1 Corinthians 9:24 Know you not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that you may obtain. You are called, every one of you, for the kingdom of God; but it depends upon yourself whether you will work this salvation out. Life is a race, in which many will run but will not gain a prize. What is the meaning of the simile? I. RUN WITH ALL YOUR SPEED. There are some who labour from morning to night to win the treasures of this life, who are slothful in the work of saving their souls. And if they could gain the whole world and lose their own souls, what is the profit? Run with all your speed, for the way is long to the kingdom of God. The wise men from the East, when they saw the star, followed it through all the dangers and difficulties of a long journey. The attaining of eternal life, i.e., so to live that eternal life may be in us here, is the greatest work that we can do. The prodigal who departed from his father's house into a far country, has to go back step by step as far as he departed. Surely this work is not the work of a day but of a life; and life is short for so great a work, and life is fleeting and uncertain. We cannot promise ourselves to-morrow; tomorrow is God's, to-day is ours. II. RUN WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH. If you see a man set about doing a task, you can see by the way he goes about it whether his heart is in it or not. Men who decide to get rich or to make a name will overcome every obstacle. But such men are often cowardly and slack in the work of their salvation. And yet we are warned that no man can serve two masters. There must be no half-heartedness in the work of our salvation, and there can be no neutrality. "He who is not for Me is against Me." III. WITH SELF-DENIAL AND TEMPERANCE. Our Lord has said, "If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out," &c. The thing most necessary to you, you must cast off, if it cause you to sin. Remember that out of the seven deadly sins four are spiritual — pride, jealousy, anger, and strife. Such sins you must cast out. St. Paul says, "I keep under my body," &c. And if he had need to say that, how much need we? Venial sins are still important sins, and grow into great sins. And therefore, as St. Paul says here, "Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things." Men who desire to exhibit great feats of endurance have to mortify and control themselves in everything; and we cannot live with a little hardness for our eternal reward. IV. RUN WITH ALL YOUR HEARTS. There are two failures in this race — the one is to have too much hope in salvation. Some are as presumptuous as if they had received a revelation that they must be saved. The other is in not having confident hope. We must have confidence in God, and in experience. St. Paul says, "I know whom I have believed," &c. If a man is running for his life, as long as he has a hope of escape he will continue running; but the moment he despairs he slackens his efforts. A man who is swimming for his life will strike out strongly if he can hope, but the instant he despairs he sinks. So with those who lose their confidence in God, who are overcome by servile fear. Why are we to trust in God? Because — 1. God is Love. 2. You have His promises. He has promised you that if you believe in Him He will give you life eternal, What more do you need?Conclusion: 1. Take care you are in the right way. St. said, "You are making great strides, indeed, but you are out of the right way." If we are out of the way, every step we take we are going from the kingdom. Our Lord says, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life." 2. Having begun to run, do not let your heart do what Lot's wife did. Do not look back on the world which you have given up. (Cardinal Manning.) Parallel Verses KJV: Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. |
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