DISQUALIFIED – (Greek, adokimos: not standing the test, rejected)

 

THE PRIZE – the High Calling of Christ Jesus, Glory, the Presence of the Lord, Pleasures at Your right hand forevermore, the New Heavens and the New Earth wherein dwells righteousness, His Rest, the Joy of the Lord, Life Eternal, the Freedom and the Glory of the children of God, The New Jerusalem, the Heavenly City, Zion, The Eternal Kingdom of God.

 

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. 1 Cor. 9:24-27 (The Apostle Paul)

…"If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, CUT IT OFF and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. "If your eye causes you to stumble PLUCK IT OUT and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell. Mt. 18:8-9 (Jesus of Nazareth)

However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way (Jesus of Nazareth), which they call a sect. I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. So I STRIVE always to keep my conscience clear before God and man. Acts 24:14-16 (The Apostle Paul)

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of  his Spirit who lives in you. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you PUT TO DEATH THE MISDEEDS OF THE BODY, you will live. Romans 8:11-13 (The Apostle Paul)

Lest there be any confusion as to what “deeds of the body” actually are, the apostle Paul lists them: “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. PUT TO DEATH, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” Col.3:4-10 (The Apostle Paul)

Hear the Apostle Paul give his own progress report, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I PRESS ON to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind AND STRAINING TOWARD what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

 

All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Philippians 3 (The Apostle Paul)

Do I believe that the Apostle Paul was at all times successful in his quest to control the sinful activities of his own sin nature? Let his own words speak for themselves: “So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.” Romans 7

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12)

To the one who is VICTORIOUS, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Rev. 3: 21-22 (The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God – the Glorified Christ Jesus)

TO THOSE WHO BY PERSISTENCE IN DOING GOOD SEEK GLORY, HONOR AND IMMORTALITY, HE WILL GIVE ETERNAL LIFE (Romans 2)

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103)

SO, LET US NEVER, NEVER, NEVER STOP STRIVING, AS WE RUN THE RACE FOR GLORY, HONOR AND IMMORTALITY. AND THEREBY DISQUALIFY OURSELVES FROM OBTAINING THE PRIZE!