All Run ... But Only One Receives the Prize

Courtesy Flickr by Globalist

First Corinthians 9:24-27; Hebrews 12:1-2

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.  And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.  Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” 

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” NKJV

Many of us, in fact, all of us, have watched one form of race or the other. We have watched athletics and we appreciate when the winner embraces the finishing line. We have even watched soccer and we all rise to cheer when a goal is scored. Paul must have keenly watched the Olympic games which started in Greece about 776 B.C. It was natural therefore for him to see, in these contests, certain analogies between such contests and the way in which the Christian conducts himself and leads the Christian life.

Let us look at the athletics competition and draw analogies that will help us in our Christian race. One analogy to which Paul calls our attention is that in the race of faith where we compete with a variety of enemies. All around us are demonic powers of evil. Within us are the forces of sin and temptation which threaten to undo us. In the Epistle to Hebrews, the apostle calls us to battle with the warning: “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith”

The question has often been asked: “What does the writer mean by “weight”?” Weight may not necessarily be a sin but they are things that make it difficult for us to run smoothly and optimally. They may be indulgencies, desires, and wants. Let me illustrate this. Imagine a runner at the starting point fully dressed in Agbada, (the Nigerian Flowing robe) with his shoes and all the paraphernalia of a well-dressed man. These things in themselves are not evil, but they will not make the runner to run easily. They are unnecessary encumbrances. There are many of them along the track of our Christian race. In order to run successfully, we must lay them aside, put our body under subjection and seriously discipline (train) our bodies to endure the hardship of the race.

The second analogy which Paul developed is the character of the prize for which the Olympic runner competes and the one which the Christian runner competes. The Olympic competitor races for a perishable prize – an olive wreath, or medals of gold, silver or bronze. It could be even be shields of wood, metals or glass. Sometimes, it is a cup. These are all perishable. But the Christian races for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Paul focusing his mind on this said in Philippians  3:13-14: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Read More: Keep On Keeping On

In the Epistle to the Hebrews, the writer again draws our attention to this prize. He wrote: “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)  Jesus is both our example and our prize. At the finish line is Jesus Christ who has successfully run the race and waiting for us to congratulate us. Again look at Paul as He writes in Philippians 3 – “Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.”

The third analogy which makes the Olympic race similar to the Christian race is that if we are to win the race and overcome our enemies, we must submit ourselves to vigorous, sustained and rigid training and practice self-control and discipline. In his Epistle to the Corinthians Paul says: “You do not win by running or punching aimlessly. You must run with certainty. You do not win a boxing context by beating the air, you have to aim all your punches and hit the target”

In the Epistle to the Hebrews, the writer reminds us: - “There are many spectators cheering and jeering at the runners. Do not begin to acknowledge their cheering and do not stop to reply to their jeering. Do not let yourself be distracted from the race. Keep running and keep the object of the race in view. Jesus Christ is the object of the race; run to win and obtain the prize. The race may be long, tiring and demanding; run with endurance and keep reminding yourself what you are running to get. It will help you to keep up with the demands of the race. Remember many others have run the same race successfully.”

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I watch quite a number of wrestling contests (and by that, I mean WWE) in the television. Often I have observed that a number of good wrestlers lose their matches because of indiscipline. Sometimes they leave the contest to challenge the spectators who have made remarks they do not like, the opponent’s trainer or manager or even the referee. Sometimes they miss an opportunity to win a pin-fall because they want to display their power or muscles and their strength. You do not begin to celebrate your victory before the contest is over. All these border on indiscipline. They have not brought themselves, their bodies, their ego, under subjection.

For the Christian runner, there are a number of trainings and practices we should regularly and faithfully subject ourselves to. These include regular worship of God, systematic Bible reading, daily and regular prayer, and refraining from any habit or habits which injure the body and the soul. 

Read More: Running the Race

One of the problems of the Church today is that many Christians are not reading the Bible.  Many depend on what others tell them the Bible says. Until we learn to milk our own cows, we shall continue to take diluted milk. Those Christians who do not read the Bible are often carried away by every wind of doctrine.

In the same way, the power of the Christian is directly proportional to his regularity and sincerity in prayer. A prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian. As we pray and let God have His way in our lives, He shows us those practices in our lives that hinder our progress in the race.  It is then that we will be able to heed the call to the Church in Corinth. “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them, and walk among them; I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”    Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.”   I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.” (Second Corinthians 6:14-18)  

Let us pray asking God to help us as Christians to regard the prize of the high calling of Christ; so that we will compete against all enemies of the Christian faith, and live by the successful application of training and discipline. Remember, many run, but only one wins the prize.

God bless you all.