In 2 Corinthians 4:16 Paul encourages the Corinthian believers to hold fast to sharing their faith with others and growing in their relationship with Christ. He points out that what we do here on earth as believers is preparing us for an eternity with God. One worshiping Him forever.
So what we do here is practice.
15 years ago, NBA hall of famer Allen Iverson went on his press conference rant about the usefulness of practice in relation to his games. (Practice, you takin about practice?)
Over many years of playing, he may have conditioned himself to a level where skipping a practice here and there may not affect him a lot. I can tell you what it did do. It affected the coaches and team mates of his that missed working with him and learning how best to plan and play with him on the basketball court. The same thing happens in congregations. You may know a lot. You may have been a believer for many years, but there are many times in the church someone that can learn from your experience if you let them. If you are not there, it does not happen. If you don’t take time to pour into that less mature believer, who is going to? Age is not the factor. It’s spiritual maturity that we are talking about here.
Paul lays out the retirement plan for believers in verses 16-18 in this passage….
There isn’t one here. If you’re breathing, your loving someone in the name of Jesus. If you’re breathing, you’re sharing the hope of the Gospel. If you can talk, you’re telling others about Jesus. The passage says that we are being renewed day by day. We may not feel that way, but as we follow Christ, He is making us more like Him each day.
The retirement plan is a promotion when you are done here. But don’t give up, don’t slow down until that happens.
We are better together.