Train For The Crown

²⁴ Do you not know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. ²⁵ Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. However, they do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. ²⁶ Therefore I do not run like one who runs aimlessly, or box like one who beats the air. ²⁷ Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
-First Corinthians 9:24-27 (HCSB)

In many of Paul's letters, he links common everyday things with spiritual things to get his point across. By linking common things that everyone knows about with spiritual things that some people find difficult, it will become easier for people to relate to. In this section of Scripture, Paul is linking training for a marathon race, with living the Christian life. Let's explore it.

He starts off verse 24 with a challenge. "²⁴ Do you not know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win." Most marathon races, or track and field events, feature many people competing for the prize. Paul reminds them that all the runners run, but there is only 1 winner. For the marathon race, there may be several thousand people running the race, but there will only be one winner. Everyone else will have lost. Paul is teaching us to "Run in such a way that you may win." Let's face it, no one likes to lose. Even the slowest, most inexperienced runner doesn't wake up on race morning and say, "Well, I'm looking forward to losing today!" After telling us to run to win, Paul gives us instructions in how to win.

"²⁵ Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. However, they do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one." If we are going to run the race in such a way as to win it, we must exercise self control. The competitors who compete in marathon races like the New York Marathon, or the Boston Marathon, train for many months prior to the race. They watch their diet, they watch their habits, they make sure they exercise. They are training to be the best competitor out there. We must train to live the Christian life. We are in a battle each day with our sin nature. We must exercise our faith, so that it can grow. We must watch what we fill ourselves with. I'm not talking about food, I'm talking about what goes into our lives. A few days ago, I wrote a post titled "GIGO." Check that out. If we are going to live the successful Christian life, we must exercise self control in everything if we are going to win the prize. Paul goes on to say, "However, they do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one." What Paul is meaning is those who train as a marathon runner, trains to win the gold medal, or some other trophy. Those will one day be gone, we can't take those rewards with us. Instead, we train to receive a reward that will never be taken, we train and run with our Heavenly reward in sight. He says, in verse 26, "²⁶ Therefore I do not run like one who runs aimlessly, or box like one who beats the air." Paul is saying that he doesn't train without purpose. He trains with the purpose. That purpose is revealed in verse 27.

^"27 Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified." Notice Paul's words: discipline, under, strict, control. Those are words that many of us don't want to hear. A runner, especially one who competes, must discipline his or her body to bring it to the point where they will be ready to compete at their best. Likewise, if we are going to live the successful Christian life, we must discipline our bodies to do the will of God, to run the race that God has for us. We must bring ourselves under the control of God. Look at Paul's closing words, "so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified." Paul wants to make sure that after he has preached the Gospel to others, he will not lose his reward because he was filled with sin.

Discipline isn't a word many of us like to hear-but it is essential to our growth as a Christian. Are you training to run the race of life? Are you training in a way that will glorify God? Think About It.