IN THE ARENA OF FAITH by Erich Sauer

Author:Erich Sauer
Language: eng
Format: epub

CHAPTER VI

PRESSING ON TO THE MARK!

"Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the palsied knees; and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned out of the way; but rather be healed. Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking carefully lest there be any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby the many be defiled" (or poisoned) (Heb. 12: 12-15).

CHRISTIANITY is eternity in time. With the appearance of Christ a new sprig was planted into the withered ground of the world of man. And all who have been grafted into it have become partakers of eternal life. Thus Christians have found the fountain of eternal youth. The genuine life of faith never grows old. " Though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day" (II Con 4: I6). "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint" (Isa. 4o: 3I). A really healthy life of faith is like one running in an arena whose freshness of the starting-post is maintained to the finish.

And yet! The Christians of the letter to the Hebrews had grown tired. After a richly blessed start (Heb. 10:32) their inward life had begun to droop. Their hands were hanging down and their knees had become feeble (Heb. 12:12). The attendance at their gatherings had decreased (Heb. 10:25). Their life of faith was no longer to be compared to running in an arena but rather to the slow and painful walk of a sick or paralysed person. Instead of looking towards the goal, they began to turn their eyes to times gone by. Instead of looking forward to the consummation at the coming of Christ, they looked backward to the Old Testament ages of preparation. Instead of considering the glories of the Spirit and the fulfilment of all prophecy in Christ's person and work, they began to yearn for the types and symbols of the Divine service of the Old Covenant which they had known as so beautiful and impressive. So the glory of grace had become darkened for them. It appeared desirable to them to return to the law. The danger of "being hardened" had arisen (Heb. 3:13). Indeed, they had even to be told: "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God" (Heb. 3:12).

How can they be helped?

Only by renewed contact with the Fountain of power. The exceeding glory and reality of the New Testament salvation must come before their minds and hearts as a fresh vision. They must be brought to acknowledge that leaving the ground of grace means robbing oneself, returning to the old is sinking into the depth, turning back to the past is losing the future.

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