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The Race Set BeforeUs
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The Race Set BeforeUs
Chapter 1
&
Preview of
Chapter 2
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What is there to win or lose? A dominant imagery for the Christian life in
the New Testamentathletic imagery. 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 (Heb12:1-2).
What does this athletic imagery portray? What does the imagery of the race represent?
What is the imagery of the prize represent? 4
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Why Do Christians NotAgree Concerning the
Identity of What There isto Win or Lose?
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At Least Two Main Problems
The athletic imagery poses aproblem of interpretation. We have
to understand symbolic portrayalsof reality.
Theological commitments bias ourunderstanding of biblical imagery.
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Imageries Have TwoElements
The thing symbolicaportrayed: This is the subject to
which attributes are ascribed. The symbol: The thing from
which attributes are borrowed.
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At Least Two Main Problems
The athletic imagery poses a problemof interpretation. We have to
understand symbolic portrayals ofreality.
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 heavenly-8
Three
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SymbolThe figure of speech.
SenseThe mental response.
ReferentThe thing portrayed.
How Does Imagery Work?
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SymbolThe athletic imagery.
SenseConceivable mental responses.
ReferentThe heavenly reality
portrayed.
How Does Biblical AthleticImagery Work?
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Loss of Salvation View.Loss of Salvation View.
Loss of Rewards View.Loss of Rewards View.
Tests of Genuineness View.Tests of Genuineness View.
Hypothetical Loss of SalvationHypothetical Loss of SalvationViewView
Gods Means of Salvation View.Gods Means of Salvation View.
Five Views on
Warnings &Assurance
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Hypothetical Loss of Salvation View ofWarnings & Admonitions
The Prize is
salvation,
eternal Life
Warnings &admonitions
only cautionwhat would
happen if onecould fail to
endure to theend.
The race track represents salvation. One who is already saved cannot abandon the race.
AlreadySaved
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Loss of Salvation Means of Salvation
Tests of GenuinenessLoss of Rewards
All
believ
ers
willperseverein
faithfulness
to
Christ
Not
allbelieverswillper
severe
infaithfulnesstoChrist
Retrospective view of Salvation
Salvation already
Salvation already but not yet
Prospective view of Salvation
Assurance is not of theessence of faith. Presentassurance is possible butonly as good as onesperseverance
Assurance is of theessence of faith. Presentassurance of finalsalvation, but not apartfrom perseverance
Good
works
aren
ecessa
ryforf
inals
alvati
onGoodworksarenecessaryforfinalsalvation
GoodworksarenecessaryonlyasevidenceofsalvationGo
odwo
rksha
veno
necessary
relati
onship
tosalva
tion
Warni
ngs&Admon
itions
areProsp
ective
Warni
ngs&Ad
monit
ionsareP
rospec
tive
Warnin
gs&AdmonitionsareProspective
Warnings&Admonition
sareRetrospective
Assurance is not of theessence of faith. Presentassurance is possible butonly as good as onesperseverance
Assurance is of theessence of faith. Presentassurance is final andabsolute certainty, withoutany relation to onesperseverance.
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