But lest we be guilty of hypocrisy ourselves, Eric Liddell’s example is one that Christians also should think deeply on. The willingness to sacrifice is a dimension that has largely disappeared from Christian discipleship today. The Gospel is proclaimed more in terms of the personal fulfilment it brings, the emotional and material benefits that accrue, rather than a dying to self and a wholehearted and sacrificial commitment to Christ.

The re-release of the British film classic “Chariots of Fire”, which won four Academy Awards in 1981, is timely not merely because of the imminent start of the London Olympics, but also as a reminder that the fame, admiration and wealth that accompany success are lesser achievements than the nurturing of godly principles, virtue and faithfulness.

Indeed, there is almost an irony in the simultaneous news that the Government have been seeking to cash in on the economic benefits of the Olympics by the plan to extend Sunday trading hours over the period of the Games, at the same time as we will recall the Scottish athlete who, at the 1924 Paris Olympics, acquired a reputation as “the man who wouldn’t run on Sunday”.

Eric Liddell famously withdrew from running the 100 metres race because the preliminary heats were to be run on a Sunday. As a Christian, he made the decision on principle because of his commitment to give God the priority in every aspect of his life. “Chariots of Fire” depicts Liddell struggling and agonising over the decision, which is not strictly accurate, as he was adamant on the issue from the outset. Nevertheless, thirty years after its first release it remains an inspiring film.

Today, rightly or wrongly, there are comparatively few Christians who hold such views on Sunday sport (or Sunday trading, for that matter). The interpretation of the commandment regarding the Sabbath tends to be less stringent. For some, this is indicative of a regrettable laxity and creeping relativity in the Christian Church today; for others it is a corrective to an old-fashioned legalism which failed to see the significance and implications of the resurrection under the New Covenant.

Read More