The Author and Perfector of Faith
The Author and Perfecter of Faith
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (2) Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God”. Hebrews 12:1-2
To help us with context, in chapter 11, the author of Hebrews looked back and saw how the great saints of the OT won the race of life through faith. Now the author urges them to “look to Jesus” and have their faith and hope strengthened, as it is for each of us. He begins chapter 12 with this: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles”.
The author tells us we need to turn from sin that clings so closely so we can run the race with endurance, because sin will always weigh us down. It appears that the sin being emphasized here is the sin of unbelief. It was unbelief that kept Israel out of the Promised Land, and it is unbelief that hinders us from entering our spiritual inheritance in Christ. The phase “by faith” is used 21 times in Hebrews 11, indicating that it is faith in Christ that enables us to endure. Running the race of faith requires us to always be trusting in Christ, never giving up, no matter what the obstacles, hardship, or cost.
As runners in the race of our Christian life, we must “fix our eyes on Jesus.” As we run, we must be always looking to Him in faith. Like the Apostle Peter, when we get our eyes of faith off the Savior, we start to sink (Matt. 14:22-33). It was in “looking to him” that we were saved, for to look means to trust. When the dying Jews looked to the uplifted serpent, they were healed, and this is an illustration of our salvation through faith in Christ. (Num. 21 and John 3). Looking unto Jesus describes an attitude of saving faith and not just a single act. We must run towards Him with all our might, in the promise that we will be conformed into His image.
Verse 2 teaches us that Jesus is the “author” of our faith. He is the one who made the way into the Holy of Holies so that the rest of us could follow into God’s presence (see Hebrews 10:19-20). Jesus is also the “perfecter” of our faith. He did not just start it; He finished it. And all the glory goes to Him. Jesus endured the cross in Gethsemane, carried out the will of the Father. (Matthew 26:39). He did this by focusing on the joy that was to come. He knew that He would be resurrected and restored to the place of glory that He had with the Father from the beginning. He looked forward with joy to the people He would save. He willingly gave His life to save His sheep. Crucifixion was a gruesome, tortuous death, and it included public humiliation and shame. The cruel irony is that He could only save others by not saving Himself. He is truly the Messiah, and this prevented Him from coming down off the cross. He was the Chosen One, our Substitute, our only Redeemer, and He had been chosen for the very purpose of dying as God’s once-for-all sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 10:8-14). After Jesus’ death, God raised Him from the dead, and Jesus ascended into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of God the Father. This signifies Jesus’ authority and the fact that His work is finished. (John 19:30)
We need to get our eyes off ourselves, other people, and circumstances and get our eyes fixed on Christ alone. Our brother Pete Manship was such a good example of this as he battled cancer for over 5 years. Pete was a regular at the Thursday morning Men’s Bible study, he loved God’s Word, fixed his eyes on Jesus, and ran the race of faith with endurance and trusted in Christ alone for salvation.
Pete and I were able to have many good discussions about the saving gospel during his last few months. He appreciated this wonderful quote from Luther and the other Reformers:
“I don’t know how I can be saved when I look at myself, but, when I look to Christ, I don’t know how I could ever be lost, what a great Savor we have.”
Christ is indeed the author and perfecter of our faith. He is our sin bearer and our perfect righteousness, (2 Cor. 5:21 and Phil. 3:9). As we see Him in the Word and yield to His Spirit, He increases our faith and enables us to run the race with endurance.
Looking unto Jesus with you, Jim Nelson
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (2) Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God”. Hebrews 12:1-2
To help us with context, in chapter 11, the author of Hebrews looked back and saw how the great saints of the OT won the race of life through faith. Now the author urges them to “look to Jesus” and have their faith and hope strengthened, as it is for each of us. He begins chapter 12 with this: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles”.
The author tells us we need to turn from sin that clings so closely so we can run the race with endurance, because sin will always weigh us down. It appears that the sin being emphasized here is the sin of unbelief. It was unbelief that kept Israel out of the Promised Land, and it is unbelief that hinders us from entering our spiritual inheritance in Christ. The phase “by faith” is used 21 times in Hebrews 11, indicating that it is faith in Christ that enables us to endure. Running the race of faith requires us to always be trusting in Christ, never giving up, no matter what the obstacles, hardship, or cost.
As runners in the race of our Christian life, we must “fix our eyes on Jesus.” As we run, we must be always looking to Him in faith. Like the Apostle Peter, when we get our eyes of faith off the Savior, we start to sink (Matt. 14:22-33). It was in “looking to him” that we were saved, for to look means to trust. When the dying Jews looked to the uplifted serpent, they were healed, and this is an illustration of our salvation through faith in Christ. (Num. 21 and John 3). Looking unto Jesus describes an attitude of saving faith and not just a single act. We must run towards Him with all our might, in the promise that we will be conformed into His image.
Verse 2 teaches us that Jesus is the “author” of our faith. He is the one who made the way into the Holy of Holies so that the rest of us could follow into God’s presence (see Hebrews 10:19-20). Jesus is also the “perfecter” of our faith. He did not just start it; He finished it. And all the glory goes to Him. Jesus endured the cross in Gethsemane, carried out the will of the Father. (Matthew 26:39). He did this by focusing on the joy that was to come. He knew that He would be resurrected and restored to the place of glory that He had with the Father from the beginning. He looked forward with joy to the people He would save. He willingly gave His life to save His sheep. Crucifixion was a gruesome, tortuous death, and it included public humiliation and shame. The cruel irony is that He could only save others by not saving Himself. He is truly the Messiah, and this prevented Him from coming down off the cross. He was the Chosen One, our Substitute, our only Redeemer, and He had been chosen for the very purpose of dying as God’s once-for-all sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 10:8-14). After Jesus’ death, God raised Him from the dead, and Jesus ascended into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of God the Father. This signifies Jesus’ authority and the fact that His work is finished. (John 19:30)
We need to get our eyes off ourselves, other people, and circumstances and get our eyes fixed on Christ alone. Our brother Pete Manship was such a good example of this as he battled cancer for over 5 years. Pete was a regular at the Thursday morning Men’s Bible study, he loved God’s Word, fixed his eyes on Jesus, and ran the race of faith with endurance and trusted in Christ alone for salvation.
Pete and I were able to have many good discussions about the saving gospel during his last few months. He appreciated this wonderful quote from Luther and the other Reformers:
“I don’t know how I can be saved when I look at myself, but, when I look to Christ, I don’t know how I could ever be lost, what a great Savor we have.”
Christ is indeed the author and perfecter of our faith. He is our sin bearer and our perfect righteousness, (2 Cor. 5:21 and Phil. 3:9). As we see Him in the Word and yield to His Spirit, He increases our faith and enables us to run the race with endurance.
Looking unto Jesus with you, Jim Nelson
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