We have to remember that this is figurative language. Paul is not talking about the “Olympics”. He’s just talking about a “race.” As a figure of speech representing our “Christian life””. For us, as Christian’s, it’s for a “crown”. We know, because of Revelation 3:10 says “IF” we are FAITHFUL. He will give us the crown of life. We don’t need to read too much into this. It’s simple really. James 1:12 says when we have “BEEN APPROVED”, we will receive the crown of life. The scriptures are very plain that receiving that “crown” is CONDITIONAL on our being FAITHFUL to God until we die (Rev. 3:10) and being approved by God.
Did you mean
Revelation 2:10? If Revelation 2:10 teaches that we must be "faithful enough" (in addition) to placing our faith in Jesus Christ for salvation (Ephesians 2:8,9) then just "how faithful" would you have to be? Where do you draw the line in the sand and say that you were "faithful enough" so now the Lord will be able to save you? That is vague and could include any number of good works, which results in "works righteousness." The same applies to James 1:12. Only genuine believers are faithful.
I see Revelation 2:10 as an encouraging statement from the Lord to Christians at the church of Smyrna who were being persecuted, even to the point of death. I don't see Jesus telling these Christians that if they are not "faithful enough" (in addition) to having faith in Him for salvation that they will not receive eternal life. That is "salvation by works!" I do see Jesus telling them that they will receive the crown of life after death, be faithful, hang in there! In the very next verse, Jesus said - "He who
overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death." 1 John 5:4, we read - "For
whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And
this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. ONLY (genuine) BELIEVERS are saved, overcome, and are faithful unto death (Ephesians 2:8; 1 Peter 1:9). Unbelievers are not saved, do not overcome and are unfaithful unto death.
When I was a teenager, I temporarily attended the church of Christ with my friend and his aunt. Years later, after I received Christ through faith and was now a born-again Christian, I ran into my friend's aunt and while discussing church with her, she asked me if I had "remained faithful." Her idea of remaining faithful revolved around whether or not I still attended the church of Christ and held to all of their beliefs. When I told her that I no longer attend that church, but attend a different church now, a Baptist church, she acted very uncomfortable and implied that I have not been faithful and will not be saved.
The Bible mentions 5 different crowns that believers may receive. Do they all simply represent eternal life according to you? In Revelation 19:12, Jesus is described as having eyes that were like a flame of fire, and
on His head were many crowns. What do those many crowns represent according to you?
Paul is saying it is possible, if we dont discipline ourselves, we can be “disqualified” and Lose that crown. Paul says we are to RUN IN SUCH A WAY so that we can obtain it. (Verse 24) This harmonizes with 2 Tim. 2:5 which says “Anyone who competes in athletics is NOT crowned unless he competes according to the “RULES.” So it MATTERS how we live our life; it MATTERS to God whether or not we keep His commandments; TWO of His rules for this race is that we be faithful to Him all of our life; the other one us that we must abide by His rules. That means that a person will not get a crown if he sins against God and is in- repentant. That would not be playing by His rules. Then, after we have finished this “race”, we must be approved by God. It makes no sense, nor is it LOGICAL for God to make these “conditions” if it is impossible for us to lose our crown! Paul says that even he can lose his crown. Even though he has preached to others— he can be disqualified! Even Paul MUST run the race according to the “rules”.
In context, Paul asks the question. What is the
prize before Paul? Is it that
reward of which he spoke in verse 1 Corinthians 9:18, his glorying of preaching a free gospel? There are those who take Paul to be referring to the possibility of his rejection in his personal salvation at the end of the race. The problem that I see with that interpretation is there is a difference between a
prize and a
gift.
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. Yet salvation is a free gift that we freely accept. (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8). 1 Corinthians 3:14-15 mentions - 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. Paul said disqualified for the
prize. Not disqualified for the free gift of eternal life.
So according to you, eternal life is received (or maintained) based on the merits of keeping His commandments and remaining sin free? Have you successfully kept ALL of God's commandments and remained sin free? Also, how do you define "keep"? Your arguments support performance-based works salvation and not salvation by grace through faith, not works.
EVERYTHING in scripture teaches that we can lose our salvation;
I'm yet to find the specific words "lose salvation" in scripture and I have found that ALL false religions and cults that promote salvation by works strongly oppose OSAS and teach that you can lose your salvation which has always been a major
red flag for me.
Jesus teaches it in His parables, like the parable of the sower.
In regard to the parable of the sower ONLY the 4th soil was referred to as
good ground which represents those who hear the word, accept it, and
bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred. Unlike the seed that fell by the wayside, on shallow, rocky ground and thorny ground which had no root, produced no fruit, was choked out and withered away. Faith without works is dead.
And that is the whole point of the parable of the prodigal son. It’s the picture of a person who leaves his “father” who is really FATHER GOD. The boy WASTED his inheritance (heaven), he threw it away! But when he repented, his father (God) took him back with open arms.
CONTEXT - All three parables in Luke 15 were in
rebuke to the Pharisees and scribes who complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them." (vs. 2) People in the NOSAS camp will try to use the parable of the prodigal son to prove that believers can lose their salvation by arguing that the prodigal son was spiritually alive, then spiritually died (lost his salvation) and was spiritually alive again (regained his salvation) from Luke 15:32 based on certain translations which read: ..thy brother was dead, and is alive AGAIN (KJV) ..for your brother was dead and is alive AGAIN (NKJV) ..this brother of yours was dead and is alive AGAIN (NIV)
Yet others will argue that in this parable, being made "alive AGAIN" foreshadows the "born AGAIN" experience that Jesus spoke of in John 3:3. Of course, Jesus wasn't talking about being born again spiritually again and again. We are born once physically and born "again" once spiritually. I find it interesting that certain translations of Luke 15:32 simply say your brother
was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found (ESV); your brother
was dead, but now he is alive. He was lost, but now he is found (NCV); this brother of yours
was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found (NRS); this brother of yours
was dead and has begun to live and was lost and has been found (NAS).
There are so many scriptures, so much evidence that God has given us. I hope you will consider this with an honest heart.
Prior to my conversion several years ago while still attending the Roman Catholic church, I believed in works salvation and losing salvation, and I had absolutely no assurance of salvation and was miserable! I have considered this with an honest heart. After my conversion everything changed. Now there are plenty of scriptures that "on the surface" appear to teach a loss of salvation (just like there are plenty of scriptures that "on the surface" appear to teach salvation by works) but is that what those passages of scripture really teach? After reading those scriptures in context, and properly harmonizing scripture with scripture, we see that scripture paints a different picture than works salvation (Romans 4:2-6; 11:6; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9 etc..) and losing salvation. (Psalm 37:28; John 6:39; 10:27-29; Romans 8:30; 2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; Philippians 1:6; Jude 1:1 etc..).
If you were standing at the gates of heaven right now and Jesus Christ asked you why He should let you into heaven, what would be your exact answer? The answer to this question will demonstrate exactly what you are trusting in for salvation/what you have placed your faith in for salvation. My answer would be "because you died for my sins according to the scriptures, was buried and rose again the third day according to the scriptures to provide for me eternal life. I trust in you alone as the ALL-sufficient means of my salvation.