"...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us," HEB 12:12.

The apostle's advice is to "lay aside every weight." By this he means that one must give up everything which stands in the way of serving Christ. When one enters a race, he must throw off all his long, or loose fitting, garments. So it is in the heavenly race, he must "...lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us."

The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life; the love of riches, pleasures, and honours, the spirit of lukewarmness, and carelessness, and indifference about the things of God, all must be rooted out and forsaken if one is anxious for the prize. We must mortify the deeds of the flesh, crucifying our affection for this world. Anything coming between ourselves and our Saviour must be laid aside as if it were a millstone about our necks.

Above all one must take heed that he lays aside the sin which most easily besets him. The sins of pride and unbelief have the greatest power. A person may thank God that he is, "...not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican," LUK 18:11. He can be proud of his humility as a Christian, or his spiritual attainments. He can have unbelief about his own sinfulness, God's wisdom or mercy, and the cleansing power of Christ's blood.

One must "lay aside every weight," which will keep him from winning the race. That includes those secret sins which are hidden in the secret chamber of his heart. There are particular besetting sins. Every person has some weak point, a weak spot in his defense against the devil. Every person has a traitor in his camp, ready to open the gates to Satan, and he that is wise will never rest until he has discovered where this weak point is.

One must search his heart for these besetting sins, and seek God's grace to deliver him from them. One man is beset with lust, another with drinking, or an evil temper, or malice, or covetousness, worldly-mindedness or idleness. Every person must search out the "...sin which doth so easily beset us..." if he will win the unceasing spiritual warfare, and run so as to obtain the prize.

Oh, these bitter besetting sins! How many have fallen in their profession, and given occasion to God's enemies to blaspheme, by not continually guarding against them. So many, like Peter, have become so strong in themselves, and have forgotten, "...that our old man is crucified with [Christ], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin," ROM 6:6.

Christ's blood and righteousness have opened the gates of heaven wide enough to receive the "chiefest of sinners," but it is still too "strait" and "narrow" to admit the smallest grain of unrepented, or unforsaken sin. "And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life," REV 21:27. So, "...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth 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," HEB 12:1-2. Amen.