Run in such a way that you may win.

1 Corinthians 9:19-10:13 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

For though I am free from all people, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may gain more. ²⁰ To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the Law, I became as one under the Law, though not being under the Law myself, so that I might gain those who are under the Law; ²¹ to those who are without the Law, I became as one without the Law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might gain those who are without the Law. ²² To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak; I have become all things to all people, so that I may by all means save some. ²³ I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

²⁴ Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. So they do it to obtain a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. ²⁶ Therefore I run in such a way as not to run aimlessly; I box in such a way, as to avoid hitting air; ²⁷ but I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

10 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all under the cloud and they all passed through the sea; ² and they all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; ³ and they all ate the same spiritual food, ⁴ and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. ⁵ Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased; for their dead bodies were spread out in the wilderness.

⁶ Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they indeed craved them. ⁷ Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.” ⁸ Nor are we to commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. ⁹ Nor are we to put the Lord to the test, as some of them did, and were killed by the snakes. ¹⁰ Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroyer. ¹¹ Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. ¹² Therefore let the one who thinks he stands watch out that he does not fall. ¹³ No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and God is faithful, so He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

In today’s text Paul says: I have become all things to all people, so that I may by all means save some. Some people take this verse out of context in order to justify embracing and participating in sin so as to save sinners. In the prior and following verses Paul says: To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the Law, I became as one under the Law, though not being under the Law myself, so that I might gain those who are under the Law; to those who are without the Law, I became as one without the Law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might gain those who are without the Law. To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak; I have become all things to all people, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. Paul is talking about relating to people where they are so that they can receive the gospel. If we say that we do all things for the sake of the gospel, it must exclude sin. If we say that we embrace or participate in sin for the sake of the gospel, we are the ones who need to be saved. 1 John 1:6-8 says: If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Paul continues in the text saying: Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. So they do it to obtain a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way as not to run aimlessly; I box in such a way, as to avoid hitting air; but I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. If we share the gospel to others, but we ourselves continue in sin, we will be disqualified from the prize, the imperishable prize of eternal life. In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus confirms this saying: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’”

Paul continues his exhortation with evidence from scripture saying: Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.” Nor are we to commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. Nor are we to put the Lord to the test, as some of them did, and were killed by the snakes. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let the one who thinks he stands watch out that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and God is faithful, so He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.  When people excuse their sin by saying they were born that way, they again deceive themselves. James 1:13-15 says: No one is to say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death.  We are not tempted by God or by the way God created us. We are tempted and enticed by our own lust. God will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.  James 4:7-8 tells us the way of escape from temptation: Submit therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God and He will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. God Himself, and Jesus His Son, along with the Holy Spirit is our escape.

Thank You Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ and precious Holy Spirit. In You and through You, may I like Paul, run in such a way as not to run aimlessly; box in such a way, as to avoid hitting air. May I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. At the end of the race, at the end of my days, may I hear the words, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! Enter into the joy of your master!' Amen.