1 Corinthians 9
1 Corinthians 9:1-27
1 Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
2 If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 My defense to those who examine me is this:
4 Do we have no right to eat and drink?
5 Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working?
7 Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?
8 Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also?
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE AN OX WHILE IT TREADS OUT THE GRAIN.” Is it oxen God is concerned about?
10 Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.
11 If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?
12 If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.
13 Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar?
14 Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.
15 But I have used none of these things, nor have I written these things that it should be done so to me; for it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void.
16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!
17 For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship.
18 What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel.
19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;
20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law;
21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law;
22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.
27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
There is a danger in presenting the truth from the Word that separates us from reliance on the Mosaic law while still remaining bound to it or avoiding it altogether. It has actually been rendered insignificant and unnecessary, fulfilled completely by the law of love that is more focused on how we impact others in their convictions than how we should flaunt our own without any care of how this might affect others. While it is only right for ministers to be provided for through the ministry, this is not to be a truth that is demanded or required from the body. Trust and reliance will only be on Him as service to others in discipling them will include deference to some errant beliefs in order to gain access to hearts. There are many things other than finances we deserve that can be included in life perspectives that result in much more division than unity. For those fulfilling their mission to lead others to Christ, there will be a willingness to lay down personal for corporate in order to win hearts and obtain salvation both for them and self. This will require discipline that denies getting caught up in the dominance of the flesh we’ve been delivered from that is always there waiting to disqualify the vulnerable. It’s not just the telling of it that matters, but the living of the gospel in love that determines kingdom effectiveness.
Pastor Kim’s Bible study on Intentional Living is one that challenges me. This is the message that resounds to me in this chapter. To endure in this race before me, I am going to have to be intentional in everything that I do. Verse 26 in the Amplified says, “Therefore I do not run uncertainly (without definite aim)…”
Definite aim, requires intentional living and discipline. Paul exhorts us that he himself has to keep himself in line to not discount the message because of his flesh. We have the same opportunity today as he did then. Pastor Stephen said a couple months ago, “Every decision you make takes you closer or further from the plan of God in your life.” 😳 That has stuck with me, and challenges me!
I believe Paul’s point in this chapter follows that same line of thinking. We must be intentional about our call. We must walk in the spirit and not of the flesh. We have to allow things to die off that will cause others to stumble or not believe. We have to press on when we feel like giving up. We have to train ourselves through the word to be able to impact this world around us. None of those things happen on accident, all of them require an intentional choice to walk purposefully, intentionally, worthily and accurately.
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