Oh goody another OSAS thread!

This other interpretation doesn't by chance replace the word if with the word since does it? If so it doesn't matter because using either word results in the same thing. If/Since you are doing this, then that; if/since you are not doing this, then not that.

I agree, no it doesn't.

1 Corinthians 9:27, Paul says even he can get disqualified for the prize (salvation).

Salvation is not a prize, it’s a gift, given when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. We have faith for salvation, we work for rewards.

You tell me what prize means to you in that verse.

A full reward. 2 John 1:8

Well the answer is in the next verse, which mentions a crown. Crowns are rewards and there are seven crowns mentioned in the NT. The *crown* was really the laurel wreath given to Olympic champions at that time as a prize, and used here for heavenly crowns or rewards which Christians will receive for faithful service. This has nothing to do with salvation -- which is a gift -- being a prize.

The crown of life is salvation. But interestingly enough, the next verse from the one you gave me (2 John 1:9) says that anyone who runs ahead (leaves) and does not continue in the teachings of christ has not God. This 'continue' is a conditional statement.

The prize comes after the race is run.

Rev 22:19 KJV And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, (There is a lot of that done on here)
God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Rev_3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Don't OSAS or ES bank on it. The prize can be lost.

for the wages of sin is death

The gift of God is eternal life.

Eternal life, Salvation, The adoption as sons of God, Justification all these things which assure the assurance of our heavenly dwelling are a gift of God based on the grace of God.

Rewards are wages of producing fruit, but have nothing to do with salvation.

God uses the word "good" to describe his own self, not seen and not the things he creates that seen, as if that which is seen was the source of good .That would describe paganism as in "no faith". They look to the rudiments so they can walk by sight.

God looks upon the heart man looks upon that seen the temporal . The good ground represents a heart that God has made soft .We stand in amazement because he did have mercy on us . Or what Job replied (I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face) It is the same ground that he waters with the doctrines of God, the gospel of our salvation .

Deuteronomy 32:2My doctrine shall drop as the rain, "my speech" shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:

I think we could say the doctrine of God is the water of the word by which he softens our hard hearts.


But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me: Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.Job 23:13-17

We are also informed that we can bring the gospel or plant the incorruptible seed but God does the increasing of softening it . He must increase as we enter his rest we must decrease

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.1 Cor. 3:5-7

1Co 9:19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
1Co 9:20 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;
1Co 9:21 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.

Sigh! Paul wasn't in fear of losing the 'free gift' of salvation, he was in fear of not being an Apostle, or rejected as an Apostle (castaway). Could you imagine the horribleness of this for Paul if this would of happened? Paul wasn't under any law and preached works for salvation was going back to the law. So why would Paul worry about salvation if he didn't do this or didn't do that? He didn't. He loved God and wanted to be worked through by Him. As stated earlier; a prize is got a gift. To say that Paul had to work for salvation goes against his very teaching all throughout the New Testament. This is similar to the church in revelation that would be 'unchurched' if they didn't wake up. Again, sigh!

Let's also look at the verse before:

1Co 9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

Sadly, many of us are running with uncertainty and insecurity. Will I make it? Will I finish? Not Paul. He ran with certainty and purpose. Many Christians are aimless and worried about disqualification, and Paul's purpose was; to become a Jew to reach Jew and a Gentile to reach Gentile. He ran to bring salvation by example. Paul grew in the knowledge and wisdom of Christ, and showed the fruits of the Spirit. Why wouldn't he be certain? Again... Sigh!

And if you take it for what it says? Then only ONE person will receive salvation. The rest of us are doomed. And that one person will be Paul, all alone in heaven. Sigh!

Yep.

In fact, I insist we look at the context.

Amen! A prize is something that you work for and earn where a gift is something that you freely accept without merit. Prize (brabeion) - the prize awarded to a victor, the reward (recognition) that follows triumph. In 1 Corinthians 9:18, Paul asks, "What then is my reward?"

That doesn't sound like a free gift to me (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8). In 1 Corinthians 3:14-15, we read - If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, (of reward) though he himself will be saved.

Notice that verse 24 says, "Do you not know that those who run in a race ALL run, but ONLY ONE receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it." In an Olympic race, all runners run but only one receives the gold medal. So what happens to the runners that receive the silver medal or bronze medal or finish the race with no medal? Are they disqualified from the Olympics or from the prize, receiving the gold medal?

Amen!

It just goes to show how people will interpret the word to fit their belief system, and not fit their belief system to what the word says.

straw-man definitions to fit a doctrinal position!

(Sigh) I am not under the law of Moses, I do not believe that our works earn salvation, and you bringing in that passage has nothing to do with it. And yes, the prize and the gift are the same thing. It is a gift because our obedience cannot earn it, and a prize because we met the criteria that God has chosen to give the gift to, because He does not give it to everyone, He chooses to give it to those who run the race, who fight the good fight, who obey Him till the end. God's deciding factor on who He gives it to can be anything that cannot earn it- which is already stated is obedience.

It is impossible to earn it with works- therefore God can have us work all He wants because works are not a currency that can be used to purchase grace. That would be like trying to buy a mansion with leaves. A leaf cannot purchase anything, however if a rich man said he will give mansions to those with leaves, then we can take him leaves to receive our prize. If you can't understand that, maybe it's your stubborness blocking what you refuse to see.

It is not a straw man to say salvation is a gift, It is fact.

The wages of sin is death, the gift of God is eternal life (salvation) in Jesus Christ our lord.

That is scripture. not a persons idea to fit some doctrinal position.