Quote:
Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!
What about Paul saying he could be disqualified in the race? (1 Cor 9:27) That doesn't mean he became un-born, but rather it's saying something is lost if we don't run well, right?
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1 Corinthians 9:12-19, 24-27
12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
13 Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?
14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast.
16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.
18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel.
19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
24 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.
25 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.
26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.
27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
What prize is he talking about? Who is the one person of millions and millions of believers who gets the prize?
I don't know the answer! But whatever the answers are will help determine whether or not this passage applies to overcomers, etc.
These verses are in the section of Paul going in-depth about how he could rightfully exercise his rights as a preacher of the gospel and make a living off of preaching the gospel, but he's going above and beyond by buffeting his body in making a living on the side. He says his reward is preaching the gospel free of charge and not making full use of his rights as a preacher. I'm not entirely sure Paul is talking about overcoming, or if he's just winding himself up (in a good way) and bringing in a metaphor to show how much he is pouring himself out doing what he does.
Trapped