The only way to finish the race well is to labor in the Lord consistently.  Paul knew this and so he never let up when it came to doing the Lord’s work.

1 Corinthians 15:10 (NKJV)
¹⁰  But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Working for the Lord does not give us bragging rights.  Why not?  Because without the grace of God, we could not labor sufficiently.  It is only by the Word of God that we can even know the work that God wants us to do.  By His grace, we have been given instructions on how to live (Titus 2:12).

If we continue to run the race we entered when we obeyed the gospel, something we do by laboring consistently in the Lord, we know that the grace of God has not been given to us in vain.  We should remember, however, that our salvation is not based on a point system.  Just because we accumulate a longer list of good works than bad works does not mean that we will make it to heaven.  If Jesus finds us unfaithful when He returns, our original reception of God’s grace will have been in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:58 (NKJV)
⁵⁸  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

If we want to be as confident as Paul was concerning a future crown, we must be steadfast.  Paul was confident in his salvation because he knew he had continued to abound in the work of the Lord.  It is not a matter of being perfect.  Paul knew he did not earn his salvation, but, he also knew he could rely on the promises of God.  He knew that salvation would be his as long as he finished the course by being faithful unto death (Revelation 2:10).

If we keep laboring in the Lord, we will finish the race well and receive an imperishable crown.  We can believe this because God has promised it.  Our confidence is not in ourselves but in God.  Notice that Paul had confidence, not only in his reward but also in the reward that would be received by everyone who runs the race to the end.

2 Timothy 4:8 (NKJV)
⁸  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.

The appearance of the Lord that Paul refers to here is His second coming.  The New International Version translates the statement, “and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”  Those who long for the appearance of Christ are those who know they have run the race in the same manner as Paul, that is, steadfastly, not allowing anything to slow them down.

While we are saved by grace, the Bible is clear about the importance of “working out our own salvation” (Philippians 2:12).  We must labor until the end.  If we do that, like Paul before us, we will be able to say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness…” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.