The race that is set before all Christians is the heavenly race, which, as advised in HEBREWS 12:1, they must run with patience, along the narrow way of Holiness, to enter into the strait gate of heaven. But unfortunately, majority of Christians today, have been diverted from this narrow way, by the devil, who is the prince of this world, to run the earthly race, along the broad way, that leads to the gate of hell. The broad way is that ‘’permissive’’ way that allows that which is ABOMINABLE in the sight of God e. g, women wearing that which pertaineth unto men and men putting on that which pertaineth unto women, as written in DEUTERONOMY 22:5.

In MATTHEW 4:8, the devil, in his craftiness, tempted Jesus with the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, so as to divert Him away from this heavenly race into the earthly race but Jesus overcame the devil by using the word of truth, which is the sword of the Spirit. Similarly, the devil tempted Demas, a co-labourer with Apostle Paul, and succeeded in enticing him into loving the world, as written in 2 TIMOTHY 4:10a, and I quote, ‘’FOR DEMAS HATH FORSAKEN ME, HAVING LOVED THIS PRESENT WORLD.’’ Demas was craftily diverted from the heavenly race into an earthly race. In like manner, many Christians, especially many genuine men of God, have subtly been diverted by Satan, from this heavenly race, into an earthly race, having been enticed by the devil, with money and with the glories of this present world. In JAMES 4:4, it is written, and I quote, ‘’YE ADULTERERS AND ADULTERESSES, KNOW YE NOT THAT THE

FRIENDSHIP OF THE WORLD IS ENMITY WITH GOD? WHOSOEVER THEREFORE WILL BE A FRIEND OF THE WORLD IS THE ENEMY OF GOD.’’
Believers in Christ, who are in friendship with the world or who are friends of the world, are running the earthly race already, unknown to them! Because of their friendship with the world, they are now the enemies of God and the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose God is now their belly. They mind earthly things. The end of such believers in Christ, is eternal destruction, as written in PHILIPPIANS 3:18-19.
Their hearts are now pre-occupied with laying up, for themselves, treasures, here on earth, because they think that their lives consist in the abundance of the things which they will acquire and possess. In LUKE 12:15, Jesus warned all Christians against covetousness, which is idolatry, and I quote, ‘’TAKE HEED AND BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS: FOR A

MAN’S LIFE CONSISTETH NOT IN THE ABUNDANCE OF THE THINGS WHICH HE POSSESSETH.’’
Judas was one of the twelve apostles, but he was diverted by Satan from the heavenly race that was set before him, into the earthly race, that eventually led him into the gate of hell. Judas got himself unequally yoked with the chief priests, who were the enemies of Jesus, as written in MATTHEW 26:14, and I quote, ‘’Then one of the twelve, called Judas, went to the chief priests.’’ Judas’ major problem was the love of money which he coveted, hence Satan could divert him from this heavenly race into an earthly race.
In these latter times, many men of God, because of the love of money or pride of life, have gotten themselves unequally yoked with ungodly rich men to finance their ministries, while some get themselves unequally yoked with politicians, to run this earthly race together with them. Whereas men of God, and indeed all Christians, are warned by the Spirit of God, to flee from the love of money and from the love of this world and not to get themselves unequally yoked with unbelievers, as written in 2 CORINTHIANS 6:14-18, so that the devil will not divert them from this heavenly race, that is set before them. The lives of genuine men of God and indeed true Christians, consist in the abundance of the spiritual riches that they possess. And these spiritual riches are the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven which are given by Jesus to only few chosen men of God, as written in MATTHEW 13:11, and I quote, ‘’BECAUSE

IT IS GIVEN UNTO YOU TO KNOW THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT TO THEM IT IS NOT GIVEN.’’ These mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are the hidden truths that are in the scriptures, which men of God are advised to buy, and not to sell them, having bought them, as written in PROVERBS 23:23a, and I quote, ‘’BUY THE TRUTH AND SELL IT NOT,’’ and as advised by Jesus in REVELATION 3:18a, and I quote, ‘’I COUNSEL THEE TO BUY OF ME GOLD TRIED IN THE FIRE, THAT THOU MAYEST BE RICH.’ GOLD TRIED IN THE FIRE IS THE TRUTH. The more of these mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, men of God and indeed, all Christians have, the richer they are, and the more spiritually matured and established they shall be in their journey along this narrow way to heaven, as long as they continue to live in obedience to these hidden truths. The conversation of those running the heavenly race is always heavenly and their minds are always set on things above, and never on things on the earth, as commanded by the Spirit of God in COLOSSIANS 3:2, and I quote, ‘’SET YOUR AFFECTION ON THINGS ABOVE, NOT ON THINGS ON THE EARTH.’’ The hearts of Christians and men of God, running this heavenly race, are set on heaven, because they are laying their treasures in heaven, in obedience to the doctrine of Christ, written in MATTHEW 6:20-21, and I quote, ‘’BUT LAY UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES IN HEAVEN, WHERE

NEITHER MOTH NOR RUST DOTH CORRUPT AND WHERE THIEVES DO NOT BREAK THROUGH NOR STEAL, FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE WILL YOUR HEART BE ALSO.’’ The greatest of all treasures that can be laid up in heaven, is to live in obedience to all the doctrines of Christ, which are His Father’s doctrines, a some of which are the Doctrine of Separation from the world and its ungodly and worldly ceremonies, the Doctrine of Sanctity of the bed before Marriage or after marriage, and the Doctrine of Modesty and soberness in the mode of Dressing, and many more.
As Christians, we must examine ourselves if we are still in the faith, running this heavenly race, because the Spirit has spoken expressly, in 1 TIMOTHY 4:1, that in these latter days , some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of the devil. The deviL is that old serpent, that deceiveth the whole world. THEREFORE, LET US NOT BE DECEIVED BY HIM. THE HEAVENLY RACE AND THE EARTHLY RACE ARE TWO PARALLEL LINES THAT CAN NEVER MEET. NO MAN CAN RUN THE TWO RACES. IT IS EITHER HE WILL HATE THE ONE AND LOVE THE OTHER OR ELSE HE WILL HOLD TO THE ONE AND DESPISE THE OTHER. YE CANNOT RUN THE EARTHLY RACE AND AT THE SAME TIME, RUN THE HEAVENLY RACE!
And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free, thus saith the LORD.