THE BESETTING SIN
Elder Charles Holmes
“Wherefore seeing we are also compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12.1).
Using the center column in our Bibles, the notes would tell us that since we are surrounded by the witnesses, who “by faith” and “through faith” are mentioned in the preceding chapter, we are to lay aside things that weigh us down in our service to God and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.
The Apostle is putting before us the thought of the Greeks, who established the marathon races. Marathon was a coastal plain in Greece. In 490 B.C., a Greek army defeated the Persians and saved Greece from becoming part of the Persian empire. The Athenian general sent a runner from Marathon to Athens with news of the Greek victory over the Persians. He raced 25 miles to Athens at top speed, delivered his message, and fell to the ground, dead. Today the marathon race is 26 miles, 385 yards (42.2 kilometers).
We all have a race to run in God’s service. Paul is laying out the thought of this race that is set before us. In looking back at the Old Testament, the word beset is mentioned in Judges 19:22 and 20:25 and in Psalms 22:12 and 139:5. Also it is mentioned in Hosea chp. 7 verse 2. There are three root words that are used for the word beset. The general thought is: “surround, confine, enclose, compass about, an adversary, assault.” The word used in Hebrews chp. 12 verse one means “to ensnare, standing around (a competitor), thwarting, oppose, run counter to, frustrate (a racer).”
We do have things that run counter to our race here in time. We do have the adversary standing by to frustrate our continuing in the race. We also suffer from carrying too much weight in our race. The cares of this life many times affect our service to the Lord. The word as sown among thorns is choked, and we falter and fail in seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
We need to give the message that the runner gave, then fell dead. The victory has been won. We are told in verse two that we are to be looking unto Jesus, the author (beginner) and the finisher of our faith. He endured the cross, made atonement for our sins, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. The battle has been won. This should be our message as we stand for truth until we, like the marathon runner, come to the end of our natural lives.
It will be good with us all if we can say with the Apostle Paul, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (his race), I have kept the faith.” The writer of the good old hymn says, “My latest sun is sinking fast; my race is nearly run.” We do have an adversary standing by to discourage us in the race. We need to be looking ahead to the right source to the completion of our race. Submitted by Elder Mark Green.