Saturday, July 07, 2012

Surrounded

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (Hebrews 12:01, NKJV).
Even in our imperfection, we are not alone. And by imperfection, I mean incompleteness.

You see, the last verse in Hebrews Chapter 11 reveals to us this truth: believers before and after Christ will be made perfect (complete) by the same trifold promise of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, an eternal inheritance, and eternal life.

That completion enables us to reap the benefits of our fellowship with the Father through faith in His Son, thus realizing all the superior aspects of Christ over anything and everything that could be conceived of or experienced before or after His incarnation, death and resurrection. That superiority of Christ is the overarching theme of this brief exhortation we know as Hebrews.

Not only are we never alone, but we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, but who might these witnesses be?

George Mueller, that famous Christian founder of English orphanages in the 1800's, who died after nearly a century of prayer-filled life, believed that the witnesses were comprised of those saints (believers) who had died and gone into glory.

Others posit that these are the holy angels who, the Apostle Peter tells us, desire to look into that great salvation revealed by the Holy Spirit and bestowed upon sinful man (1Pe 1:12).

Still others teach the witnesses are the personified acts of the faithful, precisely like those chronicled in Chapter 11.

My view: there is nothing scriptural that prohibits all three interpretations at once, with the bottom line being we are surrounded by all that we need to live godly in this Fallen World.

This then acts as encouragement, exhortation and conviction to put down that which hinders and entraps, so that we may take up the race of faith.

In this regard it must be noted that there are behaviors and attitudes which, though not sin in and of themselves, become for some Christians weights that slow them down in the quest for the finish line. These cause stumbling in the life that is lead from faith to faith, and which strives to end in faith; the very thing exampled in Chapter 11 repeatedly.

What are some of these things? The real answer is that what is a weight for one Christian may not be the slightest burden for another. God is clearly a God who values individuality, from snow flakes to finger prints to retinal patterns. Each of us are hand-crafted masterpieces by the Supreme Artisan, and each is meant to fit perfectly as members of the Body of Christ. 

This means that what may be a stumbling block for me, is an unnoticed hurdle effortlessly cleared by you. Nevertheless, the underlying common characteristic of these weights is that they cause distraction or loss of focus to those for whom they act as hindrances. 

Therefore the weight is anything and everything in an individual's behavior, attitude or habitual thinking that turns his or her attention to self and away from Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

The antidote is to constantly examine your priorities and habits and discard them or realign them as often as necessary to the revealed will of God for your life. Note too, that weight in this regard is an individual conviction, not a general doctrine. 

My weight may be your anchor to reality, and while you may be able to counsel and encourage me in such matters, by definition you may not judge me because of them, but rather come alongside and gently help me discard them.

Sin, on the other hand, is a different matter entirely. It serves not merely as a hindrance but a trap, which, if not ruthlessly dealt with, becomes an inescapable snare. Unforgiveness, sexual sin, covetousness, pride, selfishness, hatred, envy, murder, strife, deceit, and evil-mindedness are just a few of the snares that prevent living a godly life of faith. For those who need lists, look here: Ro 1:28-32; Ga 5:19-21.

Simply put, when ensnared by sin you cannot move forward, let alone run with endurance. Instead you are stopped dead in your tracks, an easy target for temptation, discouragement, and bitterness, all leading to a tightening of the bindings holding you in place.

The remedy here is to confess your sin, and repent - to turn away from ungodliness and toward God. You cannot accomplish this in your own strength, but the first baby step must be yours. You must see your sin for sin and despise it in yourself, understanding that there is never a justification or excuse in regard to sin, only repentance.

By laying these things aside, Christ within you (part of the priceless promise) will enable you to run the race with endurance, meaning He will ensure that you cross the finish line no matter what treachery, betrayal, or hardships you face along the way. 

Consider and remember these marvelous words:

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38, 39, NKJV).
And,
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; (Philippians 1:3-6, NKJV).

Do not lose heart or grow weary in doing good, and you will receive the Crown of Life, and inherit all that Christ has promised.

You can take that to the bank.