The Olympic Games 2016 have just taken place in Brazil. Every sportsman was there to compete for his country, with the goal of winning a medal, and above all, the gold medal. No doubt the Apostle Paul was familiar with these games, as they were already taking place in Olympia in Greece at that time. He uses the imagery of the games in his letters. On one occasion he described the Christian life as a race.
How can we run this race well? First of all, let’s look at the importance of training. This is what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:25, “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.
They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it for a crown that will last forever.”
The original Olympic prize was a crown made of olive leaves. Today it is a gold medal. In contrast, we have the promise of a crown that will last forever. How can we train for this race and what are we to train for? In 1 Timothy 4:7-8 it says that as believers we are to train ourselves to be godly. This is not a popular word today, but the Bible tells us to pursue godliness. It means we will be devoted to God and have an attitude towards him that results in actions that please him.
Are you going for the gold crown that will last forever? Pursue godliness. Make this your lifestyle. Begin training!
