“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 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. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 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.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).
These verses are sobering. It tells the story of a man who can run well, strive well and fight well and then throws it all away by not being temperate with his body and becoming a castaway.
The word castaway refers to one who is unapproved or rejected. It does not refer to a person losing their salvation as some would imply. It describes something that has become worthless and is put on a shelf. For instance, my wife has a beautiful small vase that has become cracked. It can no longer hold water and serve the purpose for which it was made. It is just knick-knack now. It is never used anymore. It sits on a shelf.
The Apostle Paul had a healthy fear of losing his current testimony and future rewards by not keeping his body under subjection to God. Jesus said, “For many are called, but few chosen.” (Matthew 22:14). Jesus calls many men but only some become selected or chosen out to find and complete His perfect revealed and concealed will. It is not so much the Lord’s doing that so few are chosen but man disqualifying himself and often that relating to the body. In the ministry, for instance, only one out of ten pastors stay in the ministry to the end of his life. In Bible College only one out of ten ministerial students usually graduates. Most just quit but sometimes it is a lack of physical control that disqualifies the man. They do not bring their body under subjecton to God. By the body we mean flesh and it’s lusts or desires: thoughts, sight, appetite, thirst, sexuality, rest. Let us look at each of these and see what is required.
Thoughts - Dr. Bob Jones Sr. once said, “No man ever fell into sin but that it was preceeded by a long period of improper thinking”. A man does not commit adultery or fornication unless he constantly thinks it in his heart first. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he...” (Proverbs 23:7).
To fix this we are to love God with all of our mind (Mark 12:30), bring every thought to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5), and be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). The Holy Spirit can give us the power to do this if we ask Him.
Sight - Our eyes affect our heart (Lamentations 3:51). Men have problems with their eyes usually in two areas: women (Proverbs 6:25; Matthew 5:28) and covetousness (Proverbs 21:26; Proverbs 27:20). Adultery and covetousness are both violations of the ten commandments, thus sin. We must yield our eyes as instruments of righteousness to God (Romans 6:13, 19) and look at women as spiritual, eternal souls with all purity (1 Timothy 5:2) not as objects of desire.
Appetite - Everyone must eat to exist, but gluttony is considered a work of the flesh. It can get so bad for some men that their belly becomes their “god” (Philippians 3:19). We ought to eat good food (Isaiah 55:3) and remember the admonition that if any man defile the temple of God him will God destroy (1 Corinthians 3:17). We should curb our appetites by refraining from a lot of junk food and drinks. We should afflect our soul with fasting from time to time. Eat with your future health in mind not a current lust. Many have died permature deaths by poisoning their bodies with chemicals, preservatives, food colors, and additives. These can often sap our energy also.
Thirst - Drunkedness is always wrong in the scriptures. The only time alcohol is prescribed in the Bible is medicinally as a pain killer or antidepressant (Proverbs 31:6). Jesus refused to use it even as a pain killer while he was on the cross (Matthew 27:34). We ought to be abstainers. That never hurt anybody or their testimony! The best things to drink for our thirst are natural fruit juices and distilled water. Alcohol can become addictive and destructive to the brain and liver. Our consumption of it could also lead someone who is weaker to become a drunk or an alcoholic.
Sexuality - This is a natural drive and desire as men get older. It can become very powerful and lead to immoralty if it is fed with ungodly pornographic images of any type. Several stories in scripture warn us of good men who did not restain this drive: Samson, Solomon, David, Absalom, Lot, Amnon, etc. Even Abraham’s relationship to Hagar outside of his marriage still causes horrific consequences in our world today. Consequences of sexual sin are often irrevocable. It is never right for a man to engage in premarital or extramarital sex. Homosexuality is called an abomination to God and unnatural in the scriptures (Leviticus 20:13; Romans 1:27). Men should abstain from fornication (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Only in Marriage can this desire be righteously fulfilled (1 Corinthians 7:1-2). A mind stayed on God is the greatest way for a man to have victory in the area.
Rest - The body needs rest. Depriving it can lead to fatigue and a decrease in spiritual energy. To much rest makes a man a sluggard and his laziness becomes a detriment to blessings. Proverbs 20:13 says “ Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.” On the other hand, Jesus said, “ And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.” (Mark 6:31).
We must have balance and discipline in this area. A man is made by God to work and accomplish much in his life, not to be lazy.
Any man who loses control of himself in any of these areas runs the risk of being a castaway and losing out on the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
