Hello everybody, this is Mr. 12.3 back with another video.
This is another video on commonly misused, twisted, misunderstood, and misinterpreted verses in the Bible.
Today I'm going to be talking about 1 Corinthians 9, verse 27, which says,
"...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."
This passage is misused in two ways.
One of the most common ways arises from false translations of the Bible, such as the NIV or the ESV.
For example, the NIV translates it like this,
"...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 from the prize."
This and other translations which make it about physically beating yourself
has inspired such unbiblical doctrines and practices, such as whipping yourself,
such as the Phagellants in the 13th, 14th centuries,
and which is also a common practice of Catholics even in the modern day.
Others twist this passage to teach that you can lose your salvation,
claiming that becoming a castaway, as it says in verse 27, means that you can lose your eternal life.
But this is not what the passage is teaching at all.
We must read the context to figure out what Paul is talking about.
Starting at verse 23, 1 Corinthians 9, verse 23, it says,
"...and this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be a 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 their 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."
There are a few things mentioned here.
One is the prize which is received for running the figurative race in verse 24.
In verse 25, Paul likens this prize to an incorruptible crown.
And finally, in verse 27, Paul concludes by saying that he keeps his body in subjection so that he doesn't become a castaway.
What does this mean?
Well, the Bible promises us the rewards in heaven for our works.
It says in Matthew chapter 16, verse 27,
"...for the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels,
and then he shall reward every man according to his works."
Romans chapter 4, verse 4 says,
"...now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt."
Daniel chapter 12, verse 3 says,
"...and they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament,
and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."
Now, going back to Paul's mention of the incorruptible crown in verse 25,
the Bible says in Revelation chapter 20, verse 6,
"...blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection.
On such the second death hath no power,
but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."
So the Bible promises that we will be kings who will reign with Christ
in the millennial kingdom for a thousand years.
So this is the prize that Paul is talking about.
However, unlike eternal life, which is called a gift of God,
in Ephesians chapter 2, verse 8 in Romans 6, 23,
these rewards require works.
And thus Paul compares the run towards receiving these awards
to a race or to any athletic competition, really.
Just as an athlete must train his body
and keep himself under control when they're competing,
when they're actually running the race, lest they fail,
Paul is encouraging us to keep our own body in subjection,
or in other words, to put off the old man,
to put off the flesh, lest we become a castaway.
Being a castaway is not losing your salvation.
It's becoming disqualified for the rewards which God promises us.
The Bible teaches us that there are certain requirements
for being in a position of preaching God's word.
For example, in the case of pastors or bishops,
it says in 1 Timothy chapter 3, verse 1 to 7,
This is a true saying.
If a man desires the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife,
vigilant, sober of good behavior, given hospitality,
apt to teach, not given to wine, no striker,
not greedy or a filthy lucre, but patient, not a brawler,
not covetous, one that ruleth well of his own house,
having his children and subjection with all gravity.
For if a man know not how to rule his own house,
how shall he take care of the church of God?
Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride,
he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
Moreover, he must have a good report of them, which are without,
lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
So, are we actually supposed to beat ourselves up?
Is this what the passage is saying?
No. We just put ourselves into subjection to God.
We put off the flesh and obey his commandments,
and we do this to make sure that we can continue,
we can continue obeying God and continue in our call to preach,
and that we can receive the prize which we are all heading towards.
That's what this verse is talking about.
Thank you, everybody, for watching.