The winner takes all

THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL - Part 1

It was the group Abba that sang ”The Winner Takes It All”. Must have been in the seventies, because we met the song as evergreen (indeed). Its lyrics? Not our subject. Its title? Our topic.

The Winner Takes It All. Sounded like someone has read Paul’s letter or heard John the beloved.

Needless to consult Oxford revered dictionary, we all know that winner means victor, over comer. Winner connotes that there had been a battle or competition or race.

Paul in his letter to the Corinthians recognized his ministry as a race. Paul will stop at nothing to see that he concluded the assignment. Known for his zeal, Paul wrote:
“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but only one
receiveth the prize?” I Corinthians 9:24a

So he advised:
“Run that ye may obtain” I Corinthians 9:24b

Didn’t he run? Didn’t he preach? Didn’t he conquer? He was so sure of his pace, so sure that he could say I labour more…

Oh yes he recognized the grace. You know grace is like a catalyst, it supports the raw material and makes the impossible possible in no time. But Paul knew that even though the catalyst is available there is need to put the raw material together otherwise the catalyst will be wasted. It was with this mindset that Paul wrote to the Ephesians:

“…do not let the grace of God be in vain” II Corinthians 6:1

Perhaps we should walk down the Chemistry lane in an attempt to explain Paul’s admonition on grace. Catalyst provides an alternative route to products/result, the catalytic route being subject to lower activation energy than in the uncatalyzed reaction, just as grace gives alternative route to what seems impossible. Salvation for example came to man through “The Grace Boulevard” and no other way.

“For by grace ye are saved not by works least any man should boast…”
(Ephesians 2:8-9)

That is what grace does. It takes the equations of life and makes the impossible possible. It takes the seed and turn it to a forest. He takes the poor from the dunghill and places him on the table to dine with princes and kings (I Samuel2:8). He takes the labour of your hands and multiply the fruits of your righteousness (IICorinthians9:10).

It was the last dinner of “The Council”, farewell for the one that sits at the head of the table. The chairperson will soon depart. And the departure will not be enviable. Sorrow looms over the room; fear in the hearts of men, betrayal lurks in a corner. The treasurer gave in to 30 pieces of silver.

The night was unusual. The young man looked at the face of the Master, He had never been like this before. He found solace in the Master’s bosom, he was called John the Beloved.

The same John was caught up in the Spirit and once again saw the Master, and wrote repeatedly …He who overcomes, He who overcomes, to the loveless church, to the persecuted church, the compromising church, the corrupt church, the dead church, the faithful church, and the lukewarm church.
To all the churches he wrote: “He who overcomes”. Perhaps we should just discuss the first church – the loveless church. Clearly they might have read Paul’s letter or at least share the principles, for the One who described Himself as the owner of the keys of Hades and Death testified to their works (Rev 2: 2-3). They laboured but have lost track of their relationship with their first love.

Winning includes labour but total Christian victory requires more than labour, it includes that which the loveless church lacked – Relationship.

To be continued…