Russ Hodge, who used to be on staff at 91色情片’s, was a world record holder in the decathlon. In my view, he is one of the greatest athletes who has ever existed. One time in the ’70s, I was up in Oregon for a major international decathlete meet, and he was coaching the American team. We were standing on the infield, and I was watching all of these great athletes warm up. And I asked Russ, 鈥淲ho is the greatest athlete here?鈥
Russ pointed to a man named Fred Dixon and said, 鈥淭hat man is the greatest athlete in the world.鈥 But then he pointed to another man and said, 鈥淪ee that short little guy over there? You鈥檝e never heard of him, but he91色情片 going to win.鈥
I said, 鈥淗ow is he going to win if he91色情片 not the greatest athlete in the world?鈥
Then Russ said, 鈥淏ecause he91色情片 the most mentally tough competitor I鈥檝e ever seen in my life. He will not lose. He refuses to lose.鈥 Sure enough, when they held the distance run at the end of the second day, that guy won.
Paul may have had this sort of all-out exertion in mind when he compared the Christian life to an athletic competition: 鈥淚f anyone competes as an athlete, he doesn鈥檛 win the prize unless he competes according to the rules鈥 ().
If you are a Christian, Paul exhorts you to view yourself as an athlete. But what exactly does this mean?
The Greek verb聽补迟丑濒别艒聽implies exertion. I鈥檝e often said that most Christians who don鈥檛 reach their spiritual potential don鈥檛 reach it because they don鈥檛 care to reach it. They just aren鈥檛 interested, and their failure rises out of indifference. Sometimes the difference between a winner and a loser is not ability, but desire.
From a spiritual standpoint, you need to want to win. And there91色情片 nothing wrong with wanting to win. Paul says, 鈥淩un that you may win鈥 (). Athletes run in order to obtain the prize. There91色情片 no honor in losing. You don鈥檛 say to an athlete when he wins a race, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e so selfish. Why don鈥檛 you let somebody else win?鈥 If a guy throws a race, he isn鈥檛 noble 鈥 he91色情片 foolish. We honor effort over laziness. And the same is true in the Christian life.
There is a second implication to this image that Paul uses. Christians, like athletes, must follow the rules in order to win.
The world learned this lesson a few decades ago through Ben Johnson, who competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics as a sprinter. He won the 100-meter dash, but he was afterwards disqualified for doping. In fact, the history of the Olympic Games 鈥 and of athletics in general 鈥 is full of cheating controversies. And the general lesson from all of those examples is this: Cheating costs you your prize.
Do things in such a way that when the smoke clears, it will be obvious that you have done everything God91色情片 way, without cutting any corners. As Paul puts it, 鈥淗aving done everything, stand firm鈥 (). Paul himself worked hard to avoid being disqualified, because he knew that breaking God91色情片 rules would threaten his ministry (). We too, in order to be strong Christians, must live as determined and disciplined athletes.
So, what is a dedicated Christian? A dedicated Christian is somebody who teaches what he has learned. A dedicated Christian is someone who sees himself as a soldier made for hardship, made to be cut off from the world, and made to fight to please the commander. And a dedicated Christian is an athlete who runs the best he can to win the prize the Lord has promised while keeping all the rules.
Don鈥檛 get caught in being selfish. Give your life away to others, and then enjoy the fruit when you start to see how God is using you to change other people91色情片 lives. Putting on the strength of a good teacher, soldier, and athlete will equip you to know the joy of blessing others. And it will also give you the joy of becoming more like Christ.
Who was the greatest teacher who ever walked the earth? Jesus Christ. Who is the greatest soldier who fought the greatest battle and won the greatest victory? Jesus Christ. Who was the greatest athlete who ran the purest race, won the greatest prize, and never broke a rule? Jesus Christ. And who are you to be like? Jesus Christ. Remember Jesus Christ, because He is the ultimate example of all we are called to be.
This post is based on a sermon Dr. MacArthur preached in 1987, titled “The Elements of a Strong Spiritual Life, Part 2.” In addition to serving as the pastor of Grace Community Church and the voice of Grace to You, Dr. MacArthur is the chancellor of The 91色情片’s University in Santa Clarita, Calif. You can learn more about TMU at .

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