Hebrews 12.1
Therefore, since we are
surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that
hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance
the race marked out for us.
2.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the
joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the
right hand of the throne of God.
3.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men,
so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
4. In your struggle against
sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
I'm not inferring that there is some 'place' 'between the living and the dead.' I'm speaking of the difference between the living and the dead.
The context of this passage in the book of Hebrews is predicated upon the 11th chapter. Read the 11th chapter and continue right on without noticing that there is (by artificial designation) a 'new' chapter.
Many years ago I heard a professor say, "When reading scripture and you see a 'therefore' see what it is there for."
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses..."
When they (people listed in the 11th chapter) were alive they were focused and driven by an assumption (faith) that vs40 "God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect."
They had this assumption (vs1 "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.") driving their daily living.
And now they know! Now they are watching us 'run' our race of life.
We are now to be in the position they were in, if we are to be people of faith running a race toward that day when we too shall be made perfect.
We must, daily, be persuaded that God has planned something better for us. We must, daily, be in mind that there will be that day of perfection when we shall see Him.
We must, daily, keep in mind that we have a great balcony of witnesses who are cheering us on as we "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and (we) run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
If we have that understanding, we too can endure the crosses of life, fixing our eyes on Jesus Who will ultimately make it all perfect.