The purpose of the Christian race is to gain reward, not to obtain salvation.
Les Feldick teaches that salvation is received by faith plus nothing. After salvation, believers are expected to work for reward. The race is pictured like an Olympic contest in which believers run to win an incorruptible crown, serving God's purposes and bringing honor and glory to His name.
1 Corinthians 9:24 — Directly frames the Christian life as a race that believers are to run in order to obtain the prize.
1 Corinthians 9:25 — Contrasts the corruptible crown athletes seek with the incorruptible crown believers run for.
1 Corinthians 3:13 — Shows that every believer's work will be tested and can result in reward or loss.
Scripture presents the Christian life as a race with a prize. In 1 Corinthians 9:24, Paul writes, "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run, that ye may obtain." The prize is described in verse 25 as an incorruptible crown, in contrast to the perishable wreath that athletes received. Paul then says in 1 Corinthians 9:26-27 that he does not run uncertainly or beat the air, but keeps his body under control — discipline that belongs to a runner who knows what he is after. Scripture also teaches that the believer's post-salvation work will be tested for reward. 1 Corinthians 3:13 says, "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." Verse 14 promises, "If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward," while verse 15 adds that a man whose work burns suffers loss, yet he himself is saved.
Les Feldick is emphatic that the race is not run for salvation. "You work absolutely not at all for salvation," he says. "It's all of grace by faith plus nothing." But once a person enters into salvation, God expects him to work for reward. The purpose of that work is to enhance God's work, to enhance the Kingdom, and to bring honor and glory to His name. God remains the sovereign God, and the believer is His "worker bee." Paul's race analogy from the Olympics shows that believers should enter the race intending to win, not just to participate. "They entered that race, and what did they do? Oh, they controlled their body." The prize is not a corruptible wreath that shrivels up; believers run for an incorruptible crown that lasts for all eternity. Running well requires temperance — maintaining a balance in every area of life — and running with certainty, knowing the prize. Les also connects the race to the judgment seat of Christ. Works will be tested by fire and result in reward. That reward, he says, is "what's to drive the believer to live a fruitful life." He sums up the whole concept: "Accept salvation by faith, but then when that salvation becomes a reality... we're going to work, we're going to serve, and we're going to have reward out there waiting for us."
No. Les Feldick says most of Christendom has it backwards — thinking people work to attain salvation. He teaches that you work not at all for salvation; it is all of grace by faith plus nothing. Once salvation is received, God expects believers to work for reward. The race is for reward, not for salvation.
Using the Olympic Games, Les explains that runners did not enter just for fun — they ran to win, to be number one. Paul tells believers to run their spiritual race to obtain the prize, not salvation. The believer is not to shadow-box or beat the air, but to train spiritually to run the race and win the prize.
Les says Olympic athletes trained for a corruptible crown — a wreath that would shrivel up. But believers run for an incorruptible crown that lasts for all eternity. This eternal reward is what should drive the believer to a fruitful life. Scripture confirms that works built on the foundation will receive a reward.
Les Feldick explains that temperance is not just about alcohol. It means maintaining a balance in every area of life. Athletes preparing for a race did not go to extremes — they did not overeat just because they needed energy, nor did they starve themselves to carry less weight. They trained temperately in food, drink, and all intake to enhance body strength. The same balanced discipline applies to the spiritual race.
Working for Reward After Salvation
Les teaches that once a person is saved by faith, God expects him to work for reward, and that work enhances God's work, the Kingdom, and God's honor and glory.
Running for an Incorruptible Crown
Les contrasts the athlete's perishable crown with the believer's incorruptible crown, emphasizing that Paul ran the spiritual race knowing what the prize was.
Running to Win
Les uses Olympic runners to show that believers should enter the spiritual race with the attitude of winning and work for an eternal reward, not a corruptible one.
Running With Certainty
Les explains that Paul did not run uncertainly or shadow-box; he trained himself spiritually to win the prize and kept his body under control.
Running for the Prize, Not Salvation
Les underscores that Olympic racers ran to win, and believers are to run their spiritual race to obtain the prize, not salvation.
Temperance in All Things
Les defines temperance as maintaining a balance in every area of life, showing that athletes trained neither by overeating nor by starving but by being temperate in all things.
Reward as Motivation for Fruitful Living
Les teaches that the hope of eternal reward is what drives the believer to live a fruitful life, and those rewards will be enjoyed for all eternity.
Laboring for Reward at the Bema Seat
Les urges believers to labor, work, and serve for reward — not for salvation, which cannot be earned — rather than sitting on the sidelines.
1 Corinthians 9:24: Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run, that ye may obtain.
Paul uses the race metaphor to instruct believers to run with the goal of obtaining the prize.
1 Corinthians 9:25: 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.
This verse contrasts the temporary crown athletes sought with the eternal crown believers strive for.
1 Corinthians 9:26: I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
Paul emphasizes that he runs with certainty, fully aware of the prize before him.
1 Corinthians 9:27: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
Paul shows the self-discipline required to complete the race effectively.
1 Corinthians 3:13: Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
This verse reveals that every believer's work will be tested by fire.
1 Corinthians 3:14: If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
Work that survives the fire will result in a reward for the believer.
1 Corinthians 3:15: If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Even if a believer's work is lost, he himself is still saved.
Philippians 3:14: I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Paul expresses the believer's purposeful pursuit of the heavenly prize.
No. Les Feldick teaches that salvation is all of grace by faith plus nothing. After salvation, believers work for reward, not for salvation.
They run for an incorruptible crown that lasts for all eternity, not for the perishable wreath that Olympic athletes sought.
Temperance means maintaining a balance in every area of life. Like athletes preparing for a race, believers train temperately — not going to extremes in eating, drinking, or anything else.
They are tested by fire at the judgment seat of Christ. Works that abide bring reward, and works that burn result in loss, though the person is still saved.
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