"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
On the surface, the first verse here can seem like it is encouraging competition against each other for salvation. However, in context it becomes a much better message. :) it is clearly a message telling us that we need to believe in our own success and not give up halfway through and decide that we aren't going to make it to heaven, so might as well not try. If we start, we need to be consistent, make the extra effort, and see it through... that is the only way to succeed, or win the race of life. I think in that context, we are likely just competing in the sense that the good and bad parts of our nature are fighting for supremacy.
Paul makes clear here that part of the idea is to bring the body into subjection to the spirit... that letting our carnal natures rule our spiritual natures is actually losing the race. That doesn't mean that we should ignore the needs of the body of course--only that God's laws should govern the limitations of our physical actions.
Today, let's avoid becoming castaways. Let's work on our temperance, and make sure that we are striving for that incorruptible crown by consistent spiritual exercise and working towards what God has in store for us, if we will stay the course and let his influence win in our lives, rather than our own wills or other evil influences.
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
On the surface, the first verse here can seem like it is encouraging competition against each other for salvation. However, in context it becomes a much better message. :) it is clearly a message telling us that we need to believe in our own success and not give up halfway through and decide that we aren't going to make it to heaven, so might as well not try. If we start, we need to be consistent, make the extra effort, and see it through... that is the only way to succeed, or win the race of life. I think in that context, we are likely just competing in the sense that the good and bad parts of our nature are fighting for supremacy.
Paul makes clear here that part of the idea is to bring the body into subjection to the spirit... that letting our carnal natures rule our spiritual natures is actually losing the race. That doesn't mean that we should ignore the needs of the body of course--only that God's laws should govern the limitations of our physical actions.
Today, let's avoid becoming castaways. Let's work on our temperance, and make sure that we are striving for that incorruptible crown by consistent spiritual exercise and working towards what God has in store for us, if we will stay the course and let his influence win in our lives, rather than our own wills or other evil influences.
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