LIFE IS A RACE

Throughout history, billions of people have lived and died. Some have risen to eternal life, while others to eternal damnation. Those who inherit eternal life are those whose names were found in the Book of Life. But those who rise to eternal damnation were not recorded in that book.

However, it’s important to understand that even among those whose names are written in the Book of Life, there are different outcomes in eternity. Rewards will be given to those who were victorious, while those who were not will suffer loss—not of salvation, but of reward (see 1 Corinthians 3:11–15).

One of the great tragedies in today’s Christianity is that many believers do not know how to rightly see themselves. The moment you are born again, there is only one way you must see yourself—as an athlete in a race. This race is not a competition against others, but a personal race that must be finished.

About thirteen years ago, I wrote a song. It was a secular song, yet its title unknowingly carried a biblical truth: “Life is a Race.” At the time, I didn’t realize the spiritual depth of those words. But the truth remains—if you don’t see life as a race, you’ve already missed the point. There are two kinds of races: the general race of life that every human being runs, and the specific race of a believer.

Then in 2016, about nine years ago, when I had already begun ministry, the Lord Jesus revealed this truth to me through a dream. In the dream, I saw myself riding a fiery horse, racing alongside other believers. Some were ahead of me, and some were behind—but we were all in the race.

Hebrews 12:1 speaks of a race that is set before us by God. The moment you give your life to Christ, that divine race is automatically assigned to you. God desires for us to run and finish it. The Apostle Paul understood this deeply. As he awaited execution in Rome, he wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:7, saying, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” These words make one truth clear: every Christian is in a race, a race ordained by God.

Here’s a powerful truth: although we are the Church—called to work together toward one divine purpose—we each have a personal race. Paul didn’t say “we have finished the race,” but “I have finished the race.”

As a Church, our collective race is to display God’s wisdom on earth. But as individuals, we each have a personal path to follow. In Matthew 16:24, Jesus declared, “If anyone wants to be My disciple, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.” That was not a general or collective instruction; it was deeply personal.

The Christian life is a journey of purpose, perseverance, and personal responsibility. We are all in this race—may we run it faithfully to the end.

 Pastor Johnson Emmanuel