April 8, 2016   1 Corinthians 9:19 – 10:6

Download discussion questions:  1 Corinthians 9_18-10_6 examples

Paul has just made a dramatic change in direction.  First he makes a compelling case for the rights he has in his ministry (1 Corinthians 9:4-12a).  Then he proclaims that he is not using those rights (v. 12b-17).  In the present passage he expands on his rationale.

Paul’s reasoning makes sense:  he is looking for a reward (v. 18).  His desire is not for the more familiar rewards of material or marital blessings, or an easy life (9:3-6).  His focus is on the reward of sharing the Gospel, of proclaiming God’s redemptive message and displaying His glorious mercy.  Paul wants to be sure that no other reward he might receive compromises this passion in his life (v. 15).  He offers examples from his own life and ministry.

One of the members of our discussion group summarized Paul’s words in verses 20-22:  “I’ll do anything to spread the gospel.”  Another participant amended that bold statement in light of the one constraint Paul places on himself, the law of Christ (v. 21b).  No cultural or social or economic distinction would get in Paul’s way as long as he could maintain his integrity to display Christlike character.  Another suggestion was that the questions or criticisms raised by the Corinthians (7:1ff.) might have included disapproval of some of his methods, or complaints that he was giving too much attention to other groups and not enough consideration to the church at Corinth.  Whatever motivated Paul’s words, he makes it clear that his focus and energy is on the gospel:  “I do all things for the sake of the gospel…” (v. 23a).

Then the apostle adds a phrase that can stir controversy:  “… so that I may become a fellow partaker of it” (v. 23b).  Isn’t Paul already a partaker (sugkoinonos, συγκοινωνὸς, lit. “sharer with” or “fellowshipper with”) of the gospel?  Then he immediately turns to athletic images about competing to win, to receive a prize (v. 24) and the necessary discipline and training and self-control required of a successful athlete (v. 25-26a).  Without that rigorous work an athlete will not win.  Then he leaves the sports metaphors and writes directly about the application to his preaching ministry:  “so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified” (v. 27b).  Disqualified, eliminated from the race, failing to win, perhaps even failing to finish – what a sobering possibility.  He offers a picture of the alternative to being a “fellow partaker” of the gospel as disqualification.

Is Paul concerned about losing his salvation?  Is he desperate to maintain an almost frantic level of activity for the gospel to stay in God’s grace?  Is that the “disqualification” (adokimos, ἀδόκιμος, “unapproval” or “lack of genuineness”) that concerns him?

Several responses followed this startling suggestion.  Perhaps Paul was concerned about losing heavenly rewards, since he mentions “reward” in verse 18.  But the reward in that verse is not in the context of heaven but the experience of preaching the gospel.  Maybe he was concerned about his credibility and being disqualified from preaching.  He specifically mentioned a similar concern in v. 15 about his ministry becoming an “empty boast.”  As was mentioned in the group, there is no shortage of recent examples of famous preachers who have been “disqualified” in that sense because of moral failure.  One suggestion was that the passion to “make my body my slave” (v. 27) might relate to that concern.  But Paul’s emphasis, the thread that runs through the passage, is not about moral concerns but about the discipline and intentionality of his work.  So what is the disqualification Paul wants to avoid?

This is one of a number of places in the Bible where a chapter division (added long after Paul wrote, ca. 1200) seems decidedly unhelpful.  Paul’s thought process continues (“For …”), so looking at least at the first few verses of the chapter might help understand the meaning of disqualification.

Turning from the example of his own diligent devotion to the spread of the Gospel, Paul points to the “example” (which he specifically mentions in verses 6 and 11) of the Israelites in the wilderness.  He lists the numerous spiritual benefits they “all” (five times in the first four verses) shared.  “Nevertheless” Paul says most were “laid low” because “God was not well-pleased” (v. 5).  The consequences for the majority of the Israelites sounds worse than not receiving a reward.  We discussed the fact that they did not receive the reward of entering the Promised Land, and that is a possible interpretation.  The next few verses (to be considered next week) expand on their “not well-pleasing” behavior:  idolatry, immorality, grumbling against God.  Were these offenses that merely forfeited rewards (in heaven or in Palestine), or were these symptoms of such rebellion against God that the people who were “laid low” forfeited their relationship with Him?  These illustrations seem to point to a somber and severe meaning of “disqualification” as being un-approved, out of God’s favor, lost.

Not surprisingly most (probably all of our group, including me) would reject that idea, that Paul was concerned about losing his salvation.  However, there are others in the history of the faith and in the Christian world today who might take that as the most likely meaning of Paul’s words.  The fact that a particular interpretation contradicts our theology is not necessarily a reason to reject the interpretation out of hand.  To quote Mr. McFee, a character from my favorite book,

The fact that it is a hypothesis specially uncongenial to the emotions of this investigator or that, is neither here nor there.  Unless, maybe, it is an extra ground for emphasizing the hypothesis in question, just because there is a strong psychological danger of neglecting it.[1]

I was in a Bible study group once when (during my first time in the group) we came across a passage similar to this.  The leader’s only reaction to the idea of losing one’s salvation was, “We know it can’t mean that.”  I found that to be a very unsatisfactory response and a dangerous precedent in any Bible discussion.  I agree that our salvation is secure and not dependent on our works or ministry or anything else.  But if we continually use our theological filters (maybe sound, maybe not) to eliminate unwelcome ideas from Scripture, we risk distorting the message to fit our categories.  The point of methodical inductive Bible study is to build our theology on the text, not to censor the text based on our theology.

As the skeptic McFee suggested, sometimes we need to pay attention to uncomfortable ideas.  The secondary reason is so we will be able to intelligently discuss the issue with someone of another viewpoint.  The primary reason is to clarify our own understanding of Biblical truth.  Maybe my theology needs some refining.  Maybe I need to see nuances in the text that will give me a clearer understanding.  And perhaps most importantly, what if I’m wrong?  I don’t want my doctrine or theology or denominational position to blur the truth of God’s word.

So back to the issue in question:  What is Paul talking about, and what is the concern about disqualification?

Paul points to his example of a fervent, intentional, disciplined life.  Then he sets the contrast with the tragic outcome of the Israelites in spite of the many spiritual advantages and opportunities they shared.  He seems to be differentiating between a life of running hard after God’s purposes, and a life marked by coasting and passive indifference.  One is evidence of God’s transforming work, the other is a veneer of religious decorations.

Paul is warning against the presumptive complacency that parodies the preserving and persevering nature of God’s grace.  In our Evangelical eagerness to provide “assurance of salvation” we often base that assurance on a “decision” marked by a walk down a church aisle or raising a hand or signing a card.  Those experiences absolutely can be the mark of a saving experience of God’s grace.  They can also be the result of emotional manipulation.  Paul’s point in this text seems to be to encourage the Corinthians to recognize the difference in themselves, and for us to do the same.  Is my salvation based on an action forty years ago (in my case), or is there evidence of God’s continuing transforming work in my life?  Paul uses his own experience of an intentional, purposeful, disciplined life.  He points to the inadequate religious experiences of the Israelites.  One member of our group looked ahead farther in the passage and found further support for this interpretation:  “Let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall” (v. 12).  In a later letter to the same church Paul is even more explicit when he challenges them:  “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith.  Test yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5; dokimazete, δοκιμάζετε, “prove” or “show yourself approved,” a positive form of the word for “disqualified”).  Paul’s concern (for the Corinthians as well as for himself, and for us) is not losing salvation, but confirming the reality of salvation.  The issue is not failing in works to achieve or maintain salvation, but rather to observe the reality of works that are the undeniable evidence of salvation.  We can look to him as a pattern of what a life transformed by God into focused intensity for the gospel looks like.

[1] C. S. Lewis, That Hideous Strength (New York:  Scriber, 1996), 190.