An Incorruptible Crown

The Finish

Paul names a specific contrast here, corruptible crown, incorruptible crown, worth noticing directly, athletic competitors striving genuinely hard for a prize that eventually, inevitably fades, contrasted with this different, incorruptible crown, worth holding as this whole first movement’s own culminating aim.

This closes the first movement of this book with the actual, sustaining motivation behind everything this movement has explored. Whatever discipline, temperate in all things, your own aging actually requires is aimed, ultimately, at this incorruptible crown, not the corruptible, fading rewards this present life alone can offer.

This closes the loop this whole first movement has traced. Finishing with joy, honest fear about being cast off answered directly, ongoing purpose in showing his strength, carried through hoar hairs, grey hair as genuine glory, character maturing, sustained strength like Caleb’s, preserved vitality like Moses’s, inward renewal day by day.

As this movement closes, receive this incorruptible crown as the actual, sustaining aim beneath everything this movement has explored. So run, that ye may obtain, worth carrying forward into this second movement’s honest exploration of the genuine weariness this same race, faithfully run, will also, honestly require.