Run to Win the Prize

Inheriting the Kingdom - "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize" (1 Cor 9:24). One way or another life is about building and inheriting the fruit of our labours and, few people would settle for the repechage instead of the winner's prize. Paul expresses his apprehension about losing the prize and conveys his concern so believers look to the future, and finish the race better than we start. The metaphor is not about salvation or a competition between competitors, it's about "inheriting the Kingdom". His concern is how we run the race, and he emphasises that our works be motivated by the Holy Spirit and a call heavenward. These are not works done to satisfy the inclinations of a religious enterprise. This commentary speaks to those who are saved but haven't seriously considered the prize nor examined what judgment means, within an end-times narrative. It speaks to those who've done little since the day they were saved, like the unwise servant who buried his master's money in the sand, and through lack of foresight lost his inheritance. There will be regrets in heaven if we ignore the cost of losing the prize. 

The judgment seat of Christ - Some imagine this event is all about rewards, and to their loss they ignore the urgency and consequences of Paul's teaching. This commentary is predicated on the importance of “the race” and emphasises that believers have escaped the judgement of God, but we cannot escape the judgement of Christ. The New Testament emphasises that believers are saved by faith alone. Our unrighteousness is considered righteous, and we are permanently sealed in Christ. At this point, nothing can separate us from God. Why, because this is God's promise to those HE has justified (saved), NOT our promise to God (Mk 10:27). To suggest we can lose our salvation, for any reason, is blasphemy, blasphemy against the promises of God, against the words of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit. The prize for winning the race is "inheriting the kingdom", this is not determined by salvation, but by the value of our works at the judgment seat of Christ. All believers are saved by faith, but not all believers inherit the kingdom, and, to this end, we should consider reading the story of the Prodigal Son who fell away, and later returned to his father, but lost his inheritance. We might consider Moses, and the Israelites, who were saved out of Egypt, but never inherited the promised land (Num 14-15). The good works Paul has in mind refer to those that stand the judgement of fire. It's a separation of things done in God and things done for ourselves, works done in pride, and those done in sacrifice. We must judge the motive in our works because all justified believers come before Christ and he will separate those who win and those who lose their inheritance. Those who adhere to an Armenian view of salvation have no certainty in their salvation, and Calvinists have a God who takes care of salvation, works (sanctification), and glorification for them. The Armenists have no basis for claiming certainty because they depend on works-based righteousness and Calvinists have righteousness works prepared for them. The problem for the Calvinists is their salvation doctrine undermines the entire reason for sanctification and reduces any implications of the judgment seat to theological nonsense. Traditional salvation doctrine says “By faith I am”, the Armenian says “I hope I am”, and the Calvinist says, “God said so I am”.

The eschatological challenge - is whether our current works are righteous or unrighteous. Secondly, and just as vital, the responsibility of the Church to facilitate and guide our works toward the winner's prize. Does the Church speak about the Kingdom but camp at the cross, does it talk about heaven, but focus on elementary principles? Does it push us toward the prize or consume us with the present? In Heb 5:11 -14 Paul has much to say about this, however, as he attempts to make his teaching clear, those he speaks to no longer want to understand, so he responds provocatively, "By this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness". Ouch, that hurt. So what was the elementary teaching that Paul was referring to?

Elementary principles - By today's standard, the elementary teaching Paul speaks of is closer to what we might understand as the weighty, meat of the word teaching. Paul suggests that mature Christians should have moved beyond (to leave behind) the elementary doctrines of Christ (Christology) because the journey of sanctification requires that we have already accepted them, as given first principles, not continually looking back to them, as if not doing so will jeopardise our salvation. No, if we're justified we move forward in eternal security, always looking to the prize while learning from the dark and difficult places we experience on the journey. These first principles are the basis on which we train for the race, not the inheritance we strive for, so failing to move forward becomes a hindrance, that leads to spiritual ambivalence. Constantly returning to elementary principles is like camping at the start line, instead of running to win the prize.

Stop sinning - Paul stresses that we stop sinning because this "lays down" reasons for ongoing repentance, and we should be moving on from sins committed in the past. Paul talks about ceasing the works done in our strength, actions that are spiritually dead activities, that compromise our sanctification.

Doctrine of Baptism - Paul instructs that we move on from the doctrine of baptism. Yet today we have a baptism cocktail that attempts to gerrymander the Old Testament baptism of repentance and the New Testament baptism of the Spirit, even though the theological form of the word for ‘OT baptism’ is derived from ancient law concerning cleansing rites. This "type" was applied by John before the New Testament covenant had been established, and includes the baptisms of John and the baptism of Christ. Both were baptisms of repentance, not salvation (Acts 19:4, Jn 3:1-15). John's baptism served as a "type", that in John's own words (Jn 3 1-15), pointed to something coming that was greater, even more significant than repentance. Prophetic "types" point to an inflection point, a representation of a major change about to happen, but they're not the descriptor of an ongoing practice. 

The resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment - is foundational to the Christian life. These are regarded as "first principles of the Gospel" and must be laid down as cornerstones to be a Christian. Paul tells us to move on from these just as he left them, "forgetting the things that, are behind" not because they're unimportant, but because they're first principles, and, no true godliness exists without them. So we lay them down as foundation stones and then plan how we finish the race.

So we profess to be disciples - but how much time do we spend with God? Are we motivated to run the race? Invariably time and motivation are enemies to finishing the race, and close behind is the absence of encouragement, the tools to train, and a place to flourish. This is a challenge for institutionalised religion. In contrast, many Christians have little difficulty rising to success and maturity through career and family, so why does a relationship with God struggle to maintain the same forward impetus, or even stop at the cross and remain immature? These are the justified believers Paul is speaking to. Christian theologian; John Lennox, when asked what his final words to his children might be, responded, "We've become fixated with digital equipment and it's robbing us of time. People say they have no time, but they have loads of time. We're robbing ourselves of the most important thing in life, and that is seeking fellowship with God through his word. You will never have any impact on this world, by reading the bible for 5 minutes before you jump into bed".

Running aimlessly - Running without a finish line, or a prize, is like eating food without the taste, it's unsatisfying and demotivating and becomes an "I should do" exercise, that's neither enjoyable nor gratifying. If no prize exists, there's no reason to train, and we eventually stop training altogether. The way forward begins with acknowledging, that there are consequences for not finishing the race well, and we would do well if we focused on teaching and ministry that motivates believers in this direction. But, this should be done in a challenging, robust manner that acknowledges the seriousness of Paul's statements. This is a challenge to all who claim to be disciples of Christ. We need to stop looking back to the cross and address the consequences of our race to the judgment seat of Christ.