1st Corinthians 9:22-27, “To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 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. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 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.”
Proponents of losing salvation and Lordship Salvation use OBSCURE passages of Scripture, like 1st Corinthians 9:27 to justify their false teachings. There is absolutely nothing in this passage to suggest that "castaway" refers to losing salvation. 1st Corinthians 9:27, "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." The Gospel of John was written to tell us how to be saved (John 20:31). John doesn't mention one thing about running a race, keeping our body under subjection, persevering, repenting, nor anything else besides faith alone to receive eternal life.
I can show the same evidence to ten different people. Five of those people will see one thing, but the other five may see something else entirely. What is the Gospel truth to one crowd of people is a foolish fairytale to others (1st Corinthians 1:18). People only see what they want to see. That is human nature. To the man with a hammer in his hand, everything looks like a nail sticking up. Honestly, as incompetent as all these internet wannabe Bible scholars are today, I would have to comment on the entire Bible to refute them, because they can literally corrupt any passage to mean whatever they want it to mean. That is not truth!
I receive many emails from doctrinally confused people, because they are reading what false teachers say online. I am glad to answer questions, to feed Jesus' sheep from the inspired Word of God. Dear reader, if that is you of whom I speak, you will continue to go in circles as long as you let the heretics lead you into their false teachings. Instead, I would listen (or read) the Gospel of John 25 times, and use that as a benchmark, since John wrote it to tell us how to be saved. John 20:31, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
I receive many emails from doctrinally confused people, because they are reading what false teachers say online. I am glad to answer questions, to feed Jesus' sheep from the inspired Word of God. Dear reader, if that is you of whom I speak, you will continue to go in circles as long as you let the heretics lead you into their false teachings. Instead, I would listen (or read) the Gospel of John 25 times, and use that as a benchmark, since John wrote it to tell us how to be saved. John 20:31, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
The "race" in 1st Corinthians 9:26 simply refers to living the Christian life. We have a duty as believers to run the race that is set before us. God did not save us just to eat, drink and be merry until we die (although God does want us to enjoy life too). God saved us so that we would follow Him as our Lord (Romans 14:9). I am not speaking about the gift of eternal life here, which is by faith alone. Hebrews 12:1, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us," This is sanctification, not salvation. God saves a man, and then the indwelling Holy Spirit uses the inspired Word of God to sanctify him (John 17:17). But if that believer chooses to walk in the flesh and not the Spirit, they will languish in immaturity and not grow (Luke 8:11-15). That is why Paul called the believers at Corinth "babes" in 1st Corinthians 3:1. They were immature in the Lord, but they were saved. They were not following Christ as "Lord."
In 1st Corinthians 9:24-25, Paul plainly states that the "prize" for running the race faithfully is an incorruptible crown, not salvation. It is a sin to add to the Scriptures what it doesn't say. There is nothing in this passage teaching that we must run a race to be saved. In fact, living the Christian life is the fastest way to go to Hell, if a person substitutes that instead of faith alone in Jesus Christ. This is what happened in Matthew 7:21-23. They boasted of their “many wonderful works” done in Jesus' name, but they had never wholly leaned on Jesus' name. Satan's greatest weapon is to con people into living the Christian life without ever being born-again.
I kindly recommend friend (if you are unlearned doctrinally) that you read more of what accurate preachers like Pastor Curtis Hutson (1934-1995) preach, rather than listen to the heretics which abound on the internet. Here are some great articles on salvation...
Also, here is a great chapter from Pastor A. Ray Stanford's (1916-2012) book: "Handbook Of Personal Evangelism." The chapter is called: "Eternal Security"...
Dr. Steve Pettit is an accursed false teacher today, president of Bob Jones University, who teaches that the "reward" for "running the race" is eternal life itself. Pettit is a devil-dog preacher! I say that kindly, but truthfully.
If salvation could be lost, then the Bible would have come right out and directly told us, not leave it to assumption. The Lord would be a bold-faced liar, if "everlasting life" meant anything other than life that lasts forever. John 6:47, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life." The Holy Bible doesn't say temporary life, nor probationary life, but eternal life. If saved, always saved!
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