[Run to Win] Finishing Well Sample

Christ our Hope

Paul used figures of speech in his letters to the churches under his charge as his calling from the Lord. He used metaphors to help believers relate to his teaching on theology and his exhortations for righteous living.

Paul’s spectacular word pictures have their foundation in the real world of athletics known in the Greek and Roman worlds through the Olympic and Isthmian games, which highlighted foot and chariot races and boxing and wrestling matches, to name the most significant competitions.

Paul’s audience was well versed in these sporting events, as was Paul, given that his primary residence for roughly eighteen months was the city of Corinth, where the Isthmian games were held. Thus, Paul could connect the training regimens and the actual competitions of athletes to the race of the Christian life.

Paul’s exhortation was not to be a spectator of the games, but instead to run the race and run it well, faithful to Christ, loving other believers, and striving to receive the crown of life from the hand of the Judge, the Lord, and Savior Jesus Christ.

The Bible lists different crowns that a believer can receive:

● The imperishable crown of 1 Corinthians 9:25 for leading a disciplined life.

● The crown of rejoicing in 1 Thessalonians 2:19 for evangelism and discipleship.

● The crown of the righteousness of 2 Timothy 4:8 is given for loving the Lord’s appearing.

● The crown of life in James 1:12 and Revelation 2:10 for enduring trials.

● The crown of glory of 1 Peter 5:4 for shepherding the flock faithfully.

With these crowns in view, Paul ran the race of the Christian life with a purpose—to gain a prize at the judgment seat of Christ. He desired to land every punch, train constantly, run within the rules, and finish the race well. He wanted the same thing for all of those to whom he wrote letters and ministered during his life.

Paul was not a spectator but a participant in the most fantastic race of all, the race of the Christian life. He was a fantastic example to all of us. What a marvelous maxim he gave us: “I have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith.”

The Sports Ministry Institute(SMI) was created under GCSD to minister to athletes from a wide variety of sports, with simple, thought-provoking devotions for athletes to think about their sport and their athletics inside the biblical worldview of God and His grace. Be equipped as an athlete/minister today. Pre-register for SMI Core Curriculum now!