1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge cloud 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. 2We 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 honour beside God’s throne. 3Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. 4After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
Hebrews 12:1-4
Before we move deeper into Hebrews 12, I will pause to answer two questions which came from readers of the previous Gem. The first concerns the witnesses mentioned.
“Ian, I have gained the impression from preachers and I guess the text of the Bible here and in Luke 16 that these witnesses can see us. Is it that past saints, departed family can look on and watch our progress from heaven? I must admit that thought disturbs me.”
David
“Why is “sin” mentioned in this short passage when it seemingly has nothing to do with the main point. It is like sin keeps popping up in the minds of those writing the Bible when it doesn’t need to be in focus. Why does the Bible always talk about sin? It seems so negative.”
Rebecca Nom de Plume
Wow, they are two good questions so allow me to address them in one short Gem. I will try, but can I ever do short? Let’s see.
Can the witnesses see us? What a good question! I, like David, have heard sermons and read in Christian books and commentaries over the years about us running the race with the cloud of witnesses watching us and cheering us on. Is that really the case? Can the departed see what the living are doing and how we are running our race? Yes, I too have been disturbed by that thought when I have heard it preached and / or read it in books. I was intrigued by David’s mention of Luke 16. I know exactly what he is referring to and have some thoughts to share on that passage in order to answer this question. Let me from the outset stick my neck out to say, “No! I don’t believe the dead are watching us and cheering us on or show their concern for the manner in which we are running our race.”
Now let me explain why. There is a popular sense that our family members and others are looking down on us from heaven. And yes, occasionally we might come across a preacher who uses this passage in Hebrews 12 to mention the so-called fact that these witnesses are onlookers and have the ability to look down on us. I don’t believe those who have died look down and observe the living. The writer of Hebrews is most definitely saying something other than that in this passage. I will deal with the Luke passage which is the only other passage of Scripture which can remotely be construed to say something like that.
But firstly, let me give you two clear verses to the contrary:
You always overpower them, and they pass from the scene. You disfigure them in death and send them away. They never know if their children grow up in honor or sink to insignificance.
Job 14:20-21
Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
Ecclesiastes 9:10
Now for the Luke 16 passage which appears to mean exactly what David is asking with his question, hence his reference to it in his question. (See above)
Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried, and he went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.
Luke 16:22-23
And the verse is even red lettered, in other words these words are the Words of Jesus. So it must be right – “The dead can see the living in heaven and the living can see the dead.” How hellish is that? Is that what is being said? Is Luke 16 a map of heaven showing the divide between heaven and hell? No, absolutely and unequivocally not! I promised you a short Gem so I will keep my word. I love it when I come to questions that I have dealt with before in detail and therefore don’t have to repeat myself. If you want a full answer to this question then look at the thirteen Gems I wrote on Lazarus and the Rich Man (Gems 1072 to 1084).
https://www.bereaninsights.org/category/lazarus-and-the-rich-man/
Lazarus and the rich man is seemingly the clearest part of Scripture which appears to give details of the afterlife from Jesus Himself. For this reason a lot of study has gone into finding out what the afterlife is like based on this pericope.
- Do we indeed have a road map of the afterlife here or not?
- Is there a chasm between paradise and hell?
- Can you see people in either place from the other side?
- Can you see through the flames and make out the faces of people who are in torment?
This story has sparked much debate and much controversy and multiple questions. Just as it has in David now and you others if you didn’t have them before. Some have wondered whether this account comes from Lazarus who came back from the dead and therefore he brought the answer back from the dead. In the series I wrote on this I invited Readers’ questions and then proceeded to address them. So as I wrote at the time, “Well, this should prove interesting shouldn’t it? Let’s step off the edge of the chasm and down into the abyss of Lazarus and the rich man.” Read the thirteen Gems I wrote on this for my full answer.
My short answer is Jesus was simply giving back to the Pharisees their own theology. He was using the Pharisees’ teaching to craft what he told them about Lazarus and the rich man. Jesus’ teaching is hugely ironic, said with tongue in cheek and not to be used to build any theological viewpoint on the notion of heaven and hell from what Jesus said in Luke 16:19-31. In order to gain the full impact of this passage from Jesus’ words read the whole series of Gems. But my short answer is “No the cloud of witnesses are not able to see us and therefore are not observing our progress in this race for Eternal Life. This passage is not to be used to create the notion that the dead can see, nor that those in hell can see those in heaven or vice versa.
Allow the writer of Hebrews to give you the final word on this matter:
And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment . . . Hebrews 9:27
Hebrews 9:27
Now to answer Rebecca’s question; again another doozy of a question. Why do the biblical writers mention frequently talk about ‘sin’? Especially these days when no one wants to mention or hear that offensive little word. Shouldn’t it be banned? Isn’t it a relic of the past? No! Sin lies at the heart of the human problem, Rebecca. I recognise it in me, I see it in my grandchildren. Now who taught them that?
Firstly, sin lies at the heart of the human condition and is firstly what separates us from God. The ultimate sin is to deny the fact that the creator made you.
He came to the things He created, but what He created didn’t want to know Him. He came to the humans he created from dust but they rejected him. [IVV] John 1:10-11
John 1:10-11
I have written much about this in the Gems; simply do a search on the verse reference to see what’s available.
Secondly, sin is also what separates us from one another, at the personal level, at the community level, the national level and the global level. Just ponder that fact for a few moments and you will see it is true.
But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
James 3:14-16
Lastly, it is our sin which ultimately comes back full circle to hurt us in the long run. Our unforgiveness, our propensity to blame someone else for our own condition and our bias in thinking that we are always right and the fault lies with someone else. I shared my wife’s story in the last Gem with her permission. Over the years both of us have realised there are hang ups in us which stem from our childhood or something which we have experienced which has caused us to be impaired: emotionally, psychologically, by feelings of inadequacy or our conditioned ways of thinking. Little do we realise (and I am including you Rebecca Non de Plume and my readers in that category too) that there is a warp, a fault line in us which causes a certain reaction whenever we feel neglected, rejected or put down. It’s often not the other person’s comment which brought our reaction to the fore. It’s the result of a deep hurt that has affected us. At those times we need to ask for help from our Creator God to shine His light on the seat of the problem.
Now do you see why biblical writers mention “sin” so often?
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.
Hebrews 12:1
It’s hard to run a race, a sprint or a marathon, while carrying all our baggage with us.
Ian
Isn’t it time to take stock and ask God’s help to shed some of that stuff that has been hampering you for years?
Ian
No matter what your problem is – don’t nurse it, don’t curse it, don’t rehearse it. Just call on God. He’ll reverse it.Â
Jussar Badudu
The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible.
D L Moody