Running the Gospel Race

The Christian life is a marathon. The prize at the end of this race is incorruptible and the joy of just being in this race is unspeakable. Of all lifeÂ’s experiences, nothing compares to the surrender of oneÂ’s life to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul set forth this marathon in descriptive language. “And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. 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 9:23-27) What beautiful language!

Most of the language being employed in church circles sidesteps the Biblical facts of the intense warfare that the Gospel message represents. The profound Christian life is not on the cheap. Church membership has been reduced to the lowest possible denominator to accomplish the highest possible numbers. The Biblical Gospel will have no part of this. We are commanded to put on the whole armor of God because we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against incredible powers of darkness. The enemy looks for every chink in our armor and sends fiery darts into those places of vulnerability. This is the reason the apostle calls this a race, a marathon, and warns of the approach we must make to win the prize. If you cannot miss the prize, PaulÂ’s language is insane.

I love his instruction, “So run that ye may obtain.” I am not satisfied with my life for Christ being ordinary. Just being a church pew warmer strikes me with terror. Sure, there is a cost to being an “extraordinary Christian”, if there is any other kind. This apostle said it like this to the Philippian saints. “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” (Philippians 3:8-9) There are many things, besides sin, that must be forsaken to obtain the ultimate prize. We long have gloried inthe Hudson Taylors of missionary history because they gave up so much to obtain the prize, but we have not translated that to the local church scene.

Paul continues, “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.” (1 Corinthians 9:25) The world has a host of masters that have sacrificed to be the best in their field. The star on the ball team must give his time to master his pitch or his catch. The track master has made himself a fool for his chosen sport. Where are the fools for Christ? Being a great servant of the Lord demands the temperance of all things in our lives. Self-control in dress, speech, demeanor, and time is imperative for the masters of Gospel living. Often, great singers in the church give of themselves to obtain the best in style, but fail to give of themselves to obtain the best in Godly testimony. View the scrap yard of Gospel singers and you will find a multitude of castaways.

The apostle gave his testimony in the midst of this great passage. “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 9:26-27) His name is spectacular in Biblical revelation because he paid the price for the prize. Paul is not talking about being lost as much as he is talking about being worthless. The thief on the cross was not lost, but his life had been worthless. The church world is full of great potential drifting on the sea of carelessness. Multitudes of church people have never been converted because they have never been challenged to what this Gospel represents. It’s a marathon, it’s the ultimate race, and it’s exhilarating to run. The Son of God paid the price to purchase you to Himself. He made it plain that you cannot be His disciple unless you forsake all else for Him. His words are straight and powerful. “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (St. Matthew 16:24-26)

There is no need to add to His words. This race is for the bravehearted, for the transformed saint that has been born again, converted. You will never regret signing up for this race once you have gotten a taste of the “rush of His Spirit” in the middle of the run.