1 Corinthians 9:24-27

                                                                 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

 

Eternal rewards are often neglected in our teachings of Scripture.  However, they are regularly referred to throughout Scripture.  Both Jesus and Paul speak of them frequently as well as many other authors of Scripture.  Today’s passage teaches us at least three truths about eternal rewards from Paul’s perspective.

 

REWARDS ARE MOTIVATING: Paul regularly uses rewards as motivation for faithfulness in ministry.  In this passages Paul makes the comparison to athletes who train hard because they are motivated by a perishable wreath.  How much more should we be motivated by an imperishable wreath.  In a race there is only one winner, so the chances of reward are very small.  Eternal rewards are available to all who serve faithfully so they should be even more motivating to us.  There are those who question the validity of using eternal rewards as motivation.  It seems rather selfish or egotistical, even carnal to want rewards.  However, this kind of thinking neglects to take into consideration that we will be in our glorified and sinless bodies when we receive these rewards.  It’s not like we will be prancing around heaven showing off our rewards and bragging about how great we are.  Whatever these rewards are, they will be thrilling to us and glorifying to God.  Though we don’t understand everything about rewards, we do know who the Rewarder is.  How we look at rewards reveals what we think about the Rewarder.  When we are motivated by rewards, we are demonstrating that we think highly of the Rewarder.  When we devalue rewards, we are devaluing the Rewarder.

 

REWARDS REQUIRE DISCIPLINE: Runners train hard to be able to win a race.  They are careful about their diet; they exercise regularly and vigorously to have the stamina to compete at a high level.  Athletes are constantly pushing their bodies to the limit so they can have hope of winning.  They learn to say “no” to their bodies.  When the body wants to stop, rest, relax, eat sugar, sleep more, be lazy…; it takes discipline to tell the body “NO!”  The same is true of our eternal rewards.  Qualifying for eternal rewards will require that we go out of our comfort zone, and exercise discipline over out bodies.  There are sinful activities that are pleasurable to our bodies but we must learn to say “no.”  We must learn to exercise self-control like an athlete and discipline our bodies to stay under the control of the Spirit of God.  This is the kind of life that is rewarded by God.

 

REWARDS CAN BE LOST: The reason Paul was willing to give up so much in the area of food, drink, marriage, and money was because he did not want to be disqualified from gaining eternal rewards.  Just as rewards can be earned by faithfully serving the Lord in dependence upon Him, rewards can be lost by disobedience, self-reliance, and selfish motivation.  The reason Paul was so motivated to be disciplined in his spiritual walk was that he did not want to be disqualified from receiving eternal rewards.  Paul was not afraid of losing his salvation.  He didn’t want to lose the eternal rewards that were so precious to him.  The high value Paul places on rewards tells us much about his view of the Lord.  The prospect of losing eternal rewards should constantly motivate us to faithful service, depending on the Lord, keeping our pride in check, and our bodies under control.

 

APPLICATION: We should be motivated by eternal rewards even though we don’t know everything about them.  The fact that God is offering them to us as motivation should assure us that they are spectacular and highly desirable.  Live disciplined faithful lives of service where our bodies are controlled by the Spirit.  Learn to say “no” to the sinful desires of our bodies.  Understand that we do not, under any circumstances want to be disqualified from our eternal rewards.  

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