Who specifically was the Apostle referring to here (beside himself), when speaking of being a “castaway” (1 Cor 9:27)?
I believe the answer to the first part of this question is found in the Apostles opening address to this Epistle.
“To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours”. (1 Cor 1:2)
It is apparent that the Apostle is addressing the spirit begotten, the Anointed, the Church of God, those who have been called to be saints. The word sanctify has the significance of "set apart, made holy." All of the sanctified (those set apart through consecration) are reckoned new creatures in Christ Jesus, and are addressed as "those who are sanctified in Christ."
The second part of our question is covered under our next question,
What happens to one when they become a castaway, and from what were they castaways?
To be a castaway implies that one has failed to live up to their covenant and thus are rejected, disqualified as far as the prize is concerned, the prize being the divine nature, immortality, joint heirship with our Lord and all that this entails.
But what is to become of such, are they no longer spirit begotten “new creatures in Christ Jesus” (Gal 6:15)?
By all means yes! The begettal to a new nature took place the moment their consecration was accepted by the Lord, just prior to their entrance upon the “narrow way”. In the Tabernacle this was pictured by the presentation of the two goats before the door to the Tabernacle (Lev 16:7). At the time of the presentation, (which represents the surrender or consecration of the individual) no decision had yet been determined as to which would eventually be the “Lord’s goat” and which the “scape goat” (in the type no lots had yet been casts between the two to determine), which would be priests (Little flock), and which would be servants (Great Company) Lev 16:8.
At the moment of acceptance of their consecration they were begotten to a new nature, a spirit nature, their earthly lives were forfeited. As long as they live, they remain new creatures in Christ Jesus, as he alone was the means and the way in which this new life, this spirit life was first obtained (2 Tim 1:10). They are a “new creation”, begotten again to a new nature, a new existence the former things (their earthly lives) have passed away (2 Cor 5:17), they have forfeited their earthly life rights (their restitution rights), and thus they have no inheritance in the land, in the earthly phase of the kingdom. They cannot regain what has once been sacrificed.
“All who are begotten of the Holy Spirit at all are begotten with a view of their becoming priests. All of those who will enter the great company class, typified by the Levites, or such as have had this opportunity and have failed to make good the opportunity and are therefore as far as the prize is concerned castaways, have been found unworthy of the priestly office, and are therefore merely by means of the grace of God, granted as a favor, a share in the Levitical service.” (Q 39:2)
What’s the difference between “falling away” (Heb 6:4-8), and being a “castaway”?
As noted a “castaway” is one who has been disqualified as far as the prize is concerned, one who has failed to make their calling and election sure, however because at heart they still love their Lord and would never deny him and had circumstances been different, say like they will be during the millennial age such would have surely overcome, (they will eventually overcome even now, but only through a great struggle that is forced upon them for their own well-being), nevertheless the LORD in his great mercy and love has seen fit to provide for these wayward children to serve as ministers (servants) in his sanctuary (temple: Greek naos). Ezek 44:10, 11; Rev 7:15
Now in respects to “falling away” there are two types of falling away, there are those who “fall away” in the typical sense in which they fall away or are separated from their brethren such as will be the case just prior to the Great Storm (Armageddon) when the Little Flock is separated from the Great Company or as is pictured in 2 Kings 2:11 when Elisha (a type of the Great Company) was separated from Elijah (a type of the Little Flock) by a chariot of fire (severe persecutions) and taken up in a whirlwind (Armageddon).
And then there is that “falling away”, which leads to second death. As our text so states,
“It is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the world (Age) to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” (Heb 6:4-8)
In what way have these fallen away?
Note once again the testimony of the scriptures,
“For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Heb 10:26-29)
The falling away of such, the Apostle says, would mean that they could never be renewed again. Why? Because they have had their share of the blessing of Christ, Christ's death was to bring a blessing--and only one-- to every member of Adam's race--one full blessing, a complete blessing, such a blessing as will enable every member of the race--if he will, when he understands it-to come fully and completely into harmony with God and thus to have eternal life. But after he has received his full blessing and then has rejected it, there is no hope in his case. He can never justify himself. He has had the merit of Christ (justification) and has repudiated it. There is no hope of renewing such a one, says the Apostle. The fate of such would not, of course, be eternal torment, but rather eternal destruction', extinction of being--the Second Death.
“He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (1 John 5:11).
So, what have we learned thus far?
Well, we have a class of (spirit begotten) individuals all of whom have fully surrendered and consecrated themselves to the Lord and who have all entered the race for the high calling which is in Christ Jesus, but unfortunately for some they are proving themselves unfaithful and thus are in danger of becoming “castaways” disqualified as far as the prize is concerned, while still others are in much more severe danger, danger of “falling away” completely into second death.
In respects to those who simply become castaways, yet who have not denied their Lord, the Lord has provided for such in that rather than occupying i.e., sitting upon the throne for which they were called, they shall instead be ministers in the Lord’s temple, stand before the throne as servants of the throne.
We will continue with our list of questions in our next post.
I believe the answer to the first part of this question is found in the Apostles opening address to this Epistle.
“To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours”. (1 Cor 1:2)
It is apparent that the Apostle is addressing the spirit begotten, the Anointed, the Church of God, those who have been called to be saints. The word sanctify has the significance of "set apart, made holy." All of the sanctified (those set apart through consecration) are reckoned new creatures in Christ Jesus, and are addressed as "those who are sanctified in Christ."
The second part of our question is covered under our next question,
What happens to one when they become a castaway, and from what were they castaways?
To be a castaway implies that one has failed to live up to their covenant and thus are rejected, disqualified as far as the prize is concerned, the prize being the divine nature, immortality, joint heirship with our Lord and all that this entails.
But what is to become of such, are they no longer spirit begotten “new creatures in Christ Jesus” (Gal 6:15)?
By all means yes! The begettal to a new nature took place the moment their consecration was accepted by the Lord, just prior to their entrance upon the “narrow way”. In the Tabernacle this was pictured by the presentation of the two goats before the door to the Tabernacle (Lev 16:7). At the time of the presentation, (which represents the surrender or consecration of the individual) no decision had yet been determined as to which would eventually be the “Lord’s goat” and which the “scape goat” (in the type no lots had yet been casts between the two to determine), which would be priests (Little flock), and which would be servants (Great Company) Lev 16:8.
At the moment of acceptance of their consecration they were begotten to a new nature, a spirit nature, their earthly lives were forfeited. As long as they live, they remain new creatures in Christ Jesus, as he alone was the means and the way in which this new life, this spirit life was first obtained (2 Tim 1:10). They are a “new creation”, begotten again to a new nature, a new existence the former things (their earthly lives) have passed away (2 Cor 5:17), they have forfeited their earthly life rights (their restitution rights), and thus they have no inheritance in the land, in the earthly phase of the kingdom. They cannot regain what has once been sacrificed.
“All who are begotten of the Holy Spirit at all are begotten with a view of their becoming priests. All of those who will enter the great company class, typified by the Levites, or such as have had this opportunity and have failed to make good the opportunity and are therefore as far as the prize is concerned castaways, have been found unworthy of the priestly office, and are therefore merely by means of the grace of God, granted as a favor, a share in the Levitical service.” (Q 39:2)
What’s the difference between “falling away” (Heb 6:4-8), and being a “castaway”?
As noted a “castaway” is one who has been disqualified as far as the prize is concerned, one who has failed to make their calling and election sure, however because at heart they still love their Lord and would never deny him and had circumstances been different, say like they will be during the millennial age such would have surely overcome, (they will eventually overcome even now, but only through a great struggle that is forced upon them for their own well-being), nevertheless the LORD in his great mercy and love has seen fit to provide for these wayward children to serve as ministers (servants) in his sanctuary (temple: Greek naos). Ezek 44:10, 11; Rev 7:15
Now in respects to “falling away” there are two types of falling away, there are those who “fall away” in the typical sense in which they fall away or are separated from their brethren such as will be the case just prior to the Great Storm (Armageddon) when the Little Flock is separated from the Great Company or as is pictured in 2 Kings 2:11 when Elisha (a type of the Great Company) was separated from Elijah (a type of the Little Flock) by a chariot of fire (severe persecutions) and taken up in a whirlwind (Armageddon).
And then there is that “falling away”, which leads to second death. As our text so states,
“It is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the world (Age) to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” (Heb 6:4-8)
In what way have these fallen away?
Note once again the testimony of the scriptures,
“For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Heb 10:26-29)
The falling away of such, the Apostle says, would mean that they could never be renewed again. Why? Because they have had their share of the blessing of Christ, Christ's death was to bring a blessing--and only one-- to every member of Adam's race--one full blessing, a complete blessing, such a blessing as will enable every member of the race--if he will, when he understands it-to come fully and completely into harmony with God and thus to have eternal life. But after he has received his full blessing and then has rejected it, there is no hope in his case. He can never justify himself. He has had the merit of Christ (justification) and has repudiated it. There is no hope of renewing such a one, says the Apostle. The fate of such would not, of course, be eternal torment, but rather eternal destruction', extinction of being--the Second Death.
“He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (1 John 5:11).
So, what have we learned thus far?
Well, we have a class of (spirit begotten) individuals all of whom have fully surrendered and consecrated themselves to the Lord and who have all entered the race for the high calling which is in Christ Jesus, but unfortunately for some they are proving themselves unfaithful and thus are in danger of becoming “castaways” disqualified as far as the prize is concerned, while still others are in much more severe danger, danger of “falling away” completely into second death.
In respects to those who simply become castaways, yet who have not denied their Lord, the Lord has provided for such in that rather than occupying i.e., sitting upon the throne for which they were called, they shall instead be ministers in the Lord’s temple, stand before the throne as servants of the throne.
We will continue with our list of questions in our next post.
