Passage Read: 1 Corinthians 8-9
Meditation Verses: 9:24-27
Thought
In a race or any other sporting event there is only one winner. Paul wants us to think in terms of only one winner in the race of life in Christ. But we know all who believe in Jesus gain eternity with God, so where's the urgency? We're in, right? Not if that thinking leads us to such laziness in terms of personal righteousness. Paul believes there is a chance that He could be disqualified for the prize, and he's not willing for that to happen. He goes into all-consuming training mode, like a runner who knows there's only one who will win. If we all get a crown of glory just for entering the race, we don't need any training at all! If we have to at least complete the race in order to gain our crown, then we only need to be in good enough shape to walk the course. No time pressure! Whenever! But if there's only one who will win, that changes everything: Now we have to get serious about winning and do what we can to prepare ourselves. We have to beat our bodies to make them do what may seem impossible, but in order to gain that crown, we must do the impossible! That's what Paul wants from every one of us: to live for Christ as if only one of us makes it into eternity with God. It changes how I live in this world, what I live for. It overthrows my former priorities, making the attaining of heaven the only thing I have time to live for. It means I will do everything I can to make sure I know the rules and am able to compete according to them, and that I'm able to beat everyone else in the race.
Application
Not everyone who claims to believe in Jesus Christ actually does believe in Him, but only those who respond in gratitude to His salvation with submission to His lordship. There are some rules to this race and I need to know and honor them. I know I don't have to be the greatest to gain eternity with Christ, because salvation does not depend on my obedience to Christ, but my faith in who He is and what He accomplished for me. But to think there is nothing I need to do but claim faith in Christ is to stand on very shaky ground: My faith is proved by my deeds and my response to my circumstances. Paul wants me to have full and complete assurance of salvation, so he tells me to run this race as if there's only one winner, and make sure I'm that winner. Then I'll never have to fear if my deeds are lacking and my faith insincere. My goal in life should not be to do the bare minimum, but to be the best possible believer in Jesus Christ.