[Biblemat] S) "RUN WITH PATIENCE THE RACE"

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  Here is a study from my
recent files.  Use to the glory of God.

"RUN WITH PATIENCE THE RACE"

     "Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about 
with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay asid every weight, and
the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with pat-
ience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the
Author and Perfecter of our faith, Who for the joy that was
set before Him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath
sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Heb. 12:1,2)

     The Christian life is here compared to that of running a
race.  The Grecian games were the forerunner of the Olympic
games of our era.  Those people who competed were honor-
ed, just as the athletes of today.  And there were spectators
at those games, just as today.  But the "spectators" to which
Scripture refers were different from those today.  Those "spectators" were a 
"great cloud of witnesses," -- but they 
were all long dead!  It might be easy to say, "This race is too
tough, I just don't think I can finish," but these "witnesses" all
testify that it can be done -- for they did it.

     These "witnesses" are listed in the previous chapter: Abel,
Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and all
the rest.  These were people who "by faith" did what God told
them to do.  They are the witnesses called forth to observe
our race, and how we run it.  Just as those who ran in the 
Greek games had to qualify, train and then run according to
the rules, so the same principles apply today in our running
of the Christian race.  Let us see some other comparisons
between the Greek games and our Christian race.

Entrance Into The Christian Race: -- Those who entered in the Greek games had 
to meet certain requirements.  Those
who enter the Christian race must also meet the entrance re-
quirements which the Lord lays down.  Remember, the Bible
says, "And if also a man contend in the games, he is not crow-
ned, except he have contended lawfully" (2 Tim. 2:5).  The
entrance requirements into the Christian race are really not
difficult for one who has the disposition to meet them.  Jesus
charged His apostles, "Go ye into all the world, and preach
the gospel to the whole creation.  He that believeth and is bap-
tized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condem-
ned" (Mk. 16:15,16).  Those who accept the gospel by doing
what the Lord said will be saved.  That is simple.

     When one believes in the Lord, he then is told, "Repent ye,
and be baptized" (Acts 2:36-38).  After all, didn't Jesus say,
"I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all in like man-
ner perish" (Lk. 13:3)?  The Lord Jesus also said, "Every one
therefore who shall confess Me before men, him will also con-
fess before My Father Who is in heaven" (Matt. 10:32,33).
When one believes Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of God, it
is only natural that he would repent.

     By a study of all the Scriptures tht have to do with accept-
ing Jesus, one will learn that he must hear the gospel and be-
lieve, must repent of his sins, confess Jesus to be the Son of
God, and be buried with Christ in baptism (Rom. 6:3,4).  The
apostle Paul wrote, "For ye are all sons of God, through faith,
in Christ Jesus.  For as many of you as were baptized into 
Christ did put on Christ" (Gal. 3:26,27).  Those who did what
the Lord taught were saved and added to His church (Acts 2:
41-47).  To run the Christian race, one must first be qualified.
What reward can one expect, if he attempts to run the race 
without first entering the race by meeting the entrance requir-
ements?

Our Besetting Sins: -- Notice again our text: "Let us also...lay
aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us."  That is 
necessary if we are to "run with patience the 
race."  One of the besetting sins of Christians of that era was
that of "forsaking the assembly" of the church (Heb. 10:25).
Those Jews who became Christians on the birthday of the
Lord's church "Continued stedfastly in the apostles' teaching
and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers"
(Acts 2:42).

     The church at Troas came together "on the first day of the
week to break bread" (Acts 20:7).  The church at Corinth was
told to "lay by in store on the first day of the week" (1 Cor. 16:1,2).  
There are numerous Scriptures that show that the
early Christians met for worship often and regularly.  It is also
clear tht failure to so meet will cause one to lose interest in 
spiritual matters and will lead to his or her departure from the
Lord's church.  One must partake of spiritual food in order to
live and grow spiritually.  If your besetting sin is that of for-
saking the assembly of the church, then you should exert
every effort to overcome it.  (I believe the one weight that so
easily beset the early Christians was the lack of faith.  To lack
faith was the foundation of many of the other sins that follow-
ed.  The same is true of Christians in the spiritual race of life
today.  They lack faith, the foundation upon which all other
activities of Christianity are built, JWS).

The Root Of All Kinds Of Evil: -- The Bible says, "But godlin-
ess with contentment is great gain: for we brought nothing
into the world, for neither can we carry anything out; but hav-
ing food and covering we shall be therewith content.  But they that are 
minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a 
snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men
in destruction and perdition.  For the love of money is a root
of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led
astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through
with many sorrows" (1 Tim. 6:6-10).  Many find it impossible
to lay aside the weight which the love of money imposes on
them.  The ceaseless quest for this world's goods keeps many from the church 
of the Lord and from His spiritual ser-
vice.

     The love of money causes some to do that which is wrong
in their zeal to acquire more and more money.  When we have
the proper values, we will not neglect our eternal salvation in
order to gain material things tht will only serve us a little
while in this world.  Notice again: "We brought nothing into
the world, and neither can we carry anything out."  And again,
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where
moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up 
for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rest doth consume, 
and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where thy treas-
ure is, there will thy heart be also...But seek ye first His king-
dom, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be add-
ed unto you" (Matt. 6:19-21,33).  Those who love material
things more than Christ and His church had better lay aside
this besetting sin so that they can run the Christian race
successfully.

Other Besetting Sins To Lay Aside: -- "And withal they learn
to be idle, going about from house to house; and not only
idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which
they ought not" (1 Tim. 5:13).  Many folk who would never
consider stealing something will be "tattlers and busybodies"
destroying the fellowship of Christians by their gossip and 
tale-bearing.  Those who are idle are tempted to go about
telling things which they ought not.  The apostle Peter puts it
well: "For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or
an evil-doer, or as a meddler in other men's matters: but if a
man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him
glorify God in this name" (1 Pet. 4:15,16).

     Again the apostle writes, "Putting away therefore all wicke-
dness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil
speakings, as newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without 
guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvat-
ion" (1 Pet. 2:1,2).  No one can harbor such things in the heart and still 
long for the "spiritual milk" that leads to their
spiritual growth.  Notice the admonition of the Lord: "I besee-
ch you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, (which
is) your spiritual service.  And be not fashioned according to
this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your
mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and
perfect Will of God" (Rom. 12:1,2).  As we grow in the grace
and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, we will lay aside
those weights which constantly beset and hinder us.

In This Race, All Are Winners: -- In the Greek games, and our
Olympic games, there is only one winner in the race.  But if
we will truly lay aside the weights and the sins which beset
us, we can all be winners in the Christian race.  Paul writes,
"Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one
receiveth the prize?  Even so run; that ye may attain.  And
every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control
in all things.  Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; 
but we an incorruptible" (1 Cor. 9:24,25).  Let each of us run
as though there were going to be only one winner.

     But we have the assurance, that as we "look unto Jesus
the Author and Perfecter of our faith," He will sustain and
strengthen us in our efforts: "Lo, I am with you alway, even
unto the end of the world" (Matt. 28:20).  He makes us all
winners!

     The Lord promises, "He that endureth unto the end, the
same shall be saved" (Matt. 10:22).  Those striving in the Greek games could 
only hope for a corruptible crown -- usually made of leaves and ivy.  Both the 
crown and the honor of winning were rather short-lived.  But, in spite of the
fact, the contestants put forth every effort to gain the victory.
They wanted to be winners!  Since the crown awarded to the
Christian is incorruptible (1 Cor. 9:25), we should strive with
all our vigor to win it.

     Jesus promised, "Be thou faithful unto death, I will give
unto thee the crown of life" (Rev. 2:10).  Let us run with pat-
ience the race set before us, so tht when the race nears its
end, we an say with the apostle Paul: "For I am already being
offered, and the time of my departure is come.  I have fought
the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the
faith: henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteou-
sness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give to me
at that day; and not to me only, but also to all them that have
loved His appearing" (2 Tim. 4:6-8).   ----- Clem Thurman in
Gospel Minutes, Vol. 56, No. 26, June 29, 2007. 
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