Firm Faith
Reading: Matthew 24:1-13
"He who endures to the end shall be saved" (Mt 24:13)
The greatest incentive to our faith is the Second Coming of Christ. "In yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him" (Heb 10:37-38). Christ Jesus is not only the Author of our faith but also its Finisher. "The end of a thing is better than its beginning" (Eccl 7:8).
The purpose of the long list of the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 is given in the very first verse of the next chapter: "Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses... let's run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking into Jesus the Originator and Perfecter of our faith." The faith race can be compared to a relay race. In the race there are participants as well as spectators. We are the runners. "The cloud of witnesses" are the spectators of our performance. When a person finishes his run, he hands over the baton to the one who is to run next. All the forerunners of faith have done their part superbly well and have entrusted the finishing part to us. We who are running the last lap of the relay race are excited. The heroes of faith of yesteryears are even more excited than us as they are looking forward to see how we will finish our course.
We are the citizens of Heaven. Currently we are participating in the race in this world, just as for the Olympics, athletes from our country go to the country where the race is held. Several runners have finished their course and gone to their motherland (Heaven). They along with our forefathers desire to see our performance. It is not wrong to imagine that they are constantly encouraging us in our race. If we fail to run well they will be sore disappointed that all their efforts have gone waste.
To finish our life of faith successfully we have to overcome sufferings, depression and hardship, and oppositions in the gospel work. Like Paul we must be able to testify, "I have fought a good fight; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith" (2 Tim 4:7). We need to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). Jesus asked, "When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" (Lk 18:8). Let's affirm to Him saying, "We live by faith alone, Lord. You will find faith in us!"
We run the race the saints above
With shouts of triumph ran;
By faith they, like a whirlwind's breath,
Swept on o'er every field,
The faith by which they conquered death
Is still our shining shield!
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