Moral  Lessons  from  the  Olympic  Games

 

 

Paul Wong

 

According to tradition the first Olympics took place in 776 BC.  One legend claims the games were established by Heracles (Hercules), who brought a sacred olive tree to Olympia.  Whatever the precise origin of the games, they became a central aspect of Greek culture. The site for the games was in Olympia in southern Greece which became famous for its temples and monuments particularly the gold and ivory Statue of Zeus that sat upon his throne in the high temple which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  The Olympic Games, regardless of what we feel about them, is steeped in paganism.

 

Aside from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, no one has had a greater influence on the founding of Christianity than Paul of Tarsus.  The apostle Paul introduced the One True God to the Greeks in Athens (Acts 17: 16-34).  Athens is the site of the XXVIII Modern Olympic Games that began on August 13, 2004. 

 

If the Apostle Paul were alive today it is highly probable that he would have spoken about the Olympic Games just as he wrote to the churches in Greece.  The Olympic Games took place in Greece every four years without interruption from 776 B.C. until the Emperor Theodosius suppressed them in A.D. 393. That's 1,169 years. Everyone knew about the games. So Paul didn't have to explain the games. All the Christians that lived in Greece during the time of Paul were aware of the Olympic Games as we are today.  Let us read what Paul wrote to the Corinthian Church.

 

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize?  Run in such a way that you may obtain it.  And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things.  Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.  Therefore I run thus; not with uncertainty.  Thus I fight; not as one who beats the air.  But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (1 Cor. 9:24-27)

 

Only One Top Prize in One Race

 

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize?  Run in such a way that you may obtain it.” (1 Cor. 9:24)

 

One of the most eagerly awaited events in the Athens Olympics is the 100 meters race because the winner would be known as the “fastest man in the world.”  Maurice Greene, gold medalist of the 100 meters race in the Sydney Games 2000, was confident about repeating his success in Athens 2004.  He even has a tattoo on his biceps with the letters “GOAT” that stands for “Greatest Of All Time”.  What arrogance and pride! 

 

“Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.  Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” (Pro. 16:18-19)

 

“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders.  Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’  Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” (1 Pet. 5:5-6)

 

Maurice Greene even prayed for two minutes before going to the starting blocks, but he was never a factor after the gun sounded.  He came in third.  There is now a new champion.  The name of Justine Gatlin is not widely known.   After crossing the finish line Justine knelt down on the track before thousands of spectators to give thanks and glorify God.  He is a humble champion.   Read this story about Justine Gatlin’s humility  and also about the gentlemanly behavior of the American athletes after winning the gold, silver and bronze in the men’s 200 meter race.  The three men all knelt down on the race track and gave thanks to God. Read this story

 

Another athlete who demonstrated humility and magnanimity during the Olympic Games in Athens is Michael Phelps.  After winning seven medals he did an unselfish thing by giving up his spot on the Medley Relay to Ian Crocker, the man he had just beaten.  Read this story

 

 

Temperate in all things

 

“And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things.”  (1 Cor. 9:25)

 

Winning a race requires purpose and discipline.  The word “temperate” (Greek ‘enkrateuomai’) is used figuratively of the rigid self control practiced by athletes with a view of gaining the prize.  They must be willing to give up the soft life to go through rigorous training in physical and mental preparation for the championships.  An essential part of physical preparation is getting proper nutrition.  As victorious Christians our nutrition for the soul is to be consistently fed with the Word of God.  Daily devotion, prayer and Bible-reading is the winning formula.   Just as champion athletes must deny themselves of toxic foods and drinks that destroy the body, Christians must also stay away from watching movies and television programs that corrupt the soul.  They must not read bad books and magazines and not listen to bad music and songs.

 

 

An Imperishable Crown

 

“Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.” (1 Cor. 9:25)

 

In the ancient Olympics, a crown of olive leaves was the winners' only prize. Later, laurel wreaths were used.  The medalists' crowns in the 2004 Olympics come from an olive grove in Athens.  Christians are winners.  We are “more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Rom. 8:37)

 

Everything on this earth is perishable.  After a few years that crown of olive leaves would become so brittle that the slightest touch could cause it to disintegrate.  Even the gold, silver and bronze medals that the champion athletes receive at the winners’ podium will not last forever.  They will all be destroyed when our Lord Jesus Christ returns (2 Peter 3:10). However, our reward in heaven is "an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be reserved in the last time. " (1 Pet. 1:3-5)

 

 

Look only unto Jesus Christ

”Therefore I run thus; not with uncertainty.” (1 Cor. 9:26)

 

In the Olympics every participant has a common goal which is to win the gold medal, but no one is guaranteed to win this prize.  Let us look at some of those athletes who were greatly disappointed.  Maurice Greene who had won the gold medal in the 100 meters race in Sydney in 2000 was so confident that he would repeat his success in Athens that he had a the acronym “GOAT”  (Greatest Of All Time) tattooed on his arm.  He came in third in the 100 meters final.  Ana Guevara, reigning world champion in the women’s 400 meters race, was so certain she would get the gold medal for Mexico that she had brought a sombrero (Mexican hat) and planned to wear it for her victory lap.  She only got the silver.  

 

Nothing is guaranteed and certain in the Olympics just as nothing is certain in human lives.  When the apostle Paul wrote, “Therefore I run thus; not with uncertainty” he meant the heavenly race with the Lord Jesus Christ in his mind.  Only Jesus can provide certainty.

 

“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.  Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press forward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:12-14)

 

There is a bumper sticker that reads:  “Christians are not perfect, just forgiven”.  Trying to live a perfect Christian life can be so difficult that it leaves us completely drained.  We may feel so far from perfect that we can never please God with our lives.  Sometimes we look back at our lives and get hung up on our past mistakes.  This makes us feel discouraged and prevents us from attaining maturity.  Just observe the gold medal Olympic runner during the hurdles race.  Does he ever look back at the hurdles that he had just jumped over?  If he did he would never have won.  As winners we are to “press forward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” 

 

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb. 12:1-2)

 

Score Points to Win

 

“Thus I fight; not as one who beats the air.” (1 Cor. 9:26)  In Olympic boxing where the computerized scoring system is used, points can be scored only when the white portion of the glove lands squarely on the opponent’s head or torso that is above the waist.  During the Olympic boxing matches one often sees boxers throwing a lot of punches that miss the target areas.  They are just “beating the air.”   A lot of energy is wasted and no points are scored.   We find this to be true in Christian life.  Remember Jesus Christ’s remarks on Martha who was distracted with much serving?  “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.  But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”  (Lk. 10:38-42)  Martha was beating the air a lot with her activities but did not score points, but Mary’s sitting at Jesus’ feet and hearing His word scored a lot of points with her Master.  To become winners Christians must do the things that please God.

 

Discipline the Body

 

 

“But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (1 Cor. 9:27)

 

As any Olympic athlete could attest, top physical form is a must - and it requires strict regimentation of everything from training schedules to diet.  Cuba has consistently produced some of the world’s best amateur boxers.  It has sent the most successful boxing team to all the Olympic Games since Munich in 1972, with the exception of Montreal in 1976.  The Caribbean island of only 11 million people has won more Olympic boxing medals per capita than any other nation.  At the recent Olympic Games in Athens Cuba led all countries with eight medals in the 11 weight classes, five of which were gold.  Russia was second on the list with three gold medals and six overall.  United States, which was a powerhouse in the Olympics in the distant past, collected only two medals – one gold and one bronze. 

 

What is the secret to the success of the Cuban boxing program?  The staples of Cuba's success are conditioning and discipline. It's been said they fight the last round harder than the first.  They do not train with sophisticated high-tech equipment in air-conditioned boxing gymnasiums, but train outdoors under all kinds of weather conditions and using very crude equipment.  Instead of running on stationary computerized treadmills like Americans do, the Cubans run up and down their rugged hills to train for endurance and stamina.   

 

Now read this sad story about how Jason Estrada, an American champion who had beaten a Cuban handily in the Pan AM Games in August 2003, became very careless in his eating habits and had adopted a bad attitude, then lost badly to the same Cuban boxer at the Athens Games in August 2004.

 

Followers of the Lord Jesus Christ are called "Disciples", a word that is derived from "discipline". Christians must disipline themselves by giving up the soft life and undergo vigorous spiritual training in order to win battles for the soul.

 

Disqualification

 

 

“But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (1 Cor. 9:27)

 

Champion Greek sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou were injured on Friday in a motorcycle accident shortly after missing drugs test.  The runners were suspended by the Greek Olympic Committee after they missed the drug tests the day before the Games opened.  The doping drama swept the Games city, triggering shock across Greece hours before the Athens Olympics, with some people bursting into tears at the news about the man they call "Greece Lightning."

 

The US women’s 4 x 100 meter relay team which has the fastest runners in that event was disqualified when Marion Jones failed to pass the baton to Lauryn Williams within the prescribed exchange zone. 

 

Christians, like what the apostle Paul wrote, must lead a disciplined life and abide by God’s rules so that they can become winners and not be disqualified. 

 

 

Fight the Good Fight and Finish the Race

 

In all Olympic events there are rules to follow.  God has given us His Commandments.  It is true that Christians are saved by grace through faith but they still have to do everything in accordance with God’s will in order to go to heaven (Mt. 7:21-23; Rev. 22:14). 

 

“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Tim. 6:12)

 

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Tim. 4:7-8)

 

 

May God bless you

 

 

This Web Site is presented by Paul Wong

to the ARK Forum on August 24, 2004

 

For comments please write first to: [email protected]

 

Paul Wong is a Christian minister and the President of ARK International. His ministry also serves as an architectural service company in Houston. The ARK Forum on the Internet is international and non-denominational.