Competing in the Games

[stunnedbygrace]

epi do you think "competing" is the best illustration?
hmm

Race to win! :)

 

[Episkopos]

epi do you think "competing" is the best illustration?
hmm

I think God compares us with others...in love and devotion, in faith and courage, in perseverance and faithfulness....etc.

So yes...I am inspired by this idea. People are competitive in nature...but usually in the wrong pursuits.

But WHAT A competition this is!

We are to run as athletes for God.

Paul says that many run but one wins the prize.

Run to win!

 

[Waiting on him]

Race to win! :)

Psalm 19:5 KJV
[5] Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.

Galatians 2:20 KJV
[20] I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

The dead don’t play games.
Tecarta Bible
Tecarta Bible

 

[stunnedbygrace]

Take it up with Paul. He's the one who said we are running a race of trust and to compete so as to win.

 

[Episkopos]

Psalm 19:5 KJV
[5] Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.

Galatians 2:20 KJV
[20] I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

The dead don’t play games.
Tecarta Bible
Tecarta Bible

But they who are living do! :) Run so as to win the prize of the high calling in Christ!

Hebrews 12:1-2
The Race of Faith
12 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 

[Waiting on him]

Take it up with Paul. He's the one who said we are running a race of trust and to compete so as to win.

I apologize, thought maybe you guys would want to harmonize to complete word of God, but if you wish to grab hold of every single verse that brings self edification, and exalt the flesh I’ll leave you to your delusions.

 

[bbyrd009]

Race to win! :)

ok, now contrast that with Jesus' actions when He could have been perceived as "winning" but would not. I suggest that our love of "competition" is being used by Paul to cause ppl to read him to their destruction, and that we westerners barely grasp why orientals would bother playing baseball games to deliberate ties. "Winning," the way we grasp that term, worldly, is used to like yank our chain there, imo. tic. Iow cooperation is maybe actually being discussed, @ run the race so as to win. We might even compare with stuff like iron sharpens iron, which i mean check the root for sharpens there and imo you wont be so quick to Quote that one...in a positive light lol

 

[Episkopos]

I apologize, thought maybe you guys would want to harmonize to complete word of God, but if you wish to grab hold of every single verse that brings self edification, and exalt the flesh I’ll leave you to your delusions.

So you refuse to run in the great race? And this is not about self -edification. it's the exact opposite. It about being pleasing to God.

12 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

The self life doesn't want to run. It wants God to do everything. So it won't lift a finger to be pleasing to God.

 

[Waiting on him]

So you refuse to run in the great race? And this is not about self -edification. it's the exact opposite. It about being pleasing to God.

12 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

The self life doesn't want to run. It wants God to do everything. So it won't lift a finger to be pleasing to God.

The only thing pleasing to God is Christ.

 

[Episkopos]

Which brings us to Romans 8. How many of us ever get there.

This is where we take on a new law....the law of the Spirit of life IN Christ Jesus. When we enter into an airplane we can fly above the law of gravity. Likewise when we enter into Christ we can fly like an eagle over the law of sin and death. The old nature has no effect on us when we are flying over it by grace. The carnal nature is rendered powerless by the power of God and the cross of Christ.

That makes us radically free. And we can run the race of faith without hindrance, doing those things that were prepared in advance. At this level there are rewards in heaven.

 

[Episkopos]

The only thing pleasing to God is Christ.

And we also who abide in Him. We do exactly as He did...overcoming as He overcame...when we abide in Him. So then God is well pleased with us who enter into His rest.

 

[Waiting on him]

And we also who abide in Him. We do exactly as He did...overcoming as He overcame...when we abide in Him. So then God is well pleased with us who enter into His rest.

I would have thought that someone always speaking on entering into Christ... would understand the reason is Christ is all that God will accept.

 

[Episkopos]

I would have thought that someone always speaking on entering into Christ... would understand the reason is Christ is all that God will accept.

Jesus didn't come here to be accepted by God but rather to help US to be accepted and even to please God. He came to perfect the walk in His humanity...so that they who believe into Him take on His perfected humanity to walk as He did without any spot or wrinkle of sin.

But the way INTO Christ is difficult. That's why people don't try it. It takes a full surrender to God.

When we go through the door into life...there is then the keeping power of God....that keeps us in His presence always.

 

[bbyrd009]

I think God compares us with others...in love and devotion, in faith and courage, in perseverance and faithfulness....etc.

man epi, i just dont know what to say here to refute that pov without coming off as pious or superior. I dont think Yah does that at all, tho i guess parents maybe often do?

 

[Waiting on him]

Jesus didn't come here to be accepted by God but rather to help US to be accepted and even to please God. He came to perfect the walk in His humanity...so that they who believe into Him take on His perfected humanity to walk as He did without any spot or wrinkle of sin.

But the way INTO Christ is difficult. That's why people don't try it. It takes a full surrender to God.

When we go through the door into life...there is then the keeping power of God....that keeps us in His presence always.

Jesus reconciled us to the Father through being a pleasing sacrifice, by emptying Himself into this world. We enter in through faith in knowing His flesh was a more than sufficient offering.

Now He Christ, the Spirit within us empty’s us out. This is His race.

 

[Episkopos]

man epi, i just dont know what to say here to refute that pov without coming off as pious or superior. I dont think Yah does that at all, tho i guess parents maybe often do?

God is righteous. As such He can't be seen to prefer one person over the other. So then He allows US to determine who desires to be close to Him. He allows us to compete for that closeness to Him.

It's a perfect race. It is perfectly fair and righteous.

They who desire God will seek for Him in this life...to be near to Him or even enter into Him. Of course God will declare who is closest when the day comes. That's why we race not against people around us...but against people from all other generations. And our brothers here can help us to run the better. So it's a generational race. Pitting one generation against the other...and all this to please God or be pleasing to Him. We are competing for favour from the Lord.

And that's how it should be.

Most people nowadays see things backwards as if God is trying to compete with the world for our attention. But it only seems like that...to selfish people.

God is not our servant. But we are His...if we are worthy of even that.

 

[bbyrd009]

I think God compares us with others...in love and devotion, in faith and courage, in perseverance and faithfulness....etc.

So yes...I am inspired by this idea. People are competitive in nature...but usually in the wrong pursuits.

But WHAT A competition this is!

We are to run as athletes for God.

Paul says that many run but one wins the prize.

Run to win!

understand that i am not disagreeing with the ends ok, but the means. Thus run the race so as to win will functionally become...something entirely different, imo. Not a competition at all iow. No battles either, which is where you will inevitably be led to with the wrong perspective there imo.
dang, ipad wont count the returns for "Christian soldier" and "God's Army,"--which are both like polluted by film titles (just put "-film" in search query)--v "the battle is already won," but see for yourself, and be advised imo

so, imo run all you like, takes strong thighs huh

 

[Episkopos]

Jesus reconciled us to the Father through being a pleasing sacrifice, by emptying Himself into this world. We enter in through faith in knowing His flesh was a more than sufficient offering.

Now He Christ, the Spirit within us empty’s us out. This is His race.

That's what you've been conditioned to believe...the middle class American Jesus. ;)

Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. But He was raised for they who enter into His resurrection life IN Him. We enter into Christ by forsaking this world and all we love here...and our very lives.

 

[Episkopos]

"the battle is already won,

Jesus overcame...and won. But now we must also overcome and win as He did. We do this IN Him.

Rev. 3:21 To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

They don't teach that in Sunday school do they?

 

[bbyrd009]

God is righteous. As such He can't be seen to prefer one person over the other. So then He allows US to determine who desires to be close to Him. He allows us to compete for that closeness to Him.

It's a perfect race. It is perfectly fair and righteous.

They who desire God will seek for Him in this life...to be near to Him or even enter into Him. Of curse God will declare who is closest when the day comes. That's why we race not against people around us...but against people from all other generations. And our brothers here can help us to run the better,. So it's a generational race. Pitting one generation against the other...and all this to please God or be pleasing to Him. We are competing for favour from the Lord.

And that's how it should be.

Most people nowadays see things backwards as if God is trying to compete with the world for our attention. But it only seems like that...to selfish people.

God is not our servant. But we are His...if we are worthy of even that.

ok well imo lets not forget that it is the perceived losers, the poor in spirit, etc who get the gold ok.