In biblical terms, "encumbrance" refers to anything that hinders or burdens one's spiritual journey or relationship with God. The concept is often associated with the idea of laying aside weights or obstacles that impede one's progress in faith and obedience to God's will.

Biblical References:

1. Hebrews 12:1 : "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us." This verse encourages believers to discard anything that might hinder their spiritual race, emphasizing the need for perseverance and focus on the path God has laid out.

2. Matthew 13:22 : "The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful." Here, Jesus explains how worldly concerns and material wealth can become encumbrances, preventing the Word of God from bearing fruit in a person's life.

3. Luke 21:34 : "But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life—and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a trap." Jesus warns against the encumbrances of indulgence and anxiety, which can distract believers from being prepared for His return.

Theological Insights:

Encumbrances are not limited to overt sins but include any distractions or priorities that take precedence over one's relationship with God. These can be physical possessions, emotional burdens, or even relationships that draw one's focus away from spiritual growth and obedience.

The call to lay aside encumbrances is a call to spiritual discipline and prioritization. Believers are encouraged to examine their lives for anything that might hinder their walk with Christ and to actively remove or address these obstacles. This process often involves prayer, self-reflection, and a commitment to align one's life with biblical principles.

Practical Application:

1. Self-Examination: Regularly assess your life for potential encumbrances. Consider how you spend your time, resources, and energy, and whether these align with your spiritual goals.

2. Prayer and Confession: Seek God's guidance in identifying and overcoming encumbrances. Confess any known distractions or sins and ask for strength to overcome them.

3. Community Support: Engage with a community of believers who can provide accountability and encouragement in your journey to remove encumbrances.

4. Focus on Eternal Values: Prioritize activities and relationships that foster spiritual growth and align with eternal values, rather than temporary or worldly concerns.

By addressing encumbrances, believers can more effectively pursue a life of faithfulness and devotion, running the race set before them with endurance and clarity of purpose.1. (n.) That which encumbers; a burden which impedes action, or renders it difficult and laborious; a clog; an impediment. See Incumbrance.

2. (n.) Same as Incumbrance.

3591. ogkos -- bulk, an encumbrance
... bulk, an encumbrance. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: ogkos Phonetic
Spelling: (ong'-kos) Short Definition: a weight, burden Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3591.htm - 6k

Excuses Commonly Urged in Defence of Second Marriage their ...
... he should desire longer life, when the apostle himself is in haste to be "with the
Lord?" [571] Assuredly, most free will he be from encumbrance in persecutions ...
/.../tertullian/on exhortation to chastity/chapter xii excuses commonly urged in.htm

Causes of Corruption Chiefly Intentional.
... call the clause nekrou`s egei'rete in Matthew 10:8 a gloss.' It is a gratuitous
and unwarrantable interpolation,"nothing else but a clumsy encumbrance of the ...
/.../chapter xii causes of corruption.htm

Review
... formul?? of past thinkings, have long lost all sense of any kind;" (p.297;) so that
the Prayer-book "is on the way to become a useless encumbrance, the rubbish ...
//christianbookshelf.org/burgon/inspiration and interpretation/review.htm

For to Invoke Angels Without Having Obtained a Knowledge of their ...
... know divine things) to what is truly divine and blessed; whereas the term "demons"
is always applied to those wicked powers, freed from the encumbrance of a ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/origen/origen against celsus/chapter v for to invoke.htm

The Analogy Between the Two Advents of Christ.
... interests. Weak and sickly infants were looked upon as a useless encumbrance
and generally suffered an early and cruel death. The ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/pink/the redeemers return/10 the analogy between the.htm

Prepositional Phrases
... emotions of joy. emulous of truth [emulous = prompted by a spirit of rivalry].
encroachments of time. encumbrance of mystery. energy of youth. enigma of life. ...
/.../kleiser/fifteen thousand useful phrases/section v prepositional phrases.htm

Letter clviii. (AD 414. )
... and eager the more earnestly attentive we become: and it seems to us probable that
even in its highest activity it is retarded by the encumbrance of the body ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter clviii a d 414.htm

By Far the Ablest of These Seven Essays is from the Pen of the " ...
... into phrases, and these phrases are declared to be objects of reverence but not
of intelligence, it is on the way to become a useless encumbrance; the rubbish ...
/.../burgon/inspiration and interpretation/vi by far the ablest.htm

The Reality of the Resurrection
... 91. The bodies of the saints, then, shall rise again free from blemish and deformity,
just as they will be also free from corruption, encumbrance, or handicap. ...
/.../augustine/handbook on faith hope and love/chapter xxiii the reality of.htm

The Fainting Warrior
... Adam in the garden of perfection, felt the body to be no encumbrance, nor if sin
were absent should we have any fault to find with our flesh and blood. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/the fainting warrior.htm

Encumbrance (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Encumbrance (2 Occurrences). ... Deuteronomy 1:12 How can I
myself alone bear your encumbrance, and your burden, and your strife? ...
/e/encumbrance.htm - 7k

Cumbrance (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) Encumbrance. ... Deuteronomy 1:12 How can I myself
alone bear your encumbrance, and your burden, and your strife? ...
/c/cumbrance.htm - 6k

End (3706 Occurrences)

/e/end.htm - 17k

Burden (111 Occurrences)
... (3) There is also the word gomos, "the freight" of a ship (Acts 21:3); compare ogkos,
weight or encumbrance which impedes the runner's progress to the goal ...
/b/burden.htm - 46k

Lies (208 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, surrounded as we are by such a vast cloud of witnesses,
let us fling aside every encumbrance and the sin that so readily entangles our ...
/l/lies.htm - 35k

Load (22 Occurrences)
... to weeping. (BBE). Deuteronomy 1:12 How can I myself alone bear your encumbrance,
and your burden, and your strife? (See NAS). 2 Kings ...
/l/load.htm - 14k

Fling (5 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, surrounded as we are by such a vast cloud of witnesses,
let us fling aside every encumbrance and the sin that so readily entangles our ...
/f/fling.htm - 9k

Readily (22 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, surrounded as we are by such a vast cloud of witnesses,
let us fling aside every encumbrance and the sin that so readily entangles our ...
/r/readily.htm - 13k

Endurance (31 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, surrounded as we are by such a vast cloud of witnesses,
let us fling aside every encumbrance and the sin that so readily entangles our ...
/e/endurance.htm - 15k

Encrusted (2 Occurrences)

/e/encrusted.htm - 7k

Encumbrance: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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