The writer of the Epistle of the Hebrews, after having listed a whole array of God's faithful servants from Abel through Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David and others, then said, "Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses:-seeing we are a part of so great a heritage-Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 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." 12:12.
The New English translation renders "author and finisher of our faith thus," "On whom our faith depends from start to finish." The meaning is clear. As Christians we must look to Jesus as our Lord and Savior, for we certainly cannot save ourselves by our own love and goodness. The writer pictures life as a race to be run and trying to carry a lot of weight. I can relate to that. I ran the half mile and mile races when in high school. We certainly cannot win the race of life burdened with a load of guilt from sin, for sin prevents us from having spiritual fellowship with God. So, let us look to Jesus as our example. He, as the author and finisher of our faith, is timeless: that is, he was not as other great world leaders who were fitted for time and the tasks of their time. Jesus is our eternal contemporary. He is the representative of the whole human race in its perfection, then die to offer its redemption. In doing so he became its savior. His words were indelibly engraved upon the hearts and minds of those who heard him, that his message has come down to us with such power of truth and love that it has become a deathless message-eternally relevant. He is called the finisher and perfecter of our faith because he completed God's plan of our redemption by shedding his blood on Calvary's cross as the supreme sacrifice for our sins.
Hebrews 5:8 says: "Though He were a son (the Son of God), yet learned He obedience by the things He suffered." He claimed no special exemption from the cruelty of bigoted, self-righteous leaders, nor from the pagan idolaters of Rome. It is said he endured the agonys of the cross, despising the shame, that is, making light of the shame and disgrace of it, that he might prove himself perfect and obedient son and become a representative of the human race. Then the writer says: "Consider Him who was willing to endure all sinful men could say or do against Him to become your Savior, and you will not lose your purpose and courage as a Christian. You have not resisted sin to the point of shedding your blood." Hebrews 12:3, 4 Philllips Tr.
I am convinced the principal cause of the indifference of so many people in the church stems from their limited or distorted concept of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. For how can anyone that believes whole-heartedly in him as being the Son of God, and know how much he suffered to redeem them, not love and delight in serving Him? Can worldly pleasures, material wealth or indulgence of fleshly desires give more happiness and contentment than loving ad serving Christ through his church? Of course not. The author and finisher of our faith-our salvation-is worthy of our best, our all.