# 1 Corinthians 9:27



## dane_g87 (Oct 15, 2010)

But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (1 Cor 9:27 ESV)

I was wondering what are some of your thoughts on this verse: is Paul talking about salvation, rewards, or office in regard to "disqualified; castaway"? I currently hold to the view that he's talking about salvation. I know that Albert Barnes, Adam Clarke, and Matthew Henry held to the salvation view as well. I don't believe a person who is saved can lose salvation, of course; but I do affirm that a person can fall away and when they do it demonstrates they were never truly saved to begin with.

I also would like to point out that the word for disqualified is _*adokimos*_ and is found elsewhere only in Romans 1:28, 2 Corinthians 13:5, 2 Timothy 3:8, Titus 1:16, and Hebrews 6:8, used in the sense of apostates/reprobates.


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## Contra_Mundum (Oct 15, 2010)

Paul isn't talking about losing a salvation he truly possessed. But he simply acknowledges--both for his own sake and for everyone else in the church--that from our earthly standpoint, the knowledge we have even of our own hearts is fallible.

Paul knew his Jesus. He knew Jesus taught about those who had done mighty miracles in his name, and cast out demons. In his own ministry, he had run across men who preached Christ out of highly dubious motives. Paul knew there were and would be prominent preachers, most likely used of God for the conversion of many, who would not stand in the Judgment with those same converts. And he was not so foolish as to think that howsoever he lived his life (undisciplined, ungodly) that he should then maintain a kind of naiive optimism concerning his eternal state.

So then, his willingness to discipline himself unto godliness was for him--as it should be for each of us--a means for self-encouragment in the walk of faith.


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## jwithnell (Oct 15, 2010)

> lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.


 While a different author, could this not be related to James and his warning regarding a more stringent standard for those who teach? The overall context in this section of 1 Cor. deals with the rightful reward of those who further the gospel and I believe it is reasonable to look at this in both the current situation in Corinth (those who preach the gospel should be cared for) as well as in the eschatological sense: those who preach the gospel (indeed all of us) face having the dross burned away. The prize would not be a working for salvation, but the prize at the final judgment for those whose work has advanced the Kingdom.


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## dane_g87 (Oct 16, 2010)

jwithnell so what do we do with the immediate texts following (ie 1 Corinthians 10:1-5) where Paul, seemingly, uses ancient Israel as a historical example of his metaphor and warning in 9:27? He's not talking about "rewards" immediately after 9:27, but of salvation. Also, how do we know the "reward" ie "incorruptible crown" Paul's talking about in ch. 9 isn't the heavenly inheritance?


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