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| Olympics: Paul's analogy to a Christian walk and life
THE OLYMPICS The purpose of this study is to show how Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ used the Olympics as an analogy for our Christian walk in life. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-26 Paul says: “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so, fight I, not as one that beats the air.” One event Paul talks about in his analogy is the “walk”. Ephesians 4:17: ”This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,” This event is the “walk,” in the distance is our lifetime. So, Paul tells us and/or warns us not to walk in the way of the world or in vanity. However, Ephesians 2:10: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 4:1-2: “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love”. Herein lies another event called the Marathon. That is what forbearing and long-suffering are optimized by. The Marathon was so named after a great battle between the Athenians and Persians in 490 B.C. Against overwhelming odds, the Athenians were victorious. A runner by the name of Pheidippides was dispatched to tell the people back in Athens the victorious news. The distance was 26.2 miles. The same distance in our modern marathon. But Pheidippides turned around after delivering the message and ran back to Marathon. Upon arrival, he collapsed and died. This is total dedication to a cause. He gave his life to deliver a message of victory. Few today are willing to do the same. Fewer will tell of the victory that Christ has had over the grave. And even fewer will spread the message that Paul indicated was dispatched to him only. “He indicated his stewardship was to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery” (Ephesians 3:10). Paul further refers to this marathon walk in Ephesians 5:2 “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor. Ephesians 3:8-9 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: Not only in light but reflecting the light. Not as downtrodden workers, but with the countenance of Christ!” Ephesians 5:15 Paul says: “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise.” Here the Greek word for walk is paripateo, and it means to walk around or tread in a large area. But the word circumspectly is even more interesting. It is the Greek akribos, it means to be exact or perfect or diligent. Note also that in Verse 16 that it mentioned “redeeming the time”. The Greek word for redeem means to rescue from loss or ransom. The point of the context of these verses is that we should not lose any time by getting off the course that has been set for us! Later in a letter to the Colossians 1:10, Paul writes: “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” Then in Colossians 2:6 he says: “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” And in Colossians 4:5 “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.” So here are the rules for this marathon: first, walk worthy; second, walk circumspectly; third, walk unto all pleasing; fourth, walk while increasing in the knowledge of God and in wisdom; and fifth, walk at a pace that will redeem the time. Even in Paul’s day, they had “time trials.” I’m not sure if Seiko was the official timekeeper, but if you didn’t make the best of your time, then you were out of the race. Disqualified! We all need to ask ourselves if we are redeeming the time? Are we walking unto all pleasing and being truthful? Or are we caught in the 100-meter dash? Fast…furious…and then it is done! But what happens when we miss the prize by 1/100 of a second? There was a gymnast that was tied for Gold but got silver because of a predetermined tie breaker. Fortunately for us Christ is our tie breaker. She should have gotten the Gold which she deserved. But because of unskilled judges she lost out. We have an advocate and a righteous judge. Good news he does not give us what we deserve…death. But we have eternal life, and Spiritual blessings in Heavenly places. The first event was the marathon walk. Next let’s look at Galatians 2:2 “And I went up by revelation and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.” “In vain” here means running to no effect or empty. Meaning there was either no impact or no results, i.e., fruitlessness. Many people are very active, but produce nothing and some are just vain, so what they produce doesn’t have any lasting effect! That means that the works that they do brings them attention and that is their own reward. In Galatians 5:7 Paul says: ”Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” This is something to really think about. We can be hindered! In the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, a female runner by the name of Zola Bud tripped American Mary Decker and Mary never recovered. She was in the lead late in the race with two laps to go and Zola Bud spiked her on the leg and ankle. Mary said the pain was too great to continue and never finished the race. She hoped by protesting she could somehow reclaim the reward that she was due. Zola Bud was disqualified. But because Mary gave up, she was never rewarded any medal. She never got a reward. I wonder, was the pain she felt from being spiked half the pain she now feels, knowing that she is without reward, and the guilt she probably feels for not trying harder to make up the difference in the race. She has since competed. But never has she been the champion that she could have been. And the running was truly in vain. Philippians 2:16, Paul says: “Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.” I feel sorry for Mary Decker, and for all those who continue to strive in vain. Who run to and fro on every wind of doctrine, but never come to a true understanding of the victory that Christ has already had if we only believe. But there is a high price for this victory as Christ gave his own life for ours. We then must also die to the world, and more importantly, to self. This self-denial is the proving grounds for a future race. Note in Hebrews 12:1: “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” Note the need here for patience. We must shed the weight (note the additional event of weightlifting) of this world. They will only tire us from getting God’s work done. We must run the race that God has set before us, when so often we want our will, our way, and therefore our race. But the Lord is our coach, and he knows both our strengths and weaknesses. So, he knows the race we should be running in. We need to recognize his vantage point and conceive the direction that he points out to us. His prospective is higher than ours. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-26 Paul says: “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so, fight I, not as one that beateth the air.” There are several points to be made in these verses. The first is a parallel between fighting and running. Second, if we run or race well then, we have the opportunity for a crown. This is pointed out in 2 Timothy 4:7-8 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all of them also that love his appearing.” Note also that there is but one Righteous Judge: The Lord. If you have watched the Olympic boxing, then you will note how important it is to have a righteous judge versus the corrupt ones that man make. In 1 Timothy 6:12 Paul says: “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” This then is our reward. A promise of eternal life. But to lay hold of this, we must never take on the most powerful fighter. In Acts 23:9 Paul points out who the greatest fighter of all is and we should not ever take Him on: “And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, we find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God”! If you are in a battle today, or any type of struggle, we must recognize who our real enemy is. Many times, it’s ourselves! Many times, it’s our own vanity and yet we place the blame on others. In many cases, I frequently want my own way and that may not be the way of the Lord. In that case, I am fighting against God. If you are like me, beware! God has never been defeated. We have already explored three different events: marathon walk, running the race, and fighting. Another form of fighting is wrestling. Paul refers to this in Ephesians 6:12. But he indicates our foes are not always what they appear to be: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” The spiritual wickedness often raises its ugly head in the form of the image in our mirror. We don’t need Satan to fight. We have a battle between our old and new natures raging daily. But somehow, we must preserver or endure as in Hebrews 10:32: “But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions.” In the 1992 Olympics, an athlete from a third world country suffered afflictions. He tore a hamstring muscle in his leg. He stumbled. Picked himself up and tried to continue. He was in so much pain that tears ran down his cheeks. He screamed in pain as it was too unbearable to take another step. But he went on. . . he suffered, he bore and forbore the pain. Many around him watched but did nothing. They witnessed his pain, and no one would blame him for just quitting. But he struggled on. His father came off the sidelines and began to help him. Together arm-in-arm, unified in one simple thought. . . not to win. . . but to finish! Nothing would deter them from this. Even when security confronted the father, he pushed them away and said: “Let my son finish what he started.” He did finish! He received a standing ovation from the thousands of onlookers. He didn’t win the race, but he had a greater victory: he overcame the pain to just finish. How wonderful Paul’s last written words in 2 Timothy 4:7 now becomes: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” These Olympic images and analogies help us visualize what Christ suffered. Paul tells us: “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.” (2 Timothy 2:12). What a wonderful crown this will be! Far greater than this world could possibly offer. Better than a bronze, silver or GOLD medal! These have been but a few of the Olympic events that Paul refers to in his writings. If life is full of trials and tribulations. Note that both words in the Greek have to do with exercise. An athlete prepares for his or her great event, they exercise on a daily basis to ensure that they have the stamina and the fortitude to compete and claim the victory. We know that Christ has already claimed the victory for us. He will be waiting at the finish line for us. Our task or purpose is not then vanity, but instead to build within us the patience, forbearance and long-suffering, necessary to further complete His will in a future race. Life is just a time trial, so redeem the time! Like the 1992 Olympian who struggled just to finish, we have a Father in Heaven who has promised to always be there and support us and hold us up when necessary. All we have to do is lean on HIM. And then when Christ meets us at the finish line, it will be those principalities, powers, mights, and dominions who will have witnessed our struggle and hear the Lord say: “My good and faithful servant, ye have run the race well.” This is far better than any amount of GOLD medals! |
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