When was the last time you saw an Olympic runner running in a helmet, jeans, and boots? I’ll wait for you to try and remember…Exactly, the answer is never. It just does not make sense to attempt running with any weight that will slow you down. Runners run with gear that keeps them light and free. Now notice, friends, that the author separated both weight and sin. If he found it necessary to separate them, we will be wise to follow suit. We will start with sin.

We know that as believers we have been forgiven of our sins completely, correct? Correct. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. (1Peter 2:24). So, our sins have lost any power to condemn us because the punishment for sin has been taken by Jesus. You will surely not collect payment for the same debt twice. Will God act less righteous than you and collect double payment for our sin? No, he won’t.

However, as both God’s Word says and our lives bear witness, our sins may have been forgiven, but they certainly still continue to spring up within us! We are constantly still struggling against these sinful desires, putting them to death daily. It’s normal. We have the Spirit of God within us and though we are declared righteous through Jesus work (justification), we are in the process of becoming righteous (sanctification). But sin won’t kill itself, and no one magically gets holy without putting in the effort.

This is why we see our author telling us to lay aside the sin, which clings so closely. Sin is part of what is weighing us down in this race. It is impossible for us to have sweet fellowship with Jesus and press on in power, and yet, at the same time be indulging in sin and not fighting it aggressively!

How do we run with endurance and hope when we are indulging in lust? How can we claim to delight in the Lord when we are numbing ourselves and spending hours binging on Blue Moon when that is how often we spend time with God? How do we enjoy sweet time of prayer when we have bitterness and unforgiveness in our hearts? Or comparing ourselves to others (As better or worse?) How do we boldly ask God to open His heart and hear our cries when we close our hearts to the beggar on the street that cried out to us?

We need to recognize that sin is not only rebellion towards God; it is also a distraction from God. Peter reminds us that sin wages war against our very souls. How can you and I be fully devoted to running holistically when our soul is busy doing battle, and losing to sin at that? We are called to lay it aside because we have a greater hope, a more fulfilling promise that sin can’t come close to. Saints’ treasures will outlast sin’s pleasures! We are called to live in righteousness, fighting sin within us constantly, for holy living (obedience to God’s Word) is the only way to truly live.

Then, there is the weight. This certainly can overlap with sin (for all sin is a weight we are called to put to death), but it is not limited to that. Weights can be things that are lawful but not beneficial. It may be putting on too much responsibility that is choking out our fruitfulness in the most important areas of our lives. It may be spending money on things that are not wrong, but not really adding value to our lives or others’ lives. One thing that may be a weight for one person may not necessarily be a weight for another. Basically, unnecessary burdens that are hindering us from keeping focused in faith on Christ and His promises are weights. We are to lay down these weights.

And we are able to heed this command by looking to Jesus, who Himself has gone before us and remains our model.

Continue with Part 3 here.