Because the ‘world is no friend to grace’, faith becomes a long obedience in the same direction. Or as the metaphor found here, a race that requires perseverance. We are told that in order to run the race of faith we must fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. What does that mean and how can we do it? The sermon will seek to answer those questions in light of the principle of hardship as discipline that trains us to run the race well.