Castaway

QUESTION:

Is 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 teaching that you can "lose your salvation"?

ANSWER: Hmmm. Good question. And you are not the first to have wondered about this "Castaway Passage", as it is sometimes called. But, before we begin to answer this question, let's reread the passage so we can better understand the question and the answer.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV) says:"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I (Paul the Apostle) do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified (castaway in KJV) for the prize."

And, speaking of the King James Version, let me put that same passage here in the KJV for those of you who are more familiar with that version (and also because the writer of this FAQ used that version).

So here is 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (KJV): "24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they [do it] to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27 But I keep under my body, and bring [it] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."

Now, in answer to your question, "Is Paul teaching here that a person can lose their salvation?" The key to answering this question is in parsing some of the verbs... especially the verbs, "strive" in v.25 and "should be" in v. 27. Yes, this passage is probably is talking about salvation since "castaway" is almost always used in describing the unsaved reprobate. BUT.... it's not talking about losing one's salvation. It's talking about the real fruit of salvation.

But, let me explain and walk you through how we arrived at this conclusion. First, when you are trying to figure out what a "difficult to understand passage" might mean, you need to always first look at the CONTEXT of the passage, which, in this case, is that Paul is explaining his apostleship and ministry of the gospel...the rights he has but does not take. His goal is to preach the gospel without charge, lest the charge be a stumbling-block to others as well as to himself (v.18). He chooses (for the sake of the gospel v.23) to give up all his "rights" to become servant to all in order to save some (v.22) and thereby become partaker of the gospel with them (v.23)....or they with him.

Paul then gives the analogy of the racer in vs. 24-25.... which explains HOW he serves or "runs" which is also a pattern or check-point for them. If you run correctly, you not only (in Paul's case) win others to Christ, but you continue to partake in the gospel with them.

v. 24 KNOW YE NOT THAT THEY WHICH RUN IN A RACE RUN ALL, BUT ONE RECEIVES THE PRIZE? In a race, all run, but only one wins. SO (SO= Strong's # 3779 = "in this same way" ...with the attitude of winning) RUN (Present Imperative Active = you need to keep running)... (in order) THAT YOU MAY OBTAIN (eagerly take or possess.... the prize). All that run the race are running to win the prize (even though only one will win). The emphasis here is on the attitude of winning motivated by obtaining the prize.

v. 25 AND EVERY MAN THAT STRIVES ( 75 = contends for.... denotes resistance involved.... (and here the verb, STRIVES, is a Present Passive/Middle Participle = he keeps on doing it as it is being done to or for him). This is important because this means that one does the action in conjunction with, or in the power of, someone else...ie. the Holy Spirit; FOR THE MASTERY (includes obeying the rules) IS TEMPERATE (1467 = exercises self-restraint ...self-control; Present Indicative Middle = action is contemporaneous with "strives") IN ALL THINGS. This verse (v. 25) is a "universal" principle that describes the racer with a winning attitude.... with a goal in mind. He will strive for mastery which will result in, or include, self-control. As for Christians... if they are in the race to win (eyes on the goal + striving or contending lawfully to win.... which requires obedience), the Holy Spirit empowers them; therefore, they WILL be temperate in all things. Striving (contending + obedience) produces temperance, and temperance (which is a fruit of the Spirit) PROVES you are contending. Therefore it can be said that all who strive for the mastery WILL be temperate in all things.

NOW THEY DO IT TO OBTAIN A CORRUPTIBLE CROWN; BUT WE AN INCORRUPTIBLE (CROWN). Whether this refers to a specific crown (one of the 7) as a reward at the Bema Judgment of Christians (as some explain this passage) or whether this refers to the specific Crown of life...eternal life, the hope of glory, salvation, etc., (as others explain it), it doesn't matter. They're all part of the same goal.

v. 26 I THEREFORE SO (in this same way.... with a winning attitude) RUN (Present Indicative Active = am running), NOT AS UNCERTAINLY (I have a purpose.. to obtain the incorruptible);

SO (in the same way) FIGHT I (Present Indicative Active = I am fighting), NOT AS ONE WHO BEATS THE AIR (not just pretending to fight):

v. 27 BUT I KEEP (Present Indicative Active = am keeping) UNDER MY BODY, AND BRING (am bringing) IT INTO SUBJECTION (a natural by-product of "striving" = "temperance" or self-restraint): LEST (what would happen if I didn't "keep" and "bring") THAT BY ANY MEANS, WHEN (after) I HAVE PREACHED TO OTHERS, I MYSELF SHOULD BE (Aorist Subjunctive Middle = action is indefinite...probably because it hasn't happened yet ....remains to be seen.... maybe yes, maybe no... could be translated "lest....I should prove to be") A CASTAWAY (generally used as "reprobate" referring to the unsaved.... but in the whole sense of the passage, it doesn't matter).

In other words....."keeping" and "bringing" (self-control which is a fruit of Holy Spirit) are proof of not being a castaway.

The point is.... check out how you're running.

Don't let your race be a Matthew 7:21 race. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."

Rather, it is a sort of a Phil.2:12-16 message..."12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure. 14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; {harmless: or, sincere} {ye shine: or, shine ye} 16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain."

So, since this is a Philippians 2:12-16 type verse, it indicates that if your attitude is fear & trembling, you will be obeying, and as a result God wills and does His good pleasure in you = fruit. The key is one's attitude (generally based on beliefs) which results in obedience, which results in fruit. Isn't this faith?? Yes ! So...... if you run in or according to faith, you will not be a castaway.

To paraphrase and by way of summary:....

In a race, all run (even though only one wins).

You need to keep running as a winner would run.

So how does a winner run?

He strives or contends (against resistance) for excellence (the mastery) in what he does (with the help of the Holy Spirit). When he desires (or wills) this excellence and acts accordingly (steps forward in obedience), the Holy Spirit produces temperance or the exercise of self-control (which is a fruit of the Spirit) in him.

Right desires (a winer's attitude) + right actions (striving for mastery) + power of the Holy Spirit = self-restraint in all things = proof of running correctly.

Why should we run correctly (like a winner)?

Because there is an incorruptible crown to obtain at the end.

Paul runs like this.... towards this goal.

Paul fights like this...for this purpose or goal.

He continues to control himself (strive) in whatever manner it takes to reach the goal (9:1-23).

BUT.... IF Paul (and he didn't)

failed to control himself (not running with a winner's attitude... or merely pretending to fight), his actions would prove, in the end, that his motives were wrong or reprobate. He would have entered the race for some reason other than winning, or he thought he could win apart from striving which includes right actions (+ the Holy Spirit). Even though he might have preached to others, it would have been with wrong motives, so he would have run unlawfully and apart from the Spirit. And if he had run unlawfully, he wouldn't qualify to receive the prize. He would not be a partaker of the gospel with those who were saved by it since he didn't yield to it himself. He had no faith.

Moral of this story = you can look like you're running, but if you run amiss ....have wrong purpose/goal, OR... choose not to strive (die to self.... give up "rights"), OR... choose not to obey the rules of the race...(all of which amount to having no faith) you won't obtain the crown....and whether the crown is "eternal life" in the broad application, or a "reward at the Bema Judgment for ministry" in a more narrow application...In a sense they both can work.

So, in answer to your question,

this passage is NOT teaching that you can "lose your salvation."

Instead, the message that this passage is teaching is:

"CHECK OUT YOUR SALVATION" (as proven by your attitude and obedience),

or "CHECK OUT YOUR SLOPPY WALK"

However, the term "castaway," and the OT examples that follow in chapter 10, more support "checking out salvation", which is proven by present tense obedience/ good works.

a special thanks to SG, one of the friends of our Ministry, for providing this FAQ.

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