Articles
The Race of Faith
When confronting an athlete there are some key attributes that we may search for to get a glimpse of her/his ability. Such as: the way they work with teammates, their conduct amongst other teams’ athletes, and their determination toward their own journey as an athlete. These attributes not only apply to the athletes of the world but also to us as we continue our day to day spiritual journey.
Whether in church or not, how we treat other people is important and God will know if we only act with love on Sundays and or Wednesdays toward each other. As Hebrews 5:11-14 discuss, practicing the love and encouragement Jesus Christ teaches us (amongst other qualities) requires constant practice. This is because when we consistently put the Word of the Lord into practice is when we will have the ability to spread that knowledge to others young and old (Titus 2). Just like a team of runners pushing each other toward a goal and going back for the one who have stumbled or fallen, we too must continue to be diligent for our spiritual teammates (Hebrews 10:24-25; Ephesians 4:11-16). When this week or this month have you used and grown the gifts God gave you in service for others (Romans 12:6-7)?
One phrase comes to mind regarding how we should treat others in the faith but especially to others who are not brothers and sisters in Christ: "Hate the sin, not the sinner." Too often it can be easy for us to become so focused on actions or views of others that we can forget the people and the souls that are behind them. But as Christians one of our jobs is to not see the sin and react but instead see the sinner and encourage (Ephesians 4:26-31; James 1:19-20; Matthew 5:21-24). As First Peter chapter one reminds us, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” Others' actions and views in the end will be forgotten and as good as dead, but God’s command and His judgement is eternal--which is why we must be concerned with our actions and thoughts for God.
Lastly, it comes down to our own individual race. Just like it is important for us to make sure our brethren aren’t falling behind (Hebrews 13:16) and that we aren’t taking on the sins of others (Deuteronomy 4:8-14), it is imperative that we must focus on our own conduct and thoughts. One of the hardest aspects to do in our lives is to consistently put off our old self. It can be too easy to “harmlessly joke,” make a slip of the tongue, or to think something unrighteous even if you don’t say it (Proverbs 26:18-19; Matthew 12:36; Matthew 9:4). But as we know from studying the Bible, we must do our best to let God and His law rule our minds and our actions instead (Ephesians 4:22-32; Romans 12:2). The best ways to do this are what our preachers discuss and encourage every week. Go to God in prayer and repentance, to study His Word so we can know His laws, and to practice as much as we can!
