Monday, August 30, 2010

A cloud of witnesses

Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run...."

Who are these witnesses? They are previous generations of believers who have gone before us, having lived out their faith while in their physical bodies and are now cheering us on to run the same race that they ran. They are witnesses of the same truth that we believe in. In the previous chapter, the writer tells us that these saints had not received what they had been promised and that God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. 

In other words they are waiting for us. And when we die, we'll also wait for future believers to complete their course in this world. Not until the last believer has run their race will we together enjoy the perfect eternity that God has planned for us. 

What this means is that we better get good at loving. Because the race we are running now seems to be preparatory phase for eternity with God and with many others. No wonder Jesus said that all the commandments can be summed up to these two: (1) Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. (2) And love your neighbour as yourself. (Matthew 22:37-39)

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