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b'The 2007 New England Patriots are widely considered the best team in the history of professional football. They won every single game in the regular season. However, they lost in the Super Bowl and, therefore, they failed in their ultimate goal. Just like in the sports world, it is possible for people to "perform" well in the church and yet fail to cross the finish line. The author of Hebrews is concerned that some of his readers might be a "rocky soil" type that reveals his faith insufficient to withstand persecution and tribulation. The author knows that true faith is a faith that obviously has a beginning point but also one that endures to the very end of life. The gospel of Jesus Christ calls on believers not only to start the Christian life but also to finish well by the grace of God. In fact, the Bible declares that only those who do finish the race can properly be called believers. In this lesson, we see that unbelief is not a passive non-response to God but an active response that deserves punishment. Because of this, the readers are urged to keep on believing.'