EVERY MAN THAT STRIVETH FOR THE MASTERY

There are three pictures in these verses for us to consider: the runner, v. 24; the wrestler, v. 25; and the castaway, v. 27. The mes­sage to the Corinthian believers is that they are in a race and they must behave as winners. This is not a race to heaven but an illus­tration of the dedication needed in the service of God. In the Isthmian Games there were many runners in each race but only one would be the winner. He would be the one who had trained diligently, behaved himself wisely and sacrificed many legiti­mate pleasures he might otherwise have enjoyed if he were not particular about winning the race. His natural gift of speed could be hampered by legitimate but unnecessary things. So, he threw these off and ran in order to obtain the prize, cf. Heb. 12. 1.

Similarly, the wrestler or boxer also had to exercise discretion in the things he allowed himself to enjoy. Determination to win ensured that sacrifices would have to be made. The end result would most certainly justify the means. As a winner he would receive the wreath of flowers which, alas, would soon wither and die. We, as believers on the way to heaven, are in a race and in a fight! Things in our lives that are a weight or a hindrance should be left aside. When Paul says, ‘I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection’, v. 27, he means that it is through his body that sin is committed. Sin will debilitate performance in the race or fight, and so he strives continuously to ensure that he does not allow himself to be hindered by sin and fleshly desires and activities. He encourages all to ‘so run’ and to ‘so fight’ in order that they might win an incorruptible crown.

In our third picture we see a castaway. This is not a castaway on a desert island, though there is truth in that description. Here, it is more the idea of being disqualified or rejected by the judge at the games for having in some way not recognized all the rules of contest. The spiritual application looks forward to the judgement seat of Christ when it could be that, though I have told others to keep to the rules, I might face the possibility of my own service being rejected. My salvation, however, is not in question. That does not depend on me, but on the Lord, and I know His work is already accepted.