lamented there having started the journey. The Hebrew letter spoke of that event and quoted David in Psalm 95:29: “God swore in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest” (cp. Hebrews 3:11). The Hebrew writer then added, “And we see they were not able to enter in because of unbelief” (Hebrews 3:19). If one continues from that statement he will see where the writer warns, “My righteous one shall live by faith and if he shrink back, then hath my soul no pleasure in him” (10:38). The writer also added, “We are not of them which shrink back unto perdition but of those who have faith unto the saving of the soul.” Upon that conclusion follows the chapter of faith, in which the writer defines faith, declares that without it one cannot please God, and then gives us examples of many who, in the midst of doubt, maintained their faith.
But, If we maintain our faith we must “look unto Jesus who is author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus is the reason for our faith. He came, worked signs and wonders to prove He is God, and added the defining item of it all by His resurrection (Romans 1:3-4). When He was raised from the dead, He gave us the ultimate reason to continue to believe in Him because He is the “perfecter of our faith.” We follow His life from His birth to His resurrection. Through His temptations, trials, death, and resurrection we see hope for ourselves to live, die, and be raised from the dead. God highly exalted Him and seated Him at His right hand so that we can also hope for a crown of glory when we are ultimately raised to live forever with Him in heaven.
When we see Jesus, we see that He suffered many hardships, trials, temptations, pains and disappointment before the crown was given to Him. Following Him will not remove those things from our lives, for if He suffered those things, we can expect to suffer those things, too.
Therefore, let us run our race with patience. This means to be constant and steadfast. There will be hard times. We will suffer pain. We will be tempted. And, if Satan has his way with us, we will have moments of doubt. But if we keep our eye on Jesus, we will overcome those moments and develop even stronger faith. Remember, trials in our lives will only make heaven more precious.
Jim McDonald