v22n36
Over the past few weeks, just about everyone on this planet has heard about or seen a report on this years summer Olympic games, and the athletes that have participated in them. We have been told and constantly reminded of all of the training and sacrifice these athletes have gone through to get where they are; and for many, this is their one opportunity to obtain the prize, or the gold medal.
(Each country that is represented, has the hope and pride of their nation and it’s people on these athletes who represent them. Several people or athletes representing the ideals and attitudes of their country: isn’t this the way much of the religious community is represented as well?).
Few, really comprehend or understand the amount of training and dedication that is required for an athlete to arrive at and maintain this level of competition. Many years of hard work, as well as much sacrifice are required to get to this place, where they have the opportunity to obtain the prize. Only one is able to receive first place (although a tie is possible) for the gold medal, and the runners up receive silver and bronze respectively for second and third place. (Pro. 25:11, Apples of gold, in pictures of silver). Everyone else goes home with memories of what could have, or might have been.
Paul, in his epistles, compares the walk of the Christian, with that of the Olympic athlete, in properly preparing and training, so that one is able to obtain the prize. The Word constantly tells us of the maximum effort that one should be putting forth to hear, and to know, and then live the Word of God. After all, faith comes, faith arrives and is developed by hearing; hearing and then acting upon this message once delivered by the Word of God, Christ. One must take the time, and then make the effort to be prompt as well as attentive to give audience to God’s Word, so that one can be instructed and taught by it; that one will not only listen to His Word, but then also obey the correction that it brings to one’s lifestyle; and then to hear it’s solutions on how one is able to walk in and maintain righteousness, which has been made available to each and every believer, by and through Christ. (2Cor 5:21).
The Olympic athlete trains and develops their skills each and every day. Their life is consumed by the thoughts and desires of obtaining the prize. This is their drive and motivation through each day. This motivation drives them through and past the sweat, pain and tears that often accompany this type of training. They are consumed by the thought and picture of themselves standing on the podium in front of the vast audience, receiving the prize for their efforts. How many Christians do you know, that apply themselves to the Word of God with this amount of dedication and zeal? Are you included in this list?
Phil 3:13-14, Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (KJV)
(from Matthew Henry's Commentary) The apostle's aim in these actings: I press towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, v. 14. He pressed towards the mark. As he who runs a race never takes up short of the end, but is still making forwards as fast as he can, so those who have heaven in their eye must still be pressing forward to it in holy desires and hopes, and constant endeavours and preparations. The fitter we grow for heaven the faster we must press towards it. Heaven is called here the mark, because it is that which every good Christian has in his eye; as the archer has his eye fixed upon the mark he designs to hit. For the prize of the high calling. Observe, A Christian's calling is a high calling: it is from heaven, as its original; and it is to heaven in its tendency. Heaven is the prize of the high calling; to brabeion-- the prize we fight for, and run for, and wrestle for, what we aim at in all we do, and what will reward all our pains. It is of great use in the Christian course to keep our eye upon heaven. This is proper to give us measures in all our service, and to quicken us every step we take; and it is of God, from whom we are to expect it. Eternal life is the gift of God <Rom. 6:23>, but it is in Christ Jesus; through his hand it must come to us, as it is procured for us by him. There is no getting to heaven as our home but by Christ as our way. (from Matthew Henry's Commentary)
Definition for press: 1377 dioko-1) to make to run or flee, to put to flight, to drive away 2) to run swiftly in order to catch a person or thing, to run after a) to press on: figuratively, used of one who in a race runs swiftly to reach the goal 4) without the idea of hostility, to run after, to follow after someone 5) metaphorically, to pursue, to seek after eagerly, earnestly endeavor to acquire.
Many people are in pursuit of the prizes of this present world. They seek and pursue all of the fleshly comforts and delicacies of this world, with the same zeal and determination of that of the Olympic athlete, and then wonder why they have such a hard time remaining faithful to God. (Matt 6:33-34)
What is the condition of the Church today? Is it where it should be? Is the Word of God that which truly leads and guides the Church? What is the prize that the Church is seeking? What is it’s goal?
For many, they are seeking the riches of this world. Their eyes are set on the riches or prizes of this world. How many of you would take a piece of tar and set it on your mantle? Yet, for many in this present world, they do have their eyes set on the gold or riches of this world.(In Revelation 21:21, one can see that the streets in heaven, are made of gold. And if they are made of such, then one should be able to see that it is not of that great of value to God. So why then would some worship or covet something of no more value then a piece of tar?)And if their focus is on the prizes this world has to offer, what will their outcome be?
(from Seiss' Apocalypse) One of the
most remarkable paradoxes of the Church of our times is its abhorrence
of materiality in connection with the Kingdom of Christ and the eternal
future, while practically up to its ears in materialism and earthiness.
Were one of the old Christians of the apostolic age to revisit the world
to take a look at our modern Christianity, I think he would be greatly
puzzled to understand how, under the guise of spirituality, the whole Church
is permeated and loaded down with carnal philosophies, hopes, and aims.
Remembering the sublime simplicity of the ancient times, when the Church
was set, like a golden circlet, on the head of the King of Glory-- in contact
everywhere with divinity, he would be amazed to see how that circlet has
been divorced from its original setting, stained with the flesh, and pushed
into the morasses and bogs of this world, while earthly glories-- crowns,
miters, tiaras, wealth, and secular consequence-- are looked to and worshipped
everywhere as the insignia of what in sad mockery is called a" spiritual
"kingdom (Would he not wonder to find Christians locating their most orthodox
rejoicing in monarchs, in popes, patriarchs, bishops, sect leaders, numbers,
luxurious arts, boastful speeches, worldly orators, secular education,
march of intellect, and a fancied progress toward a "spiritual" millennium
of mere secularism, to merge at last into an empty and impossible heaven!
And venturing to inquire of some of our popular preachers, whether this
is thought to be the proper waiting for the Lord from heaven-- the way
to pray "Thy kingdom come"-- the method by which to realize the blessed
consummation when it shall be" on earth as it is in heaven"-- the holding
fast of the characteristic and animating patriarchal hope of a celestial
city which Christ has gone to build and to bring down out of the heaven
as the eternal residence of his enthroned saints-- what would be his surprise
to get for answer: "Sir, you are laboring under a delusion-- the kingdom
was set up 1,800 years ago,- the speedy coming again of Christ in person
to reign on earth is a carnal idea, long since exploded, and held only
by a few eccentric people who cannot rise to a conception of the true spirituality
of the Bible; and as to the heavenly Jerusalem, why that is only a gorgeous
Oriental symbol of the beautiful church state which you see all around
you. The glory of Christianity is to keep abreast with the times, to press
popular education, to create machinery to reach and elevate the masses,
to follow up the conquests of arms with Bibles and missionaries, schools
and civilization, to purify and influence legislation, to improve society
by gradual reforms and general enlightenment, to win for the Church the
patronage of the rich and great, and so to progress until the whole earth
shall rest in the embrace of a worldwide 'spiritual' kingdom (located here
in Satan's lap!) to last for indefinite ages!" With a groan over his inability
to rise to such a philosophy, I can fancy the ancient saint gladly returning
to his grave, to sleep in honest earth until that resurrection on which
his hopes were fixed, rather than hear any further about a "spirituality"
so carnal, and a Christianity so doubtful and earthy.
A spiritualized earthiness is simply
a white-washed sepulchre; and an incorporeal and immaterial eternity for
man, is equally aside from the teachings of God's Word. No wonder that
professed believers of our day are anxious to put off getting into the
heaven they believe in as long as the doctor's skill can keep them out
of it, and finally agree to go only as a last despairing resort. It has
no substance, no reality, for the soul to take hold on. It is nothing but
a world of shadows, of mist, of dim visions of blessedness, with which
it is impossible for a being who is not mere spirit, and never will be
mere spirit who knows only to live in a body and shall live forever in
a body, to feel any fellowship or sympathy. (from Seiss' Apocalypse)
What is it that you are seeking this day? What prize is it that you are reaching or pressing for?
That you may know Him,
In the service of Jesus Christ.
Larry Gazelka
www.builtanewministries.org
Copyright ©2000 Built Anew Ministries