Saturday Scripture Gold with Bibi: Faith Is a Race of Endurance

Hello, and welcome to Saturday Scripture Gold. Thank you for taking time out of your busy weekend to drop by!

Is college the enemy of faith? Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum has repeatedly claimed that "62 percent of kids who enter college with some kind of faith commitment leave without it." But Jonathan P. Hill, an assistant professor of sociology at Calvin College, says that research on higher education mostly contradicts the picture that Santorum paints.

According to Hill's op-ed in The Chronicle of Higher Education, studies that track the religious trajectories of young people show that the college experience itself doesn't appear to have much to do with the observed declines in religious commitment:

Studies using comparable data from recent cohorts of young people (for example, the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997, the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, and the National Study of Youth and Religion) have found virtually no overall differences on most measures of identity, practice, and belief between those who head off to college and those who do not. The one exception to this is the consistent finding that college graduates attend religious services more frequently than those who do not graduate from college.

Hill notes that unlike in Catholic and mainline Protestant institutions, both evangelical colleges and public institutions tend to curb the decline in church attendance. "Over all, though, this is good news for the faithful," he adds. "College is clearly not the enemy of religion. Students are not abandoning their faith commitments because of their godless college professors." -The Gospel Coalition, March 15, 2012, Joe Carter

Faith can be a simple thing, such as looking to someone we trust. But, sometimes we focus so much on faith itself that we complicate matters and forget that it's not the size of our faith, but who we put our trust in that truly matters.

After all, didn't Jesus tell us that even the tiniest amount of faith can move mountains (Luke 17:6)? When it's all said and done, it's not the size of our faith, but the almighty power of the One we put our trust in that causes wonders and miracles to come to pass in our lives.

I'd like to open this week's discussion about our faith with some scriptural references that are helpful. Let's look at these verses as examples of our being steadfast in our own lives of faith...

a. The warning against developing unbelief (Hebrews 3:12-15)
b. The need for a faith that endures (Hebrews 6:11-12; 10:36-39)
c. We are "surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses" The "cloud of witnesses" refers to those Old Testament saints like Abraham, Moses, etc. (Hebrews 12:1)

In what way are they "witnesses"? While the word can mean "spectator", it is not likely so used here; that would suggest they are now "looking down" on us from heaven. But there is no indication the dead know what is going on earth (cf. Ecclesiastes 9:5). While they may have "memory" of what happened (Luke 16:28), their attention is focused upon their present condition (cf. Revelation 7:9-17).

The word can also refer to those who "bear witness":

a) By their lives, they have borne witness to the value of faith (cf. Hebrews 11:1-40)
b) By their exemplary lives, they encourage us in "running the race of faith"!

As we seek to follow in the footsteps of others who have successfully "run the race of faith", there are three (3) things necessary as presented in Scripture.

First, we need to lay some things aside (Hebrews 12:1). Let's examine the comparison to running in this verse. The runner who seeks to win loses as much weight as possible without hurting performance. He/she wears clothing that is light and allows freedom of movement. Any excess weight, chafing clothing, etc., can be the difference between victory or defeat!

Like the runner, we too must lay some things aside, such as:

1. "every weight"; (i.e., things which slow down our spiritual progress). These can include "carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life" (Luke 21:34-36). Also, "anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language..." (cf. Colossians 3:8; 1 Peter 2:1-2; James 1:21). Such things make "running the race of faith" difficult, if
not impossible!

2. "the sin which so easily ensnares us"; any and all sins should be laid aside. From the context, I understand "the" sin to be the "sin of unbelief." Hebrews was written to encourage faithfulness to Christ and His covenant (Hebrews 3:12-13; Hebrews 10:26-39.

Thus, with a full assurance of faith, and with every obstacle laid aside, we can "run the race of faith" as God intended. But as we comprehend the true nature of the "course" set before us, we can appreciate the need for the element of endurance.

Here are some thoughts on why we need to have endurance (Hebrews 12:1). To begin with, the "race of faith" is a marathon, not a sprint. It does not require one quick burst of energy, in which the race is soon over. This "race" requires a sustained effort over a long period of time.

Secondly, endurance is a necessary quality. Jesus often taught His disciples concerning the need for endurance (i.e., patience) - Luke 8:12; Matthew 10:22; Matthew 24:13. The writer to the Hebrews had stressed this virtue earlier (Hebrews 6:11-15; Hebrews 10:36-39).

The good news is that we, ourselves, can develop such patience with the help of the Scriptures (Romans 15:4); by reading of the faithfulness of God Who fulfills His promises, and of the ultimate end of those persevered in faithfulness.

Paul wrote that eternal life would be given "to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality" (Romans 2:7). Therefore, endurance is required for successfully running this "race of faith"! However, of equal importance is where we have our mind focused as we run the race.

Of course, we also need to focus on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2-3). Scripture tells us here that we must "look unto Jesus." Our focus must be upon the Lord as we "run the race." We might "glance" at others (cf. Hebrews 11), but we are to "gaze" upon the Lord Savior (Believers' Study Bible).

As suggested by this "Formula For Spiritual Success":

1) If you want to be distressed -- look within
2) If you want to be defeated -- look back
3) If you want to be distracted -- look around
4) If you want to be dismayed -- look ahead
5) If you want to be delivered -- look up! (cf. Colossians 3:1-2)

For Jesus is "the author and finisher of our faith" (cf. Hebrews 2:10). He is the beginning and the end, the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 1:8,11). He has blazed the trail for us. And by having run the race Himself as a forerunner, He has entered the heavenly sanctuary (Hebrews 6:19-20); and He has opened a "new and living way" for us (Hebrews 10:20). As an added bonus, He helps us to finish it ourselves (cf. Hebrews 7:25).

He succeeded in running the race by looking at "the joy set before Him." The "joy" that inspired Him was likely that privilege of being seated at God's right hand (cf. Psalm 16:9-11; Acts 2:25-31). With the anticipation of such "joy", Jesus "endured the cross" (the physical pain), and "despised the shame" (the emotional and spiritual agony). Just as Jesus looked at the joy set before Him, so we must look to Jesus!

Additionally, we must "consider Him". We must consider how He endured, not only on the cross, but even before! (Hebrews 11:3). We must consider how He "endured such hostility from sinners against himself." This hostility is something He experienced frequently (cf. Luke 4:28-29; 11:15-16,53-54; 16:14).

Meditating upon our Lord will prevent us from becoming "weary and discouraged in your souls." We cannot run with endurance if we become weary and discouraged. But as we consider the Lord and His example (in itself a form of "waiting upon the Lord"), we shall not grow weary nor faint (cf. Isaiah 40:31).

In conclusion, "running the race of faith" requires both negative and positive elements. Negatively, we must lay aside things which would hinder us. Positively, we must keep our focus on Jesus who has made our salvation possible.

In both cases, the Word of God (the Bible) is crucial. For in it we learn what sort of things we must lay aside; we learn about our Lord, what He endured, and how His example should inspire us.

My dear readers, I will leave you with these two questions, "Have you lost your endurance? Have you grown weary in "running the race of faith"? If so, let the Bible help you examine what "baggage" should be left aside! Let the Bible help you learn about Jesus whose own example can encourage you to continue on with perseverance (Hebrews 10:36)!

Now, let's pray...

O Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorance, admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice, accepts rebuke. Help us always to praise rather than to criticize, to sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy, and to think of people at their best rather than at their worst. This we ask for thy name's sake. Amen

Until next time...

Have a blessed week!

Bibi