CHAPTER 2

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE

We ain’t gonna have no sport where you sit down and go backwards.

CLEMSON ATHLETIC DIRECTOR FRANK HOWARD,
IN RESPONSE TO A SUGGESTION THAT CLEMSON FIELD A ROWING TEAM

IN A DEVOTION TITLED “Run for Your Life,” Philip De Courcy references Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run: “Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up, it knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the lion or the gazelle, when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.”[22]

De Courcy writes, “Not to do something is to have something done to you. If the gazelle fails to run it gets eaten, if the lion fails to run it has nothing to eat. Both the gazelle and lion must run for their life. And so it is with the Christian.”[23]

When I look around today, I believe more strongly than ever that the end of days is near. On every front, world events bear a remarkable correspondence to ancient prophecies in Scripture. As time runs out, we need to run as never before —we need to run for our lives. Our enemy, Satan, is on the prowl. He knows his time is short. The “lion” wakes up every day and never stops roaming, searching for prey (see 1 Peter 5:8). Standing still is not an option. If you stand still, you’ll get swallowed up. We must run and keep running, which requires spiritual stamina and endurance.

The disappointments and discouragements of life can sap our strength and will. And underneath the bigger struggles of life is the daily grind and routine that can slowly wear us down. As I once heard someone say, “The problem with life is that it’s so daily.” We need to run with endurance.

Christians should not be strangers to running. Athletic metaphors are liberally sprinkled throughout the New Testament, especially in the writings of the apostle Paul, who must have witnessed the games many times in his day. He often compares the Christian life to a race.

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

1 CORINTHIANS 9:24-27

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

PHILIPPIANS 3:12-14

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me —the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.

2 TIMOTHY 4:7-8

Hebrews 12:1-2 is the key New Testament text on how to run the race of life with focus and endurance —on how to run for your life:

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. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

William Barclay, the well-known biblical commentator, calls these two verses “a well-nigh perfect summary of the Christian life.”[24] These verses picture the Christian race from the starting blocks to the finish line. They fall neatly into six parts.

THE EXHORTATION

The key statement in Hebrews 12:1-2 is “and let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” Everything around this statement in Hebrews 12:1-2 describes how we run our race with endurance. But before we unpack this statement, let’s get our bearings within the book of Hebrews. This anonymous epistle was penned in the early AD 60s for believers residing in the city of Rome, likely before the outbreak of Nero’s persecution. The litany of Old Testament quotations and allusions point toward Jewish Christians (“Hebrews”) as the primary audience. The readers have trusted Jesus as their Messiah and are now suffering mistreatment from both Gentiles and Jews. Hebrews 10:32-36 describes their situation and the author’s call to hang in there:

Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever. So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.

The troubles have reached the point where some of the believers are tempted to jettison Jesus and revert to their old way of life. They’re in danger of flaming out and fizzling out.

Many believe the book of Hebrews was originally a sermon to stir the audience to keep going. The dominant theme of the letter is the supremacy of Jesus. The first three verses set the tone:

Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.

After this grand opening, chapters 1 through 10 show that Jesus is greater than angels, greater than Moses, greater than Aaron, and greater than Old Testament sacrifices. The message is to stay focused on Jesus. He is supreme —why on earth would readers want to leave him and go back to their old way of life?

Within this larger context, Hebrews 12:1-2 is like a dose of spiritual smelling salts to help these believers, and us, get a second wind in the race. It’s a call for us to run for our lives in the face of increasing opposition and buffeting spiritual headwinds.

The word “race” in Hebrews 12:1 is the Greek word agona (from which we get our English word agony). Anyone who has ever run any significant distance knows that running a long way involves a degree of agony and exhaustion.

Years ago, while visiting my in-laws in Dallas for Thanksgiving, my wife talked me into running an eight-mile race called the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. I was running about three miles a day back then and thought a few more miles would be no problem, so off we went. I was right to a point. I felt great for the first three miles. And the next two or three weren’t bad either (the first five or six miles were fairly flat). But the last two or three miles were grueling. All the hills were in the final stretch. The finish line in the distance was one of the most welcome sights I’ve ever seen. I finished the race, but I vowed never to do that again. Since then, I’ve always wondered why people like to run long distances.

I sympathize with Joe Stowell’s attitude toward running:

I have nothing against runners. Some of my best friends are addicted runners. Though I have never seen a runner smiling, apparently there is something fulfilling about it. I even tried it once, waiting for that surge of ecstasy that my friends told me I would experience, only to find that the ecstasy came when I stopped running.[25]

Stowell continues:

Whatever you think about running, it’s important to note that the Bible often speaks of living the Christian life as if . . . we were running a race. Following Jesus is clearly more than a leisurely stroll in the park! And the issue is not whether you will run the race. When you became His follower, you were put in the race. The question is not will you run, but how will you run?[26]

We’re called to run the race of life with endurance. And we each have our own race to run. Hebrews 12:1 calls this “the race marked out for us” (NIV). We each have a lane to run in. Our Lord has mapped out a specific race for each of us. Our races vary greatly. No two races are the same. We each face our own set of challenges. As Kent Hughes reminds us,

We each have a specific course mapped out for us, and the course for each runner is unique. Some are relatively straight, some are all turns, some seem all uphill, some are a flat hiking path. All are long, but some are longer. But each of us . . . can finish the race “marked out for us.” I may not be able to run your course, and you may find mine impossible, but I can finish my race and you yours. Both of us can finish well if we choose and if we rely on him who is our strength and our guide.[27]

That’s the exhortation.

THE ENCOURAGEMENT

The exhortation to run the race is preceded by a wonderful encouragement: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses.” We all desperately need encouragement in the race. The word “therefore” that opens Hebrews 12:1 is a transition word that reaches back to the long list of the faithful in Hebrews 11. The “huge crowd of witnesses” pictures a capacity crowd at a stadium. Few things are more electrifying than a stadium full of loyal fans. There’s nothing that can match the wave of enthusiasm that sweeps over a packed college football stadium on a Saturday afternoon in the fall.

Many understand this to mean that all the saints who lived before us are spectators in a great stadium in heaven, watching us and cheering us on. But the picture here is not of them watching us but of us watching them. In other words, they testify to us and bear witness to us that God can see us through. When we look at the lives of men and women like Enoch, Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Rahab, David, and Daniel, we are encouraged. They all faced struggles, tests of faith, and temptation, yet they finished the race. They didn’t quit. They didn’t go back. That’s the point the author of Hebrews is driving home. The lives of these Old Testament saints are a motivation and incentive for the original readers and for us not to go back. That’s why we need to study the lives of the saints of old. They stayed in the race and finished; so can we.

The exhortation is clear: run with endurance.

The encouragement is comforting: look to the witnesses.

But there’s another thing every runner must do to win: eliminate the encumbrances and the entanglements.

THE ENCUMBRANCES

Here we move from the stands down to the track as the runners are preparing to run, getting ready for the race: “Let us strip off every weight that slows us down.” The first thing any runner does is to work to eliminate drag.

The Greek word translated here as “weight” (ogkos) is the word from which we get our English word oncology, and it refers to a mass, tumor, or weight. Runners do all they can to shed excess body weight. You never see a chubby marathon runner —at least not one who is competitive. They also peel off any shred of excess clothing. You will never see a competitive runner on race day wearing sweatpants or ankle weights.

In the same way, as we run our race, we must throw off everything that holds us back. Anything that slows our progress must go.

These encumbrances in our lives aren’t sinful things. They’re things that distract and delay us, that sap our energy, that divert our attention, and that dampen our enthusiasm for the things of God. They’re anything that dulls our competitive edge. We know they’re not sinful things because they’re distinguished from sins in the next phrase (“the sin that so easily trips us up”). This tells us that just because something is not a sin doesn’t make it right for us. A good thing can become a bad thing if it slows us down or impedes our progress.

What are the encumbrances that can weigh us down? Some examples could be too much recreation and entertainment, our careers, our habits, our hobbies, sports, relationships, lack of discipline, or procrastination. Encumbrances vary from person to person.

We would all do well to search our hearts and ask, What encumbrances are in my life? What am I doing to rid myself of them?

THE ENTANGLEMENTS

The author of Hebrews moves seamlessly from “every weight that slows us down” to “the sin that so easily trips us up.” These are bad things; they’re sin. The use of the definite article, the, before the word sin could indicate that a specific sin is in view. In the context of the book of Hebrews, the main threat to the believers seems to have been a creeping unbelief (see Hebrews 3:12, 19). Hebrews 11 is all about faith, so in this context the sin could be a reference to unbelief (lack of faith) or doubt. After all, the phrase “by faith” occurs twenty-one times in Hebrews 11. The Lord may be warning us to put aside unbelief, which is a faucet for all kinds of other sins.

While that view is certainly possible, I think the sin referred to in Hebrews 12:1 is probably broader. We all face entangling, ensnaring sins in our lives. They are often referred to as “besetting” sins because the King James Version refers to this as “the sin which doth so easily beset us.” We could call this “the sin which clings so closely.” We each have certain sins that cling closely to us, although they’re not the same for every person: pride, greed, lust, worry, gossip, laziness, jealousy, impatience, addiction, anger, self-pity, ingratitude, hatred, bitterness, unforgiveness, or a critical spirit. J. C. Ryle exposes our special sins:

But there are particular besetting sins, of which each separate Christian can alone furnish an account; each single one of us has some weak point; each one has got a thin, shaking spot in the wall of defence against the devil, each one has a traitor in his camp ready to open the gates to Satan, and he that is wise will never rest until he has discovered where this weak point is. This is that special sin which you are here exhorted to watch against, to overcome, to cast forth, to spare no means in keeping it under and bringing it into subjection, that it may not entangle you in the race towards Zion. One man is beset with lust, another with a love of drinking, another with an evil temper, another with malice, another with covetousness, another with worldly-mindedness, another with idleness; but each of us has got about him some besetting infirmity, which is able to hinder him far more than others, and with which he must keep an unceasing warfare, or else he will never so run as to obtain the prize.[28]

As the storm clouds gather and the world grows darker, the encumbrances and entanglements are increasing. Sin is nothing new, but its manifestations seem to be proliferating before our eyes. More and more our world mirrors the days of Noah, when “everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil” (Genesis 6:5). Os Guinness laments, “Evil in the advanced modern world flaunts itself under the cover of the cool, the global, the connected and the accessible. . . . This magnification of evil is profound.”[29]

Do you know what your entangling sin or sins are? Are you brutally honest and self-aware, or do you hide and make excuses for yourself? Do you seek the Lord about them? Do you pray for his help and strength? Are you serious about guarding your life from them? Do you avail yourself of the means of grace —Scripture, prayer, fellowship, confession, and service? To run effectively and efficiently, we have to get rid of the encumbrances and entanglements.

THE EXAMPLE

Next the author of Hebrews points us to the example: “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.” In every ancient Roman arena there was an emperor’s box. Every competitor would look to see if the emperor was in attendance on the day of his race and was watching. When we look for our emperor, he’s there. And Jesus is not only watching us, he’s out ahead of us all the way. He’s been through the race himself. He has blazed the trail for us and completed the course. He endured to the point of bearing the cross and its shame.

He’s called the “champion who initiates . . . our faith,” which means he’s our pioneer or leader. He is the embodiment of trust in God —the preeminent example and model of faith. We draw some great encouragement from the lives of the faithful saints in Hebrews 11 who’ve gone before us, but the consummate example for us to follow is Jesus. We look to him. He is our pursuit and our prize.

Yet far too many believers have their gaze directed on the past —past sins, past sorrows, and past successes. Looking back will paralyze your progress. The apostle Paul had a laser-like forward focus: “I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize” (Philippians 3:13-14). “Forgetting” doesn’t mean you don’t remember the past, but it carries the idea of not being influenced by it. You can’t drive a car by looking in the rearview mirror or the back-up camera —at least not very far or very well. You can’t run a race if you’re looking back over your shoulder.

There’s an example of this memorialized in a bronze statue at Empire Fields in Vancouver. The British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in the newly constructed Empire Stadium on August 7, 1954. Two competitors —England’s Roger Bannister and Australian John Landy —had both run sub-four-minute miles earlier that year, breaking the records of the time. Bannister had accomplished this feat first, and then Landy beat the new record a month later. This was their first meeting, and a crowd of thirty-five thousand was present to watch what was hailed as “The Mile of the Century.”

The race was close all the way, and then almost at the end of the race, Landy, who had the lead, looked over his left shoulder to see where Bannister was, which caused Landy momentarily to break stride. At that moment Bannister passed him on his right side and won the race. To this day it stands as one of the most dramatic moments in sports history and has become known as “the Miracle Mile,” and the statue at Empire Fields captures Bannister passing Landy while his head was turned.

Looking back will break your stride. Don’t be influenced by what’s behind. Look ahead. Look to Jesus. He’s our Example.

But Jesus isn’t just our Example. He’s our Enabler. He’s the one who “perfects,” finishes, or completes our faith. He’s the Pioneer who shows the way, but he’s also the Power that energizes us to make it to the finish line and win. We don’t have to persevere in our own strength and willpower. Thank God for that.

THE END

Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

HEBREWS 12:2

Endurance requires anticipation and motivation. That’s why all races end with reward. The final point of every race is the finish line, followed by the awarding of prizes for those who finished well. No one runs a race without the expectation of reward if they win. This was true of the games in ancient Greece and Rome.

The apostle Paul, near the end of his life, looked toward the goal when he said, “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us” (Philippians 3:14).

Even Jesus endured life here on earth because of the reward at the end of the race. Jesus looked forward to the reward of his exaltation in glory —joy. In the same way, the anticipation of future reward fuels us to keep running.

When rewards are handed out, Max Lucado reminds us, “The small will be great. The forgotten will be remembered. The unnoticed will be crowned, and the faithful will be honored.”[30] The Bible doesn’t tell us all we would like to know about rewards in heaven, but Lucado boils it down fairly well: “While we’re not sure exactly what those rewards are, we do know they include heavenly applause, God’s approval, and eternal life. What else would you want?”[31]

KEEP ON

If we’re going to survive spiritually in the troubled times that surround us, we’d better hit the ground running every morning. Standing still is a killer. We must run with endurance the particular race God has marked out for us, all the time remembering that 

Maybe you have never entered the race. Many today are trying to win a race they haven’t entered. If you’ve never put your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, you aren’t even in the race. Hebrews 7:25 says, “Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him” (NASB). God will save you forever if you come to him through his Son, Jesus. Don’t delay. Come now. Get in the race.

Some of us are in the early race. If that’s you, get serious. Set the pace early for your own life and for your family. Throw off the encumbrances and entanglements. It never gets easier to get rid of them than now. Disciplines practiced and perfected early in life will be a great benefit as you go farther in the race.

Some of us are in the middle of the race or a little beyond. At this point the race may seem like a slog. You may be hitting the wall. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Look to him to lead the way and give you strength.

Some may be approaching the finish line. Don’t give up. Finish strong. Finishing is hard; finishing well is harder. We don’t want to end before we finish, with days unredeemed. We want to end and finish at the same time —and finish well. It will be worth it.

Stay focused. Keep running. Don’t give up, no matter how hard it gets and no matter how winded you may feel.

Dr. Eric Alexander, a renowned Scottish pastor, relates this story about the importance of persevering as we run the race to win:

While I was still a theological student, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones came from London to Glasgow to preach at the great St. Andrews Hall. . . . After the meeting finished, I was waiting at the side of the platform for transport home. A long line of people were waiting to speak to Dr. Lloyd-Jones. . . . Interestingly, I noticed that every encounter ended in the same way: “Keep on!” was the doctor’s final exhortation as he shook hands.

As it happened, on the journey home I was in the same car as the doctor, and he engaged me in conversation. After the generalities, I summoned enough courage to ask him a question. “Doctor,” I began, “forgive me, but I could not help hearing your last words to every person you spoke with. They were ‘Keep on.’ It sounded as if that was particularly important to you.” He was immediately animated: “My dear man,” he said, “there is nothing more important. The Christian life is not a sprint; it is a marathon.”[32]

Great words for each of us to live by keep on!

Great words for us to say to one another often keep on!

I believe we’re getting near the end. All the signs point in that direction. We need to run like never before.

Keep on!

Run for your life.

The prize awaits you.