Articles
Running to Win the Race
This year's Olympics, once again, did not disappoint, with a few more athletic competitors giving us examples that teach us some important principles of life, and with some important spiritual application, too. And lest you think sports has no place in spiritual teaching, consider that the apostle Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to compare our spiritual life with a runner competing for a prize (1 Cor. 9:24-27), and an athlete competing for a crown (2 Tim. 2:1-5), and likened his life of service to a race he had finished and that would bring a crown (2 Tim. 4:7, 8); the writer of Hebrews also likened our spiritual life as a race that must be run with endurance (Heb. 12:11, 2)
Help to Finish the Race. In the women's 5,000-meter race, Australian runner Nikki Hamblin was clipped by American Abbey D’Agostino, and fell to the track, stunned by the fall. D’Agostino then stumbled over Hamblin and fell to the track, too, but immediately got up. When she saw Hamblin was still lying on the ground, she tapped her on the shoulder and said, "Get up. We have to finish this." When D’Agostino then could not run because of a twisted ankle, Hamblin returned the favor and helped her to finish.
As Christians, we must never think of our spiritual race as a solo effort, and a "win" if we manage to only get ourselves to the "finish line." As someone told me a long time ago, the hardest thing for a Christian to do is to get to heaven alone. Think about it: How can we be truly convicted by the gospel message and never tell others about the reality of eternal punishment and God's plan for our escape of that condemnation?
As Christians who are convicted by the gospel, we should be doing our best to get others in the race for eternal life, and doing our best to help them run to win, too. [This is not a race where only one gets the prize, but we must run in such a way as to win it, cf. 1 Cor. 9:24-27.] We who are spiritual are supposed to do our best to restore the erring brother (Gal. 6:1), and when we know what awaits the one who turns back to the world (2 Pet. 2:20, 21, we will also be striving to get the erring brother to return to the Lord that we might “save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (Jas. 5:19, 20). This is a race where all runners cannot ignore the one who has fallen. Let us emulate these runners and, yes, set our eyes on the goal, but also not overlook our fellow runners. Lift up the fallen and help them finish, too.
Resolve to Finish, No Matter What. In the men's 10,000-meter race, Great Britain's Mo Farah [2012's gold medal winner and favorite for the Rio Olympics], on the 10th lap, tripped over U.S. runner Galen Rupp and fell to the track surface. Farah quickly got back up to his feet, though, and flashed a thumbs up. Farah not only went on to finish the race, but also won.
Farah's determination to finish, no matter what happened, is something every Christian should emulate. Far too often, though, Christians in this country complain about the smallest matters and allow these minor bumps in the track to discourage them and give up far too easily. I've heard Christians use the length of the sermon, the song leader's tempo, the warmth or coolness of the building, the time of assembly, the distance to the building, the price of gasoline, school assignments "due the next day," the weather, TV shows, visiting relatives, and sick pets as reasons to stay home.
The apostle Paul, who by Divine inspiration wrote, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1), also wrote of the numerous trials he endured for the sake of Christ (2 Cor. 11:22-33) — trials that were much more serious and difficult than bad weather or a song leader who leads too fast — and could still speak of those things as “our light affliction, which is but for a moment,…working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17). Paul looked as those things as insignificant, but things that, if endured, would bring a far greater reward that would far outweigh the difficulty of this earthly life.
Instead of looking for reasons to give up or be discouraged, let us be more like Mo Farah who, when circumstances knocked him down in one of his most important races, brushed it off as nothing, got up, and finished the race he came to win. His efforts were rewarded, and yours will be rewarded, too, but to a much greater degree. Get back up and run!
Disqualification. In the women's 400-meter relay race semifinal heat, one of Brazil's runners interfered with the American team's baton handoff and, because of that lane violation, caused the Brazilian team to be disqualified and allowed the American team to re-run the race, who then qualified for the final race, which they then won.
From all I could see in the replay [even in slow motion], it didn't appear like the Brazilian runner intended to put her arm in the way of the American runners or to bump a competitor, but intent did not matter; a rule was violated and the disqualification was justified.
While some preach and teach a false concept of "once saved, always saved," the Bible does not teach such. As we made reference to earlier, the apostle Paul, by Divine inspiration, admonished Timothy, “And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules” (2 Tim. 2:5). The context was exhortations to “endure hardship” as a disciple of Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 2:3), and if there was no possibility of falling or losing one's salvation, those admonitions and exhortations would make no sense. Even in Paul's final words about him finishing the race, the expected crown was dependent on him finishing the course; no runner wins a prize by running only a portion of the race! Again, Paul's words to Timothy clearly imply we can expect no reward if we do not compete according to God's rules.
Yes, God has rules for those who call themselves Christians. Despite those who misinterpret the meaning of Paul's words that we are “not under law but under grace” (Rom. 6:14) and say that means we cannot ever be disqualified from this race for eternity, God says differently — and His word is what matters.
Paul, in fact, wrote [again, by Divine inspiration] to the Christians in Corinth, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified” (2 Cor. 13:5). Disqualified? You read that right! Just as with that one runner who interfered with a competitor in the adjoining lane, intent did not matter, the fact it was "just one small incident" did not matter, and the fact all the team's efforts leading up to that moment did not matter. What mattered was, did they compete according to the rules? It was determined that they did not and, thus, were disqualified. Why would we think we could never be disqualified from salvation? Don't fool yourself; it is possible to be disqualified. Run the spiritual race for eternity, and run according to God's rules. Don't be disqualified, for missing out on the reward will be the greatest failure of all.
The Olympic athletes can teach us some important spiritual lessons, so watch the games with a different viewpoint. Then, get out and run the race! —— Steven Harper
