… and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Summary: Life is not a game, but sometimes thinking in terms of a contest helps us visualize what is at stake in life.
What kind of prize motivates you?
Is it a trophy?
Are you excited by the thought of having your picture and name in the paper?
Do you work extra hard if the prize is money?
These are all reasons people strive to win prizes. There are probably many more reasons, depending on the kinds of contests and how the winner is decided. In every case, the common denominator is that the prize is something special.
If you win, you get the prize. If you don’t win, you can try again or find something else to do.
That is where the prize Paul is talking about is different.
When it comes to spiritual matters, we are talking about the rest of our lives. Not just the rest of our lives here on earth, but the rest of our lives in the life after death — the spiritual realm. As far as we can tell from reading the Bible, once a person leaves this life and enters the eternal realm, there are no “do-overs.”
So what is at stake?
In this contest, we have to choose who we are going to follow. That is the first test. Do we choose to follow our own self-interest, or do we acknowledge God and submit to his will?
Actually, there isn’t any more to it than that.
People who see themselves as most important don’t see any room for God in their lives. People who see God as important acknowledge God’s authority in their lives.
What sets this contest apart from all earthly contests is the stakes. If we submit to God, the prize is a happy ending — eternal life with the Father. If we reject God and choose to put ourselves first, we end up apart from God for eternity. Worse, those who are not with God end up in the burn pile (John 15:6).
Imagine signing up for a contest where the winner is ushered into a world of happiness, peace, joy, and comfort. Now imagine that the losers, everyone who chooses their own path, are ushered into a dark room without windows or fresh air. There is no water and no escape. As they are drawn into the room, their lungs are filled with the acrid smell of burning sulfur; the temperature rises to unbearable levels; and the pain never stops.
Do you see the difference?
God calls all of us “heavenward in Christ Jesus.” The contest is simple: Is Jesus your king or not? The prize is life, and the consequence for failure is pure hell.
Application: Choose life, choose Jesus!
Food for Thought: Why does God give us so much time to choose whether or not we accept his Son as King?
Why does God give us so much time to choose whether or not we accept his Son as King?
It is a part of His magnificent and eternal grace. God does not want anyone to perish, but for all to be brought to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Matthew 18:14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
The Word of God must pierce our heart. We must know the truth before we can accept or reject it. Some people are more hard-headed (or hard-hearted). God knows our hearts and knows the moment we will fully understand His existence, our sin, His grace, His plan of salvation, and whether we will accept His salvation and choose Jesus as Lord or not. He is patient and kind to give us that time, so that we can choose Him or reject Him in full understanding.
Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
Chris,
Thank you! I like your turn of phrase:
“It is a part of His magnificent and eternal grace. ”
So true!
Good devotion and good comments CH. Great verse references such as 2 Peter 3: 9 and Matthew 18: 14.
I’ll add just a couple more:
Romans 2: 4: Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
1 Timothy 2: 1 – 6: I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.
And of course John 3: 16: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Thank you, Brother!
Romans 2:4 is especially good: God wants us all to repent and turn to him, so he gives us time.
That reminds me of all the “time” he gave the Israelites when they were first in Canaan. They sinned early and often, yet it was centuries before God finally sent them into exile.
Jeff, Thanks. I will take the high road. Paul
Amen, Paul!!
Me too!! 🙂
Why does God give us so much time to choose whether or not we accept his Son as King?
Our length of time on earth is foreknown only by God. My son was here 44 years, my mother 101 years, a cousin 16 years. The length of time for each may vary but the purpose for all is the same.
Genesis 3:22-24, And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” 23, So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 24, After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
Hebrews 2:17, Jesus became fully human in every way, except sin. So that he that he might make atonement for the sins of all mankind. As he walked this earth as our merciful and faithful high priest in service to his father, God.
John 1:4, In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
Our time on earth, is time we are given by God to choose eternal life in Jesus, or eternal separation from God in the outer darkness. Those choosing Life in Jesus are called to live the remainder of their time on earth, in humility, allowing Jesus to minister to those around is in word and deed. God will call each home in His timing.
Thank you, Ron.
That is a powerful testimony to the truth of God’s omniscience and a reminder that “… in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)