1 Corinthians 9:25b
Ps Paul Cheng
~5 min read
The Christian ought to run the race to win, with self-control and to obtain an incorruptible crown.
III. Run to obtain an incorruptible crown
1 Corinthians 9:25b, Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
The word crown (stephanos) is from where we get the English word for Stephen. The deacon Stephen (Acts 6) was martyred for his faith, and he received the martyrs’ crown.
In the ancient games, the winner would be awarded a wreath made up of leaves and branches that was placed on his head. This corruptible crown made up of perishable leaves and branches was practically worth nothing but only for that momentary glory when the winner stood on the podium to receive that award.
The athletes who trained for many years; had to exercise self-control and restrict themselves from many things, e.g. food, drink, leisure, rest, etc. All those sacrifices were made for that wreath made up of leaves and branches. It has been said that “the glory fades as fast as the plants on the wreath.” Can you fathom the vanity?
Take a moment and consider the greatest award you have ever received in your lifetime. Maybe, you have received a trophy, plaque, certificate accompanied with some money as a token of appreciation. How long would all those things last? Is it not vanity? You trained so hard and sacrificed your time and resources, just to stand on that stage and receive that award, to the applause of the crowd, and then you are forgotten. You are just one out of the millions and millions who have received great awards throughout the history of mankind.
But the Christians are different, for they are running to receive not a corruptible crown which would soon perish and be forgotten, but an incorruptible crown. Incorruptible means imperishable which is not liable to death and destruction, and it would last forever and ever. Even when God destroys this present heaven and earth because they have been tainted with sin, and He creates the new heavens and the new earth, that incorruptible crown would still be there. Something that lasts for all eternity is something worth fighting for, isn’t it true?
Dear friend, when we live for Christ, the result is eternal. If we know that we are running this Christian race to obtain an incorruptible crown, then it must surely affect our present life on this earth, right?
- It must affect our services for the Lord - Many people are willing to work so hard for their earthly bosses, sadly sometimes even at the expense of their family time, in order to build their wealth in this world that will eventually perish. How much more should the believer give of his time and effort to serve the One who will give him an incorruptible crown that will never perish?
- It will stop us from murmuring and complaining - Oftentimes, when other people do not serve, and we feel that we are the only ones doing the work all by ourselves, we tend to murmur, like Martha complaining about her sister Mary. But if we are running the race to receive the incorruptible crown, we should be serving the Lord with gladness in our hearts. If we truly understand the eternal value, then we must not let murmuring and complaining rob us of the incorruptible crown.
- It will encourage us to endure and press on in this life - The athletes train and run hard just to receive the corruptible crown which is temporal and perishable, and we train and run hard to receive the incorruptible crown which is spiritual and imperishable. How can it not encourage our hearts to persevere?
Since the crown that Paul looked forward to receiving is incorruptible, therefore he said, I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air (v.26). In other words, Paul was saying, “I am not someone who runs aimlessly.”
The Christian must not live his life aimlessly. Do you realise that it is so easy for a person to live aimlessly? There are some people who do not understand why they are doing what they are doing. Week after week, they are just going through the motions, without pausing to consider, “Why am I doing this; worshipping, serving, etc.? How is Christ glorified by what I am doing?” There are some who simply think that the Christian life is so boring, and everyday is the same, with no desire, vision, goal, plan or resolution for Christ. There are others who do not even understand why they have to exercise self-control and self-discipline, and they have absolutely no clue as to why they are going through trials and tribulations in their Christian walk - every time they face a struggle, they murmur and complain. There are yet others who want to do so many things; they start to do something, and then give up and do something else, and then give up and move on to another thing. In reality, they do not know what the Lord wants them to do. They are all running aimlessly!
A good illustration is that of a fighter who is beating the air. He is like a boxer who is swinging his arms, but he is not aiming for his opponent. He is just “shadow-boxing.” In a sense, Paul was saying, “Do not live your life aimlessly, but be someone who runs with an aim.”
The only way the Christian can run with an aim is to obey the command given in Hebrews 12:2, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. The phrase looking unto Jesus is not a command. It is a description of the believer’s preoccupation when he is running the race. He needs to focus on the ultimate example and that is the Lord Jesus Christ.
In running, as well as other sports, where the athlete looks is extremely important. When he looks at the wrong thing, he is bound to lose the race. No runner will run well if he is looking at his friends up in the stands. A good runner cannot even look at his feet otherwise he would lose his balance, fall and lose the race.
Some Christians are just too preoccupied with themselves or the people around them. They pay too much attention to what they are doing or what others are thinking about them. Such people will not run well for the Lord. As the Christian runs and inches toward the finishing line, he must not be distracted, and he must follow the example of Jesus Himself who had finished the race faithfully.
If one focuses on himself or the people around him, he will not run well for the Lord. Jesus is the author means He is the pioneer, originator and the One who guides and leads. He is the finisher of our faith means He is the One who will carry our faith to the very end of the Christian race.
Run to obtain an incorruptible crown; this is the way we should run the Christian race faithfully!
With love in Christ,
Pastor Paul Cheng
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