Hebrews 11:6

In the book of Hebrews, the author spends considerable space on perseverance through faith; it may be said that this is the essential point emphasized throughout Hebrews 11:1–12:2. In the last two verses of this section (12:1–2) the central key to perseverance through faith is stated:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (ESV)

There are two major points made here; consider the following.

First, we must recognize that faithfulness as demonstrated in the cases found in Hebrews 11 affirms that “to be faithful is to hold on despite pain [sic].”[1] The pain may come in different forms and may either be the decision to reject sin or the constant struggle of unbelief.

Second, in order to imitate the faithfulness of the biblical heroes painted in Hebrews 11, and to complete the redemptive story of God (Heb 11:39–40), we are also called to remove the obstacles of sin with which we struggle in order to persevere faithfully.

The Weight and Grip of Sin

The call to faithfulness is illustrated through a well-known image from the Greco-Roman world – runners in the races. It would be a foolish athlete who competes in a race and impedes his performance by adding weight (12:1); in fact, it is common sense to remove as much weight as possible in order to improve one’s speed. The point is clear: weights hinder performance.

The “weight” which hinders the runner’s performance is equated by the phrase “sin which clings so closely.” Sin is a common human problem (Rom 3:23) and occurs when we behave contrary to God’s guidance (1 John 3:4).

The Hebrews author describes this sin as that which “clings so closely” (Grk. euperistatos). As a Greek term, the word used is quite rare and only found once in the entire New Testament. It appears, however, to have a wide range of suggested meanings, but essentially here reflects the idea of a dangerous “distress” or “calamity.” In the ancient Jewish Greek work, 2 Maccabees, this word is used to describe how “heavy disaster overtook” the Jews as they accepted an alliance with the Romans (2 Macc 4:16).[2]

There is also an element of skillfulness involved in sin suggested by this term, to exert a tight grip of control upon us.[3] God wants us to know that if we allow sin to dwell in our lives, it has the skill to take “advantage” to prevail against our better judgments.[4]

For this reason, we must not be passive with sin in our “race” of faithfulness, but with focused determination (taking the figure of the runner) we must act decisively to “thrust from ourselves” (“lay aside” ESV) the “weight” and the “sin” which will have a disastrous grip upon our spiritual lives.[5]

When Sin Grabs You

With the foregoing in the mind, it is clear that we must be on our guard against sin. It appears to be that many Christians flirt with sin and roam the borderlands of acceptable godly behavior with reckless abandon, believing that “all is under control.” Yet, like a fly snared by a Venus Fly Trap, once its trigger is initiated the tight and skillful grip will not release until the fly is dead.

Solomon sets forth a profound “cautionary tale” about those naïve and immature souls thinking they can live within the clutches of sinful living (Pro 7:1–27). Such will leave home free of constraints of the commandments, teaching, and insights of godly wisdom and wander the streets until they come to the threshold of sinful behavior. They will stand at the very edge thinking it’s possible to be so close to sin until the folly of sin “seizes” them (7:13) and seductively leads them to spiritual death (7:21–23). Foolishly tempting folly is viewed as ungodly, something the emerging wise person should refrain from.

Some have suggested that the “weight” and “sin” in Hebrews 12:1 ought to be viewed as two different problems, both of which hinder faithfulness to God and the ultimate completion of service to God.[5] This may be possible, though we feel that “weight” is a metaphor for sin; nevertheless, the point is taken “that there may be many things which could serve as hindrances to our running well.”[6] All of them weigh us down, so it is imperative we seek divine grace and sanctification to be Spirit enabled to run the Christian race.

The warning we ought to understand here is that instead of piling on questionable burdens, we ought to “lighten” our loads from hindrances that both hinder and distract us from full and complete service to our God and Father; which consequently affects our hope of heaven.

The fact that we come near to God through faith (Heb 11:6), and that this “nearness” rewards them that “seek” Him ought to compel us to offer a life filled with choices that seek His will over that of our own. Below we consider a couple areas where hindrances appear quite often.

Emotional Fixations

Additionally, we are prone to make emotional connections; this is part of our human experience and in fact, is a God-given attribute that reinforces healthy relationships. However, at times we can ill-invest our emotions into dangerous territory.

Some invest their emotional connections in unhealthy relationships. Affairs begin when one’s emotions are invested in another who is not their spouse. Young ones join gangs when they invest their loyalty into a group of friends, which they adopt as a surrogate family structure. Christians become emotionally compromised when they invest their romantic emotions into potential mates which could care less about their faith and godly morals.

It is not simply a matter of human weakness, after all, “all have sinned,” so goes the argument. There is, however, a real difference between succumbing to temptation and placing one’s self into the lion’s mouth of temptation because we are fixated on someone or some vice. It is a trite spirituality for one to appeal to grace while indulging in every sin. Paul clearly said, “may it never be” that Christians abuse God’s grace in this fashion (Rom 6:1–2).

Due to fear of rejection by friends or family, some people give in to pressure and trade their birthright for worldliness. We would be wise to guard our hearts and emotions (Pro 4:23):

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. (ESV)

Planning for It

Finally, planning for sin is perhaps the most obvious area where hindrances appear in the life of the Christian. Temptations appear to everyone, but God promises that with every instance there is a “trap door” to escape the call of sin (1 Cor 10:12–13).

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:12–13)

“That you may be able to endure it” is an implied promise of spiritual strength if you will give in to the Spirit’s lead. Nonetheless, we are allowed to make our own decisions (Jas 1:13–15). God cannot force us to live godly. We will in fact reap what we sow:

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:7–8)

One may be tempted to compromise sexually with a boyfriend or girlfriend, but that can only occur if a provision is made to fulfill the lust of the flesh (Rom 13:14). One may be tempted by the desire to want things that they obtain what they want through immoral methods of gain; when instead, we are to “work quietly” and “earn” our “own living” (2 Thess 3:12). Another may structure their lives so they can indulge in pornography, drugs, or drunkenness.

Sometimes we are so consumed with the notion that we have the capacity to do something that we do not stop to think about whether or not we should. “I’m 21 today, I’m going to a bar”; only that the consequence of a “night out” is a drunk mess barely able to wake up in the morning. Hangovers are not proof of adulting, they are consequences of a lack of wisdom. A practice surely condemned in Scripture (1 Pet 4:3). Unfortunately, we can multiply these “entitlement” habits, which are ultimately antiauthoritarian expressions that dishonor parents and ultimately God.

Concluding Thoughts

For those who have truly absorbed the beauty of the loving Gospel of Jesus Christ, and know that the ultimate dwelling placed is prepared for those who are faithful to God, no hindrance ought to be too difficult to cast aside so that we can have all the endurance we need to run the race of faith. So that we too can say with Paul:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Tim 4:7–8).

Cast off your sins! Trust God’s grace! Lean on the Spirit’s sanctificaiton! I’m praying and rooting for you.

Endnotes

James Thompson, 2003, “Enduring Through Pain (Hebrews 12.1-17),” BibleCourses.com (Accessed: 20 Aug. 2011), 2.
James H. Moulton, and George Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1914–1929), 264.
Johannes P. Louw and Eugene A. Nida, editors, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains, 2d edition (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 1.471-42; Joseph H. Thayer, 1889, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (1889; repr., Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1962), 261.
William E. Vine, Merrill F. Unger, and William White, Jr., Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Nashville, TN: Nelson, 1984), 2.63.
H. G. Liddell, An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (New York: American Book Co., 1888), 109.
Bob Deffinbaugh, “Losing Weight (Hebrews 12.1-3),” Bible.org (1995–2011; Accessed: 20 Aug. 2011).
Deffinbaugh, “Losing Weight (Hebrews 12.1-3).”

Many phrases summarize Paul’s letter to Rome such as justiﬁcation, righteousness, gospel, or God’s sovereignty. Another important phrase found in Romans is “obedience of faith” and bookends the letter at its beginning (1:5) and at its close (16:26). This is the desired result (“to bring about”) of the Father’s work of salvation in Jesus Christ.

Those seeking to enjoy the redemptive blessings of God’s righteousness and salvation are called to respond with a faith in God that is obedient to his call and his word (Rom 1:16–17). Paul’s quotation of Habakkuk 2:4, “The righteous shall live by faith” (1:17), further establishes his point. This is the nature of biblical faith and when sharing the gospel it is imperative to remember that faith is not biblical if it is not obedient. This has signiﬁcant implications to the Christian’s efforts to share the victory message of the gospel with their neighbors.

The Shape of Faith

Words are the patterns by which people think. It is key, therefore, to clear the air on a common misconception. For some, faith resembles a blind leap into the dark. It is a gut feeling devoid of reason. Taken in this way, the only relationship between faith and reason is that they are on opposite poles that never touch. Furthermore, faith in God, the Bible as the word of God, or in the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension are purely a feeling. It is pure ﬁdeism. Biblical faith is a response to evidence (Heb 11:1).

Biblical faith is both relational and responsive. Paul explains that the gospel of God is supported by a series of lines of evidence. The gospel was promised prophetically in the Old Testament (1:2) and centered on the Davidic lineage of Jesus (1:3) whose claim to being the Son of God is established by the resurrection from the dead (1:4). On this basis, the apostles are commissioned to share the gospel designed to induce an obedient faith from the world and the church (1:5–6). Faith relates to the worthiness of the evidence of the gospel message that God acted in the world through Jesus and his cross (2 Cor 5:18), and responds with actions that reﬂect that trust in God and the gospel.

Living by Faith

In Romans 1:16-17, Paul explains that faith is not only a ﬁrst response to the gospel but also frames the lifestyle of the Christian. It is not an exaggeration to say that the Roman letter hangs on his quotation of Habakkuk 2:4, “The righteous shall live by faith.” Paul evokes the contrast God makes in his response to a frustrated Habakkuk. The wicked live faithless and so digress into immorality (Hab 1:12–2:5). By contrast, the righteous organize their life by what faith in God requires (2:4). Two things are afﬁrmed here: (1) faith is anchored in God’s actions and word, and (2) faith reshapes one’s priorities and actions. Let us explore these two points a bit further.

First, when sharing the gospel it is imperative to anchor a person’s faith in God and his word. Biblical faith in God does not emerge without believing God exists and acts in history (Acts 14:15–17, 17:24–31), the Bible provides divine truth (Eph 3:4–5), and has sent his son as demonstration of his love (Rom 5:6–8). Indeed, this “obedience of faith” is reﬂected in the Genesis story of Abraham. Paul, by the Spirit, picks up on this in Romans 3–4, when he parallels the justifying faith of Abraham with the faith of the person who comes to obey God and walks before him in faith (3:21–26).

Indeed, “Abraham believed God” (Rom 4:3; Gen 15:6). Abraham was “fully convinced” that God was “able to do what he promised” (Rom 4:21). Until a person has a conviction in God and his word, saving faith has no fertile soil to blossom from (Rom 10:6–13; Mark 16:15–16).

Second, faith reshapes one’s priorities and actions. The words of Habakkuk are quoted two other times in the New Testament (Gal 3:11; Heb 10:37–38). In each passage, there is an emphasis that biblical faith — saving faith — reshapes the Christian’s priorities. In Galatians, Paul argues that faith provides access to the gift of the Spirit. In Hebrews, the writer afﬁrms that because of faith the converted believer can endure hardships because their priorities have changed. It is written,

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Heb 11:6).

Personal faith is nurtured through the study of the scriptures and leads gospel obedience (Rom 6:17–18; 1 Thess 2:13). As Jesus afﬁrmed,

“It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me” (John 6:45).

Concluding Thoughts

In order to show the difference between “agreement” and “faith,” evangelist Windell Fikes learned to asked: (1) “Do you believe what the Bible says?,” (2) “Do you want to do what the Bible says?,” and (3) “Do you want to do what the Bible says right now?” In other words, biblical faith is expressed in obedience to God’s word.

Jesus would say,