Salvation’s Race
In order for a believer to finish their race on earth it will be required of them to overcome sin. Apostle Paul encourages the believers to throw off everything that hinders them and the sin that so easily entangles them and to run their race with perseverance.
Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
A believer cannot finish their race on earth unless they can overcome sin. It is therefore important to teach about the tri-part nature of humans so that they understand the origin and operation of sin. If they can understand how sins works and were the sin nature resides, they will be able to defeat sin in their lives and walk in holiness.
Below is a teaching that helps the believer understand the triune nature of the human makeup and what happens to a person when regeneration takes place and it teaches them how to overcome sin so they can finish their race on earth.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NIV)
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This verse of scripture above speaks of the three parts of humans. Humans are made of a body, which is the physical part of man. Humans have a soul, which is made up of their mind, their will, and their emotions. Humans also have a spirit. This is the part of humans that becomes transformed or born again when the miracle of regeneration takes place. The spirit of humans can live forever because it is the eternal part of mankind. If the person dies without being born again in spirit then they will live eternally in hell. If the person has been reborn spiritually then when they die, they will live eternally in heaven.
Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)
12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
This verse of scripture speaks of the word of God that can divide the soul from the spirit. The soul and spirit are closely related and only God’s word can divide them. But they are distinguished as two separated parts according to God’s word.
Jesus explained a true story of a man who went to hell and this illustrates the three-part nature of humans and what will happen to a person after their natural body dies on earth.
Luke 16:19-31 (NIV)
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.
20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores
21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.
23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.
24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.
26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house,
28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'”
This is a true account of two men that both died and one went to a place of comfort with the other went to a place of torment. Before Jesus died and was resurrected those who were godly went to a place of comfort located in the center of the earth. They remained there until after Jesus death and resurrection at which time Jesus preached to them and led them as the first fruits to enter into heaven with Him. Now this place of comfort is empty, as its residents have been transferred to heaven with Jesus. Across from this place of comfort is a place of torment where the fire burns eternally. All those who are not born again will end up in this place of torment after they die on earth.
See the lesson called “Abraham’s Bosom” for more details.
A certain class of demons have been held for coming judgment with spiritual chains just as the spirits of unregenerate men are held restricted in the place of torment using a spiritual chasm to keep them restrained in the place of torment.
See the lesson called “Spiritual Restraints” for more details.
For a condensed teaching illustrating the three parts of man:
See “Three-Parts of Man” for more details
Jesus gave this true story and He explained something that had actually taken place in the center of the earth. This true account also illustrates the difference between the body, the soul, and the spirit of man.
The body, soul, and spirit of man can be compared to an egg. The egg has three parts. It has an egg shell, and egg yolk, and an egg white. The eggshell is like the physical body of man. When the physical body dies the men on earth will bury it. This is like the eggshell which can be cracked open and discarded. But there are still two more parts remaining of the egg and in the same way when the natural body of man dies there are still two more parts remaining.
When the rich man died, they buried his body on earth but he found that he was still very much alive in the fires of hell! He still had two more parts remaining, this spirit and his soul. The spirit of man looks just like his physical body. His spirit man had eyes because he could look over to the place of comfort across from hell and see Abraham and Lazarus. The spirit man has a tongue. He wanted to have some water to cool his tongue in the flames of hell. Lazarus was a spirit as well but he had a finger because the rich man wanted him to dip his finger in water to cool his tongue. The spirit of man has all the same parts of as the natural physical body. It has eyes, and ears and feet and hands. It looks like the physical body but it is an eternal being that will live forever either in hell or forever in heaven when the physical body dies on earth.
The rich man had a soul. The soul and the spirit are like the egg yolk and the egg white that go together. In the same way, the spirit and soul go together when a man dies and leaves his body. The soul is made of the mind, the will, and the emotions. The rich man had a mind. He could remember his brothers who were still alive on earth. The rich man had a will. He did not will that his brothers would also come to hell. The rich man had emotions. He felt sorry for his brothers that were on their way to hell and he wanted to send Lazarus to go to the earth and warn them to repent. So, man is made of three parts. The body will one day die and be buried but there are still two more parts of man that include a person’s spirit and soul. The spirit and soul go together like an egg yolk and an egg white. These two parts will remain forever either in heaven or in hell because the spirit and soul of humans are eternal.
The scripture teaches of the three parts of man as the body, the soul, and the spirit. It is the spirit of man that becomes reborn or transformed during the process of regeneration. This is the part of man that becomes new. A Christian may look the same on the outside after regeneration but the change will have taken place on the inside. So, when a man or woman is born again it cannot be seen on the outside physical appearance as this change takes place on the inside in the spirit of man.
When a person accepts Christ, the part of him or her that causes them to yield to sin is killed and destroyed. A person is made new in Christ by regeneration. The human spirit is made new or alive to God at spiritual birth.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
The part that is made new in man is the human spirit. When the human spirit was dead in trespasses and sin, it flowed together with the sin nature as one in agreement together.
Ephesians 2:1-3 (NKJV)
1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
Before a person accepts Christ as his or her savior, they are dead in sins. This means that their human spirit is dead to God. Therefore, they follow the cravings of the sinful nature and pursue their gratification of these cravings in an unhindered manner. This scripture reveals something about the sin nature as well. It mentions the desires and thoughts of the sin nature. This reveals that the sin nature resides in the soul part of man. The soul is made of the mind, the will, and the emotions. The sin nature has desires and these desires are found in the emotional make-up of man. The sin nature also has thoughts and these thoughts are found in the mind of man.
An understanding of the sin nature is important because if people do not understand where the sin nature resides, they will falsely assume that their physical body is the source of evil desires or cravings or lust for things that are ungodly. Many false religions will teach that the physical body is sinful and they therefore punish and abuse and even mutilate their human body thinking that this will stop the cravings or lust that they feel. But this is false teaching because the bible teaches that the human body is sacred and it is the temple of the Holy Spirit. The evil desires and lusts of the sin nature do not originate in the skin, muscles, bones and organs of the human body.
Jesus spoke about the source of evil that comes out of a man and brings defilement.
Mark 7:20-23 (NASB)
20 And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man.
21 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries,
22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness.
23 “All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.”
Jesus said that from within the heart of men proceed evil things. This word heart here is not referring to a natural physical blood pump called a heart. That is only a muscle used to pump physical blood through the veins of the body. The word heart that Jesus is using in this scripture is referring to the center of a man as the expression “Getting to the heart of the matter!” The heart is where a man’s freewill resides and it is the place where he makes decisions that govern his actions. The heart is comprised of the soul which is made of the mind and the will and the emotions. All three of these parts of man play a role in the expression of evil within him. It is in the area of the soul of man where the sin nature resides and it is most specifically in the mind.
In the scripture above there is a long list of evil things that come out of a heart of a man and on top of the list is mentioned “evil thoughts.” This gives evidence that the main contributing aspect in human personality that is most used by the sin nature is the human mind. This is where evil thoughts originate and this is where anything evil that a man can do is first conceived and meditated upon.
All sex offenders who are in prison have all started with pornography and they looked at porn and they meditated on it and these evil thoughts aroused lust in their physical bodies. Constant meditation drove these men into sin until they fulfilled those things that they were meditating upon and committed crimes for which they were arrested and imprisoned. Therefore, the sin nature of mankind resides in the soul parts of a man and most specifically in the human mind.
Romans 8:7 (NIV)
7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.
The sinful mind is also called the carnal mind and it is a mind that does not think the thoughts of God but instead it conceives everything that is evil in humans.
Jesus gave a list of evil things that come out of the soul realm of mankind. He mentioned evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All of these things are conceived in the mind of humans before they are performed as outward physical sins.
Fornication is first done in the mind and meditated upon before it is manifest as physical sin. Thefts are also meditated upon before the crime is committed. Murder is conceived in the mind and planned out prior to the violent act taking place. Adultery is also meditated on in the mind before the physical sin is committed. Coveting starts with looking at something and lusting for it in the mind and imagining that it will be theirs. Deceit, sensuality, envy, slander are all things that are first conceived in the mind prior to their application in outward physical sin. Jesus even taught the believers how they can stop sin before it is manifest outwardly.
Matthew 18:8-9 (NIV)
8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.
9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
Jesus said that if your hand or foot cause you to sin then it is better to cut it off and throw it away than two keep both hands or feet and be thrown into hell. Jesus is not teaching about body mutilation as some pagan cults practice. Sin does not originate in the human body but it comes from the sin nature residing in the soul realm and mind. The sins of the hand and foot represent outward physical sins. With the hands, crimes can be committed and with the feet a person can run toward that which is evil. The sins of the hands and feet speak of outward physical sins that can be seen my mankind.
Jesus then said if your eye causes you to sin it is better to gouge it out and throw it away than to keep both eyes and be cast into hell. Jesus is not teaching people to blind themselves or destroy their sight because the eyes are not sinful of themselves but are only an organ that provides sight for the body. The sins of the eyes represent mental sins. With the eyes a person can look at something and conceive covetousness or lust or anger or murder and so all sin starts in the carnal mind before it is ever acted upon and an outward physical sin is committed.
What Jesus is teaching is that a believer should treat mental sins the same as he would treat outward physical sins. If the believer would deal with the sin while it is yet a thought in the mind then it would never manifest as an outward physical sin that can be punished by man’s laws. This is the secret to overcoming sin.
I have heard of people who punish and mutilate their physical bodies trying to fight sin within them but this has no effect for stopping evil desires or lust. The evil desires and lust within people do not originate in the physical body but it comes from the soul realm where the sin nature of Adam resides.
With the mind they conceive sin and they meditate on sin and this meditation stirs up or arouses lust, cravings, and evil desires in their physical body. When the desires rise up then they use their human will to decide to put their evil desires into actions and commit a crime. The emotions are where the feelings of man come from and that part of man is what is stirred up by meditation on evil things and this creates feelings and desires or lust for things that are evil within the human body. All three parts of the soul are involved in catering to the sin nature that resides there. Punishing the physical body is useless therefore to stop evil desires because the physical body is not the origin of those desires.
When a person accepts Jesus and becomes spiritually regenerated the part of them that is made new is their human spirit. This human spirit is where the nature of God resides within a believer and this nature is holy and pure like God and this nature desires to do what is holy and pleasing in the sight of God. There is therefore a conflict that arises within a believer because there is present within him two opposing forces after he is saved. There is the holy nature of God within him that resides in his newly created or born-again human spirit and there is the sin nature that continues to reside in the parts of his soul (most specifically in his mind).
Romans 8:5 (NIV)
5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
Those who have their minds set on the sin nature will meditate on that which is evil and arouse all kinds of evil cravings and lusts in their natural body. But those who meditate on the things of God will have good things produced like righteousness and joy and peace rather than evil desires.
Romans 7:18 (NIV)
18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
Paul spoke of the sinful nature that was within him and this is the source of that which desires that which is evil.
Romans 7:22-23 (NIV)
22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law;
23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.
Paul spoke of the struggle of two natures within him because his inner being (born again or recreated human spirit) delights after God’s law and holy things but there was another nature within him that was in conflict with the nature of God. This is the sin nature that resides within the soul parts of a man and seeks to bring him into bondage to sin again.
It is for this reason that the human mind is the greatest battlefield of the devil because if the devil can win here then he can arouse evil desires and lust in the human body and the feelings and emotions of a man and bring him back into bondage of sin.
It is for this reason that the Christian is to cast down all evil imaginations that are planted in their minds by the devil.
2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)
5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
This scripture speaks of taking every thought captive and making it obedient to Christ. This means that a Christian is not to be open-minded to the thoughts and suggestions of the devil. A Christian is to have a disciplined mind and they are to choose what thoughts that they permit to enter their minds. If any thought is contrary to God’s word, they are to cast down that thought immediately or else it will produce that which is evil in their lives. The battleground is in the mind and if the Christian wins the battle here, they will have victory over sin. They can stop the sin while it is still a seed in the thoughts rather than meditating on it and giving birth to it and having it grow to be like a great tree of bondage that is not easily removed.
The Christian should learn to discipline their mind rather than trying to punish their body because the body is not the problem.
Colossians 2:23 (NIV)
23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.
Many false religions practice self-abasement and severe treatment of their physical bodies but this activity has no value against restraining sensual indulgence. The Christian is not to focus on abusing his body but rather focus on winning the battle of his mind because if he casts down demonic thoughts, he will never mediate on that which is evil and he will never give birth to outward physical sins. All sins start in the mind so if the thoughts are stopped or cast down then no sins will ever develop or be expressed outwardly.
The importance of the human mind can be seen in the life of Joshua who was instructed by God on how to deal with the human mind.
Joshua 1:8 (NIV)
8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
God commanded Joshua to not let the Book of the Law depart from his mouth. He was to continually speak the word of God. He was ordered to meditate on the word of God day and night and this means that he would memorize it and then think on in it continually. If a person has their mind full of God’s word then they cannot think on the thoughts of the devil. The word of God is like light that will dispel darkness so the dark thoughts of Satan cannot remain in the same mind that is meditating on God’s word. This process is called renewing the mind.
Romans 12:2 (NIV)
2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.
The bible teaches the believer to renew their mind and this will transform them so they will no longer be like the unbelievers in the world who are in bondage to sin. If God’s people will meditate on God’s word continually, they will begin to see from God’s point of view and they will begin to think like God and it will transform them from being a person who is in slavery to the sin nature.
Joshua and his friend Caleb were the only two men among over 600,000 Jewish heads of households who were renewing their minds. Joshua was commanded by God to do this and his friend Caleb must have been learning from Joshua to do the same thing. These men were full of faith and said that they were well able to take the Promised Land because God was with them. They were full of the light of God’s word in their minds and they were full of faith because of it.
But the rest of the congregation did not have renewed minds because they were meditating on the thoughts of the devil and imagined themselves to be defeated and their minds were carnal and they even wanted to stone Joshua and Caleb for speaking according to the word of God. These people mediated on the devil’s thoughts so much that they gave up without even trying. They wanted to go back to the slavery of Egypt and said it was all hopeless. That is an example of a carnal mind that mediates on failure and defeat and sin and thoughts of the devil. God could do nothing with these people because they were defeated in their own carnal minds.
They are a great contrast to Joshua and Caleb who meditated on the word of God and had their minds renewed to think like God and see from God’s perspective.
Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV)
22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
A believer is to be taught to put off the old self or the old way of thinking that is accustomed to following the sin nature that resides in the soul realm. They are not to be corrupted by deceitful desires that are aroused by meditating on evil thoughts. The believer is to renew their minds and mediate on God’s word continually. This will cause them to follow after their new self or the new nature that resides within their newly born-again human spirit which was created after God in righteousness and holiness.
If they will renew their minds, they can choose to follow the new nature within them. They can use their human will to decide to do what is right and the emotions will follow their decision. If they have control of their mind they will be in control of their will and emotions as well and this will cause them to be in control of their physical bodies. This is the way to walk in holiness and to obey the new nature of God within them rather than the sin nature that resides in the soul realm.
2 Peter 1:5-9 (NIV)
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
The believer is to produce goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love in their lives. If they do not have these attributes then it means that they have forgotten that they have been cleansed from their past sins and they are instead following after the dictates of the carnal mind.
1 John 3:9 (NIV)
9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.
The born again recreated human spirit is holy and pure like God and there is no desire for evil in the reborn spirit. This is the part of the believer that enables them to walk in holiness and be transformed from someone who was once in bondage to sin.
When a believer sins it is because they are meditating on the thoughts of the devil and allowing their carnal mind to think whatever it likes to think. This undisciplined mind causes them to stir evil desires in their physical body and they then use their human will to decide to engage in sin and their emotions and feelings will follow their decision.
But the same believer can reverse this process by mediation of God’s word. They can keep and maintain their mind full of God’s word and this will dispel all darkness and evil thoughts from their minds. The absence of evil thoughts will cause no evil desires to be stirred in their body and they can use their human will to choose what thoughts they will think and they can choose to follow after their born-again recreated spirit. Their emotions and feelings will follow along after any decision they choose to make and so a believer can choose to walk after their recreated spirit and be holy. They were set free from sin so they could bear fruit of holiness to God.
Romans 6:6-7 (NIV)
6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin–
7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
The old unregenerate human spirit was killed or crucified when a person is saved and therefore, they are no longer slaves to sin. Prior to salvation an unbeliever is in slavery to sin because his unregenerate spirit follows together with his carnal mind and the evil desires of his body are aroused and his emotions follow along as well. So, there is nothing in the unbeliever that offers opposition to the sin nature and it is natural for them to follow in this direction. But those who are reborn spiritually are set free from sin because they have a new nature that is holy and pure like God and they do not have to follow after the sin nature any longer.
Since a believer in Christ has been set free from sin, there is therefore no more excuse for allowing sin in their lives.
Romans 6:12 (NIV)
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
The word reign here means to rule or control like a king on a throne. Paul tells the believers not to allow sin to rule their lives any longer. They do not have to obey the evil desires of their sin nature. They can obey the godly desires of their new recreated human spirit.
There is a struggle within the believer because the sin nature continues to want to control and dominate. This sin nature is in direct opposition to the new spirit of man that is born of God and desires holiness. A believer however can say NO to the sin nature and YES to his recreated spirit. The believer can walk holy because he or she are no longer slaves to sin.
Romans 6:11 (NIV)
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Believers in Christ should consider themselves dead to sin but alive to God. This means that they are no longer slaves to obey the sin nature as they were in their unregenerate state. They should consider themselves alive to God by following their reborn human spirit that is holy and pure like God.
Galatians 5:13 (NIV)
13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
A believer is free from sin because they no longer have an unregenerate human spirit that follows after the sin nature. A Christian certainly can sin because they also have a human freewill and a free choice. They can follow after the sin nature or they can follow after their new reborn human spirit. Paul tells them not to indulge or gratify their sinful nature. They are free to do so but they should not use their freedom to sin but use their freedom to walk in righteousness. An unbeliever however is a slave to sin and they cannot help but follow their sinful nature.
Romans 6:16 (NIV)
16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey–whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
A believer is free and they are free to walk in holiness but they also are free to use their freewill to sin and follow the desires of the sin nature. If a believer will follow or obey the desires of his or her reborn spirit they will walk in holiness. If they will use their freedom to follow the desires of the sin nature, they will be walking in sin. So, they can make themselves into slaves of sin by serving sin or they can make themselves into slaves of righteousness by serving holiness. A Christian will therefore be judged according to how they used their freewill. Using freewill to sin will bring about death and using freewill to walk in holiness will bring life.
Romans 6:13 (NIV)
13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.
Paul tells the believers not to use the parts of their body to sin as instruments of wickedness but rather offer themselves to God as instruments of righteousness.
Romans 6:22 (NIV)
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
Since a believer is free from sin, they should no longer follow after the sin nature. They should bear their fruit of holiness to God by following the reborn spirit within them.
Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV)
22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
A Christian must be taught to put off their old self or their old way of following the sin nature. They must be taught instead to put on the new self that is created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. The attitude of a Christian’s mind must be renewed so that they will know and understand that they are free from sin and they no longer have to allow sin to remain in their mortal bodies. This means they do not have to use their physical bodies to sin in obedience to the sin nature within them.
All of the above scriptures and teaching bring the believer to the conclusion that they are free from sin and they do not have to sin anymore. They are no longer slaves to sin as they were when they were an unbeliever.
So the next step is to understand that all believers in Christ will be held accountable for the things that they have done in their body on earth. The unbeliever is sent to hell for only one sin and this is the sin of not believing in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. But the believer will be judged for what they have done in body because they have been set free from sin and they no longer have any excuse for it. Whenever a believer sins or uses his body to commit wicked deeds, it is because he or she has chosen to do so by their own freewill. Choosing to sin when a believer has been made free from sin will result in judgment by God.
Romans 2:6-11 (NIV)
6 God “will give to each person according to what he has done.”
7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.
8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.
9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;
10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
11 For God does not show favoritism.
There will come a time of judgment for all people that have ever lived upon the earth. Those who are believers are free from sin so they can exercise persistence in doing good and seek the glory of God. Honor will be given to those who produce fruit of holiness. But those who are self-seeking and follow the lusts of their sin nature will be judged for it. Those who reject the truth that Jesus Christ is God’s only way of salvation on earth will also be eternally damned in the fire of hell.
The Jew first means that those who are God’s chosen people will be held accountable first because they should know better. The Christian will also be held accountable at a higher level than the unbeliever because judgment starts in the house of God. God does not show favoritism and He brings judgment according to knowledge. So those who know God will have more severe judgment than those who never knew Christ will. If unbelievers will all burn in hell how much more a Christian who knew Christ but chose to live in sin by their own free will? They will have an unspeakable judgment!
All of this brings the believer to the conclusion that he or she has a race laid out before them. How they run this race and if they finish this race will determine their eternal destiny. So, this is the subject of this teaching lesson called Salvation’s Race.
2 Timothy 4:6-8 (NIV)
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day–and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
The Apostle Paul wrote the above scripture at the end of his life and he testified that he had made it to the end and he kept the faith and he finished his race. This shows that being saved is the beginning of the race on earth and if a person is faithful to the end of their lives, they will finish their race and receive a crown of righteousness from the Lord.
All those who accept Jesus and are reborn spiritually have entered into Salvation’s race and they have an opportunity to overcome and finish their race on earth.
Matthew 10:22 (NIV)
22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
This verse of scripture speaks of the importance of standing firm to the end. This means that the Christian will not fall back into the old sinful life but will say No to the lusts of the sin nature and say YES to walking in holiness according to their reborn human spirit. It is not how a Christian starts his or her race that counts but it is rather how they finish their race. Only those who finish their race will be saved. Those who do not finish their race will be damned in hell.
2 Timothy 2:3-6 (NIV)
3 Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
4 No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs–he wants to please his commanding officer.
5 Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules.
6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.
Paul compared Salvation’s Race to being a soldier who is focused on pleasing his commanding officer. Jesus is the commanding officer for every believer and so the believer should be willing to endure any hardship of resisting sin and fulfilling the will of God on earth and in doing so he or she will please Jesus who is their commanding officer.
Also an athlete will train and discipline his body in order to prepare himself to run the race. Only if he can endure to then end will he win the prize. This is the same with the believers in Christ who must finish their race in order to receive their prize.
A hardworking farmer also will be the first to receive a share of the crops and in similar manner a believer who labors hard to finish their race on earth will receive their reward at the end of their time on earth.
Romans 13:12-14 (NIV)
12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
Paul encourages the believers to put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. This speaks of setting aside all the sins that so easily can entangle a believer and keep them from finishing the race that is set before them.
Titus 1:16 (NIV)
16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.
There are many that claim to be a Christian and say that they are born again but their outward actions are denying God. If a person is a believer then they should use the freedom that they have in Christ to walk in holiness. If they use their freedom to indulge the sin nature then they are denying the Lord by their actions.
2 Timothy 2:19 (NIV)
19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
The Lord knows whose are His and those who really love the Lord will say NO to their sin nature and cast off all deeds of darkness and the sin that so easily can entangle them. The Lord gives a command to all believers that if they confess the Name of the Lord then they must turn away from wickedness. A Christian is set free from sin and therefore they no longer have any excuse for allowing it in their lives.
2 Peter 3:14 (NIV)
14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
The apostle Peter encouraged the Christians of his time that they should be diligent to be found by the Lord without spot and blameless. This is speaking of walking in holiness. They should be such that when their Bridegroom comes, they should be wearing the white linen of righteousness and be ready to meet him in the air. Peter admonished the Christians to be diligent to be found by Jesus without spot and blameless. To be diligent speaks of faithful and aggressive behavior to keep oneself ready. Peter tells the Christians to be ready at all times because they do not know the time or the hour of the Lord’s return.
Philippians 3:11 (NKJV)
11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Paul spoke here that he was striving for a goal or a finish line. He wanted to be counted worthy to attain the resurrection from the dead.
2 Thessalonians 1:11 (NIV)
11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.
Paul prayed for these believers that God would count them worthy of his calling. They are to fulfill the good plan and purpose of God on earth through the power that he has given to them. Only those who overcome will reign with Christ and be counted worthy of heaven.
1 Peter 4:17 (NIV)
17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
The judgment of God starts first with the house of God. This means that Christians will be held more accountable because they have been given all power and authority and they are expected to exercise it.
Hebrews 10:38 (NIV)
38 But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.”
Drawing back is when a Christian fails to use the power and authority that are his because of fear or unbelief. Such will receive a harsh judgment from God. These are those who give up and stop running their race and shrink back from endurance.
2 Peter 3:11 (NIV)
11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives
The apostle Peter admonishes the people to stay in a state of readiness. The Christian is to live a holy and godly life. They should be looking forward to the day of the Lord’s return. The early Church had such an attitude and they lived each day as if it would be the day of the Lord’s return. The finished their race in holiness and lived a godly life up until the last day of their life on earth. They were put to rest in the hope of the Lord’s return and therefore they will be the first to rise out of the graves when the Lord comes back. Each Christian should live each day as if it was their last day on earth and maintain their holiness symbolized by keeping their garments white and unsoiled by the lust and sin of the world.
2 Peter 3:14 (NIV)
14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
The statement, “Make every effort” speaks of the activity that a Christian is expected to do after becoming a believer. Yes, they are saved by grace and not works but after they have become believers there remains a race for them to complete and a prize to be obtained. To make every effort speaks of going to the end and finishing that race at all costs. They are to make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with the Lord. To be spotless and blameless speaks of the white linen garments of righteousness. To make every effort acknowledges that while a Christian is free from sin, there still remains their part to walk in the freedom that they have. A Christian can just as easily indulge the sin nature as they can follow after the new spirit within them. They have not lost their freewill so they are expected to use their human freewill to choose what is right in God’s sight. They are to utilize their spiritual resources in Christ in order to walk in holiness and be found spotless and blameless when the Lord returns to catch up all those who are ready for his appearing (both those who died in Christ and those yet alive when he returns).
Hebrews 6:11-12 (NIV)
11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.
12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
Paul encouraged the believers that they should show the same diligence that they had when the first believed in Christ and continue this to the end of their lives. It is too easy for Christians to become lazy spiritually and this is when they begin to fall back. Through faith and patience the believers will inherit what has been promised. This means that they must continue in faith and they must be patient in well doing because they will reap a harvest or reward if they do not give up.
Hebrews 6:15 (NKJV)
15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
Abraham had to endure patiently before he received his promise from God. So it is with the believers in Christ, as they must patiently endure to the end before they will receive the promise as well.
Hebrews 10:35-36 (NKJV)
35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.
36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
Believers need to maintain their confidence until the end. If they die in faith and make it to the end of their life like Paul, then they will be part of the resurrection when Jesus returns. If they are still alive when Jesus returns then they will be caught up together to be with him. Only those who are ready will be caught away and only those who died in faith and in perseverance will be resurrected to be with the Lord.
2 Timothy 2:12 (NKJV)
12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
Those believers who endure to the end of their race will be rewarded a place of authority to reign or rule with Jesus. If the Christian denies the Lord by living a reprobate lifestyle, he will also deny them on judgment day.
1 Timothy 4:16 (NIV)
16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
Paul admonished Timothy to watch his life closely to see that he lived in holiness and also to practice what he preached and lived up to the doctrine he presented. If he would persevere in them then he would save both himself and those who hear him. Yes, Timothy and his congregation already believed in Christ but Paul assured him that he must maintain a life of godliness in order to be saved.
When a person is born again that is the time that they enter into Salvation’s Race and those who finish their race on earth will be saved and will obtain eternal life.