SUNESIS MINISTRIES

 

 

Written by Stuart Pattico

 

© 2007 Stuart Pattico.  All rights reserved.  No part of this document may be produced or transmitted in any form without prior permission from the author.

 

 

This article is based on the following verse of Scriptures:

 

 

“1 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 [patience, KJV] the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1)

 

 

Unnecessary Traditions

 

In this verse, our Christian journey is likened unto a race.  This race needs to be run with endurance and patience. Along the route in this race are various traps called sin.  Therefore we are exhorted to “lay aside… the sin which so easily ensares [traps] us”.  We sin whenever we do what the Word of God says we shouldn’t do, or when we violate our own conscience.  We should therefore be diligent to always obey the Word of God, and be sensitive to our consciences.  Many of us like to make excuses for sin.  A typical example is physical intimacy before marriage whilst dating.  It is often asked ‘how far is too far?’  The moment your conscience pricks you, that is too far.   Whenever we sin, we are actually “ensnared / trapped” and are not making progress in the race.  If we are not making progress then we will not finish the race, and therefore will not receive the prize.

 

This verse not only speaks about laying aside sin, it also says that we are to “lay aside every weight”.  I would like to focus on this phrase.

 

The phrase “every weight” may signify the encumbrance of any burden or clothing that renders the athlete less able to run the race successfully.  Therefore, in our Christian life, “every weight” can be anything that stops us from being all we can be in Christ.  It could be bad influences, ungodly relationships, the cares of this life, or even depression.  Whatever it is, we need to find a way to lay it aside.

 

The book of Hebrews was written to a group of Jewish believers.  These Jewish believers were being persecuted because of their newly found faith in Jesus Christ.  As a result, some or many of these Jewish believers were turning away from Jesus and returning to Old Testament Judaism.

 

Old Testament Judaism contained many religious practices that were now invalidated by the death of Jesus Christ.  Such practices included the sacrificing of animals for atonement of sin, circumcision, the rituals of temple worship etc.   Because of Jesus’ death, these practices became unnecessary, as they were just a shadow of the coming Messianic age.   Therefore, in Hebrews 12:1, the author exhorts the Jewish believers to lay aside these traditions because they are unnecessary weights in their new Christian journey.

 

For many of these Jewish believers, these Old Testament traditions were as much cultural as they were religious.  This is because they were taught this way of life from childhood by their parents.  Nevertheless, God was calling them to lay these things down so that they could focus solely on their new faith.  Therefore, too we need to be diligent to lay aside any religious or cultural traditions or behaviours that are not compatible with the Christian faith.

 

Jesus described the Pharisees of His day as,

 

“13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down.” (Mark 7:13)

 

When we hold to unbiblical traditions, we carry an unnecessary burden, which hinders us from running the race as best we could.  In this instance, the Pharisees were teaching that people didn’t have to give money to their parents if they instead gave the money to God.  Their tradition blinded them to the fact that God said they were honour their parents.  In a similar sense, we must not let our tithes be an excuse for not giving to the poor or giving aid to those in need around us.  We must always understand the heart of God. We must therefore always evaluate our faith to see if we are holding to traditions, rules, customs and regulations that are in fact unnecessary and hinder us from doing he will of God.

 

 

 

 

Getting Into Shape

 

The phrase, ‘every weight’ may also denote the excessive size and weight of body which the athlete sought to reduce by means of training.  Therefore, Hebrews 12:1 is also exhorting us to spiritually “loose the pounds” and to ensure that we are spiritually fit and in shape. 

 

To be physically fit requires a good diet, plenty of exercise, and plenty of rest.  Spiritual fitness requires these same ingredients.

 

A Good Diet

 

A good diet means that we eat the correct food, and also stay away from the bad food.  Good spiritual food is the Word of God.  Jesus said,

 

‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ (Matthew 4:4)

 

The word of God enables us to “live” spiritually.  It gives us the spiritual energy and nourishment we need to live the Christian life.   It also gives us the strength we need.  Paul said,

 

“32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Acts 20:32)

 

The word of God helps to build up our spiritual muscles so that we are strong in faith.

 

There was a man called Smith Wigglesworth.  He had a powerful ministry in which he saw many saved, healed and even raised from the dead!  He knew the importance of the Word of God, insomuch that he would read a chapter before every meal.  We too need to continuously feed on the Word of God if we are to be fit and healthy Christians.

 

However, a good diet does not only mean that we eat good food; it also requires that we stay away from bad food.  In the Bible, bad food is referred to as “various and strange doctrines”:

 

“9 Do not be carried about^[c] with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.” (Hebrew 13:9)

 

 

Our food is whatever we feed on.  Spiritually, we feed on the Word of God by listening to it, reading it, and digesting it.  We feed on bad spiritual food in the same way.  This bad spiritual food is found outside the Word of God.  It is found in magazines, in songs, in movies, on TV, in computer games, and in the mouths of men and women.  Basically, bad spiritual food is any information that is contrary to the Word of God, or anything that inspires us to act or think contrary to God’s Word.  Therefore, we need to be careful of what we read, listen to, watch etc. as what we feed on is our spiritual food.  If our spiritual food is bad, we will find ourselves putting on spiritual weight and unable to run effectively the race set before us.

 

 

Plenty of Exercise

 

A successful athlete needs plenty of exercise.  When we exercise, we utilise the energy provided by the food we have eaten.  We engage in spiritual exercise by using what we have learnt from the Word of God in our every day lives.

 

“exercise yourself toward godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7)

 

Day by day, we need to be diligent in practicing what we are learning from the Word.  James said,

 

“22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22)

 

If we only read the Word of God and think we are spiritually fit, we deceive ourselves.  We need to practice what the Word says.  This is spiritual exercise, and only when we do this are we spiritually fit.

 

However, an athlete does not just engage in gentle exercise.  An athlete also endures intense training.  This training is by no means pleasant, but it increases the athlete’s ability to perform at a higher level.  Even so, in order for us run the race successfully, we must for through some “unpleasant training”.  This “unpleasant training” is known in Scripture as “trials” and “the testing of our faith” and often comes in the form of “suffering”.  It was this aspect of Christian life that was causing many of the Jewish believers to turn away from Christ.  However, Jesus Himself had to go through this kind of training in order for Him to finish His race.  Therefore, Jesus is called “the forerunner”:

 

“20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrew 6:20)

 

By “forerunner” it means that He has run the race already and left us an example of how we can run ours.  Concerning the intense training Jesus went through, the Scripture says,

 

“8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.” (Hebrews 5:8)

 

If Jesus was required to learn obedience through suffering, how much more do we?  Therefore, James says,

 

“2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:2-4)

 

James refers to our various trials as the testing of our faith. When we go though hardship and suffering with a godly attitude, we develop the precious virtue of patience as we learn to depend and wait upon the Lord.  The quality of patience is absolutely essential if we are to finish the race successfully, as the Scripture says:

 

“…and let us run with endurance [patience, KJV] the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1)

 

“imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews 6:12)

 

Therefore, as long as we are walking with the Lord, we ought to see our trials in a positive light, knowing that they are for our good:

 

“28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

 

When God chooses to chasten us through trials we should rejoice, for we know that the qualities need to inherit the promises are being developed in us, and our Father is disciplining us as His own dear sons:

 

“7 If^[b] you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.”

 (Hebrews 12:7-8)

 

Those who never experience the chastening of God are not really His children, for every good father disciplines their child.

 

However, in all this we must persevere in faith; knowing that the Lord will show us His compassion and mercy:

 

“10 My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. 11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” (James 5:10-11)

 

 

Plenty of Rest

 

In 2004, it was reported that some research had indicated that sleep deprivation can lead to weight problems.  Therefore, rest is important in order for us to “lay aside every weight”.  Jesus said,

 

“28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

 

Here, the Lord offers to relieve the weight that we carry through the agency of His rest.  What is this rest?  It is the same rest that God enjoyed when He finished making this world:

 

9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. (Hebrews 4:9-10)

 

In order to enter into God’s rest, we need to cease from our own works as God did on the seventh day.  This means that we need to recognise that no matter how many good things we do, our good works cannot get us saved:

 

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

 

We have all been saved by grace: none of us are good enough to get to be saved by our own good deeds.  When we depend on God’s grace for our salvation, and not our own performance, we enter into God’s rest.  When we stop depending on our own goodness to save us, the pressure is removed from us, and instead we trust in God’s grace to save us.  This is what it means to spiritually rest.  This is an absolutely essential part of laying aside every weight.  If we do not have this attitude, pretty soon, our failures and shortcoming will begin to weigh us down and discourage us as we try to run the race.  When we depend on our own goodness to save us, we will soon begin to doubt our salvation and have little confidence or boldness in prayer, as we will always feel condemned because of our sin.  However, God wants us to enter into His rest by trusting in His grace.

 

In order to enter this state of rest, we must recognise the following:

 

Salvation is Free

 

Firstly, we must know that our salvation is a free gift from God:

 

“24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood…” (Romans 3:24-25)

 

The verse says that we have been “justified freely”.  Notice that our justification is “free”.  Our own good works cannot pay for it; it is God’s free gift.

 

The word “justified” means that we have been acquitted of all wrong doing.  Because of our sins, we were all destined to spend eternity in hell, but God’s free gift is that He wipes our slate clean.  How has God done this?  The answer is “through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”.  In other words, when Jesus was on the Cross, He paid the penalty for our sins, receiving the punishment we deserved, so that we could go free.  Therefore, Jesus is our Liberator: He has conquered sin and has released its captives.

 

In order for us to receive this free gift we simply need to accept it by faith.

 

“8 For by grace you have been saved through faith…” (Ephesians 2:8)

 

True faith means that we make a decision to turn away from sin and accept God’s free gift of salvation.

 

“21 testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 20:21)

 

 

God is more than willing to forgive us if we sin

 

Secondly, we must know that if we sin, God is more than willing to forgive us:

 

“9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

 

If we sin, we should not shy away from God, or run away from Him because we are scared of His judgement.  Rather, when we sin, we should run to God for acceptance and forgiveness.  He will meet us with open arms and His grace will give us strength not to sin.

 

We must remember that God knows everything.  He knows what will happen before it takes place:

 

“18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.” (Acts 15:18, KJV)

 

Therefore, before God saved us, He knew every sin that we would ever commit, and with this knowledge He decided to save us.  Therefore, if we sin, we should never think that God will not accept us.  Rather we should confess and forsake our sin being confident in God’s unfailing love for us.

 

“13 He who covers his sins will not prosper,
      But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13)

 

“38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 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)

 

 

God will complete what He started

 

Thirdly, we must know that God will be faithful to complete what He started in us:

 

“6 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 1:6)

 

Sometimes we don’t feel that we are where we should be in our walk with God.  This feeling can result in much frustration and stress.  Whilst we should certainly be diligent to do all that we can to further our spiritual growth, we need to also remember that God has promised that He will complete our spiritual growth.  Instead of getting frustrated when we don’t feel we are where we should be, and instead of giving up, we need to “let go and let God”.

 

“13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

 

When we trust God to bring us to perfection, instead of trusting in ourselves, we have entered God’s rest:

 

9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. (Hebrews 4:9-10)

 

 

This brings us to the end of the article.  May God help us to see and forsake the things in our lives that are weighing us down.  May He grant us the discipline and understanding to keep spiritually fit, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.