How Are You Running?
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1Corinthians 09:24 The Context: It seems that Paul and Banabas were being challenged regarding their use of gifts (money, housing, food) given to them by the people to whom they ministered. His answer is that in the Old Testament, people serving God's people were helped by those being helped. But, even though being "paid" was acceptable, Paul had worked to pay his own way most of the time. He did so for three basic reasons. 1. To not be a burden on anyone else. 2. To avoid the criticism that he knew would come. 3. Because the ministry was what God called him to do and it must be done no matter what it cost him. Concluding his explanation about accepting payment for ministering, Paul asks a question to prompt the Corinthian believer to think more seriously about the way they serve God and each other.
God Asks Us: "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it."
JNE: It is common to see this question and think it is talking about our salvation as "the prize." But the context certainly does not point to that idea. It is all about how and why Christians serve God and each other. Sadly, too many are spectators rather participants and spectators get no rewards. The rewards of service are three fold. 1. Those serving get the great privilege of seeing God working in the lives of those they serve. 2. Those serving have the great joy of experiencing God blessing their own lives through their serving others. 3. Most wonderful, and the "prize" most worth "obtaining," is the greatest privilege of glorifying God by making Him the primary object of all our serving (running).
So, God, through Paul, is asking me, "Are you serving?" "Are you serving as well as you can?" "Are you serving to glorify yourself, or Me?"
Read "The Gospel?"
1Corinthians 09:24 The Context: It seems that Paul and Banabas were being challenged regarding their use of gifts (money, housing, food) given to them by the people to whom they ministered. His answer is that in the Old Testament, people serving God's people were helped by those being helped. But, even though being "paid" was acceptable, Paul had worked to pay his own way most of the time. He did so for three basic reasons. 1. To not be a burden on anyone else. 2. To avoid the criticism that he knew would come. 3. Because the ministry was what God called him to do and it must be done no matter what it cost him. Concluding his explanation about accepting payment for ministering, Paul asks a question to prompt the Corinthian believer to think more seriously about the way they serve God and each other.
God Asks Us: "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it."
JNE: It is common to see this question and think it is talking about our salvation as "the prize." But the context certainly does not point to that idea. It is all about how and why Christians serve God and each other. Sadly, too many are spectators rather participants and spectators get no rewards. The rewards of service are three fold. 1. Those serving get the great privilege of seeing God working in the lives of those they serve. 2. Those serving have the great joy of experiencing God blessing their own lives through their serving others. 3. Most wonderful, and the "prize" most worth "obtaining," is the greatest privilege of glorifying God by making Him the primary object of all our serving (running).
So, God, through Paul, is asking me, "Are you serving?" "Are you serving as well as you can?" "Are you serving to glorify yourself, or Me?"
Read "The Gospel?"