![[ Back ]](../../images/nav_back.png)
![[ Contents ]](../../images/nav_contents.png)
![[ Forward ]](../../images/nav_forward.png)
The Christian life of faith is likened to a contest - that of a long distance race rather than a short sprint. Hebrews is written so that we may heed its main exhortation not to be tempted to drop out of the contest because of its gruelling demands and the opposition we are facing.
Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, ..." (NKJV)
Those who have run before us (Hebrews 11 ) bear testimony that the race can be run successfully and that the rewards are exceedingly great. The "cloud of witnesses" are not presented as spectators, rather they are those who have borne witness by their faith and obedience, sufferings, and triumph through complete reliance on God and His Word. "Witnesses" Greek 'martus' - they have experimental knowledge of that which is required of us. "Faith" the word is also used for 'martyr' (See Strongs) a martyr being one whose witness of faith in Jesus brought suffering and death (Acts 22:20; Revelation 2:10; 17:6 ). Let your faith be nurtured by these great examples of victorious faith.
"Weight" Greek 'ogkos' meaning a mass (as bending or bulging by its load) i.e. burden (hindrance); weight." Strongs Exhaustive Concordance
What is a weighty hindrance to faith or fulfilment of a God-given assignment to one, may be different for another. It was right for Joseph to be a ruler in Egypt - but for Moses, wrong. He had to forsake royal privileges to be unhindered in his calling and faith. We must with determination fling aside anything that gets in the way, or binds us from an obedient faith that fulfils our mission - even though what we have to reject is lawful for someone else.
Ryrie says the sin is "unbelief".
Support for this conclusion comes first from the use of the singular for sin - second, the continued warning about unbelief in Hebrews. In these days when it is popular to question and doubt the Word of God and the distinctive tenets of Christian belief and practice, unbelief is treated as trivial, instead of the sin that it is. That the sin of unbelief has infected even people who would not question the evangelical persuasion is evident in their difficulty to contend for the faith, and inability and failure to express certainty in the hope of the Church, and that they question the working of God's presence by the Holy Spirit among His people.
At the least, these who practice disbelief stand to lose out on God's best, and should the trend continue, face the judgment of God for their persistent unbelief. The word "ensnare" is a warning to deal with that known sin to which we personally so easily fall victim. We may take the ensnaring sin as not named because it refers to the addictive sin to which individuals are prone - such that hinder progress. We would not be asked to lay them aside if this was not possible - remember that Jesus has
What He has loosed, cleansed, purified, and freed us from, we can co-operatively lay aside. (Romans 6:12-14 ).
QUESTIONS FOR GROUP INTERACTIONWould your example of faith inspire and encourage others?
Do you accept that there are hindrances that you have to fling aside that may not be the case for someone else (Hebrews 12:1 )?
What is the sin that is a snare to everyone (Hebrews 12:1 )?