Let's take our Bibles and turn
with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 9. 1 Corinthians chapter 9. Before we begin, let's ask our
Lord's blessing. Our Father, as we come before
you this evening, we come asking In the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ, your blessing upon these services. I pray that, Lord,
that you'd prepare our hearts now to hear. Bless, we pray,
the preaching and the hearing for Christ's sake and our good. Amen. The Apostle Paul, as you all
know, a religious zealot. And his heart was to be a warrior
against everybody that made claim to believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Scripture says in Acts 9, 1 and
2, and Saul yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against
the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest and desired
of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, that if he found
any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring
them bound unto Jerusalem. In his unregenerate mind, he
considered himself to be nothing less than a highly qualified
and faithful follower of God, the God that he worshipped, the
God of his imagination. And that's the God of his imagination,
was an idol. He thought that the God that
he worshipped was one that was well-pleased with the best that
he can do. That's what an idol is. It's
a made-up God. Paul said, Philippians 3, 4-7,
Though I might also have confidence in the flesh, if any other man
thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh,
I more He said, I was circumcised the eighth day. That was according
to God's word to Abraham. That's what God told Abraham.
That all the Jews would be circumcised on the eighth day. Saul said,
I was circumcised that day of the stock of Israel. He said,
I didn't come from Ishmael. I was from the true son. Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin,
that is, he said, I'm from the line that was of the son of Jacob
and Rachel. That's where I came from. A Hebrew
of the Hebrews, mom and daddy, both of them Hebrews. As touching
the law, a Pharisee, one of strict moral character, external holiness
impeccable. He said concerning zeal, persecuting
the church. Everybody had made claim to believe
on this Jesus of Nazareth. The one that was said finished
the work and those that followed him that said that the keeping
of the law was over for righteousness. He said, I persecuted them. touching
the righteousness which is in the law blameless." He said,
whatever the law required, that's what I did. That was me. But
though his intention was obviously, in his mind, sincere, he was
dead wrong. And the Lord, according to His
everlasting covenant of grace, was pleased to reveal to Saul
of Tarsus who he really was. He taught him something of who
he was. He said, Saul, Saul, why persecutest
thou me? He said, you're doing this to
these believers. He said, you're doing that to
me. You persecute them, you're persecuting me. You go after
them, you're going after me. And he stopped it and converted
him and changed his attitude. Now Paul saw himself for what
he formerly was, according to his flesh, and he admitted now
of his former worthlessness and worthlessness now of being even
apostle. He said, for I'm the least of
the apostles, I am not meet, I'm not fit to be called an apostle
of the Lord Jesus Christ because I persecuted the church, I persecuted
the body. I was against the body of Christ.
And having seen the fallacy of his ways, he admitted, his former
life to be rubbish. What things were gained to me,
all of those things that I counted, I could trace my lineage back,
circumcise and write down, mom and daddy, you know, the law. What things were gained to me,
those I counted loss for Christ, yea, doubtless, and count all
things, but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus
my Lord. Paul said, I'd trade all that. I do trade it. I count it but
loss. For the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ. This is life eternal. That they might know Thee. That's
what the Lord said in His high priestly prayer. That might know
you. Know who you are. Know you by
grace. Know you by your mercy to me.
That I might know you. Just God. Holy God. And Jesus
Christ whom thou hast sent. He who has redeemed his people,
that's life eternal, that salvation is of the Lord. Paul said, I
count all of those former things lost for the excellency of the
knowledge of Christ. And now, Paul who was at one
time an arrogant unregenerate, that's all he was, just haughty,
high-minded, arrogant. unbeliever. Now he's a willing
vessel of God's mercy, a submissive servant to the Lord Jesus Christ
according to God's good pleasure. He seeks to walk faithfully before
God and men as one now that's been chosen to the ministry.
And he's been given a heart to say what we looked at last week,
to be made all things to all men that he might by all means
be the means to save some. So the apostle Paul asked this
question, and we'll pick up right here where we left off, verse
24. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one
receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. Now, neither Paul nor any other
believer sees himself in this race. It's called a race. That's
what we're in. We're in a race. We're in a fight.
Good fight. No believer sees himself, he
knows he's in the race, but he doesn't believe that he's in
the race to be saved. He's in the race because the
Lord has saved him and called him out of darkness. He declared
in Philippians 3.14, I press, that is I swiftly am pressing
on toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in
Christ Jesus. Now that word for, you know you
think I'm pressing toward the mark for the prize, well the
word for, F-O-R, means because of. He said, I press, I swiftly
press toward the mark. Life eternal, victoriously, life
in Christ, in His presence, forever with Him. I press toward the
mark because of the prize of the high calling. What is the
prize? The high calling. I press toward
the mark because of the prize of the high calling of God in
Christ Jesus. What a prize! What a gift! For by grace he is saved through
faith. What a gift! of God, not of work, gift of
God. He's pressing not in order to
be called of God, but he's pressing because the Lord has called him
into the ministry. So everybody, every believer
knows this. We do not work for life. We don't do anything for life.
We are passive, completely passive when it comes to salvation. I'm
telling you, Neither you nor I had anything to do with being
saved. God saved us and revealed it
to us, told us about it, told us through the gospel as the
Spirit of God blessed it. So no believer works for life,
but he walks after the Lord because he's alive. So Paul uses this
analogy of the Olympics. And he uses this race to show
the spirit, the dedication that is demanded concerning this race. You know, in a natural race.
When I was in high school, I ran track. And, you know, I mean,
we'd get out there and they'd make the announcement, here comes
the, you know, first call for the quarter mile, you know. And
my stomach would get, ugh. I'd start getting butterflies
and I was sick in my stomach trying to tell myself, I could
tell the coach, I'm sick, I can't do this. Second call, third call,
final call. And here we'd come, they'd line
them up, about six guys all lined up, getting their lanes. And we're gonna all run. That
gun goes off and we're gone. In that race, everyone runs. But only one receives the prize. When that gun went off, there
was one thing you had on your mind. I want to get this over
with. I want to get to the finish line
and I want to be first. That's what I want to do. I want
to win. I want to win. There's going to be one winner
in that race. He said, no you're not. that
they which they which run the race run all but only one receives
the prize. So run that you may obtain. So all of God's people are in
the race. They're in the fight. All true
runners, spiritually speaking, they're going to run and going
to win. If the Lord has called them out
of darkness, they're going to win the prize of life eternal. Everybody, all of them, are going
to get the same prize that I said before. Who's going to have a
greater prize or greater glory? The Apostle Paul or the thief
on the cross that said, Lord, remember me? Same prize. They're going to win Christ.
Paul ran his race. That thief ran his. and they'll
get the same prize. They all run and all by the grace
of God are going to win. But we're in a race that demands
us to be constantly looking by faith unto the Lord and considering
that He's the one ordering our steps and therefore we are to
be running and be found to be consumed with this race that
the Lord has assigned us. This is the life of a believer.
They're consumed with this race. They're consumed. Paul said,
for me to live is Christ. This is it. What else matters?
Nothing. Nothing else matters. But don't
we have other things in this life to do? Yeah. Yeah. But they all are second
place. They all play second fiddle.
Nothing, nothing takes the place of the glory of God in Christ
in this race. So Paul sets forth, this is to
be the attitude of a believer. Look at verse 25. Every man that
striveth for the mastery. What is he talking about? Everyone
that is striving and endeavoring to accomplish the goal, striving
for the mastery, to master over, to be the winner, everyone that
strives for the mastery are temperate. What does that mean? They're
running with a heart that exercises self-restraint. Temperance. That's what temperance means.
They're temperate. Remember the context that we're
in here. What has Paul been talking about
over these last few verses? What was he talking about? Well,
last week we were looking at it, he said, I'm free, verse
19, from all men, made myself a servant though, unto all. Verse 20, unto the Jews, I became
as a Jew unto those under the law, I became as a Jew unto those
without the law, I became as that to the weak, He's talking
about something and he's continuing his thought in this verse of
scripture. He's temperate, he's to be temperate
in this race. He's remembering that he's exhorting
his hearers to be mindful of the restraining use of their
liberty in whatever they're doing. He said to the Jew, under the
law, without the law, to the weak, be temperate. We're dealing with people. We're
dealing with God's people. Many of them are God's people.
We don't know who they are. But we're going to be in this
race, we're going to be temperate and be with a spirit of restraint
in whatever, whether it's meat, whether it's drink, whether it's...
pleasure, whatever it is, something may not be a hindrance to you.
But if it's a hindrance to a weaker brother, someone that the Lord
has not given them some liberty, they're not convinced of it yet. Have you ever been reading a
scripture? I have. You read a scripture,
And you don't quite understand it. And when you don't understand
it, that's the only thing you can think about. That's the only
thing you... I mean, you read something especially if it cause
you to... gives you great concern about
yourself. And you just... I mean, you're
weak. You don't understand it. And
you want to understand it. You desire to understand it.
And because you don't understand it, it bothers you. Paul is saying,
listen, every man that striveth for the mastery, running the
race, fighting the good fight, is temperate in all things, not
letting his liberty be a hindrance to someone that doesn't understand. Don't be one that is causing
someone else In their heart, they're struggling with it. You
know, be an example of faithfulness, but be temperate. John Calvin
said this, Is it such a sacrifice to resist those things that are
hindrances to others? Is it such a sacrifice to forsake
those things to yourself? to not be a hindrance to someone
else when we've been given so much in Christ? Is it such a
big deal? That's what Paul is saying. Being
temperate is seeking to bow to the revealed Word of God and
take God's side, God's will, God's Word, against our own fleshly
thoughts. Well, I'm free. I'm free in the
Lord and it just doesn't matter. I mean, if you got a problem
with it, well then just deal with it. Just get over it. Well, that's not a right attitude. Be temperate. Be kind. Be considerate. Be long-suffering. You that are
strong, be temperate in this. We all run. A man that's striving
for the mastery is temperate in all things. Those that were
training for a foot race in preparation for the contest. Everything that
would be a detriment to their race. You know they were running
for a laurel branch. Paul said they're running for
something that's corruptible. We're running for an incorruptible
crown. a crown of righteousness in Christ
himself. So how are we to run? He said,
when you're being temperate, hold your place, turn over to
Hebrews 12. Hebrews 12. This is how a believer
runs. This is how he runs. Hebrews
12, verses 1 and 2. Wherefore, seeing we are also
encompassed, we also are encompassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses. He had just gone through chapter
11. He was talking about all these that had died in the faith.
And he said, Now, wherefore, concerning all these that had
died in the faith, seeing we are also encompassed 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, looking unto Jesus,
the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was
set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, is set down
at the right hand of the throne of God." He said this is how
a believer is to run. First of all, strive to run with
a heart to lay aside every weight, every hindrance, everything that
would impair our race toward the Lord Jesus Christ. He said,
whether it be the cares of this world, worldly companions, whatever
involvement, stumbling blocks to others, He said, let's lay
it aside. Lay it aside. And that sin that
does so easily beset us, the sin of unbelief. Strive after. Lay it aside. Let us run with
patience, with perseverance. Running until the race is over. I don't know when the race is
going to be over for me and you don't know when the race is going
to be over for you. But it won't be long. Run. Run the race. Run with that attitude. of being
temperate in all things. Not quitting in the middle. And
looking unto Jesus, the Savior, the author and finisher of our
faith, the one who leads us to believe and then brings us to
maturity in the faith of Him, who for the joy that was set
before Him, the joy of the redemption of His people. What did He do? He endured the cross. Endured
the suffering of the cross, despising the shame, ignoring it. Ignoring
it. I mean, think about that which
we would be tempering in, that might be causing others to look
at us and make them think, well, we're weak. And here we are,
not wanting to be offensive to anyone. I think you ought to
stand up. I think you ought to do this,
that, and the other, if it's not for the sake of the gospel. Forget
it. Leave it alone. Temper it for the good of the
body, the glory of Christ. He said, for the joy that was
set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame of
the cross, and now is set down at the right hand of the throne
of God victoriously. sitting as the ascended king
and great high priest. So how do we run? We run looking
unto Him who is the Savior, author, finisher. Paul said in verse
26, I therefore so run, not as uncertainly, so fight I. Not as one that beateth the air.
The apostle was saying this, by the grace of God is my attitude. I run my race. He said, I run my race not as
uncertainly. What do you mean, Paul? He said,
I'm running a race in a way that doesn't cause men to wonder. whether I'm in the race at all.
I run the race with an attitude that doesn't cause men to question
whether I'm even a believer. That's what he's saying. I therefore
run not as uncertainly. I don't run as one unseen that
leaves doubt that I'm in the race. One that causes others
to question. He said, I don't run that causes
men to question whether or not I truly love and serve the God
that I say I do. One that's worthy of my obedience. Paul says, I fight, so fight. Not as one that beateth the air.
Paul said, I'm not shadow boxing. I'm not fighting without a reason. I'm not running with an empty
goal. I'm not practicing. I'm not merely exercising without
a true opponent. I'm not merely in training, trying
to kind of condition my moves, you know. He said, believers,
we're in a true fight. This is real. It's a fight of
faith. It's a run that is of faith. We have a real opponent. We truly
have. We are fighting. Against Satan? There's no doubt about it. The
wiles of the devil? Be careful. Be careful. There are those fiery darts of
Satan that tempt us. Yes, we are. The world? Yeah. Yeah, we are. But I'm going
to tell you something. We're in a fight that is known
especially to be against ourselves. We are our biggest I'll prove to you. Last verse,
right here. He said in verse 26, I therefore
so run, not as uncertainly. So fight I, not as one that beateth
the air, colon. This sentence is going to continue.
But I keep under my body. I keep under my body. Do you
know what the literal translation of that is? I give myself a black
eye. I keep under my body, or I bruise
my body, smiting under the eye. That's what it means. I give
myself the uppercut. Paul knew that the body of sin
within was his problem. Therefore, he was fighting against
himself, his old man. We still have, every believer
in this congregation tonight, still has a body of sin that
is within. Oh, wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the
body of this death? There's an old man that still
tells me, Marvin, You have the right to ABC. You have the right to do this
side or the other. Paul says everybody that runs
is temperate. Paul said I'm in a fight. I'm
in a race. I'm running. I fight. Not as
one that's just going through the motions. I'm in a battle
with myself every day. Every day. And what are you doing,
Paul? He said, I keep under my body
and bring it into subjection, leading my body about as a slave, seeking to enslave myself to the authority of the Word
of God. My old man, It hates this word. It hates it. It's enmity against the God that
I truly love in my new man. And I'm striving, spirit and
flesh fighting one against the other. It's bringing it into
subjection, leading it about to be a slave, to be temperate,
to be temperate. arguing, fighting with myself. That's a believer. There's a
battle that's going on inside. And the Word of God tells me
in all things to be temperate, to be with restraint, to be loving
and kind and merciful. And my old man says, you don't
have to do that. And he said, I keep under my
body bringing it in subjection. He knew that this was a necessary
fight. This is a real fight. Now you
that believe know this. This is a real battle going on.
We're in a real, real struggle. And it's a fight that's not going
to end until we leave this world. Now an unbeliever doesn't know
anything about what I'm talking about. But a believer does. It's a fight that is absolutely
safe. I'm so thankful that there's
a new man there that tells me, by the grace of God, what's going
on. The Spirit of God that tells
my new man what's going on. That's the evidence of true life.
There's a real race there. Here's the race right here. Here's
the fight right here. You know, you say, well I'll
tell you what's my problem. My problems are working. No, your problem
is you and me. There's the problem right there. Paul constantly struggled against
that old man. Listen to him. He said, now this
is the man that said, I know whom I have believed. And I'm
persuaded that he's able to keep that which I've committed unto
him against that day. And a believer believes that.
And he's got that confidence. But I tell you what the Apostle
Paul also said under the inspiration of God's Spirit. Now listen to
me well. Lord willing, we're going to
take up with this next time. See the first word in chapter
10? Moreover, there's a continuation
of this thought right here. Paul says, I keep unto my body,
I bring it into subjection. Now do you believe that Paul
was a believer? Absolutely. The Lord said that
he was a chosen vessel to preach the gospel to him. Paul was a
believer. But let me tell you what Paul's
attitude was also. I keep under my body, I give
myself a black eye and bring it into subjection, leaning about
my attitude, my lust, my desires, my temper, to be temperate. that by any means, when I have
preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. Now I've
heard a lot of interpretations on what that was. Some say, well,
Paul was afraid of the Lord just kind of putting him up on a shelf,
setting him up there. Well, the only problem is that's
not what the word castaway means. The word castaway means reprobate. A reprobate. It means one unapproved
and one rejected. Rejected of God. Unapproved and
rejected of God. Paul said, I fight, I battle,
I struggle to bring myself into subjection less by any means
when I've preached to others. that I myself would find myself
to be a reprobate. Now I know that the gospel that
I'm preaching is right. I know it's right. I know it's
according to these scriptures. And you that believe do too.
But let me tell you what you do. Let me tell you what you're
doing. You're still in a battle. And you're still fighting a good
fight. Examining yourself to be whether you be in the faith.
Lord have mercy on me. He that cometh to me. Lord, I
come. Lord, don't take your spirit away from me. Lord, I trust you.
I believe you. That is the life of a believer. That's the life that he's going
to live until he goes through this world. Paul said, I know
whom I believed. Persuaded. Evil. Same one said
that, same this. Said the same thing right here.
I fight. lest that I find myself, after
preaching to others, that I myself was a castaway, one unapproved
of God. Now those two opinions of one's
self, of a believer, they're scriptural. That's scriptural.
That's the way it is. And therefore, this fight is
necessary. It's only those who are conscious
of that continual struggle with sin to whom any assurance is
given. Paul declared, O wretched man
that I am, and also declared, thanks be unto God who giveth
us the victory. Do you see this battle in yourself?
A battle Paul says, a race, a fight, to be temperate in all things
for the glory of God, for the good of His people. You see yourself,
are you running, not as uncertainly, not running as if people wonder,
are you really even in the fight? I mean the attitudes, that's
me, that's me. What in the world Marvin are
you thinking? What are you thinking? Ralph Barnard said this, a believer
is one who is somewhere between total doubt and hopelessness
and absolute assurance. He is somewhere in the middle
there and he finds himself all over. May the Lord bless these
words to our heart for Christ's sake and for our good. Babe.