Yes, we are supposed to start running this race from the moment of consecration. Jesus and Paul define this race as laying down our lives to do gospel work. As we do gospel work till death, we essentially walk by the Spirit. Yes, as we suffer for the gospel, we reap the fruits of the Spirit, learn obedience to God and love & mercy to mankind. We fulfill our priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel and thereby get sanctified. We prove our faith by doing the works of gospel as a worker of Christ and win the crown of life at resurrection. Works of the gospel include spreading the gospel message and serving to enrich/strengthen the faith of our brothers and sisters in Christ. God has given us talents through Christ and we should use those talents in gospel work. We studied all the aforementioned things in that article. But, what are the things we achieve by running this race? Why does God want us to run this gospel race essentially giving up our whole life for its sake? Why do we have to build each other up in the church? Why do we have to work to spread the good news to the world right now? Won’t they just hear it during the Kingdom? How does one become Christ-like? In this article, let us seek answers to these questions. Yes, let us study the wholesome purpose of running this gospel race.
THE WHOLESOME PURPOSE OF THE GOSPEL RACE
So, what is the wholesome purpose of running the gospel race? It is ten-fold.
1) The main purpose of the gospel race is to be saved by proving our faith. Yes, preaching the gospel to others is a basic requirement for us to be saved.
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved (Rom 10:9-10)
Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! (1 Cor 9:16)
2) We run the gospel race to do the will of God in furthering His Plan and to implement the direct command given by Jesus (Acts 10:42), thereby getting sanctified in doing the priestly gospel duty.
His [God’s] goal was to carry out his plan, when the right time came, that all things in heaven and on earth would be joined together in Christ as the head. In Christ we were chosen to be God’s people, because from the very beginning God had decided this in keeping with his plan. And he is the One who makes everything agree with what he decides and wants. We are the first people who hoped in Christ, and we were chosen so that we would bring praise to God’s glory (Eph 1:10-12 NCV)
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Pet 2:9)
He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God (Rom 15:16)
3) When we run the gospel race as per God’s will and serve with complete devotion as priests to God in doing His gospel work, we fulfill our greatest commandment that is to love God with all our heart, soul and mind. And Paul actually says he can determine whether someone is chosen or not, based on what they do after they receive the gospel. Because, when someone receives the gospel and accepts God’s beautiful message of hope and redemption, he/she starts abounding in love towards God appreciating His mercy and kindness in rescuing mankind by sacrificing His only son. And that love towards the Father kindles a fiery zeal in that person’s heart to start working right away for God’s gospel towards mankind and to spend more and more time in that gospel labor. And it’s such people who are the chosen, says the Apostle.
We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction…You became imitators of us and of the Lord… you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere (1 Thess 1:3-8)
4) As we run the gospel race, we preach the good news to the world. And that’s how we fulfill our second greatest commandment which is to love our neighbor, essentially all our fellow human beings of the world. How do we show love to someone? By doing good to them, right? We actually know that all good things of this world are useless and meaningless (Eccl 1:14, 2:1). The Only Truly Good thing we could do to a fellow human being in present times is to give that person the gospel truth that would bring him/her eternal good. Yes, that’s how we fulfill our commandment of love towards our neighbors, why even our enemies! The world is indeed an enemy to us (James 4:4). That’s why our Master is saying he is sending us out to the world like sheep among wolves.
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged..On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles (Matt 10:16-18)
When the people of the world persecute us when we show our love by sharing God’s gospel with them, our Master asks us to rejoice, because when we show such gospel love even to our enemies, we imitate God’s love and thereby attain perfection marching towards our reward of eternal life in heaven.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven..I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous..If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matt 5:11-12, 44-48)
Thus, the gospel race helps us fulfill the two greatest commandments of love and thereby makes us perfect, ready for our heavenly glory of eternal life.
5) Running the gospel race makes us eligible to inherit a share in the blessings of the gospel i.e. future kingship. Yes, when we do gospel work, we participate in the sufferings of Christ and thereby get a share in his blessings.
I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings (1 Cor 9:23)
Now if we are children, then we are heirs —heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory (Rom 8:17)
But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed (1 Pet 4:13)
Only if we participate in the sufferings of Christ and his gospel work would we get a share in his blessings. God is fair and just. Wouldn’t you agree?
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him (2 Tim 2:8-12).
As we run our gospel race, we shall be measured in our race by our field of gospel work and rewards of authority in the Kingdom would be distributed based on the work we did for Christ’s gospel with our God-given talents in this present life.
We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the field God has assigned to us, a field that reaches even to you. We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you with the gospel of Christ. Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our area of activity among you will greatly expand, so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast about work already done in another man’s territory. But, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends (2 Cor 10:12-18).
Yes, we have nothing to boast about in this world. It is the Lord who commends us based on our field of gospel work. This matches beautifully with the Parable of Minas. In that parable, Jesus compares himself to a nobleman who gives minas to his servants asking them to do business with those and then goes to a distant country to get crowned as a king. And when he returns, he measures their work done and then assigns authority to each of them based on that measurement. Yes, before ascending to heaven, Jesus has given us the truth and gifted us with talents that could be used in proclaiming that truth. When Jesus returns in his Kingdom glory, he would assign authority in the Kingdom to church members based on the amount of gospel work they produce now in the present times.
“He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. “The first one came and said, `Sir, your mina has earned ten more.‘ ” `Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. `Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.‘ “The second came and said, `Sir, your mina has earned five more.’ “His master answered, `You take charge of five cities.’ “Then another servant came and said, `Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’ “His master replied, `I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’ “Then he said to those standing by, `Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’ ” `Sir,’ they said, `he already has ten!’ “He replied, `I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away (Luke 19:15-26)
He [Jesus] commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42)
To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I [Jesus] will give authority over the nations — that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’ —just as I have received authority from my Father (Rev 2:26-27).
6) Another purpose of the gospel race is to win as many elect as possible from the world for God’s work. The Son of Man is sending us out to go fish for God’s chosen. We are his agents in gathering God’s elect.
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” (Mark 1:17)
For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach…Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel (1 Cor 9:16, 19-23).
7) A major goal of the gospel race is doing church edification work to build our fellow brothers/sisters in Christ in the truth and to offer our entire lives as living sacrifices (laying down our lives) to help them win their spiritual races, thereby fulfilling our new commandment of love towards the body of Christ. Even as we help them in their worldly needs, our primary focus would be to build them up in the truth. Yes, in the race marked out for us by God, the competitors win by helping each other. How different is it from worldly races!
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another (John 13:34)
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters…Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth (1 John 3:16, 18)
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up (1 Thess 5:11)
8) Another important purpose of the gospel race is to discharge our duty of speaking the Truth to the world now. Some might ask why it’s necessary to tell the world the good news now. Won’t they just hear it in the Kingdom? Many just reject the message in present times, don’t they? Jesus answers:
If anyone hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day (John 12:47-48 NASB)
[Jesus to disciples] “He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me” (Luke 10:16)
Yes, the Word we speak to the people today would be used during the Kingdom (the last Day) to help correct/judge even those who reject it now in the present. Our duty now is just to give them the truth, says Paul. They would understand it in due time, either now or in the Kingdom. Regardless of the returns, we should keep discharging our duty, as charged by the Apostle.
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus…I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season…the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry (2 Tim 4:1-5).
9) A very important purpose of running the gospel race is to study the Scriptures and grow in our knowledge about the Heavenly Father and His Wonderful Son. When we do gospel work be it may among the heathen or amidst the Lord’s people, we encounter questions, doubts and debates. Those encounters kindle us to study the Word of God. And we discover new wonderful things about God every day. This is true even when we take the worldly example of teachers. Someone with just a high school education cannot teach at a high school level, can they? They would need a higher graduate degree, right? Similarly we would be studying a lot more of God’s Word to teach the heathen and babes in Christ.
Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season (2 Tim 4:2)
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have (1 Pet 3:15)
Carefully study to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth (2 Tim 2:15 DRA)
We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will…so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord…bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God (Col 1:9-10)
10) All of us want to become Christ-like, don’t we? Running the gospel race is the only way put forth in the Bible to make us become Christ-like i.e. to be transformed into his likeness. Yes, the Bible tells us that God leads us in Christ to spread everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him as ministers of His new covenant and as we sincerely perform this ministry work more and more, we are being transformed into Christ’s likeness with ever-increasing glory.
..thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God…..Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart (2 Cor 2:14-17, 3:4-6, 17-18, 4:1).
IN CONCLUSION
With decisive Biblical evidences, we saw how the New Testament writers explain the wholesome purpose of the gospel race. As we saw earlier, works of the gospel include spreading the gospel message and serving to enrich/strengthen the faith of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
The ten-fold purpose of the gospel race as per the New Testament can be summarized as below.
- To prove our faith in God by our gospel works of faith and be saved.
- To implement the will of God, furthering His plan by doing the holy gospel duty of God’s priesthood thereby getting sanctified in that priestly duty.
- To fulfill the First Greatest Commandment of loving God, through our gospel labor of love, thereby proving we are God’s chosen.
- To fulfill the Second Greatest Commandment of loving our fellow human beings (including enemies), by giving them the gospel that brings eternal good, getting persecuted because of that gospel work and thereby attaining perfection towards the reward of eternal life.
- To participate in the sufferings of Christ and thereby inherit a share in his Kingdom blessings and attain the rewards of authority in the Kingdom that are to be distributed based on our gospel field of work where we produce fruit using God-given talents.
- To win as many elect as possible from the world for God’s work.
- To fulfill the New Commandment of love towards the Body of Christ building each other up in the truth.
- To discharge our duty of speaking the Truth to the world now because the Word they hear now would be used to help correct them in the Kingdom.
- To study the Scriptures to be prepared to answer any question from anyone we encounter during our gospel work & thereby growing in the knowledge of the Heavenly Father & His Loving Son.
- To become Christ-like i.e. to be transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory as we sincerely perform more and more works of the gospel ministry.
Isn’t it amazing how God achieves a wholesome variety of purposes in us when we start doing His gospel work! It’s a great privilege to do the work of such a wonderful God! Therefore, let us start running this gospel race putting all of our talents to use. Let us start working to build each other up in our most holy faith and to carry the good news to the people of the world, the same way a gospel worker of Christ once did, to bring it to us!
Yes, let us always remember what our Master said:
Whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it (Mark 8:35)
Praise be to God and His Son!