Your Race To Lose

“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” (Re 3:11 AV)

Believe it or not, I used to run track when I was much younger.  The sprint was my event.  One of the fastest of my class, winning races was not all that challenging.  That is, until the coach decided to make marathon running the goal of all track athletes.  He ran us all over the place.  Miles upon miles of running.  In the end, it slowed my pace down considerably.  No longer able to place first, I was relegated to third string.  If the coach would have simply let me train a different way, then perhaps the crown that was mine for the taking would not have been worn by another victor.  You see, the victor’s crown is ours for the taking.  It is our race to lose.  We already possess it and the only way we can lose it is if we fall behind or drop out of the race altogether.

 Notice the LORD tells his beloved church they already have it.  “Which thou hast” means they have it.  There are five crowns which the believer can earn while serving Christ in our present life time.  There is the incorruptible crown for those who remain faithfully engaged in defense of the faith until death.  There is the crown of rejoicing for faithful soul-winners.  There is the crown of life, often referred to as the martyr’s crown; for those who endure great hardship for the cause of Christ.  Then there is the crown of righteousness for those who seek and anticipate the return of Christ because they deeply desire the conclusion of Christlikeness.  And finally, there is the crown of glory for those who have forsaken all other earthly endeavors to dedicate themselves to the service of the LORD.  These five crowns are the crowns which will be cast at the feet of Christ at our appearing before Him.

 As was stated twice before, we already possess these crowns.  Or, for a more accurate understanding, we already possess the opportunity to possess these crowns.  The one thing that binds them altogether is faithfulness.  Starting out a race is nice.  It is exciting.  It is filled with fanfare.  But all that anticipation and zeal is not worth it if the runner doesn’t finish.  Like being a sprinter, it is nice if the race is only a few hundred feet as opposed to a mile or two.  Finishing a sprint is rather easy.  Finishing a marathon, not so much.  But life is a marathon.  It is not a sprint.  If we are the fastest runner in a race of one (and that is what we are), finishing is all that matters.  We do not run against other believers.  We do not run against other churches.  We run against the adversaries of the world, the flesh, and the devil.  They are not trying to win the race.  They are simply trying to keep us from finishing well.  So, the race is ours to lose.  What are we going to do?