The Bible clearly teaches that no believer is sinless. As such, each believer experiences times when he is rebuked of the Lord. It is a natural part of the Christian life. At the same time, there will be circumstances which will bring about rebuke from other believers (Ecclesiastes 7:5). These are healthy elements of Christian growth. Yet, the goal of every believer should be one where he lives a life beyond rebuke. Paul’s desire for the Philippian believers was that they “may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation” (Philippians 2:15). He then admonished Timothy to keep God’s commandment “without spot” and “unrebukeable” (1 Timothy 6:14).
The Bible likens the life of a believer to many things, one of these being a race. Our life's race is likened more to a marathon or cross-country run rather than a short-lived sprint. In these types of endurance races, the strategic runner outlasts the impatient contender. A sprint initiated at the starting line may place the runner at the head of the pack but always yields a disappointing outcome. The same holds true concerning the Christian race. Believers are to run this race patiently. The Christian must never allow present trials and difficult circumstances to disqualify him from his perspective race. In fact, the long-term goal of winning the race must be ever present in every thought and action. The Christian race is not only about how much we can accomplish in the present, but what the Lord has accomplished before our crossing of the finish line.
