The Race Set Before Us

The Race Set Before Us 1

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The Race Set Before Us Chapter 1 & Preview of Chapter 2 3

What is there to win or lose? 

A dominant imagery for the Christian life in the New Testament—athletic imagery.      

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Divine call to a race (Phil 3:14). Life entails training for this race (1 Tim 4:7-8). Training entails strict self-control (1 Cor 9:25). All must run according to the rules (2 Tim 2:5). A prize to be won (1 Cor 9:24). All must run with single devotion to win the prize (Heb 12:1-2).

What does this athletic imagery portray?  

What does the imagery of the race represent? What is the imagery of the prize represent?

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Why Do Christians Not Agree Concerning the Identity of What There is to Win or Lose?

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At Least Two Main Problems The athletic imagery poses a problem of interpretation. We have to understand symbolic portrayals of reality.  Theological commitments bias our understanding of biblical imagery. 

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Imageries Have Two Elements The thing symbolically portrayed: This is the subject to which attributes are ascribed.  The symbol: The thing from which attributes are borrowed. 

Three At Least Two Main Problems 

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The athletic imagery poses a problem of interpretation. We have to understand symbolic portrayals of reality. Theological commitments bias our understanding of biblical imagery. The difficulty of understanding imagery is compounded by the fact that earthly things are used to portray heavenly8

How Does Imagery Work?

Sense The mental response.

Symbol The figure of speech.

Referent The thing portrayed. 9

How Does Biblical Athletic Imagery Work? Sense Conceivable mental responses.

Symbol The athletic imagery.

Referent The heavenly reality portrayed.

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Five Views on Warnings & Assurance Loss of Salvation View.  Loss of Rewards View.  Tests of Genuineness View.  Hypothetical Loss of Salvation View  God’s Means of Salvation View. 

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Warnings & admonitions only caution what would happen if one could fail to endure to the end.

The Prize is salvation, eternal Life

Already Saved The race track represents salvation. One who is already saved cannot abandon the race.

Hypothetical Loss of Salvation View of Warnings & Admonitions

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Not all believers will persevere in faithfulness to Christ

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Retrospective view of Salvation Salvation already

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Loss of Rewards Tests of Genuineness

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All believers will persevere in faithfulness to Christ

Loss of Salvation Means of Salvation

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