Category Archives: faithfulness

In Training for Eternity – Hebrews 12:1-2

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“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.”

The Hebrews writer uses the metaphor of running a race to describe the life of faith.

Referring to the many examples of faith the writer identified in the previous chapter, he now advances the discussion to the matter of faithfulness–faith that endures.

Runners wear light clothing because any extra weight hinders them when they compete. Sin can “weigh” a person down who is running the race of life. But the Hebrews writer tells us how to shed the weight of sin from our life of faith: stay focused on Jesus.

Jesus is like a racing champion because He has already lived, died, and been resurrected. He sets the pace for the race we are running.

When we do, He sends us a personal trainer for our faith, the Holy Spirit. The Spirit trains us by perfecting our faith so that we will finish the race.

This life is a training ground for eternity. When you keep your focus on Jesus, then God can train and discipline you in a way that strengthens your endurance and makes you more like Him.

“But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way” (Hebrews 12:10-11, NLT).

Time for a Tune-Up? – 2 Chronicles 23-24

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“And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest” (vs. 2). The story of Joash, king of Judah, is an object lesson we all need to take to heart. When Joash’s father, the king, died prematurely, his father’s mother usurped the throne. She had all of the royal family killed, but Joash, the infant heir to the throne, was concealed in the temple for six years by his aunt and uncle, Jehoida, the high priest. Jehoida led a coup to restore the throne to the house of David and install the rightful heir, Joash, as king. In the first part of Joash’s reign while Jehoida was alive, Joash was devoted to the restoration of the temple and adherence to God’s law. After Jehoida, the high priest, died Joash succumbed to the evil counsel of certain leaders in Judah who identified with the evil ways of Ahab, the former king of Israel and so Joash established idolatrous practices in Judah. Joash even commanded that the prophet Zechariah, who was the son of Jehoida, be put to death because he spoke against the king. In a battle with the Syrians Joash was severely wounded and brought to Jerusalem where he was killed by his own officials in revenge for Zechariah’s death. King Joash’s faith was dependent upon Jehoida and once Jehoida was gone, so was Joash’s faith. Furthermore, Joash listened to bad advice from the wrong spiritual advisors. Joash couldn’t handle dissent–everyone around him had to agree with him. The lessons we can learn from Joash are to always guard your faith; don’t let your faith be based on the faith of someone else; be careful who you listen to for spiritual advice and then be careful of the spiritual advice that others give; and don’t dissociate yourself from those who disagree with you because God may be using them to reprove and discipline you! Your faith requires continual maintenance–is it time for tune-up?

Fighting Faith – I Timothy 6:12

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“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called.” Faith is a fight, no a battle, no a war. You have to fight for the faith and sometimes people get hurt; sometimes people get killed (see Hebrews 11). But it is a fight we should engage in, we must engage in because it’s a fight worth having–it’s a good fight. Fight to stay faithful to God and in so doing, take hold of eternal life–grasp on to eternal life and don’t let go. Fighting for the faith is a matter of fleeing from sin and vigorously pursuing godliness. You are fighting for faith in the One Who holds eternal life, “who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality” (vs 15). Contend for the faith because its end is eternal life with God, “who gives life to all things” (vs. 13).

Who Is a True Christian? – Hebrews 3:14

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“For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” Whether you believe that Christians who are once saved are always saved or if you believe that Christians can fall away, the sober warning in this passage should be taken seriously by Christians of both views. Being a Christian means you have resolved to be faithful to God no matter what happens in your life—it is a lifetime resolution. When a Christian experiences the ups and downs of life and remains faithful to God, it builds a confidence and assurance that one does, in fact, share in the eternal life of Christ. Because being a Christian doesn’t always come easy, this verse provides a grave warning to everyone who claims to be saved to examine yourself carefully to be sure that you have the fortitude and resolve to persevere in your faith in Christ. Never mind trying to figure out who is a true believer and who is not; build up your own endurance because you belong to Christ if you hold fast your confidence to the end (vs. 5, 14).