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The Heavenly Race

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Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jan 4, 1877

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 3, No. 2.

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The Heavenly Race.

By A. SMITH

The ancient Greeks celebrated a variety of solemn games called Olympic, from a town in which they were held called Olympia.
These celebrations occurred once in four years; whence originated the olympiad period of chronology, dating from B. C. 776.
These games were dedicated to Jupiter, the god of heaven, and had, therefore, almost the sanctity of religious worship.
Those who entered the list as athletes were required to submit to rigid discipline, subsist on a coarse and spare diet, use no wine, and observe strict continence; and while contending for the prize they were disencumbered of superfluous clothing, or such as would hinder a free use of their limbs.
On either side of the stadium, or race course, were terraces provided with seats for the spectators. At the end of the stadium was placed the prize in full view of the contestants. Judges were appointed to decide the qualifications of the athletes, and to award the prizes.
In view of these facts, employed as figures, how forcible the exhortation of the apostle, “Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race set before us.” Heb. 12:1.
Some of the weights that must be laid aside by the Christian are thus enumerated by Paul: “Put off all these things, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, and filthy communication out of your mouth.” The Christian is engaged in a contest for a fadeless, immortal crown. The athletic runs for a perishable crown. But as the heavenly crown exceeds in glory that of laurels or pine with which the contestant is rewarded, so the life and conversation of the child of God exceeds in importance the preparatory discipline of the athletic.
He who is “the author and finisher of our faith” prescribes the conditions of the heavenly race, and awards the prize. He has himself trodden the holy stadium in the days of his flesh; he suffered human woe; his heart was rent with human sorrow; there is no bitter cup for the lips of humanity that Jesus has not tasted; and all for our sakes, that he might lift us to the companionship of angels, and bring us near the throne.
Oh, then, let us not become discouraged when we remember our past misdeeds, our neglect of duty, and our present unworthiness and helplessness; but by faith grasp the precious promises of God, who is waiting to bestow his rich blessings, and qualify us to tread the narrow way to life eternal. A. SMITH. Jenisonville, Ottawa Co., Mich.