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Hebrews 12:1-3 BSB
I believe the “great cloud of witnesses” is in reference to the people of faith listed for us in the previous chapter, chapter 11, the Faith Chapter of the Bible, as it is called. Their walks of faith, or their faith responses to God, in certain circumstances, serve as a model for us in how we are to live to please God. They were not perfect people, and there were times when some of them failed God. But God honored them for the times when they obeyed him, and they did what was honoring to him, and they walked by faith.
Throw It Off!
Contrary to what so many are teaching these days, God is not okay with us continuing in deliberate and habitual sin against God, and in disobedience to his commands (New Covenant). God’s grace to us is not a free ride to heaven based off lip service only. God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return (Titus 2:11-14). And Jesus taught that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow the Lord in walks of obedience to his commands, or not have salvation (Luke 9:23-26).
So, the encouragement for us here, and yes this is encouragement, is that we must throw off (get rid of) every obstacle in our way, which is keeping us from obeying the Lord, and every addictive (repetitive, habitual) sin in our lives. We must die to all sin and its grip on our lives so that we can live holy lives, pleasing to God, by the grace of God, in his power. For the “race” that is set before us is our daily walks of faith in obedience to our Lord in surrender to his will and to his purpose for our lives. And it involves daily submission to our Lord and to his will in going where he sends us and in doing all that he commands – all in the power of God, and not of our flesh.
Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus
Jesus Christ is the author and the perfecter of our faith. It is only because of his sacrifice of himself on that cross, in putting our sins to death with him, and in being raised from the dead, that any of us can be saved from our sins and live victorious over sin, and walk in obedience to our Lord’s commands. For in his death and resurrection, he put our sins to death with him so that, by faith in him, we might now die to sin, live in victory over sin, and walk in obedience to his commands in holy living, by his grace, and in his power.
And our faith comes from God, it is gifted to us by God, and it is persuaded of God as to his holiness and righteousness, and of our sinfulness, and of God’s requirement that we deny self, die to sin daily, and follow our Lord in surrender to his will, in walks of obedience to his commands. The faith we profess cannot be of our own doing or it is not biblical faith. In fact, we cannot even believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives unless God first draws us to Christ. And biblical faith = obedience. Disobedience = unbelief.
[Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; Acts 26:18; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Hebrews 12:1-2; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Peter 2:24]
So, our eyes, minds, hearts, and souls must be centered in and focused on Jesus Christ, and on the teachings of the Scriptures. And we must allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit and no longer by the flesh. A “My Do It” approach to faith in Jesus Christ will never suffice to get anyone saved from sin and given the hope of eternal life with God. Jesus died and rose from the dead so we will die with him to sin and have victory over sin and no longer walk in deliberate and habitual sin, but in obedience to God’s commands.
Our Eyes on Jesus
Based off Hebrews 12:2-13
An Original Work / April 23, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus.
Our faith starts and grows in Him,
Who for the joy set before Him
Endured all our sin.
Scorning the shame of the cross,
He sat down beside God above.
He was willing to die for us,
To save us, in love.
Think about the opposition
He endured from sinful men,
So when you go through life’s trials,
You stay strong within.
Knowing all He went through for us
Helps us not grow weak of heart;
Not grow weary; don’t give up;
And not from Him depart.
In your struggle against sin’s ways,
Resist not to shed your blood.
Have you forgotten the words
God spoke to us in love?
“My child, don’t ignore it when
The Lord corrects you; do faint not,
Because the Lord disciplines those
That He loves, of God.”
God rebukes us all for our good;
Share with Him in holiness.
It produces a harvest of
God’s own righteousness.
Therefore, strengthen all within you
That is weak and might give way.
Stand firm in the faith God gives you;
Trust Him and obey.
Run With Endurance
An Original Work / July 9, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
I believe the “great cloud of witnesses” is in reference to the people of faith listed for us in the previous chapter, chapter 11, the Faith Chapter of the Bible, as it is called. Their walks of faith, or their faith responses to God, in certain circumstances, serve as a model for us in how we are to live to please God. They were not perfect people, and there were times when some of them failed God. But God honored them for the times when they obeyed him, and they did what was honoring to him, and they walked by faith.
Throw It Off!
Contrary to what so many are teaching these days, God is not okay with us continuing in deliberate and habitual sin against God, and in disobedience to his commands (New Covenant). God’s grace to us is not a free ride to heaven based off lip service only. God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return (Titus 2:11-14). And Jesus taught that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow the Lord in walks of obedience to his commands, or not have salvation (Luke 9:23-26).
So, the encouragement for us here, and yes this is encouragement, is that we must throw off (get rid of) every obstacle in our way, which is keeping us from obeying the Lord, and every addictive (repetitive, habitual) sin in our lives. We must die to all sin and its grip on our lives so that we can live holy lives, pleasing to God, by the grace of God, in his power. For the “race” that is set before us is our daily walks of faith in obedience to our Lord in surrender to his will and to his purpose for our lives. And it involves daily submission to our Lord and to his will in going where he sends us and in doing all that he commands – all in the power of God, and not of our flesh.
Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus
Jesus Christ is the author and the perfecter of our faith. It is only because of his sacrifice of himself on that cross, in putting our sins to death with him, and in being raised from the dead, that any of us can be saved from our sins and live victorious over sin, and walk in obedience to our Lord’s commands. For in his death and resurrection, he put our sins to death with him so that, by faith in him, we might now die to sin, live in victory over sin, and walk in obedience to his commands in holy living, by his grace, and in his power.
And our faith comes from God, it is gifted to us by God, and it is persuaded of God as to his holiness and righteousness, and of our sinfulness, and of God’s requirement that we deny self, die to sin daily, and follow our Lord in surrender to his will, in walks of obedience to his commands. The faith we profess cannot be of our own doing or it is not biblical faith. In fact, we cannot even believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives unless God first draws us to Christ. And biblical faith = obedience. Disobedience = unbelief.
[Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; Acts 26:18; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Hebrews 12:1-2; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Peter 2:24]
So, our eyes, minds, hearts, and souls must be centered in and focused on Jesus Christ, and on the teachings of the Scriptures. And we must allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit and no longer by the flesh. A “My Do It” approach to faith in Jesus Christ will never suffice to get anyone saved from sin and given the hope of eternal life with God. Jesus died and rose from the dead so we will die with him to sin and have victory over sin and no longer walk in deliberate and habitual sin, but in obedience to God’s commands.
Our Eyes on Jesus
Based off Hebrews 12:2-13
An Original Work / April 23, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus.
Our faith starts and grows in Him,
Who for the joy set before Him
Endured all our sin.
Scorning the shame of the cross,
He sat down beside God above.
He was willing to die for us,
To save us, in love.
Think about the opposition
He endured from sinful men,
So when you go through life’s trials,
You stay strong within.
Knowing all He went through for us
Helps us not grow weak of heart;
Not grow weary; don’t give up;
And not from Him depart.
In your struggle against sin’s ways,
Resist not to shed your blood.
Have you forgotten the words
God spoke to us in love?
“My child, don’t ignore it when
The Lord corrects you; do faint not,
Because the Lord disciplines those
That He loves, of God.”
God rebukes us all for our good;
Share with Him in holiness.
It produces a harvest of
God’s own righteousness.
Therefore, strengthen all within you
That is weak and might give way.
Stand firm in the faith God gives you;
Trust Him and obey.
Run With Endurance
An Original Work / July 9, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
