The Race to Eternal Rewards — 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

If I asked you to look at a calendar and point to the tenth of June, would anything of note come to mind? On that day, in the year 2001 AD, Julian Alfred was born. Fast forward to August 3, 2024, and Julian won the 100-meter gold medal on the world’s greatest athletic stage. It was the first Olympic medal ever won by her beloved home country of Saint Lucia. Media coverage could hardly capture the pride and sense of accomplishment felt by her family, friends, and fellow countrymen (who I guess are still celebrating). She had beaten the best and was now being called the best! This was the culmination of years of preparation, dedication, and sacrifice. I’m sure she invested countless hours in training, exercising, looking ahead, and fine-tuning her nutrition. We may not all be able to become world-class athletes like Julian Alfred, but we are all running a race with a chance to win a prize. In fact, each of us needs the same discipline to win the race at hand. It is a race that saves our souls.

Run to win

In 1 Corinthians 9:24, a question is asked and an exhortation is given: “Do you not know that those who run in a race try their best to win, but only one receives the prize? Run so that you may receive the prize, which is yours!” The Christian life is like the journey of an Olympic athlete. By the time Paul was writing, the Olympics had become a grand event in ancient Greece, where the best athletes from near and far competed for bragging rights. Every athlete wanted to win the race, and this is the attitude we Christians should have as well. It is not confidence in our own abilities, but an unwavering reliance on our Savior, who has proven to be reliable. Sometimes Christians support a melancholic mentality, making “woe is me” the theme song of their lives. I, too, have complained about trials and uncomfortable circumstances. When we study the lives of Jesus and His apostles, we see their unwavering commitment to doing the will of God. They were committed to reporting His government’s mission to their fellow men. They were willing to be misunderstood, ridiculed, imprisoned, and even killed for serving Christ.

According to Luke 10:20, Jesus told his followers, “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Here, as always in his recorded teachings, the Son of God encouraged people to wholehearted devotion, commitment, and assurance. He did not leave them in doubt as to whether they could run the full race. He wanted them to know that their ultimate victory was certain if they continued to connect with him. As we continually contend with our fleshly nature, Satan’s lies, and the battles of everyday life, let us stay on our path with the assurance that the living God is able to accomplish his redemptive work within us. We trust in the One who has already defeated the enemy. Therefore, as we follow him, we do so with the determination to win!

Eternal Reward

1 Corinthians 9:25 continues, “Every able-bodied athlete has his share, and he must exercise self-control. They do this to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.” In the Olympic Games held in Greece, the prizes were nothing like they are today. Today’s Olympians can build generational wealth through endorsements, but that wasn’t the case back then. According to worldhistory.org: Each winner received “…a victory crown made of wild olive leaves and branches cut from a sacred tree… The olive tree was important because it was believed that the tree in Olympia was originally planted by Hercules… The real prize for the athlete, however, was glory, fame, and, quite literally, historical immortality.” Yes, you read that correctly, Olympic winners walked away with crowns made of olive trees and bragging rights.

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The question is, how many names do you remember of the athletes in those races who fought so hard until they were exhausted and on the verge of death? As time passes, the memory of their sacrifice and victory fades like everything else. Even today’s athletes must face the reality of one day being forgotten. So, what is the point of racing? In the race that God has called us to, the rewards last forever! The greatest reward a Christian can look forward to is uninterrupted fellowship with our Creator and Redeemed! Regarding our fellowship with God: Revelation 21:3 gives us a glimpse of our future reality: “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men, and He will dwell among men. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them (be their God).” Regarding our fellowship with the redeemed, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 reads: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them (the resurrected ones) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort and encourage one another with these words (regarding our reunion with deceased believers).”

Our names will be remembered forever in Heaven, but our greatest satisfaction is to praise the name of the One who has shown us such love. Hallelujah!