Click or tap book name
Use <control> drag to
scroll
Bible Notes - Tabernacle Commentaries
About
Links
Home
"
Navigator
1 Corinthians 9:25
Comments
How do athletes train for a race? They modify their entire lifestyle for the sake of this one great objective which they set before them. The lengths to which those athletically gifted will go are impressive. In order to outperform others they will modify their diet to eat and drink healthily and forego foods that they would otherwise enjoy. They rise early when others are still in their beds and submit their bodies to rigorous exercise, always pushing to new limits, and in those days they did it for something, a wreath on the head, that won't last long. They do it to be commended by men and for earthly glory. But God’s people exercise a much more profound level of self-control, temperance a different sort. We do it for an everlasting glory, freely and graciously given to us by God. We could never earn it, not earn even a fraction of it. It is all to be given to us in his great lovingkindness, freely. And yet, so often, we will not make an effort; and we will not accept the disciplines; and we will not curb sinful tendencies. What reasoning this is! The glory to be given to the saints is given forever, along with eternal life. Their reward is God himself, as the Lord tells Abraham. It is a crown, a wreath of victory, given to the successful competitor, and it is in order to win his own race that the apostle is so strict with himself.
Application
Self-control is a massive issue in the Christian life. Watching our time; keeping our devotions; keeping up the concern for holiness of life; self-examination; repentance; commitment of the Lord; restraint over things that would divert our attention and take us away from these duties. We too, like the athlete, must watch how we spend our time; we must be careful not to pamper ourselves. We examine the departments of our lives and note when we begin to drift in any respect.
Questions
Outline
Purpose
Introduction