From prior images of the Christian life as walking and warfare, we now turn to the imagery of a race.
As an organized race has a common starting point, so the Christian life has a distinctive point of beginning. We use various terms to speak of it, such as conversion, new birth, regeneration or profession of faith.
When it comes to the Christian life, the beginning point is crucial. As Jesus said to Nicodemus, “You must be born again” (John 3:7). He had underscored the essentiality of this to Nicodemus by declaring, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).
The new birth is the beginning of the Christian’s race. Without this spiritual experience, the race does not begin for anyone.
Victorious living
Once the race is underway, living the Christian life victoriously requires discipline and training. Runners who win races have trained diligently and keep themselves in top physical condition. Among the fruitful disciplines of the Christian life are Bible study, prayer, worship, meditation, stewardship, serving others and cultivating Christlikeness.
We are reminded in 1 Corinthians 9:25 that everyone who competes for a prize exercises self-control. The Apostle Paul testified to this truth in his letter to the Corinthian church, saying, “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Cor. 9:27).
An important aspect of serious training is the putting off of weights that can become a detriment to winning a race. Hindering weights can be unconfessed sin, worldly involvements, neglected worship, uncontrolled anger or the love of money.
Hebrews 12:1–2 admonishes, “Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”
Winners do not glance at the spectators or any other distraction along the track. They keep their eyes on the goal — the finish line and the prize that awaits them.
Our goals include becoming like a Person, namely Christ Jesus, and being in a place, namely the Father’s house. As 1 Corinthians 9:24 says, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.”
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