Many times we think of the church as being like God’s army. Frequently armies use competition between different groups to help them develop their skills and abilities. Paul used this concept to help us understand our role in serving Christ. In II Timothy 2:4-5 he told Timothy, “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.” If the soldier is please his leader, he has to put being a soldier ahead of anything else. He cannot allow himself to be distracted by politics, investments, or side jobs. Competition with others is both to develop one’s own skills, and to help others develop their skills. To do that it is crucial we learn to follow the rules so that we don’t hurt others.
In normal athletic events, only
one person wins top honors, but in a training competition, they are less
concerned about who won the event than that those who participated developed
the necessary skills and abilities. In
order to develop those skills it is critical that we learn to control our
actions so that we can work most effectively and efficiently. Those who do not make the effort will be
dropped from the program as being unsuitable while those who do will all be
given jobs. Paul explains what is
needed, in I Corinthians 9:24-27. “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
an incorruptible. I therefore so run,
not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep
under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have
preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” As Paul points out even and experienced
Christian like himself needed to maintain self-control or risk being set aside
as unsuitable.
Everyone has the same
opportunity, to please God, but as Paul shows from history in I Corinthians 10:1-5,
not everyone who join enlists makes the grade.
“Moreover, brethren, I would not
that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and
all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and
in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same
spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and
that Rock was Christ. But with many of
them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.”
God had these things included in
the scriptures so that we would be warned not to fall into the same kinds of
sin, as he tells us, in I Corinthians 10:6-10.
“Now these things were our
examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also
lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were
some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose
up to play. Neither let us commit
fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty
thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ,
as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also
murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.”
Some of the people got involved
in Idolatry, in Exodus 32, because they wanted something they could see, and was
more exciting and fun. Others decided
God’s moral standards didn’t matter, getting involved with the Midianite women,
in Numbers 25. Others began to accuse
God of not caring or keeping his promise and were killed by fiery serpents in
Numbers 21. Still others got angry when
Korah and his followers were judged and complained about what God had done,
resulting in the deaths of almost fifteen thousand people. today many people
have adopted doctrines and worship from other religions because it is more
appealing. God’s standards of morality
are ignored, with adultery, homosexuality, and transgenderism readily accepted
by many who claim to be Christians. Because
the Lord has not yet returned, many people have decided God’s word cannot be
trusted, and those who follow God’s standards are frequently attacked for not
accepting other people’s ideas.
Paul reiterates his statement
that God had these things recorded so that we would be aware of the dangers of
such attitudes. We need to be aware how
easily we can slip into those things if we become complacent or over confident
as he warns in I Corinthians 10:11-15. Now all these things happened unto them for
ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the
world are come. Wherefore let him that
thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as
is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted
above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape,
that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from
idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge
ye what I say.”
While we may thing we are the
only ones to have the problems we have, they are actually quite common. Jesus himself experienced all the temptations
we will ever face, as Heb 4:15-16 tells us.
“For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all
points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne
of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Because he has experienced those
temptations, Christ knows how to help us overcome them. We just need to trust him enough to follow
his leadership, even when it doesn’t seem right. Proverbs
3:5-7 advises, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD,
and depart from evil.” When we
depend on our own wisdom or our feelings instead of trusting Christ, we will
mess up, just as the Jews did. As
Hebrews 11:6 states, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he
that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek him.”
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