You must be in fellowship prior to your Bible study, so that the spiritual information you receive can become a source, of blessing to your soul and produce spiritual growth.
5 And [de] if [ean] a man [tis] also [kai] strive [athleo] for
masteries, yet is he [stephanoo] not [ou] crowned, [stephanoo] except
[ean me] he strive [athleo] lawfully. [nomimos] KJV-Interlinear
5 And also
if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes
according to the rules. NASB
The word for strive, 'athleo,' means to strive, contend, wrestle, struggle. And this is used in the sense of a champion athlete, who makes great sacrifices, and trains, and practices, and competes with great determination, over a great time frame, in order to be the best, and to be the winner.
The emphasis on this words' use is in the determination, not the talent. Many an athlete has had great talent and yet did not win, because their desire and determination was not in it. So attitude and persistence and dedication is the key being portrayed here, as well as the long term duration of that dedication.
And second, the competition must be carried out in accordance with the rules of the game. He who cheats, cannot win.
In Pauls day, the Greek games had three basic requirements. First, a competitor had to be of Greek birth. Second, he had to prepare through training. Third, he had to compete in accordance with the rules of the particular event.
In the spiritual life, one has to be born again, that is, you have to have believed in Christ and therefore be saved, and therefore be a member of the family of God.
You cannot participate in a private family activity unless you belong to that family.
Second, you are expected to train in and for your spiritual life. That means daily Bible study to learn, to understand, to apply and to grow up.
Third, you have to abide by the rules of the spiritual game. That means you have to be in fellowship during and throughout, such that your spiritual life functions properly. This is the inbounds boundary of the game. You cannot play while out of bounds.
These three combined will guarantee you a winning finish in your spiritual life.
To cheat at any one of them, means immediate disqualification.
Crown, 'stephanoo,' is the victors wreath or crown of victory.
Therefore, we need to understand that this race or better stated, this effort is for believers only. This effort is for believers who actually make the effort. This effort and eventual victory is for believers who pursue their effort in accordance with the rules. And the effort or race is the spiritual life. And the victory is spiritual maturity together with all of the attributes of the spiritual life that make up the mature believer, namely knowledge, understanding, wisdom, production, and so forth. This all combined brings about maturity.
Those who cheat, those who make up their own rules, those who disregard the rules set up by God, those who pretend, those who make a big deal of themselves, but remain indifferent to the detailed study of the scriptures that are demanded by God, it is those who will be disqualified, and therefore lose.
What is the prize? Eternal reward received at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
What is the loss? Loss of those rewards.
Salvation is never lost once obtained. And salvation is obtained and permanent when a person believes in Christ. That takes but a moment in time and is permanent and secure.
But after salvation, one is but a mere babe as a believer. One has to grow up. And therein is the race, the rules, the victory and the reward for that victory.
If you happen along in your spiritual life, ignore all of the rules, do not take your spiritual life and those rules seriously, then you are in effect forfeiting an eternal reward, and that is something that is huge and beyond anything and everything you can imagine.
Do not be blonde. Do not be clueless. Do not fool yourself into thinking that whatever it is that you are doing, is adequate and God will just have to accept you as you are, for He will not.
Salvation is come as you are. But spiritual growth requires a conscious and dedicated effort, as the Olympic caliber athlete makes a great and dedicated effort with determination, to win.
Anything less makes you nothing more than historical filler, and you will never be worth more than the filler you represent, and that is indeed a great loss … to you. But then you make yourself that way by ignoring the rules God has established.
You have been given a phenomenal opportunity. Do not throw it away by means of stubborn stupidity.
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End Of Lesson
Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth.
