24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air;
27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
V. 24 - “Run in such a way that you may win.” - No half measures. The 2021 Summer Olympics is on. The commentators for the various sports tell us how hard these athletes train, how long - hours and hours, day after day - the commitment.
V. 25 - “Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things.” - We cannot improve at a sport if we don’t practice. Even practice must be disciplined. Hitting a bucket of balls on the driving range is just hitting balls unless done with purpose and plan. The same commitment and discipline is needed to grow in your faith. A snarky question from several years ago, “So you say have been a Christian for 15 years. Is that 15 years of experience, or one year’s experience 15 times?” The imperative is to know and grow in Christ.
“They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.” - You may receive a medal when you win, and can cherish it as long as you live. Any ribbon, medal, or floral arrangement is impermanent. Jesus tells in a parable, “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ … But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ “ (Matt. 25:21, 31-34) He links doing a job well here on earth to eternal rewards from the King of Kings.
V. 26-27 - “I discipline my body and make it my slave” - It is much more than spiritual discipline which necessary. It is the physical discipline - getting up in the morning, making the time to study the Word, to pray, to witness and share the gospel - fueled by the will to obey our Lord. We can say, “I ought to get up and do…” Good intentions are a dime-a-dozen. I know that sounds trite, or cold. However, Paul writes in Romans, “But what does it say? ‘THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART’-- that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for ‘WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.’ ” (Rom. 10:8-13)
Note: believing results in righteousness.
Note well: confessing Christ - out loud - brings you to salvation. The physical act demonstrates the spiritual commitment. (I am not saying if you don’t speak it your soul is lost - there may be circumstances… )
But resisting the call to confess your faith in Jesus Christ could be problematic. See: “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 10:33) Refusing to say you believe is de facto denial.
“I myself will not be disqualified” - Not talking about salvation, but approval from the Master with respect to our service for Jesus.
***End of Chapter
(30-Jul-2020)
