Finish Well: Running the Race Set Before Us, 9/13/26

We come again to the reading and the preaching

of the Word of God in this Lord's Day. It is

a blessing to be here again and look at this

next passage. The title is Finish Well, Running

the Race Set Before Us. We're going to look today

at chapter 9, verse 24, through chapter 10 and

verse 13. We're going to read that at this time,

so let us hear the word of God. Verse 24. Do

you not know that those who run in a race all

run, but one receives the prize? Run in such

a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who

competes for the prize is temperate in all things.

Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown,

but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I

run thus. not with uncertainty. Thus I fight,

not as one who beats the air, but I discipline

my body and bring it into subjection, lest when

I had preached to others, I myself should become

disqualified. Moreover, brethren, I do not want

you to be unaware that all our fathers were under

the cloud. All passed through the sea. All were

baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.

All ate the same spiritual food. And all drank

the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that

spiritual rock that followed them. And that rock

was Christ. But with most of them, God was not

well pleased. For their bodies were scattered

in the wilderness. Now these things became our

examples to the intent that we should not lust

after evil things as they also lusted. And do

not become idolaters as were some of them. As

it is written, the people sat down to eat and

drink and rose up to play. Nor let us commit

sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in

one day 23 ,000 fell. Nor let us tempt Christ,

as some of them also tempted and were destroyed

by serpents. Nor complain, as some of them also

complained and were destroyed by the destroyer.

Now all these things happened to them as examples.

And they were written for our admonition upon

whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore,

let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he

fall. No temptation has overtaken you except

such as is common to man. But God is faithful

who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what

you are able. But with the temptation will also

make the way of escape that you may be able.

To bear it. Let's pray. Father, we come before

you this morning with this incredible passage

before us. And Lord, we need your wisdom to properly

understand it. So guide our understanding, Lord.

Guide the words that I say that they might be

pleasing to you, Lord. And that they would be

in accord with your word. And I pray that you

would give the congregation here a heart after

you. That they would hear your word as it is

preached. Lord, I pray, Father, that all would

be done for your honor and glory. And I ask this

in Jesus' name. Amen. In last week's passage,

Paul wrote about his compelling and urgent passion

for the gospel of Jesus to be made known to all

so that many would be won to the kingdom of Christ

and brought into his church. He gave up some

of his liberties in order to win the war, even

presenting the gospel without charge so that

he would not abuse his authority in the gospel.

He became a servant to all and carefully sought

out to win the Jews, the Gentiles, that is those

without law, and the weak. He summed this up

in verse 22. I have become all things to all

men that I might by all means save some. Now

I do this for the gospel's sake. that I may be

partaker of it with you. What more noble cause

can we think of that is greater than this? This

great passion and this service to Christ and

for eternal life. Indeed, many will expend themselves

for much lesser things, such as the winning of

a perishable crown, in the case of the Isthmian

Games held every other year in Corinth, or to

medal. at the olympics or for a large business

or to gain great wealth or achieve some great

renown in various gifts as a civil leader movie

star or many other things now many of these of

course are not wrong and god does give us gifts

to excel in all sorts of the spheres of life

and we should pursue excellence in those gifts

nevertheless The overarching passion of all should

be the glory of God and the expansion of Christ's

kingdom and the spread of his church over all

the earth. And in this pursuit and passion, we

labor long and hard and through great difficulties,

that is, trials and temptations that beset us,

sins that tug at our hearts or threaten our loyalty

to Christ. Pride that takes away the glory from

God or laziness that saps our energy and weakens

our efforts. This one thing I do, says Paul to

the Philippians, I press on that I may lay hold

of that which Christ Jesus has also laid hold

of me. Christ has called us, each of us. to press

on, to reach the goal, to reach and win the prize

of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. And

this call, this goal stirs in our hearts so that

we may be found in him, that we may know him

and the power of his resurrection and might attain

to the resurrection of the dead. To this end,

Paul commends self -discipline. But the self

-discipline he commends is not just a mere self

-improvement. No, he is motivated not only to

see people saved, but to see them discipled.

He gives up liberty so that others may share

in the new liberty in Christ. And the same must

govern us. Therefore I endure all things for

the sake of the elect, he says, so that they

also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ

Jesus with eternal glory. 2 Timothy 2 and verse

10. He also tells Timothy in chapter 4 verse

7 of 1 Timothy, but reject profane and old wives

fables and exercise yourself toward godliness.

Perseverance. It's not only for our salvation,

but we are also motivated to promote the advance

of the gospel and the kingdom of Jesus Christ

for his glory. This should be the overarching

purpose of life. The title of this sermon is

Finishing Well, Running the Race Set Before Us.

And the scriptures here lay out the need for

us to run the race of life well. That is pulling

examples from athletes who are self -disciplined

in verses 24 and 25, and then from Paul's own

manner of running and fighting in chapter 9,

verse 26 and 27. Paul now presses the same urgency

on the Corinthians. Liberty without self -discipline

and without heeding Israel's history may lead

to disqualification. Therefore, this is written

not to unbelievers, but to us as believers, that

is, to the covenant community. In chapter 10,

verses 1 through 10, Paul demonstrates from the

example of the Israelites in their history how

they did not finish well. For out of the entire

adult population that began the wilderness journey

when they left Egypt, Only two men entered the

promised land. Only two men, Joshua and Caleb.

He shows how they did not please God. And though

they received the blessings of the covenant of

grace, they sinned in a most grievous manner

and fell in the wilderness, losing out on the

promise of the inheritance of the land. He then

closes out this section in verses 11 to 13 of

chapter 10 with a warning against presumption

on our part. But he finishes, as I want to finish

today, with the promise of God's faithfulness

and of God's provision to help his people through

all the trials and temptations. With that now,

let's take a closer look at the passage. The

first portion. is to run to win. That is the

athlete's discipline in verses 24 through 27.

The race is real, and there is a prize to win.

Paul says in verse 24, do you not know that those

who run in a race all run, but one receives the

prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain

it. He begins this section with an example from

their common knowledge for Greek and Roman culture

prized athleticism and games. The Isthmian Games

were held every other year at Corinth. The program

included mixed athletics. equestrian events,

and then later music and poetry. There were foot

races, including a distinctive four -lap race.

There was wrestling and boxing and pancration,

which is a brutal mixed combat event that combined

wrestling and boxing with very few restrictions.

There were horse and chariot races, music and

poetic contests. The victor's prize was a wreath,

originally pine, and then became wild celery.

in the classical period, and then pine again

in Roman times. It was a perishable crown. It

was not gold. It was one that was perishable.

And Paul draws from this, as he does in other

places, to illustrate the race that we as Christians

are running. For we are, as Hebrews says, to

lay aside every weight and the sin which does

so easily beset us or ensnare us, and to run

with endurance the race of life, That is before

us, looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher

of our faith. For the athletes in the Isthmian

Games, only one person received the prize in

each game. But for us, all who finish the race

win and receive the prize. The command is simply

this. Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

The Christian life is not... casual participation.

It is not resting on your morals. It is not saying,

I trust in Christ. He will take care of me and

therefore I do nothing. No, there is nothing

in the scriptures that speak of that. Now, while

it is true that we cannot save ourselves, yet

we are called through the salvation of Christ

unto the good works and to run that race. Indeed,

as Paul says in Romans 2, verse 5, 11, that this

Romans 2:5

aimed, the Christian life is aimed at striving

for glory, honor, and immortality. He says, God

will render to each one according to his deeds.

Eternal life to those who by patient continuance

in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality.

but to those who are self -seeking and do not

obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation

and wrath, tribulation and anguish on every soul

of man who does evil of the Jew first and also

of the good, but glory, honor, and peace to everyone

who works what is good to the Jew first and also

the Greek, for there is no partiality with God.

All of our efforts and striving are made possible

by God who works in us and all praise goes to

the glory of Jesus Christ. So let us run that

race. This is the word of Paul as he gives it

right here. The apostle, the inspired word of

God is to run the race. That is, finish well

so that at the end of your life, you can also

say, I have fought the good fight. I have finished

the race. I have kept the faith. Now, verse 25,

he shows the self -control is required of everyone

who seeks the prize. And everyone who competes

for the prize is temperate in all things. Now,

they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but

we for an imperishable crown. Keeping the metaphor

of athletes, Paul shows how temperance is required

in order to strive for the mastery and win the

prize. Temperance means self -control or continence.

It involves the governing of oneself, watching

out for behavior and conduct and other hindrances

to win the race. And this comes from an inner

compulsion. This illustrates actually the overarching

theme of liberty in this whole section of scripture

from chapter 8 through the end of chapter 10.

And Paul later says near the end of chapter 10,

all things are lawful for me, but not all things

are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but

not all things edify. Therefore, if we lose sight

of the fact that with liberty comes responsibility,

We can easily turn our liberty into license and

then we're greatly hindered in the race of life

or even start entertaining thoughts of giving

up altogether because we're just focused on the

enjoyment of privileges rather than the liberty

that is in Christ. Self -control is required

of everyone who seeks to win the prize. An athlete

gives up many things in order to win the prize.

brings his body into subjection. In preparing

for the games back here in Corinth, they would

abstain from unwholesome food, wine, and sexual

indulgence, all for the sake of winning the game.

So also our temperance must be governed both

by the law of God and by that which is helpful.

Now the crown of the athletes then were perishable.

Now, of course, there was the renown, there was

the fame and recognition that came with winning.

Much like an Olympic winner today, they received

the medal, but much greater even than just the

medal was all the fame and attention and acclamation

that comes with it. And they would have received

that. It was a valued prize, but nevertheless,

it is one that was perishable, corruptible, vanishing,

fleeting, and it withered away. Ours, however.

Paul contrasts, says, is imperishable. It is

incorruptible. We run for glory and for honor

and immortality through our self -discipline

and striving for the glory of God. As I read

in Romans 2, verse 7, eternal life to those who

Romans 2:7

by patient continuance in doing good seek for

glory, honor, and immortality. seeking glory

honor and immortality is commended when it is

thought through patient continuance in doing

good and serving christ it is not commended when

it is for our own self -aggrandizement for puffing

our own selves up Believers rightly desire honor

in Christ, and yet we read in Revelation 4 .10

that the 24 elders fall down before him who sits

on the throne and worship him who lives forever

and ever and cast their crowns before his feet.

They cast their crowns. Yes, they received the

crown of glory, and then yet they cast their

crowns before him. Thus they acknowledge his

supreme worthiness, that it was him, it was God,

who enabled them to run the race well. Nevertheless,

the crowns, the rewards, the joy of the Lord

over us, it is all ours. We do not run for eternal

reward alone. Not only do we strive for eternal

life, for glory in the hereafter, but we also

long and pray and labor and work for the kingdom

of God to come on earth as it is in heaven. What

does the scriptures teach us in the Lord's prayer?

We pray and we labor for that which Jesus taught

us to pray. That God's name would be hallowed

here on earth. That it would be revered throughout

all the earth and exalted by all mankind. We

pray and work faithfully that his kingdom would

come and his will would be done on earth as it

is in heaven. We confess our sins and we grant

or receive forgiveness. We desire not to be led

into or succumb to temptation and to be delivered

from the evil one. And yes, we strive to see

the kingdom and the glory and the power that

belongs to God be revealed here on the earth,

even as it is in heaven. We strive for the glory

of God to be revealed in the kings and the rulers

of the earth and that they would kiss the sun

and bow before him in reverence and in awe. Isaac

Watts put this to verse so wonderfully in the

hymn, How Sweet and Awful is the Place. Verse

5 and 6 read, Pity the nations, O our God. Constrain

the earth to come. Send thy victorious word abroad

and bring the strangers home. We long to see

thy churches full, that all the chosen race may

with one voice and heart and soul sing thy redeeming

grace. What I'm simply saying here is that yes,

we long and look forward to our eternal reward

and to be with Christ when we die. But we also

long to see the kingdom of God worked out right

here, right now. Right here, right now. Paul

then moves on to describe his own manner of running

and fighting in verse 26 and 27. He says, therefore,

I run thus. I run in this way, not with uncertainty.

Thus I fight, not as one who beats the air. but

I discipline my body and bring it into subjection,

lest when I have preached to others, I myself

should be disqualified. Because of the imperishable

crown, Paul says, I run, I run like this, not

in a tentative or half -hearted way and not with

uncertainty. He does not fight against an imaginary

opponent, not shadow boxing, not beating the

air. He takes the offense, fighting for Christ,

not merely being against something. Offense.

not only defense. And in this race or in this

fight, he uses two metaphors here. Paul says

that he disciplines and keeps under his body

and brings it into subjection. The word discipline

here is actually, discipline is actually a bit

of a weak word in this. The word actually means

to beat up black and blue. It's to smite like

a boxer buffets his body and disciplines it by

hardship. He brings it to subjection, to subjection

and submission to this great will and call of

God. Why does he do this? He says, lest when

I have preached to others, I myself should become

disqualified. The word disqualified is the Greek

word adikomos. It means to fail the test or be

unfit and not approved. Paul desires to finish

the race of faithful ministry and perseverance.

But even he himself treats himself as needing

watchfulness. And that his liberty does not turn

into license. So he disciplines his body. Now

what must be kept under? What is Paul referring

to here? What specifically regarding the body

does Paul need to keep under or to bruise? Now

he could be speaking about sins of the mind and

the spirit. That is true. But he uses the word

body. And this is not like fleshly lust. It's

referring to his body. His actual body. He keeps

his body under so that he does not sin against

God and be disqualified. The focus, therefore,

especially as we look at the following verses,

appears to be sins of the flesh that would disqualify

him from ministry in Christ's church or from

standing approved before the judge. While sins

of the mind are not excluded from this, it seems

like that is what... That's what he is driving

at. Now what could these sins be? Well, what

were the sins he was warning the Corinthians

about? What were they doing? Number one, sexual

immorality. Sexual immorality, that powerful

urge that can be so easily led into sin through

seduction and through lust and pride. Sexual

immorality. Paul speaks of that a number of times

throughout the book of Corinthians. It is a strong

emphasis. This is something that is not done

without the body. It's done by the body, as he

had pointed out just a few chapters back. Sexual

immorality. I mention also, though, that this

is obviously action, but it also can be led into

through seduction. Proverbs 23 brings this out

so clearly. Verse 27 and 28, and I can point

it out later, but it just speaks about how the

seducer draws the man in, in this way and sets

a trap. How many mighty men, even that you might

know about in our day, have fallen through this

sin? There are a number of them in scripture.

Samson. David, the man after God's own heart,

was led astray into this sin. Solomon, the wisest

man who ever lived, was led away through this

sin or fell into this sin. And there are many

more. This is an important one. And Paul is on

guard about this one. And so also must we. Other

sins of the body, laziness, sloth, or apathy,

gluttony, drunkenness, or intemperance in lawful

things. Idolatry, again, idolatry was an act

of the body in bowing before false gods. Or using

our mouth, complaining and murmuring against

God. What's interesting is that every one of

the ones that I just listed here, everyone except

one, is mentioned in some way as Israel being

guilty of. And he brings that out. And that's

why I think there's a link here to what Paul

is referring to. And that's what I'm extrapolating

from that. As one who has preached to others,

Paul is especially concerned that he disciplines

his body and does not become disqualified. Vigilance

is required. In both highs and lows, temptations

persist, even in old age and in varied emotional

states. And so, dear brothers and sisters, let

us run for the prize that is before us and watch

out for the sins of the body as well as the mind.

Let's move on then to our second point, and that

is Israel's privileges. did not prevent their

fall. And for this, now we're going to move on

into chapter 10. Keeping in mind this whole theme

here of running faithfully, now he's going to

illustrate very clearly about those who did not

run faithfully. Verses one to five, he shows

that all of our fathers shared in the same covenant

signs. They were greatly blessed by God and they

received the covenant signs from God. He says,

moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware

that all our fathers were under the cloud, all

passed through the sea, all were baptized into

Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the

same spiritual food, all drank the same spiritual

drink, for they drank of the spiritual rock that

followed them. And that rock, was christ god

gave israel many covenant signs and seals as

the people of god they had many privileges and

blessings and some of them are listed and summarized

here in these first four verses they were under

the cloud that refers to the cloud that led them

by day and was a pillar of fire by night that

cloud indicated to them that god was with them

that the presence of god was there They experienced

the visible presence of God and the protection

of God. They passed through the sea. They were

mightily delivered out of Egypt through a miraculous

thing where the sea opened up and there was dry

land and they went through the sea and all crossed

to the other side, thus escaping the trap that

the Egyptians had set before them. They passed

through the sea. They were delivered from the

Egyptians. Now, both the cloud and the sea correspond

with baptism, which Paul refers to next. They

were all baptized into Moses. I will note that

is all of them, men, women, and children. In

the Jewish understanding, baptism, yes, there

was other baptisms before baptism is read of

in the book of Acts. The Jewish understanding

of baptism is that it was a rite of initiation

of tremendous religious significance. The baptism

of the cloud and the sea identified them with

Moses and the God of Moses as the people of God,

as the covenant people of God. We see this even

in our own baptism. baptisms of which I may speak

more at another time as we are baptized into

Christ that is the right of initiation into Christ's

church and we are identified with Jesus Christ

they were baptized into Moses in other words

they were numbered with the covenant people.

Furthermore, they ate the same spiritual food,

that was manna, and the same spiritual drink,

which was water. Now spiritual food, don't get

led astray here by this. It wasn't some kind

of ethereal thing. Spiritual food and drink here

simply mean foods that came supernaturally to

them. Manna came out of the sky. It fell down.

God created it every morning while they were

in the wilderness and they ate of it. It was

real food. The water, was real water. It refers

to the supernatural giving of water that came

when Moses struck the rock and water gushed out

and it satisfied their thirst. But he goes even

further than that though. They drank of that

spiritual rock that followed them and that rock

was Christ. This is why we call this the church

in the wilderness. They had Christ. There with

them, the rock was Christ and they drank of this

water. Now all of these signs and wonders were

done to show them their identity and to give

them life as the people of God. And there are

many applications to this that point to our own

corporate and sacramental and Christ -centered

privileges that correspond to baptism and the

Lord's table. i'm not as i had told some of you

this chapter is really layered there's all sorts

we have just the account here of this but then

there's layers and depths of understanding even

beyond it and i haven't fully decided yet if

i'm going to do that next sunday or at another

time but i want to get into some of those deeper

issues that are here but we learned from this

this was the children of israel and yet In verse

5, Paul says, With most of them God was not well

pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the

wilderness. Why was this? Disobedience and unbelief.

Disobedience and unbelief. Now the word scattered

here means to strew over the ground. To scatter

over the ground. Their disobedience and unbelief.

particularly when they came to the promised land

the first time and they did not go in and possess

it. Rather, they had unbelief. They were afraid.

They did not trust the Lord to go with them.

And what happened? They wandered in the wilderness

for 40 years. 40 years until every one of the

bodies of the adults were strewn over the ground,

so to speak, except for two men. 20 years and

older. This is very sobering. Paul really brings

this out and he's driving this point home. And

now he's going to take it, this example of Israel,

and he's going to drive it home to the Corinthians

in verses 6 through 11. He says, now these things

became our examples to the intent that we should

not lust after the evil things as they also lusted.

And do not become idolaters as were some of them.

As it is written, the people sat down to eat

and drink and rose up to play. Nor let us commit

sexual immorality as some of them did. And in

one day 23 ,000 fell. Nor let us tempt Christ

as some of them also tempted and were destroyed

by serpents. Nor complain as some of them also

complained and were destroyed by the destroyer.

Now all these things happened to them as examples.

And they were written for our admonition. Upon

whom the ends of the ages have come. They are

written for us. The example is for us. As the

people of God. Yes, we look at them and we learn.

We don't just dismiss. That's just Old Testament.

No, no, no. No, they're examples for us. And

Paul takes it and drives it home very, very well.

This is the purpose of the history. He says,

this became our examples. Verse 6, again in verse

11. Now all these things happen to them as examples.

And they're written for our admonition. This

is why, brothers and sisters, we must study the

Old Testament. They are not a bygone era with

which we have nothing to do. No, they are our

forebears. They are our forefathers. They are

our examples. And we receive warnings because

of them. Israel's story is the church's warning.

And we must. Read and understand. Paul gives

four examples of disqualifying sins here, all

of which were very pertinent, by the way, to

the Corinthians. Very pertinent. And they correspond

to our dangers as well. I think that Paul has

these sins in mind when he talks about keeping

his body under as he fights. The first that is

listed is idolatry. The people sat down to eat

and drink and rose up to play. This is from Exodus

32. It's when they raised the golden calf and

had the pagan feast. After their great deliverance,

while Moses was in the mount with God and they

received God's laws and God's words, what were

they doing? They were worshiping an idol saying,

We bow to you. This idol has led us out of Egypt.

What an affront against God. Idolatry. They worshipped

a golden calf. Our modern correlations are misplaced

loves. Or in the Corinthians day of eating temple

meals as part of the idolatrous worship was a

problem. And they and we must still watch that

our allegiances are not divided. The scripture

also says this in Colossians 3 verse 5, that

Colossians 3:5

covetousness is idolatry. In other words, whenever

we fall into covetousness, we are participating

in a form of idolatry. Covetousness is idolatry.

The second thing was sexual immorality. 23 ,000

men died in one day. In one day. Imagine that.

We talk about even in our wars. Oh it's really

bad. 10 died here or 20 died here. And indeed

it is. But here. One day. 23 ,000 men. This is

in Numbers 25. As they worshipped Baal of Peor.

Encouraged by the counsel of Balaam. The Moabites

sent their women and girls. To seduce the men

of Israel. And lead them into sin. This is in

Numbers 31. This is referred to in Numbers 31.

It says, look, these women caused the children

of Israel through the counsel of Balaam to trespass

against the Lord in the incident of Peor. And

there was a plague among the congregation of

the Lord. This additional detail is given here.

That's not in Numbers 25. But later when Moses

recounts it, he gives greater detail as that

this actually was because of Balaam who could

not help but prophesy good, gave counsel to the

king of Moab saying, here's the way you get at

Israel. Here's the way. you bring them down.

You send your women out and you seduce them and

bring them into the pagan feast. And they did

that and 23 ,000 fell. Israel remained in Acacia

Grove and the people began to commit harlotry

with the women of Moab. They invited the people

to the sacrifices of their God and the people

ate and bowed down to their gods. This was always

a prominent danger to both young and old. I mentioned

this before. But I want to note here that these

men were responsible for their actions, but they

were also seduced by the women who came after

them. And both were guilty. Proverbs warns about

this, saying, My son, give me your heart and

let your eyes observe my ways. For a harlot is

a deep pit and a seductress is a narrow well.

She also lies in wait as for a victim and increases

the unfaithful among men. Our world is filled

with adultery and fornication, with seduction

and willing participation. It is everywhere and

many are slain by it. And therefore, we take

heed to that and we are watchful about it. The

third is that of tempting Christ. tempting or

testing Christ. And they were destroyed by serpents.

This account is Numbers 21. Israel spoke out

against God. Why have you brought us out? We

hate this bread. They were discouraged by the

detour around Edom and life in the wilderness.

and therefore they turned against Christ. And

Paul labels this, even though this terminology

is not in the Old Testament account, but Paul

says they were tempting Christ in this. By their

complaining, by their testing him, by their crying

out against him, they were tempting Christ. And

number four, they were complaining and grumbling

and thus were destroyed by the destroyer. This

is in Numbers 14 and 16. Complaining reveals

the despising of God's provision and murmuring

against God's order. And this is what the children

of Israel did. Again, these were all written

for our admonition, those upon whom the end of

the ages have come. We are inheritors of the

promises and the covenants of God, but Israel

also serves us as an example, lest we make the

same mistakes and do the same sins. Therefore,

number four, let us take heed and trust our faithful

God. Let us take heed and trust in God. In verse

12 and 13. Therefore, let him who thinks he stands

take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken

you except such as is common to man. But God

is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted

beyond what you are able. But with the temptation

will also make the way of escape so that you

may be able to bear it. The first part of this

is a warning against presumption. He says, let

him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

Covenant signs, biblical knowledge, and liberty

in Christ does not make one immune to these temptations.

Failures often arise from lack of watchfulness

driven by pride, complacency, or self -satisfaction.

I think I'm in a real good place right now. I

can let down my guard. Or this is really good.

And we start becoming puffed up in ourselves.

Or we just become complacent. Oh, it's just a

little sin. It doesn't matter. I can indulge

in this. I can just let this one go. It's really

not going to affect anything else. But it sets

the stage for greater sins to follow. This is

a warning against presumption. We have the presence

of Christ with us. We have the power of the indwelling

Spirit. We have been baptized. We have the Lord's

Supper, spiritual food and drink that is grace.

And yet, we can experience the blessings that

come with being associated with the people of

God and still not have living faith. This is

what it means to apostatize. Yes. We believe

in the perseverance of the saints, that all who

are in Christ are kept by Christ as he has promised.

Yet a great amount of benefits can be received

by someone whose heart is not right and who will

die that way. It is possible for someone to receive

many privileges and blessings by being counted

and associated with the people of God and not

actually be regenerate and possess eternal life.

Privilege plus unbelief equals judgment. Beginning

well does not equal finishing well, as Jesus

spoke in the parable of the sower. For some hear

the word and they receive it with gladness, but

they have no root in themselves. Others hear

the word and the cares of this world and the

deceitfulness of riches and other desires choke

the word and they become unfruitful. For this

reason, there are a number of warnings in the

New Testament that apply to this. I'm not, for

the sake of time, going to go through them all,

but they're in John 15, where Jesus warns about

the dead branches attached to the vine that need

to be broken off. That is, they were participants

in many covenant blessings, but they were dead,

and they were broken off the vine, off of the

covenant body. There's warnings in Hebrews 2

and 3 and 4 and 6 and 10, all about this kind

of thing, and also 2 Peter chapter 2. Therefore,

2 Peter 2 · chapter mention

let us not be presumptuous. Let us take heed

to ourselves, lest we fall. Paul tells Timothy

in 1 Timothy 4, 16, Take heed to yourself and

to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing

this you will save both yourself and those who

hear you. Do not... be presumptuous that is the

big lesson that Paul draws out here let him who

thinks he stands take heed lest he fall but lastly

then and I'm going to close with this hear the

great promise of God's faithfulness in the time

of temptation Paul by the spirit of God did not

let the Corinthians hanging with this warning

and neither will I with the warnings come also

hope and promises What are these promises? First

of all, your temptation is not unusual. There

are clouds of witnesses before you who have overcome

those temptations with the help of the Spirit

of the Lord, and this is available to you also.

He says these temptations are common to man.

They're common, but God is faithful. He will

not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are

able. What blessed words are these? Your temptation

will not be so overwhelming that you have to

fall. No, no. God monitors the amount that you

can take in some way. And we don't know how all

of this. He just says here, God is faithful.

He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what

you are able. He knows our frame. Remember the

reassuring words from Psalm 103. As a father

pities his children, so the Lord pities those

who fear him, for he knows our frame. He remembers

that we are dust. God cares for us. And thus,

with the temptation, God provides the way of

escape so that you may be able to bear it. God

watches over these trials and temptations. He

provides his word, his people, his spirit, and

works in many ways, even through providential

circumstances, to help us through the temptation.

The escape is not always removal. It's the immediate

removal of the trial, but it's the provision

to endure without falling into the sins that

are listed above. The way of escape is most often

the ordinary means of grace. Prayer, the written

word, the gathered church, the confession of

sins and receiving pardon, fleeing the sins of

the flesh and idolatry and setting your heart

to refuse to test the Lord and putting away grumbling.

What then marks those who finish well? Humility.

humbling ourself before god acknowledging our

need of him saying lord we need you i cannot

get through this myself it is that of faithfulness

faithfulness in doing what god has asked you

to do and obeying him obedience it is endurance

as we are exhorted many times to endure these

things and it is also experiencing the chastening

of the lord which helps us and purifies us. Humility,

faithfulness, obedience, endurance, discipline,

and faith in the God who said, I will not suffer

more than what you can take. All of this is summed

up well in Colossians chapter 3. And so I encourage

Colossians 3 · chapter mention

you with this word. Make a conscious choice.

Make a conscious choice to do this. to seek these

things with the help of God and the power of

the Holy Spirit and finish well. He says, therefore,

as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on

tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness,

long -suffering, bearing with one another and

forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint

against another. Even as Christ forgave you,

so also you must do. But above all these things

put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,

to which also you were called in one body. And

be thankful. Let the word of God dwell. in you

richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing

one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual

songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the

Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do

all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks

to God the Father through him. We are a body.

We are to share one another's burdens, to come

alongside of one another, to shore each other

up. Yes, to hear the preaching, but also the

quiet encouragement of an older sister to a younger

who sees perhaps she's going through a difficult

time or of another brother to one from one man

to another or woman to one or just simply in

being open and transparent with each other, loving

one another. That is the church of God in the

way that it ought to be. May it be so here. May

we then together live life this way and pursue

God with all of our hearts and to fight well

and finish well. Let's pray.