Let No One Disqualify You
How to stay the course
I enjoy watching marathons and ultras. I love watching runners flog themselves for miles and miles, and I cheer when they cross the line. But recently, I saw something that made me shout with despair.
Two runners were leading a field of world-class runners. They were well in front and it seemed certain that they would get gold and silver. Then disaster struck.
A camera motorbike turned off the course and both runners followed the bike. They were so focused that they didn’t realize they had left the official route. Thankfully, fans and officials soon had them back on the right road.
Taking wrong turns in road races happens more often than you think. These wrong turns remind me of what Paul said to the Colossians:
Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize… (Colossians 2:18a)
Other translations say, “Let no one disqualify you from your prize” or “Let no one cheat you out of your reward.”
Let no one disqualify you
It is an important warning, but many people don’t know what Paul is saying. What is the prize (or reward) and how can we be disqualified (or cheated) out of it?
“You can be disqualified from the kingdom of God,” say some. “You can be cheated out of your salvation.”
Paul says no such thing.
Since God qualifies you (see Col. 1:12), no one can disqualify you. You are saved and kept by Jesus. No one can snatch you from his hand.
“But if you’re not careful, you could lose your prize and eternal reward.”
Again, nope. It might surprise you, but there is no word for “prize” or “reward” in the original text. The verb Paul uses, katabrabeuō, means “to judge against.”
Beware self-appointed judges
Paul is saying, “Don’t let anyone act like an umpire deciding against you.” He’s repeating what he said two verses earlier: “Don’t let anyone judge you” (Col. 2:16).
In other words, don’t let anyone tell you that you are a sinner because you don’t share their religious views.
Don’t let anyone suggest you are a poor excuse for a Christian because you don’t do what they do.
Don’t let anyone insist you must earn God’s love or complete the good work he is doing in you. In Christ, you are a saint, holy, beloved, and complete (Col. 1:2, 22, 2:10, 3:12).
In the Attention Economy, there is a lot of competition for your eyes and ears. People will do just about anything to get you to follow them. Paul warns, “Watch who you heed.”
Trouble comes when we allow others – influencers, blowhards, conspiracy theorists, self-appointed experts, and the like – to steer us away from simple faith in Jesus.
There are plenty of people out there who have not taken hold of Jesus, says Paul (see Col. 2:19). Don’t follow them. Don’t let them tell you how to live.
Don’t follow the crowd
A few years ago, I was watching the Venice Marathon when the lead runner took a wrong turn. About twenty other runners followed him up on to a busy motorway. Thankfully, nobody got hurt, but none of those runners finished on the podium. It was a disaster.
Maybe you’re going the wrong way. It’s not hard to do when you’re following the wrong person. You sign up to their channel, join their group, read their books, and next minute, you’re on the proverbial motorway.
If you’re stressed, anxious, and going nowhere, you may have gone off course. You’ve bought into a narrative contrary to the gospel of grace.
Does this mean you have lost your salvation? Of course not. But like those confused marathon runners, it’s going to take you longer to get where you need to be.
How to get back on track
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1)
For the believer, the way to life is not through self-discipline, self-denial, or self-improvement. It’s living from the reality of Christ in us. It is being mindful of what God has said and is now saying, what God has done and is now doing. It is trusting him to lead and guide you through the trials and challenges of life.
In this age of information overload, there is no shortage of temptations that can distract us and cause us to wander from the faith. But all these things are destined to perish and pass away.
Real life is found in Jesus Christ.
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If you liked this, you will love my new verse-by-verse commentary, The Grace Bible: Philippians, Colossians & Philemon.
Escape to Reality 
Thanks for the encouragement. How does 1 Corinthians 9:27 figure in to this topic?
Please check out my article, “Disqualified for the Prize.”
Encouraging honest words and strong reminder to keep my eyes on Jesus the Author and Perfector of our faith, thank you. In my mid-twenties, after a four year journey, I eventually arrived at Christ. This was over forty years ago, and I became a convert to a specific branch of Christianity, I recall being told by a paid preacher and his wife that I was “not doing enough for God/the church”. I did not acknowledge their comments as Christ had started to make Himself known to me. Saved by grace. To let the gospel of works replace my relationship with God would have been a slap in the face for Christ after what He went through for me. I was free at last after all. Nowadays, my husband and I have no affiliation with any church group. A shame but that’s the way it is. Wanderers in the wilderness but Christ still leads. Again, thank you for your ongoing lovely insights.
This is a great ride. It is timely and applicable in today’s events. Thanks for this.
Paul, thank you for this great unscrambling of what seemed like a simple message, but a contradiction of other teachings. Like in a race, success is won by keeping our eye on the prize or the goal. The grace message is one Jesus seems to keep telling us to not lose sight of even though those directing us wrong are supposedly in our own camp. Things I learned about scripture over most of my lifetime I have had to unlearn due to following the wrong path usually led by someone I trusted. Powerful lesson.
Good word for those truly seeking to live according to the Spirit of God. But that said, don’t stop considering scripture based admonishments from the church that aren’t meant to judge but to sharpen us and keep us on track as Paul did with the Romans. He didn’t mince words. He didn’t write for the sake of attention. He wrote a 16 chapter letter to remind the Romans of accountability but also their freedom in Christ. How can the two work together? It’s the heart and mindset in which the accountability is responded to. God does still call us to obedience & self discipline. But a grace-forward mind finds it easier to overcome.
I’d be interested to learn what you mean by accountability and self-discipline and for what reasons they are needed.
Great article. It seems like accountability, self-discipline, self-denial and self-improvement should maybe be re-thought of, as fruit, .. or the ‘effects’ of living from Christ in us.. right? If we’re living from the light and love of God, in the Spirit, we should fairly easily see when we’re behaving in a non-accountable, non-disciplined, non-self-denial or self-improvement way.
I apologize if I came off as argumentative. I’m not in direct disagreement with you. I know that we cannot “determine”or self discipline our way into God’s grace or His rest–it’s a gift. Breathtakingly free and beautiful. I was referencing how often Paul admonished the church to make every effort to turn from evil that tempted them. And it requires self discipline–at least it does for me. When I’m tempted to ignore the Spirit and do or say something that doesn’t reflect Christ in me (like talking about someone or being negative), I have to make a decision to stop myself and remember the Word. I consider that a self discipline. Not that I can do anything on my own but only through Christ in me. So, as you said, “..the way of life is not through self discipline,” I understand after rereading what you may have meant–that a believer can’t live a godly life merely by self discipline. I struggle with “hair-splitting.” Can you tell? But God (my favorite interjection of the Bible) is still working in me to free me of all things ungodly.
Yep- sometimes we end up “ taking a longer route” than is necessary whether by trusting in ourselves or others who “ appear” to be more mature,(Christ ) together or wiser or “closer to Jesus “than us or we listen to “ incorrect” teaching “ by supposed “ expert” believers in whatever position as we don’t trust ourselves enough to trust that we are hearing Jesus and Holy Spirit so we give our “ power” away to unstable sorts- however whether we realise quickly or it takes longer- coming full circle to realise He has us and we have Him and He is trustworthy ,we can only trust Him and He will get us back to Him and Holy Spirt is always with us guiding,leading,teaching,prompting reminding ,” veering us back on course is always a sweet realisation- we were always safe -in Safe Hands and He will “ restore the years the locusts have eaten and even if it was us who “wandered” by inexperience or from incorrect influence,teaching advice – on Gods part there was never a risk of an irreparable breach – He will always bring us back,forgive,restore us and help us forgive ourselves and those who hurt us along the way- good post!!.
Me thinks Psalm 57 goes really well with this post!
To Chris- u ain’t got anything to apologise for- a difficulty for us canbe – we are still TOO hard on ourselves- thus too hard on our Loving Maker and sometimes others too- just all boils down to mistrust ,past damage and “ unwise,faulty teaching that compounds wrong perception about God,self,others, the more we are exposed to unfiltered truth that He loves us warts “n” all the less we are “ conscious” of our “ failings” and they aren’t such a sticky struggle for us- , hurt people hurt people ,being reminded you are sinful- keeps u “ sinning” I.e. being brought up and told ur “ bad” generates bad,insecure behaviour- loved people love people and r more open,secure,receptive to trust Him and let His Holy Spirit guide,lead,shape form us- Proverbs 3:5 when God “commands “ us – its in a loving,gentle ,” and I will help you” supportive way not in a harsh,judgemental if you don’t behave,shape up then curse you,struggle and be punished way.So it’s about trusting Him and His mercy,love for us more than our ability to “ behave,perform,shape up or “pay the consequences- or else “ way.
Thank you Paul, again your words straight from God’s heart have armed me against the tidal wave of self-improvement in the name of God! Ahhh, the obsession with self-discipline, (highly overrated in any context, in my humble view) from the pulpit in my church, has me scrubbing my eyebrows at virtually every sermon! What’s so difficult about faith as rest and a reflection of Jesus? Wouldn’t that be an easier load for the preacher as well as the listener? Rant over, thank you again for saving my sanity :).