“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 9:27

In light of “eternal judgment” (Hebrews 6:2), the apostle speaks here of his preparation for it. Paul knew that eternal damnation awaited him if he dared not keep under his body, to crucify the deeds of the body to “bring it into subjection” by the daily crucified life.

Keeping under our bodies speaks of a continual essential.

Keeping under means subduing the old man by crucifying it daily.

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” Romans 8:13

After Jesus saves you, washing you from all your past sins (Romans 3:25), you simply cannot go back to living in the sin He died to give you victory over. And the only answer, solution, He gave you in the cross, the crucified life.

Romans 6:1-14

Dead to Sin, Alive to God

1  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 

2  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 

3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 

4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 

5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 

6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 

7  For he that is dead is freed from sin. 

8  Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 

9  Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 

10  For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 

11  Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

12  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 

13  Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 

14  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 

The cross is a non-negotiable imperative.

“And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:27

What did Jesus tell you is essential to following Him?

“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” Luke 9:23-24

This language speaks to the necessity of the daily cross—crucifying the iniquitous, fallen nature so that Christ alone reigns (Romans 6-8, etc.).

It’s the moral coward who covers his sin instead of confessing and crucifying it.

Read Jesus’ words in Mark 9:43-49 KJB.

Paul makes it plain here that he doesn’t believe he is unconditionally eternally secure and that he also could be “a castaway” in the end if he doesn’t endure to the end with Christ— which requires obedience to His cross command.

AS long as we live in this temporary body, on this earth, we will be in need of crucifying the “old man, “otherwise known as “the flesh” (Romans 6; 8:13; Colossians 3:8-9).

Prayer: Father, I here and now declare myself to be crucified with Christ. Please crucify all of me: self, self-will, self-exaltation, and self-idolatry. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Daily Cross

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The Cross vs Eternal Security [podcast]

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“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18 Those who do not preach the cross prove that they believe the cross is “foolishness.” The know that many will leave if they were to preach the crucified life. And they are in it for the money, the acceptance of mere men, not Christ. Make no mistake, the Holy Ghost through Paul warned us specifically about this generation of counterfeits, these “evil men and seducers” who “wax worse and worse.” (2 Timothy 3:13)  […]

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