What crown are believers running for, compared to the athletes' crown?
Believers run for an incorruptible crown, an eternal reward that will never end. By contrast, athletes in the Olympic races competed for a corruptible crown, merely a wreath of leaves that dried up and became good for nothing. Paul says believers run to obtain this prize, not salvation.
Les explains that in I Corinthians chapter 9, Paul writes to Gentile believers using the Olympic athletes as an illustration. The athletes trained and trained with temperateness, not destroying their bodies by overtraining or coming to the race flabby and unprepared. They competed to obtain a corruptible crown, just a wreath of leaves that dried up and was good for nothing by the time they got home. Paul tells believers the same thing: run the race to obtain the prize, not salvation. While the athletes sought a corruptible crown, believers who are running for reward are looking for an incorruptible crown, one that will never end.
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
More Questions
What crown are Christians running to obtain?
Unlike the runners' corruptible wreath, Christians are working or running to obtain an incorruptible crown.