The
Corinthian church members were told by Paul the apostle that he was
“made all things to all men, that”
he “might save some”
“for the gospel's sake”.
He desired that he “might be partaker
thereof with” the
church members of the fruits of the “gospel”,
and in chapter nine and verse twenty-four
of First Corinthians, Paul asked
the Corinthians if they knew, “they
which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize?”
where we read:
Know
you not that they which run in a race run all,
but
one receives the prize? So run, that you may obtain.
The
verse begins, “Know
you not that they which run in a race run all, ...”
Paul began
with the words, “know you not”
which means “do the church members in Corinth not perceive, see,
notice, discern and discover” “that
they” or
“those people” “which run”
which means “who haste, exert themselves and strive hard” “in
a race” or
“on a race course or place in which contests in runner were held”
“run all”
or “each, every, the whole and everyone make haste, exert
themselves and strive hard”. Paul referred to the way all the
contenders “run”
in races.
The
verse continues, “... but
one receives the prize? So run, that you may obtain.”
Paul added
the word, “but” which
is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be
written takes precedence over what was just stated “” “one
receives”
which means “takes, carries away, claims and procures” “the
prize”
which refers to “the award to the victor in the games”? “So
run” or
“then make haste, exert themselves and strive hard” “that
you may obtain” which
means “so the church members might lay hold of, seize upon and take
possession of the prize”. Although there are many “runners”
within “races”,
only one person wins the “prize”,
and Paul exhorted the church members to “run”
so they might “lay hold of” the “prize”.
When
we think through these words from Paul, we see his passion once
again. Not only did Paul desire to maintain a drive for the “gospel”
himself, but he wanted others to “run” with it as well.
Paul used this “sports” analogy to encourage church members to
diligently pursue sharing the “good news” of Jesus Christ with
everyone they were able. Jesus Christ desires that everyone have a
relationship with Him, and those who are willing may participate in
the “race” to let Him be known.
Next
time Paul tells the church members, “every
man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
No comments:
Post a Comment