God’s Rewards

Several decades ago, a decorated Cuban athlete in the sport of weightlifting was stripped of the most coveted award to which a high-performance athlete can aspire. The news shook the world of strength sports, and the now-defunct Soviet Union then “reclaimed” one of the few world titles that had been wrested away by a foreign weightlifter—who, moreover, was from Cuba, a country with no internationally recognized tradition in this sport. Despite the fierce protests lodged by our Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation with the International Weightlifting Federation, the appeal was unsuccessful, and the penalty was swift. Daniel Núñez was stripped of his Gold Medal because, following an antidoping test, chemical stimulants had been found in his blood that were capable of altering the athlete’s muscular and mental performance in order to achieve results beyond his actual psychophysiological capabilities. Thus fell one of the idols of Cuban sports, and for the first time since the founding of the aforementioned Institute, a homegrown athlete was disqualified for this reason; he was never again able to represent Cuba in international competitions. The country found itself embroiled in one of the scandals it frequently criticized when athletes from other nations were involved.

Such events also tend to occur in the Christian life. Just as an athlete must compete in accordance with the established rules and requirements in order to win the title, our walk with Christ must be adorned with a legitimacy capable of withstanding every fire and anvil. We already know that being soldiers of the cross requires a life of obedience and total submission to the Holy Spirit; nevertheless, even though we know the consequences, we often become entangled in the affairs of this life and jeopardize the reward that a sober, godly, and legitimate life in Christ brings. Although in 2 Timothy Paul does not spell out the rules that Christians must observe in order to compete legitimately, it is clear to us that believers have no alternative but to adhere to God’s standards if they are to be worthy of the medal—or, in other words, the crown of life. Sin is always a heavy burden in the Christian race. Casting off sin and taking up the challenges of the ministry entrusted to us is a key element in competing and prevailing in the great championship of holiness. We cannot aspire to medals and rewards by relying on our human strength, but rather on the power of God. Nor should we allow the chemistry of the world to contaminate the blood of Christ. We do not need it to achieve spectacular results in the Christian life. His grace is sufficient.

The same is true of the farmer. Like the athlete, the farmer, in order to see and enjoy the fruits of his labor, must first work hard, prepare himself, endure hardship (2 Tim. 2:3–6), live a genuinely Christian life without hypocrisy, and adhere to God’s rules and precepts. We must lead a disciplined life like an athlete and work with dedication and patience in order to see and enjoy the spiritual fruits that the Lord will give us on our Christian pilgrimage. And above all else, we must preserve the teachings of the Word without contamination. In His immense wisdom, the Lord also frequently subjects us to the “antidoping test,” not to disqualify us, but to cleanse our hearts and minds of contamination and thus present us approved and clean before the heavenly Father. Christ the Redeemer wants disciples, not believers. It is said that the believer waits for the loaves and fishes, while the disciple is a fisherman. Isn’t that beautiful?

Brother and sister, be a farmer, be a disciple, be a fisherman. Let the Lord subject you to His test of love each day. God’s antidoping test can radically change your life; it will heal you and enable you to run, without fears or anxieties, the Christian and legitimately necessary race toward eternity.

God bless you!