Article March 22, 1975 Issue

Laying Aside Every Weight

EDGAR F. WRIGHT

In ancient Greece athletes laid aside sandals and garments before beginning a footrace. So we read in the Epistle to the Hebrews, "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. 12:1;} But the weights referred to were the heavy burdens of the material senses: ungodliness and unrighteousness, covetousness and envy, deceit, pride, disobedience, sensuality, and many others—all of them classifiable as sin.

How do we overcome sin? "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest," Paul said, "whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; ... think on these things."^{ Phil. 4:8;} It is by thinking of good, or by good thinking, that sin can be laid aside. Good thinking is a form of prayer. Right desire is prayer, the desire for holiness. Casting away the burdens of sin must accompany true prayer and the entertaining of good thoughts. This also develops patience: "Let us run with patience the race that is set before us."

A young man once came to Jesus and asked, "What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" The Master recognized his eagerness, for the Bible tells us, "Jesus beholding him loved him."^{ Mark 10:17, 21;} Jesus challenged the young man with the demands of Truth. God, Spirit, not matter, is substance. The young man was very rich, and he would have to give up his limited, material sense of riches, in other words, radically change his concept of substance, before he would be ready for eternal life.