What are believers supposed to run for in Paul's race analogy?
In Paul's race analogy, believers are to run for the prize—the reward God promises for faithful work—not for salvation. Salvation is already attained by grace through faith plus nothing; the race is about working for reward that enhances the Kingdom and brings honor and glory to His Name.
Les explains that Paul frequently uses analogies from common, ordinary things everyone understood. Here in 1 Corinthians 9:24 he uses the analogy of the Olympics and a foot race: runners all run, but only one receives the prize, the winner. Paul tells believers, as they work in this building process, to run that they may obtain—not salvation, because they have already attained that by faith. Instead, they work for reward, to enhance His work and the Kingdom and to bring honor and glory to His Name. They remain the Sovereign God's little worker bees.
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 does Paul tell believers to do in the race analogy?
Paul tells believers working in this building process, brought into the analogy of a foot race, to run that they may obtain.
Why did runners in the ancient games race, and how should Christians run their spiritual race?
Runners in the games did not run for fun but to win and be number one, and Paul tells believers to run their spiritual race the same way.
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.