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TheHeavenlyRace

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TheHeavenlyRace

J.Vaughan,M.A.
1Corinthians9:24
Knowyounotthattheywhichruninaracerunall,butonereceivestheprize?So
run,thatyoumayobtain.

1.Therearefewthingsuponrecordinwhichtheexertionwassoviolent,andyetso
short,asaGreekrace.AndthereforeitstandsatleastfourtimesinSt.Paul's
epistles,astheemblemofthebrevityandthestruggleoftheChristianlife.
2.Wecanconceivehowthebeliever'scareerwilllookwhenhecastshiseyeback
uponitfrometernity.FirsttherecameaDivineinfluencethenaholyambition
thenanearnestdeterminationthenallthehappyselfdisciplinethentherace
severeevenuntodeath:herushed,passedby,andallisoverandthenthe
rest,andthejoy.
3.Inthatcourseallofyouareoccupyingnowyourpositions.Yourstadiumisthe
littlespanofyourpresentexistencethespectatorsaretheholyangels,the
heraldsaretheministerswhocallyoutothecontest,andanimateyoubytheway
theumpireistheLordJesus,andthecrownislifeeternal.
4.Alreadysomehaveruntheircourse,andarenotuninterestedinthosewhoare
filling,afterthem,thesameexcitingscene.Othersarejustofferingthemselves
whilemanyaremidway.ButalasIsomehaveneversetout,andotherswhodid"run
well"but,bewitchedwiththeworld'ssorcery,theyhaveceasedtorun.Weshall
onlybefulfillingourduty,astheheralds,ifwesetbeforeyou

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I.SOMEOFTHECONDITIONSOFTHECOURSEuponwhichyouradmissionand
yoursubsequentvictorymustdepend.
1.InthoseIsthmiangamesnonecouldjoinwhowerenotfreemenofunspotted
character.Assoonasthecombatantsappeared,thecrier,havingcommanded
silence,laidhishandontheheadofeachinsuccession,demandingofallthe
assembly,"Isthereanyoneherewhocanaccusethismanofbeingaslave,orof
beingguiltyofanymoralwrongsoflife?"Ifanystainwasfounduponhischaracter,
hewasexcludedbutifotherwise,thenhewasledtothealtarofJupiter,thereto
makesolemnoaththathewouldconformtoalltheregulations,andsohe
proceededtothebrunt.
2.AndnowwhatifGodshouldmakeproclamationthatnoneshouldbecandidates
forthecrownoflifebutthosewho,freefromsin,areobedienttoHislaws?Could
youpassthescrutiny?TheveryscrutinyofwhichSt.Paulspeaksinver.27,
"castaway"meaning"notapprovedinthescrutiny."Iftherebeanysecretloveofsin,
menmayreckonyouinthenumberofcandidates,butGoddoesnot!
II.Butsupposethattheexaminationhasshownyouonewho,believinginChrist,is
emancipatedfromsin,andobedienttoGod'slaw.FollowmetoTHESTRIPPING
ROOM(Hebrews12:1).Therearesomewhoaresadly"weighted"withmanythings,
HoardingmoneypersonalvanityworldlyamusementssocietywhereGodis
notselfindulgence.Whatarethesethingsbutclogs?Youcannot"run"withthose
thingson.Willyoucumberyourenergieswhenyouneedtostretchthemtothe
uttermost?Inthenaturalcourse,menareaccuratetotheounceandwillyoutrifle
withthosefearfulodds?Youmaysetoutbutifyourheartisnotinit,itwillonlybe
soontocreep,thentocrawl,thentostop,thentoliedown,thentogotosleep,and
thentodie!Gointothestrippingroomatonce,undressyourself,elsedonotcall
yourselfarunner.
III.Butnow,enteredontherace,"PRESSTOWARDTHEMARKFORTHEPRIZE."
1."Themark"wasacertainlinedrawnalongthecourse,toshowtherunners
exactlywheretheyweretorunsothatifyouwouldrunlawfully,takecarenotonly
thatyouaregoingtotherightobject,butthatyouarepursuingthatobjectalongthe
rightline.TheChristian's"mark,"ingeneralwords,istheScripturalmethodof
salvation.This"mark"stretchesitselfoutallalong."Press"toit.Everydayconsult
yourBibletofindyour"mark."
2.AtthetimewhenSt.Paulwaswritingtherewasaparticularraceinwhichevery
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runnercarriedatorchandhewontheracewhocameinfirst,bringingwithhimhis
torchstillalight.Some,runningveryfast,putouttheirtorchothers,runningslowly,
kepttheirtorchin,butarrivedtoolate.Bewarelestafalseexcitementputoutthe
flameoflove!andyetbeware,equally,lestovercautionhindertoolong!butletzeal
andlove,patienceandspeed,gohandinhand,withequalpaceforsoheavenis
won!
IV.AndnowIseeyouinthemidstofyourcareer.Everyracequickensasit
proceedsandthecompetitiongrowsgreater.YOUMUSTSTRETCHTOTHE
POINT.Thesecretofeveryrace,perhaps,isfixednessofeye.Thereforetheapostle
hasgivenustwodirections.
1."Forgetthethingswhicharebehind"countingourownpastattainmentnothing.
2."LookuntoJesus."
(J.Vaughan,M.A.)

TheBiblicalIllustrator,ElectronicDatabase.
Copyright2002,2003,2006,2011byBiblesoft,Inc.
Allrightsreserved.Usedbypermission.BibleSoft.com

ParallelVerses
KJV:Knowyenotthattheywhichruninaracerunall,butonereceiveththeprize?
Sorun,thatyemayobtain.
WEB:Don'tyouknowthatthosewhoruninaraceallrun,butonereceivesthe
prize?Runlikethat,thatyoumaywin.

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TheParable
Blueprint

LearningtoLive
inSpiritual
Victory

HowtheBible
WasWritten

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