"But I buffet my body, and lead it captive, lest [after] having
preached to others I should be myself rejected" (1 Cor

"But I buffet my body, and
lead it captive, lest [after] having preached to others I should be myself
rejected" (1 Cor. 9:27, J.N.D. trans.).

 

Here is a Scripture which has
often led many dear children of God to think that even the Apostle Paul himself
could be lost after having been saved. It has been said that if it was possible
for him to be lost then certainly it must also be possible for the believer
now. To escape this interpretation of this verse, many others, enlightened as
to the believer’s security through many other Scriptures (John 5:24; 10:27-29;
Eph. 4:30; etc.) have said that this rejection refers not to Paul himself but
to his service. Others have said that the word rendered "rejected"
simply means "disapproved." Let us examine the verse and see what it
really does say and what it does not say.

 

"But I buffet my body, and
lead it captive," The apostle says he buffets or disciplines the body. He
does not express any fears that he may not be able to do this.

 

"lest [after] having
preached to others" He does not say, "after having been saved,"
or "born again," or "having had eternal life" "I
should be myself rejected," but simply "after having preached to
others." "I should be" It is what he is, not what he might
become.

 

"myself" He does not
say "my service" but "myself."

 

"rejected." This word
"rejected," rendered "cast-away" in the King James Version,
has been said to mean "disapproved." Looking at this word in a Greek
concordance we find that this same word "adokimos" is translated
"reprobate" in Romans 1:28, 2 Corinthians 13:5,6 and 7; 2 Timothy
3:8; and Titus 1:16, and "rejected" in Hebrews 6:8. The reference in
2 Corinthians 13:5 reads, "Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus
Christ is in you, except you be reprobates?” Here surely the reference is not
to the disobedient Christian but to a false professor. A look at the other
references will also confirm that the word "adokimos" is used only
for a false professor or an unsaved person. The word then in our verse cannot
be "disapproved," but "rejected" or "reprobate."
We have noticed that with surprising regularity those who interpret
"rejected" to mean "disapproved" also misquote
"be" substituting "become," i.e. "become
disapproved."

 

It should be quite clear then
that the Apostle Paul is saying that it is not enough for one to preach to
others:one must also buffet the body and lead it captive. What then does he
mean by buffeting the body and leading it captive?

 

The apostle had been writing, in
the preceding verses, of the athlete’s need for temperance in all things. The
athlete must buffet or discipline his body, not allowing it to control him. He
must deny himself ease and self-indulgence. This is a necessity if he is to
contend for a prize or crown, corruptible though it may be. Paul now applies
this spiritually to himself. Through the power of the Spirit he mortified the
deeds of the body instead of living according to the flesh (Rom. 8:13). His
life was characterized, not by the fulfilling of fleshly desires and
gratifications of the body, but by self-denial and suffering. "If any man
will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it:and whosoever will lose his
life for my sake shall find it" (Matt. 16:24,25).

This then, I believe, is the
spiritual meaning of buffeting the body and leading it captive. There must be the
practice consistent with the preaching or profession. For it is surely possible
to preach to others and yet be rejected, and it is surely possible to profess
Christ and yet in works deny Him. But those who thus do are not those who
buffet the body and lead it captive.

 

What a solemn warning for those
in that day who were preaching among the Corinthians. Paul buffeted his body
and led it captive. Did they? And how much more solemn in our day as we think
of the many preachers whose lives bear a sad contrast to their preaching.

 

Paul, therefore, has in mind the
professor as he applies this principle to himself. He had no fears for himself
but for those, among them who needed this warning. This warning is also
continued in the verses which follow in 1 Corinthians 10, where the apostle
shows that outwardly partaking of spiritual blessings does not in itself
guarantee salvation or security. No! the only security for a soul is Christ
Himself. The soul that knows Him as Saviour need never fear as to his final salvation.
"For ye have died, and your life is hid with the Christ in God. When the
Christ is manifested who [is] our life, then shall ye also be manifested with
him in glory" (Col. 3:3,4, J.N.D. trans.).

 

It is interesting to notice that
in the address to the Corinthians, Paul includes professors when he says,
"with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our
Lord" (1 Cor. 1:2). Before the epistle closes there is another warning:
"If any one love not the Lord [Jesus Christ] let him be Anathema
Maranatha" (or accursed at Christ’s coming). Such are the warnings to
those whose confession of Christ is false —both then and now.

 

May we then be more exercised
today to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow Him. The Corinthians
were seeking ease and comfort (1 Cor. 4:8) and in our day it is the same. May
we be content with His path of rejection, shame and suffering, knowing that we
shall soon see Him face to face.

 

FRAGMENT   The things by which
Christian fruitfulness are most seriously affected are apt to be, not so much
things positively evil (these, for the most part, bear their brand upon their
face, and the conscience, if it be not dull indeed, is roused against them); it
is rather the negative than the positive quality which is dangerous. It is
occupation with that which simply has not Christ in it, which (tolerated for
its very harmlessness) insensibly steals away the vigor of spiritual life.
Lawful things, as the apostle reminds us, may bring us thus under their power;
and even the name of "duty" may be invoked to cover with its sanction
what is in reality only the slipping of the heart away from its first duty to
Him who has redeemed and purchased us with His blood.