Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith
After Hebrew chapter 12’s realistic ‘hall of faith,’ we come to an encouraging transition in Hebrews chapter 12 – “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, laying aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary, fainting in heart.” (Hebrews 12: 1-3)
Those believers spoken about in chapter 11’s hall of faith are the cloud of witnesses who should inspire us to move forward in faith. They have passed away, but their testimonies of faith should inspire us to greater faith and perseverance. To lay aside every weight the writer of Hebrews was most likely referring to the Old Testament Levitical system or law that the Hebrews were tempted to hold onto instead of focusing instead on their faith in Christ alone. They had been subject to religious legalism through Judaism and Judaizers that taught them that many different ordinances and rituals were necessary to please God. However, under the New Testament or new covenant of Christ, they needed to realize that Christ had fulfilled the law as the final ultimate sacrifice for their sins.
Faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross for us frees us to follow Him through the power of His indwelling Spirit. We begin this ‘race’ through our recognizing our own spiritual bankrupt state and our absolute inability to save ourselves through our good works. We then open our hearts to God, believing that Jesus was fully man and fully God who paid the eternal price for our redemption through His death on the cross. When we surrender our hearts and our wills to Him through faith, we are then born of His Holy Spirit. To please God and enter His presence for eternity we need to realize that we need His righteousness, and His righteousness is only applied to us through our saving faith in Him.
To become a follower of Christ or His disciple is not however an easy thing to do. Jesus said – “‘…If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?’” (Luke 9: 23-25) If necessary, we must ‘lose our religion’ to gain a true relationship of faith with Jesus. Religion, like the legalism of Judaism, needed to be revealed for its insufficiency so that the focus could be placed where it should be…on Christ alone. It, however, is not an easy thing to do. It may require us to turn from that which is often familiar and traditional when we turn to a much riskier life of faith.
The writer of Hebrews knew that as the Jews put their faith in Christ alone, rather than the ordinances and rituals of Judaism, they would face more and more persecution from those who were holding onto Judaism. Jesus’ call to us is not at all like the prosperity preachers’ ear tickling message, it is a call to come and die, to give up all if necessary for Him. It calls us to lay our lives upon the altar as living sacrifices for His use and glory. Peter wrote this to the persecuted believers – “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you. But to the degree you are sharing the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” (1 Peter 4: 12-14)
