For August 3, 2026
Spiritual Warfare is Not a Game by Greg Holmes, D.MIN – Director of Missions serving 17 churches
THE GREEK OLYMPIC GAMES had been part of the ancient near east culture for eight centuries by the time Paul alludes in scripture to the contests established by them. “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.” (1 Cor. 9:24-25a) The games were gladly accepted into Roman culture upon their conquest of Greece, and by Paul’s time they had become part of the widespread culture across the vast geographic influence that Rome wielded. They became the basis for the Roman gladiator sport spectaculars that would soon become in part a venue for Christian persecution and martyrdom late in the First Century A.D, under the emperors Vespasian and Domitian. Paul uses the games as a metaphor; the training of the body for such sports, he says, is like what we must do to be spiritually and physically ready for the contests that we must engage in as Christians. We are constantly preparing for winning souls to Christ for their and our heavenly rewards. “They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” (1 Cor. 9:24-25a)