First Corinthians 9 Part 5 Running Well In The Faith Race To Obtain A Crown
Though free, Paul saw himself a slave to all in order to win souls for Christ.
1 Corinthians 9:19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
Paul wrote more New Testament epistles than all of the other apostles combined and in them we have an excellent blueprint for ministry, church leadership, and church planting.
The Spirit of God guided Paul to expound about his ministry and strategy for preaching the gospel.
He considered himself free from all men He was a free born Roman citizen which gave him some important legal standing that he used effectively.
More than half of the population in areas governed by Rome were slaves and subject to compulsory service.
Paul was free but he saw himself as subject to all men for the sake of the gospel. He became a servant to all in order to win as many new converts to Christ as possible.
Paul's ministry was marked by the principle of self sacrifice and serving the Lord Jesus Christ with his whole heart.
Paul witnessed to Jews and put himself under the law in order to win them.
1 Corinthians 9:20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
Unto the Jews he became as a Jew simply means that Paul easily related to the Jews because he was born a Jew.
He was raised in a Jewish home and received religious education from a rabbi named Gamliel.
Paul had a thorough knowledge and complete grasp of the law, which he displayed many times, especially in the book of Hebrews.
Some Jews who converted to Christ still observed the law and considered themselves under obligation to observe its rites and ceremonies.
Paul then became as if he were under the same obligations and purified himself in the temple, as recorded in Acts 21:26.
Thus, Paul became a Jew, and as under the law, to gain them. Though he looked on the ceremonial law as a yoke taken off by Christ, yet in some instances he submitted to it.
He did this so that he might reason with the Jews, to preach the gospel, and win them over to Christ.
Paul lived as one not under the Jewish law in order to win Gentile converts.
l Corinthians 9:21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
"To them that are without law" speaks of the Gentiles, who had no written law from God like the Jews possessed.
When writing to the church at Rome Paul makes it clear that Gentiles do have the law of God written in their hearts. Therefore they had no excuse for sinning (See Romans 2:12-15).
As to converted Gentiles, Paul lived as one who was not under the bondage of the law as he consistently asserted in preaching to them.
However, Paul was not a lawless person. Rather he conducted himself as one who was bound by the laws of Christ.
He would transgress no laws of Christ to please any man, but he would accommodate himself to all where he might do it lawfully, in order to gain some.
Paul rested in the Lord Jesus Christ who perfectly fulfilled the law of God on our behalf, so that those who hear and heed the gospel may walk in newness of life.
Paul deferred to weaker Christians so as not to hinder their faith.
1 Corinthians 9:22-23 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23) And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
To the weak Paul became as weak, that he might gain them for Christ.
He did not despise nor judge weaker brothers or sisters over issues such as eating meat offered to idols.
Instead, Paul became as one of them, setting aside his liberty for their sake. He refused to do that which would create a stumbling-block in their way.
He denied himself for their sakes, that he might gain their souls.
The Christian life is a marathon not a sprint.
1 Corinthians 9:24-25 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25) 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.
The Olympic style games where foot races were prominent, were well known and a source of patriotic pride to the Corinthians.
The games were held every five years and were a passionate pursuit of the Greek athletes and culture.
Ongoing preparation for the games and the actual competitions were taken very seriously. However, only one person could claim the prize.
Thus Paul alludes to these games as an illustration of Christians walking worthy of Jesus Christ.
In particular, long distance running is a good illustration of walking by faith not by sight.
The apostle places the Christian faith race in contrast to the Isthmian games. In that competition only one athlete received the prize, though there were many entrants.
In running the faith race, many Christians have entered this race since the gospel was preached.
Many still enter today and many more will enter in the future in response to gospel preaching.
As long as the gospel of Christ is preached, people can respond with repentant faith and enter this glorious race toward the prize of eternal life and a home in heaven.
Unlike Olympic games, very single Christian will receive a prize.
Therefore Paul says we must run hard as we follow Christ in order to obtain it.
We must seek first the kingdom of heaven knowing that our Father will supply our needs. (Matthew 6:33).
We must set our affection on things above instead of being wrapped up in worldly things. (Colossians 3:1-2).
Follow hard after Christ Jesus and encourage your other brothers and sisters in Christ to run consistently and faithfully.
God's Spirit shows the path to running a good faith race for Christ.
Philippians 2:13-16 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14) Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15) That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16) Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
God is doing a spiritual work in us that needs to be done so that we more accurately reflect the image of Jesus Christ.
If we are prone to verbal disputes or chronic complaining, then we will hinder the purifying work God wants to do in us.
Our Father wants to make us blameless so that we function as good salt, slowing down the rate of societal decay.
Paul's ministry focus was to hold forth the word of life. That is, he preached the gospel of Christ until his life was over.
Paul knew that when he died he would be absent from his physical body and in the Lord's presence.
He longed for the day that his faith would be made sight and his heart would be flooded with joy.
Therefore, each day Paul lived by the gospel and set an excellent example for all believers to follow.
He ran his race of faith strongly and finished well, with the firm hope that his labors would bear much fruit for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Patiently run our race by laying aside all sin and looking to our Lord.
Hebrews 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2) 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The words "compassed about" is another allusion to the Olympic games.
The athletes were often strengthened by the crowds rousing cheers so that they gave their all while competing.
Just as the eyes of their countrymen were fixed on them while they raced, so too the believers who are now in the Lord's presence, exhort each Christian to finish their race strongly.
Those who ran in the Olympic races discarded every thing that might slow them down in their course.
In like manner, each Christian must throw aside every thing that might hinder them in their Christian race.
Whatever weighs down our hearts or feeds the fleshly affections of earthly things is to be carefully avoided.
Jesus taught us that no man can serve two masters. We are to serve Jesus Christ our Master with genuine love and affection for our Redeemer.
Our great, eternal high priest went before us in this faith race, paving the way for each Christian to successfully complete it.
The apostle's Spirit given guidance is that we lay aside the cares, distractions and troubles of this life so that we may run an unburdened race for our Lord.
Be disciplined, mortify your members, avoid the slag heap of impurity.
1 Corinthians 9:25-27 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. 26) I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27) 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.
A believer in Christ seeks to hear our Lord say "Well done, thou good and faithful servant" (See Matthew 25:14-30).
We want our service for Christ to withstand the testing fires of purity, so that we do not lose a reward (See 1 Corinthians 3:9-16).
Thus, we run this race seeking an incorruptible crown from our Lord.
Olympic athletes exercise "temperance" or self control while they are in training.
They will eat only healthy foods and get regular rest so that their body can perform it's best in the games.
In like manner, Paul states that he does not run ineffectively like a runner who beats the air.
Runners have their breathing, arms and legs all in sync so that their motions are fluid which boosts speed.
A Christian who beats the air while running this faith race is one who dabbles in sin instead of following hard after Christ.
This is what Paul meant when he urged us to lay aside every weight that slows us down, so that we might run a good race for our Lord's glory.
The Greek word translated “castaway” means an object rejected as unfit or substandard.
Comments
Post a Comment