In 1 Corinthians 9:24, who receives the prize in the race?
In 1 Corinthians 9:24, only one runner receives the prize—the winner. Paul uses the Olympic foot race analogy to teach believers to run so as to obtain reward, not salvation, since salvation is already attained by faith. All may run, but only the winner gets the prize.
Les explains that Paul often makes analogies with common, ordinary things everyone understood, and here he uses the analogy of the Olympics—people running in a race. Quoting 1 Corinthians 9:24, Paul says all who run in a race run, but one receives the prize, and the one who receives it is the winner; that stands to reason. Les connects this with believers working for reward, not salvation. Salvation is all of grace by faith plus nothing and is already attained, but after entering that salvation experience, God expects believers to work for reward—to enhance His work, enhance the Kingdom, and bring honor and glory to His Name. Paul’s foot-race analogy urges believers to run that they may obtain, not salvation but reward.
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
More Questions
What race does Paul describe in 1 Corinthians 9:24 and what is the prize?
In a race all runners run, but only one receives the prize, so believers should run in a way that obtains not salvation but the prize.
In 1 Corinthians 9:24, is the prize believers run for salvation?
The prize Paul tells believers to run for in 1 Corinthians 9:24 is not salvation but the prize (a reward), since salvation is not something obtained by running.