1 Corinthians 9:24-27(NLT)
“24 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. 27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.”
The Apostle Paul is so frank and on-point in the way he instructs the Corinthian church. He labored with them and indeed deserved much credit for their spiritual success, but Paul was not always treated with the respect he deserved as an Apostle of Christ; even by those that owed quite a bit to his credit. Paul had not been with Christ as our Lord ministered to the afflicted and demon-possessed during his ministry on earth. This was widely known. However, on the day he was transformed, when he heard the voice of Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, none can deny that Paul was affected by Christ, and embodied his love more intimately than most.
At one time in his life, Paul had been well respected by the Jewish community and was a part of its upper echelon. After being called by the Lord Jesus Christ, his zeal for the gospel exceeded the zeal he once had for Jewish law. He was on fire for Christ, and didn’t cling to the perks of titles and positions. He completely abandoned his former way of life, because it had been a life of darkness and death. He was converted by Christ, and took up his cross to win souls for the Kingdom. He understood the work, the cause, and the crown.
Some in the Corinthian church questioned Paul’s credentials to be an Apostle of Christ, even though it was Paul that led them to Christ in the first place. This is both encouragement and instruction to us, because when God calls us to an assignment, even though we give it our all; even though we help those in need, feed those who are hungry and provide spiritual nourishment to those who thirst after God’s righteousness, our qualification may still be questioned. We shouldn’t be immediately offended, or think of ourselves as above being questioned. The work we do for the Kingdom will speak for us.
Paul could have chosen a different path than that of humility and service, but he knew that if he had done that, he would have lost the prize completely. He used the Isthmian games to illustrate his point. These were athletic and musical games and competition in ancient Greece, and this was very familiar to the Corinthians.
Paul told them that he disciplined his body like an athlete getting ready to compete in these very popular and grueling competitions. I don’t profess to know much about sports of any kind, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that if you’re going to be great at anything, you have to put in the hard work. Anybody (that includes a neophyte like me), that knows anything about sports can say that athletes work very hard off the court, as well as on the court. A boxer is constantly sparring, hitting the bag, jumping rope, and running many miles to build their endurance. Basketball players practice relentlessly, taking jump-shot after jump-shot. Football players are constantly running the field, throwing the football, and subjecting themselves to grueling workouts for strength. All athletes understand that peak condition is a must for peak performance. This was known even during the birth and height of the Corinthian church.
Paul explained to them that the reason why he was qualified was because he put the training time in. And more than this, he aimed to win the prize! In verse 26 he said, “I run every step with purpose!” He knew that he wasn’t running for a prize that would fade away. He was running for a prize that has the eternal quality of God’s glory, and so are we.
God has called us to a specific assignment. And those He calls, He also qualifies. We need not look for validation from others, because doing so will disqualify us from the race. The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:14(NLT), “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” It’s God’s race we’re running. Therefore, we should train ourselves well through the wisdom and knowledge of God’s Word, through the example of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; and we should follow the guidance and leadership of the Holy Spirit that indwells us. We must continue to build our endurance through the spiritual equipment God has provided and continue to press toward the mark that Christ has laid before us. This is what we must do to be qualified, win the race, and receive the prize.■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Don’t Be Disqualified”, written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2018. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.