27/09/2024
DAY 78
THE MORNING COFFEE DAILY - 90 DAYS DEVOTIONAL
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NO PRIVATE INTERPRETATION - Part 11
DO NOT BE A CAST AWAY.
1 Corinthians
9: 27 KJV
"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."
Simply reading this in CONTEXT reveals the true meaning of the text. In fact, when you read the context in the previous 3 verses, it is so clear that it takes only religion to misunderstand it.
Here we go:
1 Corinthians 9.24-27.NIV
Do you not know that in a RACE all the runners run, but only one gets the PRIZE? RUN in such a way as to get the PRIZE. Everyone who COMPETES in the GAMES goes into strict training.
They do it to get a crown that will not last, but WE DO IT to get a CROWN THAT WILL LAST
FOREVER. Therefore I do not RUN like someone running aimlessly; I do not FIGHT like a boxer beating
the air. 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 for the PRIZE. (KJV used castaway for
disqualified")
It is clear when you read the context of that Scripture that Paul was not talking about Salvation by works. He was talking about reward and getting prizes for his ministry. Take note of the words RACE, RUN, FIGHT, GAMES. PRIZE , CROWN, (REWARD).
Paul was simply talking
about getting rewarded for his preaching. He did not want to get disqualified from getting his prize and crowns after he has done the work of ministry for the Lord, hence, he had to do it correctly and discipline his body.
This has nothing to do with his Salvation.
Salvation is 100% God's Grace and 0 % work. No mix up. It is either Grace or works, no mixture.
Read passages below
"And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work."
Romans 11:6
"Now to him that works is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness."
Romans 4:4-5.
Take note: Salvation is neither a race to run, nor a prize to win but a Gift to receive by putting
our faith in the Lord Jesus!
Get it right. Believers are saved 100% by Grace plus no work. However, our works shall be rewarded and just like Paul, we don't want to be disqualified from the heavenly prizes, so we
have got to allow the Holy Spirit to work out His good works in us, so that our works can stand the test of that day. It will be tested through fire.
Every work that is not God-originated is made with inferior materials and shall be burnt up, but the person shall be saved only like passing through fire. Read the passage below:
1 Corinthians 3:11-15
"11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."
We are not discouraging good works in any way, but we are putting things in their rightful places.
I have always challenged believers to good works and I am still challenging everyone to good works.
Our good works shall be rewarded. Besides, we are created unto good works
"For we are God's masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Ephesians 2:10
To live out the true nature of our new creation is to produce good works - that is what we are naturally meant to do as God's children. Good works is our new creation. So, it is just our natural norms.
However, our works do not define us. We take our identities from God and that is the perfection of His love for us. We have confidence in the day of judgment based on this heavenly identity.
Read below:.
"By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world." 1 John 4:17
God sees us 100% as Christ 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. That perfects His love for us. And that is the basis of our confidence in the day of judgment. So, keep holding unto your true
identity.
We don't let the devil define us by our works, because our works are often imperfect. But God does not see us based on our works, but based on our true identity before Him "As He is, so are we in this world"
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: God sees you as Christ. So, base your confidence on that. That is how to live.
©KC Eze Ministries
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