I Cor. 9:25 ... "Everyone who competes in the games excercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable."
Only a few miles from Corinth a great athletic event, the Isthmian Games, was held once every five years. Similar to the Olympic Games, they generated great interest among the Greek people, and every town in the Hellenic world sent young men to try to win glory for themselves and for their fellow citizens. It has been conjectured that these games took place while Paul labored in Corinth during the years of about 50-52 AD and that he witnessed some part of them. This contact evidently made a significant impression upon his mind, suggesting parallels with the Christian life that he often used as illustrations. Such is the case in I Cor. 9:24-27, where Paul compares the self-control required in the Christian effort to the athlete's training.
He introduces the illustration with a question, "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize?" There were several running events in the Isthmian Games, and a great number of men competed in them. But in each event only one could be the winner. The life of a Christian is also a race, not in competition with other participants, but rather with agents of evil that would prevent the disciple from reaching the goal. To receive the prize in the Christian race, one only needs to finish it. So Paul encourages his readers, "Run in such a way that you may win." Several years later, as he himself faced death, Paul was able to proclaim triumphantly that he had run the race to the end (τὸν δρόμον τετέλεκα!) and was prepared to claim his prize. He wrote in II Tim. 4:7-8. "I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing."
As he continued to instruct the Christians, the apostles says, "Everyone who competes in the games excercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable." His readers knew that to compete in the Isthmian Games it was required that each athlete undergo a very strict ten month period of intense training. To neglect or refuse to do so disqualified one from the events. Here Paul makes a strong point that many of us seem not to have grasped. The spiritual involvement of many Christians ranges from indifferent to little more than lukewarm. For a while they show some interest and participate a little in the activities of the church. Then for a while they absent themselves, showing no interest and lending their efforts in no way to the works the church must do. Nevertheless, they expect at death to receive the same rewards as those who have kept fully committed to the Christian effort throughout their lives. Our text informs us, however, that the "imperishable crown" is given only to those who "exercise self-control," and that means application to constant, continuous effort. No one wins a race by running for a stretch, resting a while, running a little further, deserting the track to engage in some other activity for a time, then returning to the race to run a bit more, etc. One who lives his life in this manner and considers himself worthy of the imperishable crown will be tragically surprised at the end of life. The reward of the victor in the Isthmian Games was a laurel wreath crown which soon faded and decayed. But the reward of the completed Christian race is a "crown of (eternal) life, " (Rev. 2:10). This crown is not granted to every soul that expects it just because at some point he professed faith in Christ, (Mat. 7:21). It is granted rather only to those who exercised the self-discipline to stay involved in active Christian service to the end of life.
