Personal Discipline of Life
In view of the corruption that was in the city of Corinth, Paul instructs Christians to discipline their lives (1 Cor. 9:24-27). Personal discipline is one of life’s most difficult problems—it is one of my difficult problems, and it is one that also belongs to you. Yet, it is essential if we are to please the Lord and save our souls. To do so, Paul selects the metaphor of running a race, similar to our Olympic races. According to history, several things were involved in such races that were familiar to Paul and the Corinthians.
First, one had to train for at least ten months in order to enter the race. Consider the discipline necessary to train for ten months just to be able to enter the race! After the ten months of training to enter, there would be another month in which the athletes were continually judged about what they ate and did before they entered the race, again emphasizing discipline so that they would be qualified to enter and win the race. Considering another sports analogy, consider the training necessary for football players—they do not simply go out on their first game and play for the first time, but they train long and hard before they ever play their first game. This underscores the value of discipline. Many people engage in any number of things and discipline themselves at almost any price in order to be successful.
Second, in the race to which Paul refers, only “ one receiveth the prize ” (9:24), but in the Christian race, this is not true. All of us may win, provided that we recognize the importance of disciplining our lives. “ So run, that ye may obtain ” (9:24).
Third, they must follow the rules and regulations of the race. If not, they would become disqualified. Do we remember the Canadian athlete who won first place, but whom officials later detected that he had taken steroids? Thus, in spite of the fact that he finished in first, he still lost, potentially becoming disqualified forever as penalty for not abiding by the rules. Therefore, in the Christian life, we have to run according to the rules, else we become disqualified.
Fourth, “ every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things ” (9:25). The Greek word for “ striveth for the mastery ” is the word from which we literally obtain our word “agonize.” How many of us really put forth that type of effort—agonize—in order to be pleasing to the Lord? Does that type of effort enter our lives, or are we rather sort of easy-come, easy-go? In areas where it is not as easy to be acceptable to the Lord, do we really agonize? For instance, take the matter of the tongue. James points out that this is not an easy thing to control (James 3:1-12). Do we really agonize over the fact when we do not control our tongue? How much effort do we really put forth? Therefore, it is not merely a matter of running, but doing so with discipline, often in agony.
Fifth, while they ran to win “ a corruptible crown ” [laurel wreath, along with whatever national honor that accompanied such] (9:25), we are not running for such a prize, because we are not running that type of race. We are in a race looking for “ an incorruptible ” crown—an eternal, everlasting “ crown of righteousness ” (cf. 2 Tim. 4:8). How much more motivation should there be for discipline in our lives to see that our lives harmonize with the rules so that we may obtain such a prize? “ I therefore so run, not as uncertainly ” (9:26). In other words, I understand the rules and regulations; I understand the discipline necessary to win such a prize. I seek to know the will of God. In addition, Paul shifts from running a race to shadow boxing: “ so fight I, not as one that beateth the air ” (9:26). Shadow boxing is important in training, but if one actually boxes in a match and never strikes the opponent, it is futile. Thus, we recognize what we are trying to do and exercise discipline wherever we need such.
Paul concludes, “ But I discipline my body and bring it unto subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified ” (9:27 NKJV). Therefore, we see the discipline of life necessary to keep one from being disqualified. The word “ castaway ” (KJV) literally means “reprobate, unapproved and rejected” (incidentally, this shows the possibility of apostasy). For instance, items that are subject to quality control must meet regulations and abide by a certain standard or else they are rejected or “cast away.” Therefore, it is important that we realize, even though we are Christians, that there must be personal discipline in our lives to do what the Lord wants us to do, else He will reject us!