1 Corinthians 9:24 - "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 for the prize? According to NOSAS logic, everyone who falls short of winning a gold medal would be disqualified from the Olympics. Silver medal, bronze medal, no medal but finished the race, ALL disqualified from the Olympics
In your quest to put this chapter "in context" (which is laughable) I noticed you didn't mention the next verse:
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now
they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
1 Corinthians 9:24-25 KJV
This is not talking about running to come in first place and winning
Paul just said "run to obtain"
No mention here of a reward system for reprobates as you and others have suggested
We run to recieve an incorruptible crown....Paul would say this again to Timothy "I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith...."
So you are absolutely wrong with Paul's concerns about becoming a reprobate
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 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.
1 Corinthians 9:26-27 KJV
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
castaway, rejected, reprobate.
From a (as a negative particle) and dokimos; unapproved, i.e. Rejected; by implication, worthless (literally or morally) -- castaway, rejected, reprobate.
see GREEK a
see GREEK dokimos