Hebrews 12:1: “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.”
In my teenage years, one idea behind this verse gripped me. It was the idea that something could not be explicitly wrong (a “sin”) but still be a hindrance (a “weight”).
Often, we’re inclined to order our lives based on the distinction between what is right and what is wrong. What do we have to do? What are we barred from doing? What principles do we need to follow?
But Hebrews 12:1 presents a different way of thinking about our actions and how they serve the larger purpose of our life. It implies not only the distinction between what’s right and wrong – the “sin” that a Christian is required to throw off – but also the distinction between what helps and what hinders – the “weight” that is unnecessary to life’s race. Some things may not be forbidden, but they certainly serve as deterrents to our ultimate goal.
Given all this, we see that there are two ways of viewing life in the world. The first separates life into the categories of sin and righteousness. Most people tend to navigate life, and Christianity, this way.
The second way of seeing reality separates actions into the categories of folly and wisdom. It considers both the clear necessities of different aspects of life (such as, in the case of a foot race, the racer must run) and the implicit prudences that are involved (again, in the case of a foot race, the racer shouldn’t be lugging along his high-school stereo speakers).
Though the second way is the way presented in Hebrews 12 as correct, and though it is the prudent way to work toward any goal or purpose, many of us neglect it. We proclaim to focus on a particular kind of life, but we feed our minds with mediocre content via Instagram or TikTok. We speak of committing to a particular way of life, but our music trains our minds to idolize romance or pleasure. We profess to have our eyes set on a particular goal or purpose, but we spend nights binge-watching television.
Yes, none of the above actions may be wrong. Social media, different kinds of music, and television may not overtly go against any particular goal. And for the Christian, there’s no clear biblical command against any of those things. But in some instances, they may serve as a serious hindrance.
I don’t write this to point fingers, nor do I profess to perfectly follow the second way myself, because, like a good deal of my writing, I write just as much for myself as I do for others. What I’m telling myself is this: For any goal we take to ourself, the process should not merely consist of avoiding what’s absolutely off-limits; it should also involve a conscious decision to avoid what deters us from that goal. Christianity is no exception.
Aletheia Hitz is an editor/writer by vocation, philosopher by training, and poet at heart. She’s currently working toward her Master's in theology, and she aspires to spend her life in pursuit of the infinite beauty of God.
This culture article was made possible by The Fred & Rheta Skelton Center for Cultural Renewal, a project of 1819 News. To comment on this article, please email [email protected]. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News.
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