The Race
Posted on March 21, 2025 by cedricstudio

The Bible compares the Christian life to a race:

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. (1 Corinthians 9:24)

...holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. (Philippians 2:16)

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us... (Hebrews 12:1)

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7)

Thirty years ago I read a book by Steve Farrar called Finishing Strong (Amazon link). The premise of the book, if I recall correctly, was that many people start out their Christian life full of gratitude and zeal and willing to do anything for Jesus. But over time, temptations and hardships and compromises come our way. We may stumble, stray, or slowly lose our steam. Some wipe out, some crash and burn, some slowly fade away. What matters is not how we start the race, but how we finish it. You may struggle and grow weary and wander off the path (I know I do!), but the Christian who earns trophies in heaven is the one who keeps going. When he wipes out he gets back up and keeps pushing forward.

As I've continued on in my Christian life, that long-haul vision has stuck with me all these years. Following Jesus, staying faithful, is not easy. It can be a slog at times carrying His light and love down muddy paths in the black of night. It's hard wrestling day after day with the sin around us and the sin within us.

I am FAR from a good example. Even after all these years I still give in to sin and ugliness and rebellion and failure. I've gained weight both physically and spiritually. There are days when I barely make any time for God until I put my exhausted head on my pillow and only then bother to grab for my Bible. So I'm writing this for myself as much as I am for anyone else.

But I do believe that a long-distance mindset makes it easier to push forward. To keep trying. To not give up.

Should Christians Always Be Nice?

Posted on June 29, 2023 by cedricstudio

Christians are supposed to be like Jesus. That means being nice, being kind, and seeking peace at all costs, right?

Actually, no. Not according to Pastor Doug Wilson. I stumbled upon this talk where he says sometimes being like Jesus means saying hard things people don’t want to hear. It means conflict. It means being hated. Of course we should never pick fights or rock the boat just because, but neither must we be always soft and gentle and say “Aw shucks” with our hands in our pockets. There are times when being tame can be just as wrong-headed and un-Christlike as is being a jerk.

Yes of course it is important to be kind and gentle. Love does not mean being a bully. But there are also times when the most loving thing to do is to suit up and slay the dragon.

Wilson is thoughtful, witty, and quotes a lot of Scripture. This talk is an easy listen and it gave me a lot to chew on.

Are Christians Arrogant?

Posted on June 13, 2023 by cedricstudio

I’ve been reading, “A Serrated Edge” by Doug Wilson. It’s a Christian defense of satire, and a good read. I’m only three chapters in but Wilson made a really good point that stuck with me.

He points out that too many Christians stay silent on a host of topics for fear of being called “arrogant”. The problem is that Christians and secular people often aren’t even using the same definition of the word. The meaning of the “arrogant” slur can be very different depending on who is tossing it around.

To a biblical Christian, God is our supreme authority and therefore we must submit our lives to what he has revealed to us in the Bible. To follow God‘s commands is humility. To reject God’s authority is arrogance.

To a secular person, God is unknowable (if he even exists at all). The only thing we can know for sure is our personal experience and feelings. Therefore moral uncertainty is a sign of humility. Anyone who presumes to know what God thinks is “arrogant“.

To one side it is arrogant to reject God. To the other side it is arrogant to acknowledge God.

When Christians stay silent for fear of being called “arrogant“, we have already lost because we have essentially conceded to the secular view of arrogance is the correct one. That’s a problem.

So far it’s a fascinating and thoughtful read. A Serrated Edge is available from Amazon here.