Yesterday’s sermon, our pastor expounded on 1 Corinthians 6:12, ‘“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.’ What is Paul meaning here? We know from God’s word that all things are not lawful. Just previously in the letter to the church in Corinth, Paul had admonished the believers, “Do not be deceived,” warning them that their choices and actions did have eternal consequences. We as followers of Jesus Christ have been set free from sin and we have been given the eternal gift of salvation. A gift that we do not earn through works. But just because we are free, doesn’t mean we should indulge. We are not to be reckless with our salvation. Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

This brought to my mind an image of Fat Thor. I can hear you now, how did I go from the letters of Paul to the Marvel Universe? In the movie, Thor, the god of thunder, found himself in the depths of depression. He stopped fighting against evil and sat around watching tv and drinking beer all day. From his actions, he stopped being Thor, the god of thunder, and became instead, Fat Thor. How does this apply to us as Christians? 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we are imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” You or I wouldn’t walk onto the Boston Marathon, eating a cheeseburger and drinking a strawberry milkshake, and expect to run the race. Nor would we show up at the super bowl and expect to play defense, weighing ninety-nine pounds in our cleats and gear. In order to run the race and win the prize we must train our bodies—we must train our minds—and we must watch what we put in our hearts!

What am I eating? What kind of music am I listening to? What am I watching on tv? Is it beneficial to my eternal soul and will it bring glory to God? These are the questions we should be asking ourselves. Now before you jump into defense mode, I am addressing myself with these questions, just as much as I am writing to you. I will instinctively reach for chocolate and pizza when I am overwhelmed and stressed. I love zoning out to the tv and escaping, after a long day. But I feel God nudging my heart and asking me these questions. “Dear child, would you watch that, if I were sitting on the couch next to you?” It’s a difficult journey through this life and the enemy has laid many traps along the way. But God knows where to step in this minefield we call our lives and if we follow Him, we will get through without losing a limb.

I know that it’s a struggle. I am always strong in the morning, my resolve forged with iron. But as the day progresses and the pressure mounts, many days, I will succumb to temptation. My dear friend, that is why our salvation is not based on works. But we still must try! We still must get up each morning and thank him for the day He has given us. We still must lace up our shoes and head into the world, and as we do, remember that it is in Him that we find our strength. Spend time in His word, write it on your heart. Begin to look at your daily activities through the lens of His eternity. Will this benefit you in the long run? Will this make you stronger? Will this help you fight temptation? Don’t allow yourself to become the Fat Thor Christian! Train and run the race for His glory and when we reach paradise, He will personally hand us our prize. What a day that will be!