"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 … after all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin … and have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, 'My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves and he punishes each one he accepts as his child' … so that we might share in his holiness … Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord … Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire" (Sections of Hebrews 12).

Hebrews 11 is about the ancient heroes of faith and our following in their footsteps. Hebrew 12 is about the holiness of God and our battles with sin. We are being changed into the likeness of Jesus, but, in this life, we will always be works-in-progress. However, God sees us as those already made perfect. "By one sacrifice he has made perfect for ever those who are being made holy" (Heb 10:14).

The above verses see us as running our race, but being slowed down in various ways. The Amplified Bible puts it like this: "Stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us". And the Message reads: "Do you see what this means – all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running – and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins". Sin can and does trip us up so easily. Jesus sweated blood rather than turn his back on God's will for him to embrace the cross. Our author writes: "In your struggle against sin, you have not resisted to the point of shedding your blood".

The Bible says in Jesus "we have the forgiveness of sins" (Col. 1:14). When we received Christ we were forgiven for all our sins: past, present and future. God promises to forget the sins he forgives and put them out of sight (Jer. 31:34; Mic. 7:19; Rom. 4:7). So what are the sins that can easily trip us up? What might I be excusing and tolerating? What sins, through hardness of heart or self-deception, remain unconfessed and not repented of? I am not seeking to take us on a guilt trip, but simply to address the issues raised in Hebrews 12.

What of things I have never asked forgiveness for from God or from another person? What of self-pity, prayerlessness, causing divisions and discontent? What of undermining God's appointed leaders? What of negligence of spouse and children? What of destructive words? What of complaining and murmuring? What of manipulation and control to get one's own way? What of judging others, etc., etc.? I know I am guilty of at least some of these things. Fairly recently, I have had to write to previous leaders in missions and to visit family members in order to say sorry and to ask for their forgiveness. You may need to do the same. Now is the time to repent and to put things right. Let's just do it.

My sin, O the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin, not in part but the whole
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul