1 Cor 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
*When we are born again, God gives
us what is necessary to obtain our prize, which is eternal life. We have His Word
& His Spirit to teach us & guide us in
our pursuit
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery (rule, control, victory) is temperate (self-restrained) in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; (not with doubt or confusion) 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. (failure)
*We do not ‘try to live for God’... We make the decision that ‘we will live for God.’
1 Tim 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold (take & keep) on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
2 Tim 2:3 Thou therefore endure (tolerate, survive) hardness (difficulty) as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, (with crown of life) except he strive lawfully. *obeying the rules – the plan
*Paul is making a comparison of the race that was part of the ancient games of Rome to a long-term race that is the spiritual race of a life in Christ. Just as in a physical race, we must endure until the end of the race, the end being the end of our days here on earth. He is giving us instruction on how to win the race without fail:
1. We must be temperate
2. We must not doubt
3. We must keep our flesh crucified
4. We must strive to keep going no matter what obstacles may arise to hinder us
5. We must do the following...
Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. > [loins girt about with truth - breastplate of righteousness - feet shod with the gospel of peace - shield of faith - helmet of salvation - sword of the Spirit - praying always, & watching]
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. *We ‘put to death’ the affections & lusts of the flesh that is unpleasing to God.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
2 Tim 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
2 Cor 10:17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. if any will boast let him boast in what God has done
18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. we are not approved of ourselves, but of God
2 Cor 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
*We must not blindly follow the teachings of man, but work out our own salvation with fear & trembling...meaning salvation should be so important to us that we diligently search the scriptures in reverence, doing all that is commanded to obtain it.
Ancient Games:
According to history the ancient Olympic Games began in the year 776 BC,
The games were held every four years and records show that the first games consisted of only one footrace held on one day. Later, a variety of other events were added, including longer races (likely the 400 meter, 1500 and 5000 meter races). Wrestling was added as was the pentathlon and horse races, including the chariot race. All competitions derived from and honored the skills valued among warriors.
One of the running events practiced in the ancient games required competitors to run two to four "stade" (the length of the stadium, approximately equivalent to 200 or 400 meters) in full battle gear!.
The order of the events is not precisely known, but the first day of the festival was devoted to sacrifices. Then, footraces, wrestling, boxing, and the pancratium, a combination of the two for which the spectators gathered in the stadion, an oblong area enclosed by sloping banks of earth. In the first of these sports the object was to throw the antagonist to the ground three times. Boxing became more and more brutal; at first the fighters wound straps of soft leather over their fingers as a means of deadening the blows, but in later times hard leather, sometimes weighted with metal, was used. In the pancratium, the most rigorous of the sports, the contest continued until one of the participants acknowledged defeat.
Horse racing, in which each entrant owned his horse, was confined to the wealthy but was nevertheless a popular attraction. After the horse racing came the pentathlon, a series of five events = wrestling, discus throwing, javelin hurling, long jumping, and sprinting. The exact sequence of the sports and the method used to determine the winner are not known. The discus was a plate of bronze, probably lens shaped. The javelin was hurled with the aid of a strap wound about the shaft, producing a rotary motion for greater distance and accuracy. The jumping event was judged for distance, not for height. The victors were awarded crowns of pine leaves, herbs or wild olive. Celebrated by poets, they often lived for the rest of their lives at public expense.
* Paul is probably referring to the Isthmian (is –mean) games –held on the Isthmus of Corinth. These games were held in between the ‘Olympic games’ (whether every 2 yr. or 4 yr. is not clear) and was a lesser event.
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