Bible Questions Answered:
“How could beloved Apostle Paul ever
consider himself a castaway?”
Vincenzo/ Ravenna, Italy
Bible Answer:
Bible Text:
I Corinthians 9:1-27 KJV (Apostle
Paul)
13 Do ye not know that they which
minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they
which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
14 Even so hath The Lord ordained
that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
15 But I have used none of these
things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so
done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man
should make my glorying void.
16 For though I preach the gospel, I
have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is
unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
17 For if I do this thing willingly,
I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel
is committed unto me.
18 What is my reward then? Verily
that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ
without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
19 For though I be free from all
men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the
more.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a
Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as
under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 To them that are without law, as
without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to
Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
22 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.
23 And this I do for the gospel's
sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
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.
The Apostle always
committed himself to a life of “self-denial,” so that he would
not become a castaway.
I Corinthians
9:13,14,27 KJV (Apostle Paul)
13 Do ye not know that they which
minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they
which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
14 Even so hath The Lord ordained
that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
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.
Christian people
are to think and live the same way!
Matthew 5:29,30
KJV (Our Lord, was speaking metaphorically.)
29 And if thy
right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is
profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and
not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
30 And if thy right hand offend
thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for
thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole
body should be cast into hell.
Matthew 6:24,25
KJV (Jesus)
24 Then said Jesus unto His
disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross, and follow Me.
25 For whosoever will save his life
shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall
find it.
Luke 14:26,27,33
KJV (Jesus)
26 If any man come to Me, and hate
not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and
sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
27 And whosoever doth not bear his
cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple.
33 So likewise, whosoever he be of
you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple.
Romans 6:6 KJV
(Apostle Paul)
Knowing this, that our old man is
crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that
henceforth we should not serve sin.
Romans 8:13 KJV
(Apostle Paul)
For if ye live after the flesh, ye
shall die: but if ye through The Spirit do mortify the deeds of the
body, ye shall live.
Romans 13:14 KJV
(Apostle Paul)
But put ye on The Lord Jesus Christ,
and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.
Romans 15:1 KJV
(Apostle Paul)
We then that are strong ought to
bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Galatians
5:16,24,25 KJV (Apostle Paul)
16 This I say then, Walk in The
Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
24 And they that are Christ's have
crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in The Spirit, let us
also walk in The Spirit.
Philippians 3:8
KJV (Apostle Paul)
Yea doubtless, and I count all
things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus
my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do
count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Colossians 3:5
NLT (Apostle Paul)
So put to death the sinful, earthly
things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality,
impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy
person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
I Peter 2:11 KJV
(Apostle Peter)
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as
strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against
the soul;
I Peter 4:1,2
KJV (Apostle Paul)
1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath
suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same
mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
2 That he no longer should live the
rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of
God.
Can a Christian,
become a “castaway, someone who is rejected, by God?”
The Apostle Paul
fully believed so!
For that reason, he
constantly was on guard, to be sure his life measured up to a life of
self-denial, in righteousness, before God.
Philippians
2:5-8 KJV (Apostle Paul)
5 Let this mind be in you, which was
also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God,
thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made Himself of no reputation,
and took upon Him the form of a Servant, and was made in the likeness
of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a
Man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the
death of the cross.
