Olympian athletes are legendary for their skill and dedication to their sport. Writing to the church of Corinth, the apostle Paul alludes to such athletic prowess in order to motivate Christian believers to live holy lives. In Ancient Greece, the Isthmian Games were held before and after the Olympic years, in a location close to the city of Corinth. This is one of several vivid cultural references Paul makes in this section of his epistle, with the intention of prompting believers to care for each other’s spiritual welfare. Discussing Paul’s argument in 1 Corinthians 9, David Dickson points out that Christians have all sorts of liberties now that Christ has set them free, yet they should use their knowledge and freedom in a way of love, not out of pride. As Dickson explains in the following updated extract, the same level of utmost self-discipline that an athlete displays in how he or she eats and trains in order to compete at the peak of their performance should be seen in the spiritual realm as believers suppress their own self-gratification in order to assist other believers heavenwards.

We must run with the utmost self-discipline

The noble Isthmian or Corinthian games were usually hosted near to Corinth, and those who competed in the games, whether running or wrestling, were not to indulge themselves in gluttony and pleasures, but were to be temperate in all things, bearing all things, in order to win the conqueror’s crown. In those games, the runners and wrestlers accustomed themselves to a most temperate diet, by way of preparation for the race. The winners in those games were crowned with laurel, or ivy, or honoured with some similar reward.

In the same manner, the Apostle wants Christians to be most moderate in how they use the things of this world, and to abstain from anything at all that might stop their progress, or hinder them in their warfare.

All this is in order to obtain an “incorruptible” crown, that is, an eternal one, laid up in heaven for all who strive lawfully, and finish their course. Christian wrestlers expect a more noble crown than that corruptible one, won by those who participate in the such sporting events.

We may follow Paul’s own example in running the Christian race and acting the part of a champion, and smiting his adversary certainly and seriously. Paul says he earnestly “keeps down” the body (v.27), the body of sin, and the old man, and the lusts of the flesh, in order that they would be slain. He kept his body (properly so called), by virtue of spiritual discipline, to be subject to his spirit. We should do the same thing. The Apostle nurtured his body in such a way that in labours, and watchfulness, and fastings, it would hold out in its duty, and not be drawn away by passion from the Spirit., and so that the body of sin (as much as lay in him) would be destroyed.

Paul’s purpose in “keeping down” the body of sin, or the old man, was, “lest, if I should live in a different way than I advise others to live, I should be a castaway, or blotted out as a hypocrite from the number of the saints.” “Therefore you do the same thing that I do,” Paul says, “and to the same end.”

When he speaks of “castaways” here, the Apostle does not contrast it with being elect, but with being approved. Just as Scripture refers to “reprobate silver,” meaning something which is not true and genuine, and calls that which is sincere, “approved,” so here the Apostle calls “reprobate” the one who does not live according to the profession of Christianity which he has made, and is not sincere, and as he ought to be.

Our running has to be helpful to our Christian brothers and sisters

Paul’s exhortation is that the Corinthians would strive for temperateness, and not be so interested in their food that they would put a stumbling block in the way of fellow believers by what and how they ate. That is why he shows them that they must run in the Christian race, reminding them that in this race, all who run according to the laws of God (not only one, as was usual in their sports), would receive the winner’s crown.

Earlier on in the epistle, he exhorted them by his own example that they should moderate the use of their Christian liberty, chiefly in the things which appertained to gluttony, and specifically in the eating of things offered to idols.

We must use our knowledge with love

One believer may know his liberty to use things which have been offered to idols. Yet a bare knowledge is not sufficient — it must be joined with love in use and practice. Knowledge without charity puffs up, and makes people proud despisers of the brethren who know only a little. But knowledge joined with charity edifies — that is, it accommodates itself for the good of others (1 Cor. 8:1).

Paul distinguishes between someone who knows with pride, and someone who knows with love to God and neighbour. The one knows nothing solidly, because he is puffed up with a vain opinion of his own knowledge. The other, as he is taught by God, so he is approved of by God that he is truly knowing (8:2–3). Not all who are converted have the same measure of knowledge. For example, some of the Corinthian converts from paganism had not yet abandoned their old opinions of idols, but retained some degree of reverence for the idol, and so their weak consciences were defiled when they ate things that were offered to idols, because they doubted whether they were doing the right thing. It is therefore too simplistic to say that it is lawful to feed on things offered to idols (8:5–7).

We must use our liberty with love

“But,” some would object, “the eating of food is an indifferent thing, not part of our religion, and liberty is granted to us. Our eating and our not eating this or that food are both equally pleasing to God, assuming it’s for our health. We mustn’t be barred from our liberty!” (1 Cor. 8:8)

Paul answers that this is true indeed, yet there is a way in which you end up using your liberty in a way which damages your weaker brother (8:9).

For one thing, the weak one who sees you eating in the idol’s temple (with knowledge, yet without charity), is encouraged to eat too, yet in a way which pollutes himself (8:10). Indeed, by doing so, he is destroyed (8:11).

Additionally, when you sin in this way against the brethren, wounding their weak conscience, you are sinning not only against the brethren, but also against Christ, because the tendency of what you are doing is to frustrate or thwart the purpose of Christ’s death. Christ redeemed that brother, so that he would be saved, but you are eating in such a way that you are endeavouring, as much as in you lies, that that brother would perish (8:12).

Paul concludes that it is better to be deprived for ever of our liberty to eat those foods, than to eat in a way that causes ham to our brother (8:13).

Paul’s own example

Paul’s argument in 1 Corinthians 9, in summary, is, “I am an apostle, and am as free as any other believer, yet I not only abstain from things which are lawful and profitable, but I even adapt myself to the infirmities of all. I keep myself under control for the good of the gospel, and therefore you also should do the same.”

In the first part of 1 Corinthians 9, Paul has asserted his own right. He then shows how he moderates his use of that liberty. For example, in the question of the maintenance of ministers, he shows his resolution to forbear, choosing rather to die of hunger than to let others speak evil of him, saying perhaps that he preached for hire (1 Cor. 9:15–18).

Then he extends his moderating of his liberty to all sorts of “things indifferent.” In this, he was not serving himself, but others, so that he would win them to the gospel (v.19). He conformed himself both to the Jews, who were under the Mosaic ceremonies (v.20), and to the Gentiles, who were without the ceremonial law (9:21). He conformed himself also to the weak, those who doubted their liberty, by abstaining from things which were in fact lawful, just like they did (9:22).

In short, he accommodates himself in all indifferent things to all kinds of people, and that is for three reasons. First, so that he would gain as many as possible, or at least some. Second, so that the doctrine of the gospel would be better esteemed among all, by the way he behaved so moderately. Third, so that, by serving the advantage of the gospel, he himself would be saved, being made partaker of the gospel with other believers (9:23).

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