Thoughts on the Twelfth Chapter of Hebrews

"AND let us run with patience the race that is set before us." The word here rendered "patience," has the added idea of "perseverance." The same word in Rom. 2:7 is rendered "patient continuance." Not only must we "endure hardness" as good soldiers, but must persevere in so doing. "He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." King Darius bore the highest testimony to Daniel's Christian character when he said, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?" and it is very doubtful if Daniel would have been so miraculously preserved if his service had been a fitful one. The figure itself which the apostle introduces—that of a race—implies constant progress. No man who runs a race with any intention of winning, ever stops in the course; much less does he ever turn back. "No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." The idea of continuity is still brought to view. We are to look to Jesus, to the exclusion of all others. Greenfield gives the following definition to the word rendered "looking:" "To look steadfastly, to behold, i. e., to look away from all other things and fix the view on a particular object." In the ancient races, the one who had charge of the contest sat at the goal which the runners were to touch, and held the prizes up to their view. The runners, eager to win, could not look at anything else. If they turned their heads to one side, they would be impeded just so much, and would be in danger of losing the race. So in the Christian race, he who loses sight of Jesus, is lost.

This expression, "looking unto Jesus," cannot be dwelt upon too much. People sometimes look at others for the purpose of finding fault. No one needs to be told that this is all wrong. But there is another way in which we look at our neighbors, that is almost as productive of bad results. We sometimes contrast ourselves with those whom we think are better than we are, and who doubtless are better. We say, "If such an one has fierce struggles, and finds himself yielding to temptation, there is no use for me to try to overcome." This reasoning would be in order, if we were obliged to trust in our neighbors for help, or to depend on ourselves. But to all the exhortation is given, "Look to Jesus." We are to look to him for "grace to help in time of need." We are saved, not through our natural goodness, but by the blood of Christ, and that is free for all. He has no choice of persons to whom he shall impart his grace. His love is infinite, and therefore can reach to the vilest sinner as easily as to one whose life has apparently been upright. Abraham was called the "friend of God," not because his natural disposition was better than that of anybody else, but because he believed God; and Cain was rejected solely on account of his lack of faith. We have no business to look at ourselves or others, or to compare ourselves with others. We have only one on whom to fix our eyes; and this is the faith that gives us the victory. "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Christ is the author of the faith. Not merely of our faith, as our version has it, but of faith in the abstract. "There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." There can be no faith except in Christ; confidence put in any other is not faith, but presumption. We cannot save ourselves; neither can any man, or any system of man's devising save us. Christ is also the perfecter of the faith. This may mean that faith ends with him; that all faith, as we have just said, is centered in him. It is he, also, who presents the prizes at the end of the race. When we see him as he is, then faith will be lost in sight. There will no longer be any occasion for faith, for, as the psalmist says, we shall be satisfied.