RUNNING THE CHRISTIAN RACE
By George W. Sinquefield
Advertise Your Business Or Website At
HomewithGod.com
By George W. Sinquefield
Heb. 12:1 through Heb. 12:2 (KJV)
1 Wherefore seeing we also are 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, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
So much of man's life and thoughts revolve around sports. But we recognize the fact that not everyone is a sports fan.
A man asked his wife as she watched her soap opera, "For Pete's sake why is it you cry about the imaginary woes of people you've never met?" She answered (angrily), "For the same reason you yell and scream when a man you don't know hits a home run?
Paul was a sports fan. Yes, Paul, whose letters constitute half the books of the New Testament, was an avid sports fan. He was fascinated with the Olymphics and especially the running events.
Various contests are mentioned in the Bible, wrestling, boxing chariot and horse racing, but the one most popular and most often mentioned is the foot race. It is referred to in Paul's writings several times.
1 Cor. 9:24 through 1 Cor. 9:26 (KJV)
Gal. 2:2 (KJV)
Gal. 5:7 (KJV)
The Christian life is a race, a race of faith appointed for us. Our lives and our usefulness will be determined by how we run this race. If we're to win the race, there are certain rules we must follow.
I. Lay Aside Every Weight
This passage literally means -- "strip off every handicap." This race of faith is unique because we are not competing against others, we are competing against ourselves. We must discipline ourselves if we ever expect to be successful -- if we expect to win.
Personal discipline is absolutely necessary to excel in anything. Nothing really worthwhile has ever been achieved without hard work, deprivation and sacrifice. In the athletic contests of today we find the competitors are willing to sacrifice every appetite and indulgence while training for the course and in this heavenly race there are things to be laid down, sacrifices to be made, self denials to be proved without which we cannot hope to win the prize.
Suppose you went to a high school track meet. There you see the runners lined up for the 100 yard dash. The starter has his gun high in the air ready to fire the shot that will start the game. But wait a minute. We see something strange. One of the runners has very heavy weights about his ankles. What is wrong with that fellow? He doesn't have a chance to win with those weights holding him back. The others will cross the finish line before he gets started. Yes, he would be foolish to try to win the race with those weights holding him back. And isn't it just as foolish for us to think that we can win the race for Jesus with weights holding us back?
Year ago I heard a story. There was a young black man who was a wonderful athlete, and he was a good runner. They sent him to represent the United States in the Olympic races to be held, I think, that year in Rome. In the home town some of the businessmen had a banquet in his honor and this young black man and other members of the team came and the businessmen presented him with a suit. It was a beautiful white silk running suit, a suit to wear when he was running the race in the Olymphics. This young man wasn't accustomed to all the fanciness and the banquet and the people, but he did know running, he was the champ. This was a white suit but down the seams on each side of the legs they had a little gold braid. He looked at it and asked, "What is this for?"
"That's gold. Gold means tops and you're a great runner and so we had these golden stripes put on there."
The Negro said, "Does it hold the thing together?"
"No, it is just a decoration."
"Then take it off."
They asked why.
Because, when you are running a mile race and you have gone half way around the track and your heart is pumping to beat sixty and your feet feel like lead and a fellow is breathing on you heels, you don't want to carry any more weight that you have to."
They thought, "How silly! How foolish!" but the young man insisted. It wouldn't have weighed as much as a couple of safety pins, but he had them take it off. It looked fancy, but brother, when you're out there working yourself to death, you don't want to carry anything you don't have too. They thought it silly but the fact is, he still won the race in the Olymphics.
We Christians can certainly learn something from this. There are many things that seem small and incidental but they may be the very things that are holding us back. We are to lay aside "every weight" that might interfere with our running the race.
During his term as president of the United States, Lyndon Johnson was over weight. One day his wife said to him, "You can't run the country if you can't run yourself." He went on a diet and lost twenty three pounds.
Former Michigan State football coach Duffy Daugherty tells a great story about a winning field goal kicked by a young man named Dave Kaiser against UCLA many years ago. The game was in Los Angeles and the field goal gave Michigan a 17-14 victory.
As Dave Kaiser came back to the bench to meet the roaring enthusiasm of his team mates, Coach Daugherty said: "Nice going, Dave, but I noticed you didn't watch the ball after you kicked it. How come?"
Kaiser replied, "You're right coach, I didn't watch the ball. I was watching the referee to see how he would call it. You see, I forgot my contact lenses. They are back at the hotel. I couldn't even see the goal posts!"
Daugherty was shocked and at first very angry that Kaiser had not told him about his contact lenses. But after he thought it over he changed his mind entirely. Why shouldn't Kaiser kick without his contact lenses? Kaiser was a disciplined kicker and had practiced for long hours. He knew well the angle and the distance to the goal even though he could not see it. The whole process of kicking the ball was programmed into his body and mind by the ongoing discipline of daily practice. In that moment, when the ball went through the goal posts, discipline paid off.
Lay aside ever weight, discipline yourself because discipline does pay off.
A farmer once killed a huge eagle with a wing spread of seven feet. The amazing thing to him was that he did it with a small shotgun and the was able to get close enough to this huge bird to kill it with such a small gun. He understood clearly when he approached it and found a trap clinging to one leg. The story could easily be understood. This giant bird had been trapped by someone in the past. It had been caught, but the trap could not hold it; it broke free and carried the trap with it. The trap did not kill it, but it lowered its efficiency and caused it to become an easy prey to his greatest enemy, man.
Jesus calls us to be His missionaries and notice the instructions He gives.
Luke 10:1 through Luke 10:4 (KJV)
Caroly R. Gibson says,"Jesus calls his disciples together, gives them authority and sends them out . . . to carry the good news of God's Kingdom . . . to be His missionaries. He charges them to carry no purse, no bag, no sandals.
Try to picture with me the typically dressed Jew in Palestine in the time of Jesus. He or she had five articles of clothing: Two tunics; one was an inner garment, the other, and outer one used as a cloak by day and a blanket by night. Then there was a girdle, a kind of waist band worn over the two tunics, a head covering, and sandals. A wallet or travelers bag was carried for food and money and slung over the shoulder. But Jesus told them to leave most of that behind. Missionaries travel light so they can concentrate on their Lord -- to feel free to share his love with others.
Isn't there a message here for you and me? We are all called to be missionaries for Christ; called to share the story of our faith in Christ with others. Do we not often find ourselves so bogged down with stuff, with burdens, with activities, we can barely get out of our own way? Dragging so much baggage with us, so preoccupied with such a variety of things, we find it difficult to focus on Jesus and his call on our lives."
The twenty-third Psalm, familiar to all of us, offers a helpful image. David writes out of his own knowledge as a shepherd. One line of the Psalm is "He restores my soul." From time to time a shepherd is required to restore his sheep -- for sheep have a tendency to get "cast down."
Phillip Keller, in his book A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23 describes what happens when a sheep is cast down. It finds itself on its back, all four legs straight up in the air, and unable to get back up. The attentive shepherd will set it back on its feet, massaging life back into its limbs. The shepherd restores the sheep.
What causes the sheep to become cast down in the first place? Sometimes it's because it wanders off into soft spots. But most often it's simply a result of having too much wool! The sheep's fleece becomes very long, heavily matted with mud and burrs and other debris so that it is weighed down with its own wool, rendered totally helpless and useless.
Churches can have the same problems as individuals. Churches too are called to be in mission, to be about the business of evangelism, to heed Jesus' instructions to travel light.
Often bogged down with business and concerns for facilities and so many details, a church can miss the voice of her Lord.
What is bogging you down? What excess baggage are you carrying? Jesus is calling us to do some unpacking -- to shed all those things that weigh us down. This may be difficult but the Lord tells us how to achieve it.
Gal. 5:16 through Gal. 5:26 (KJV)
You will notice that verse 23 says the fruit of the Spirit includes self-control-meekness. What weight is holding you back? Could it be the sin of worldliness? Could it be sheer laziness? Could it be selfishness? Could it be envy and pride? Could it be unfaithfulness to God? Could it be some old tradition? Could it be prayerlessness? Could it just be cold indifference? Could it be regrets for past sins in you life? You, and you alone, must decide but whatever it is must be laid aside if you're to be successful in running the race.
II. Run With Patience
The Greek word "patience" means "stick to it" -- never give up. Ask any outstanding athletic, "What is the secret of you success?" He will answer, "Hard work, long hours, straneous exercise, never giving up." The one thing that hurts the Lord's work is that so many are hot today and cold tomorrow. They are faithful as long as things are going smoothly but let a little persecution, a little criticism come along and they quit. They just won't stick to it.
The name Mickey Thompson used to be one of the most recognized names in auto racing. His team built the fastest cars on the track. They could fly! But not one of those cars ever brought Thompson a checkered flag. That's right -- although his cars took the lead in the first 29 races they entered, they never won a race. Why? Because they did not finish.
Thompson could make the fastest cars, but he couldn't build them to last. They all broke down during the race. Engines blew. Gear boxes broke. Carbureators failed. His cars were good starters and fast runners, but they were not good finishers.
As we run the race of the Christian life, we need to end well. The apostle Paul is an example of a good finisher. He received Christ on the Damascus Road. He attended "seminary" in the Arabian desert (Gal. `:17,18). He served Christ in spite of hardship and persecution. He opened Europe to the gospel. And at the close of his life, he could say with confidence, "I have kept the faith."
2 Tim. 4:7 (KJV)
Charles Hadden Spurgeon said, "Patience is better than wisdom and ounce of patience is worth a pound of brains. All men praise patience, but few enough can practice it; it is a medicine which is good for all diseases."
It is said of Paderewski, the great pianist, that he practiced twelve, sixteen, and even eighteen hours daily. He was referred to as a genius, but he is the one who said, "Me? A genius? Perhaps, but not before I was a drudge to begin with." No one ever reaches the heights without hard work and sacrifice. Edison said, "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration." It was Michelangelo who said, "If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn't seem so miraculous after all."
Thomas Carlyle summarized it all when he said, "Genius is the capacity for taking infinite pains."
I read the following in a devotional booklet and I'd like to share it with you: Some of mankind's greatest contributions have come from people who decided that no sacrifice was too large and no effort too great to accomplish what they set out to do. Edward Gibbon spent 26 years writing The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Noah Webster worked diligently for 36 years to bring into print the first edition of his dictionary. It is said that the Roman orator Cicero practiced before friends every day for 30 years in order to perfect his public speaking. What stamina! What persistence!
It took John Milton forty years to produce Paradise Lost. William Bryant rewrote his Thanatopsis more than a hundred times, and even then he was not satisfied with it, for he felt that he could yet do better.
It took John Bunyan twelve years behind the locked doors of Bedford jail to write Pilgrim's Progress, but who can estimate the influence of this book upon the world?
Now let's think about how much energy we put into the Lord's work. The comparison can be rather embarrassing. And it should lead us to ask ourselves some heart searching questions: Why is our service for Christ sometimes performed in a halfhearted manner? Why do some people who pursue earthly goals put us to shame with their diligence? Think of what happens when we take lightly our service. A deacon neglects his responsibilities, and the interest of others declines. A Sunday school teacher prepares poorly and his class fails to respond. A faithful churchgoer does not persevere in prayer, and he wonders why there are no answers.
More of us should emulate Grover Cleveland Alexander, one of the greatest pitchers of all time. He grew up on a farm and wanted to play professional baseball. Between chores, he would throw apples, stones -- anything he could get his hands on to sharpen his accuracy. When he was able to acquire a few baseballs, he nailed a catcher's glove to the outside wall of a chicken coop and threw at it hour after hour. He got so he could hit the mitt nine time out of ten.
Later, when he became a star, sports writers went into raptures about the brilliance of his pitching. But no one knew better than Grover Cleveland Alexander that back of his amazing pitching was the patient drudgery of throwing at that old catcher's mitt nailed to a chicken coop.
The truths found in this article about Grover Cleveland Alexander can be applied to the life of faith. Paul compared the life of faith to a race. The race we are in is more like a long distance run than a hundred yard dash. Faith develops and grows over the course of a lifetime if we do not neglect the spiritual part of life. Near the end of the course may we be able to say with the apostle Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
Take the actor Paul Newman, for another example. Most of us would consider Newman to be a gifted man. He has enjoyed a superb career as an actor, and when he took up auto racing as a hobby, he proved to be extremely capable at that. Some people are just born with a lot of ability. Right? No according to Newman.
When he talks about his successes, he describes early failures and lots of hard work. He says of himself, "I don't have a gift for anything. I've only had a gift of pursuit." That is a gift I would recommend to us all: the gift of pursuit.
This was Paul's gift as stated in Philippians 3:13-14. Paul focused everything he was and everything he hoped to be on serving Christ. Two thousand years later we are still studying and learning so much from his writings. Paul was stedfast and he could say at the close of his life:
2 Tim. 4:7 through 2 Tim. 4:8 (KJV)
If you and I follow Paul's example, one day we'll hear our Savior say, "Well done good and faithful servant."
III. Keep Your Eyes Upon Jesus
The reason for having a good coach is that he knows more about the game than the players do, and if they are to win they must listen to him and follow his directions.
Christ, our Lord is our coach and it is wisdom on our part to learn how He ran and to follow His instruction as we run. Jesus ran with His eyes fixed on the goal and that goal was to accomplish the mission upon which His Father had sent Him.
Heb. 10:7 (KJV)
Luke 22:42 (KJV)
John 17:4 (KJV)
Jesus ran even though it was very costly and in spite of much opposition. Jesus ran to win and win He did as the Scriptures tell us.
Heb. 5:7 through Heb. 5:9 (KJV)
One shares this with us: "Our family took in an addict named Derek, who for years had been ensnared by drugs. Derek began his race of faith by accepting Christ and His forgiveness. Formerly he had been ruled by the law of Satan's kingdom: Enjoy an unruly life now and pay the cost later. Now he was learning the law of Christ's kingdom: Pay the cost of God's discipline now and enjoy the fruit of righteousness later (see Heb. 12:11). One day Derek said, "It's amazing what you can endure when you know you're winning!"
Jesus instructs us as to how to run.
Matt. 5:43 through Matt. 5:48 (KJV)
"Be ye therefore perfect" is an admonition that many fail to understand. They say Jesus was instructing us to live above sin -- to be morally perfect. I admire anyone who wants to be perfect as Jesus was and who tries to live above sin, but that is not what Jesus had in mind.
A bumper sticker read, "If you sin your are not a Christian." This is certainly not what the Bible teaches. We are all sinners. Some are saved sinners and some are lost sinners. Now, let us look at what the Bible teaches about this.
1 John 1:8 through 1 John 1:10 (KJV)
1 John 3:9 (KJV)
The "Good News For Modern Man" paraphrase edition puts it -- "Whoever is a child of God does not continue to sin, because God's very nature is in him; and because God is his Father, he is not able to continue to sin."
The New American Standard translation states it like this:
1 John 3:8 through 1 John 3:9 (NRSV)
It is very clear that a Christian, one who is born of God does not continue in sin; does not practice sin as a way of life. He sins because he still has the old sinful nature and the devil to contend with. But if the Christian sins, Jesus intercedes for him.
1 John 2:1 through 1 John 2:2 (KJV)
I believe all Bible students agree that Paul was the greatest Christian that ever lived other than our Lord. Paul longed to be like Jesus. He made this clear in his letter to the Philippians in chapter 3. Paul tried to be like his Savior but sin kept him from reaching his goal.
Rom. 7:14 through Rom. 7:25 (NRSV)
Now just what did Jesus mean when He told His followers to be perfect? The word "perfect" carries with it the meaning of having the same goal that God has -- to have the same goal that Jesus had -- that of doing the Father's will. It means "acting like the Father." Please notice again Hebrews 5:7-9, Jesus was always perfect. He never did or said one thing that was wrong. He never sinned one time in all His life. Verse 9 speaks of Him as "being made perfect." It says He then became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him. Being made perfect means He reached His goal which was the cross. It was by His death on the cross that He was made perfect -- that He reached His goal and is now the Savior of the world.
Luke 13:32 (KJV)
This is a reference to His death on the cross. The New American Standard states it this way.
Luke 13:32 (NRSV)
So we see that being "perfect" is not living above sin. It is having the same goal in life that Jesus had. It is doing the Father's will which is seeking those who are lost in sin. Keep your eyes upon Jesus as you run the race.
Blondin, the great tight-rope walker, walked a rope stretched across the Niagara Falls. He had a star fixed above the pole that held the rope on the other side and as he walked, he kept his eyes fixed, not on the rope, but on that star.
The snow covered the ground and three lads were playing. A man came along and said to them, "Would you like to try a race and the winner receive a prize?"
The boys agreed and the man told them that his race was to be different. "I will go to the other side of the field," he said, "and when I give you the signal, you will start to run. The one whose footsteps are the straightest in the snow will be the winner."
The race commenced and the first boy kept looking at his feet to see if his steps were straight. The second lad kept looking at his companions to see what they were doing; but the third boy just ran on with his eyes steadfastly fixed on the man on the other side of the field.
The third lad was the winner, for his footsteps were straight in the snow. He had kept his eyes on the goal ahead of him.
As we keep our eyes on Jesus, He gives us the patience, incentive and strength to run successfully. Gil Dodds, one of the great milers of all times, was asked one day to tell the secret of his victory. This was his simple but amazing statement: "I asked God to help me every step that I took." Running his race, he looked to the one who supplied the incentive, the inspiration and strength to do it.
I don't know a lot about sports but one who does had this to say: "It is important to spend those long, grueling hours sharpening your competitive skills. It is just as important to run a straight and intentional course. If you get confused and turned around while fielding the kickoff, you just might return it the wrong way. If you hit a home run but trot first to third base, then to second and then first before going home, your effort will count for nothing. You can be the fleetest athlete in the world, but if you don't stay on course, it's not likely you'll find your way into the record books -- except as a bad example."
The famous Kentucky Colonels used to run out on the field and before beginning the game or even warming up for it they would huddle for prayer. The story is that a cynical newspaper reporter one day asked the captain of the team, "Do you mean to tell me that you ask God to take the victory away from your opponent and give it to you?" "No," the captain said, "We never pray to win. We pray to play. We ask God to give us the grit and stamina to play the game as it ought to be played, because we believe that playing the game right means far more than having the larger score in the end."
I agree with the statement that "playing the game right means far more that having a larger score in the end," but in this race of faith we can all win if we run according to the rules given us by our coach, the Lord Jesus. I like these words form the lips of another: "If you are going to compete in the race of life, run to win. And that means committing yourself to a life of discipline. It means seeking to be all God has created you to be. It means knowing where you are going -- focusing in on the tasks at hand. It means avoiding distractions. It means getting rid of any sin in your life that may serve as a hindrance. And it means running your race with the anticipation that you're not headed down a dead end street. You're running to cross God's finish line. Keep these rules in mind and you will finish a winner in everything you do."
In his letter to the Galatians, Paul tells us that when he first received his life's mission to preach the Gospel among the Gentiles he went in secret to the leaders of the Jerusalem church because he was afraid, in his words, "That I was running or had run my race in vain." (Gal. 2:2) How sad, he seems to be saying, to run life's race and have nothing to show for it
It is true that many who are saved will have nothing in the way of rewards when they stand before the Lord. This is clearly brought out in this scripture.
1 Cor. 3:10 through 1 Cor. 3:15 (KJV)
Christians will be rewarded according to their works.
1 Cor. 3:8 (KJV)
Rev. 14:13 (KJV)
Rev. 20:12 (KJV)
Rev. 22:12 (KJV)
IV. The Sin Which Doeth So Easily Beset Us
What is this sin which so easily besets us? I believe it is lack of faith in God. We are compassed about with a great cloud of witnesses (Heb. 12:1). And who are these witnesses? They are those mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11. They bear witness to what God can accomplish through those who have faith in Him. It is by faith that God works through His people to accomplish His purposes. Notice those mentioned in Hebrews 11 -- Often referred to as "the great faith chapter." By faith :
Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice -- verse 4
Enoch was translated -- verse 5
Noah built the ark -- verse 7
Abraham obeyed God's call -- verse 8
Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau -- verse 20
Joseph gave commandments concerning his bones -- verse 22
Moses was his three months -- verse 23
Rahab perished not -- verse 31.
In the latter part of the chapter God continues to tell what He has done through those who had faith in Him.
Heb. 11:32 through Heb. 11:40 (KJV)
Notice in verse 39 that all of these received a good report through faith. And verse 5 states that without faith it is impossible to please God and that Enoch pleased God because he was a man of faith.
We, who are God's children are to live our lives and serve Him by faith.
2 Cor. 5:7 (KJV)
That means we believe what God tells us is true, and we obey His Word because we know He knows what is best for us. We may not understand His will for us as in the case of Abraham (Heb. 11:8) but we do as Abraham did -- we obey His commandments.
Is lack of faith your besetting sin? If it is you're told to lay it aside. Believe God and walk by faith and God will be pleased with your life.
We run the race of faith to win but not to win salvation. For salvation is God's work from beginning to end and it is His gift to the believing sinner.
Rom. 6:23 (KJV)
Eph. 2:8 through Eph. 2:10 (KJV)
The Holy Spirit, through Paul, was encouraging these Corinthians, who were believers in Christ, to run the race and a reward is awaiting those who faithfully run it. You can't run this Christian race until you become a Christian by accepting Jesus as your Savior. This acceptance of Jesus is the first step in running this race. Have you taken that step?
John 3:16 (KJV)
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. 2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. 3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. 4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
8 Everyone who commits sin is a child of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Those who have been born of God do not sin, because God’s seed abides in them; they cannot sin, because they have been born of God.
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am of the flesh, sold into slavery under sin. 15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, 23 but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin.
32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.
32 He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work.
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: 33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
