Hebrews 12:1, 2

An Brief Exposition

The one great outstanding feature of the Christian is that they have LIFE. This life is not a common natural life lived in the flesh, but the new Spirit-born life of God, which makes them a new creation. This new life is—

1. An energetic life “Let us run the race.” One who is in a race is always wide awake and alert. He is single-minded in his goal: he is determined not only to finish the race, but to win the race.

2. An ordered life “The race set before us.” It is not a blind rush in no particular direction.. The course of the Christian life is clearly defined. The Word of God and the example of Christ makes the way plain.

3. A persevering life “Run with patience.” The believer must be patient, enduring ups and downs as he runs the race. We are to be patient in well doing, doing all for the glory of God.

4. An upward life “Looking unto Jesus.” We are to look to Jesus because we press on for the prize of His eternal life and reward. In steadily beholding Him we are lifted up above the things of earth and being conformed into His likeness (Phil. 3:13—14).

5. A believing life “Looking unto the Author and finisher of our faith.” It is simply a life of faith in the Son of God; faith that He who has begun the good work of faith in our hearts will finish it (2 Timothy 4:7, 8). A finished faith is a faith that produces a life of satisfaction in Christ.

6. A self-denying life “Lay aside every weight.” When an athlete is training for his race, he doesn’t care about fashion. If one is to follow Jesus, they must be willing to deny themselves some of life’s passing fancies. An athlete must battle fatigue as he runs the race. He must fight against the aches and pains of a prolonged race, but he does so, he doesn’t give into his body; “In the Warriors Code there’s No Surrender! Though his body says STOP, his spirit cries NEVER.”

7. A hopeful life “Who for the joy that was set before him.” Christ lived and suffered and died in the hope of seeing the travail of His soul. The faithful servant will be rewarded. Salvation is full of grace, but the works of the saved will be rewarded.

8. A public life “We also are compassed about with a great cloud of witnesses.” We, like those mentioned in the eleventh chapter, are also surrounded by a cloud of witnesses. Every individual Christian has a cloud of witnesses. May we run our heavenward race so that they, too, will be led to glorify the Father in heaven.

So, how are you running today?