The entire passage in 1 Corinthians 9 Paul is talking about rewards, and prizes, NOT Salvation. Salvation is a GIFT, NOT A PRIZE TO BE WON. He did not want to be disqualified for rewards, crowns, and other good things at the judgement seat of Christ.
We tend to view everything in terms of saved or unsaved.
Obviously those are the most important distinctions, but we forget that there is going to be a judgement for the living (saved Saints) and the dead (unsaved).
Those things are going to become MASSIVELY important in light of eternity.
So simple at the end of the day if one is honest with the verbiage, context and verb tenses......but hey...the workers for and salvation losers MUST help their weak JESUS because he cannot keep his word or promises.....makes me sick at how he is devalued by some