Lesson for July 10, 2022
The Book of I Corinthians
Chapter 9:16-27
Verses 16-18
“For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me. What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.”
When Paul talked about preaching the Gospel, we immediately think of a public meeting and a great crowd of people. However, the Greek word for preach is “euangelizo,” which means to announce or to declare something publicly to a group or privately in a personal conversation. Paul made it clear, by not taking money from the church at Corinth, that money was not his motivation for preaching the Gospel. God had given Paul the responsibility of taking the Gospel to the Gentiles (a stewardship entrusted to me), and he was compelled by the Holy Spirit to do so. Therefore, Paul had nothing to boast about, it was all God’s doing, not his. This is what the Christian life is all about – God does the work through our lives, and He gets all the glory for it (not us).
The communication of the Gospel to unbelievers is to be a lifetime habit of all believers. If it is done willingly with the right motivation (our love for God), without an obligation to anyone or without being forced by someone or some organization, then Paul said we will be rewarded for our efforts. However, if we are witnessing unwillingly (“guilted into it”) as an obligation to someone or to a legalistic religious organization, which is the wrong motivation, then we should not expect a reward.
What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. Paul’s reward was an eternal reward, and he would not be rewarded if he had false motivation, like preaching for money (though he had every right to be supported financially by the church). The only legitimate motivation for preaching the Gospel, to an assembly of people or to an individual, is your love for God and your love for people.
I may offer the gospel without charge. Unbelievers must never be coerced into giving money in any evangelistic situation – public or private. The reason is that it may give the impression that salvation can be bought or that you can impress God by giving money. It is wrong for any Christian organization to solicit money from unbelievers. Paul was given authority over the churches as an apostle, and knew that the true issue is the Gospel, not money. Some false Gospel messages are that a person can earn their salvation by giving money, joining the church, being water baptized, walking down an aisle, raising their hand, feeling sorry for their sins or “turning” from their sins. These are non-issues with regard to salvation because they are false. The issue regarding salvation is whether a person will believe Jesus died on the Cross as the payment for their sin.
Verses 19-23
“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law;to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.”
Paul had the right to accept wages for preaching. Instead, he used the Law of Expediency when he arrived in Corinth when presenting the Gospel to unbelievers. He used the Law of Supreme Sacrifice with believers. Instead of taking money from the Corinthians, he made tents to support himself.
First, Paul applied the Law of Expediency to the unbelieving Jews. Paul established rapport with the Jews with his Jewish background in order to share the Gospel with them. Paul avoided doing things that would distract a Jew from listening to the Gospel, like eating pork, which was contrary to the Mosaic Law. So, he established rapport with the Jews by not eating pork. In this way, he didn’t make an issue of the violation of the Mosaic Law. Paul didn’t do anything to offend them so that Christ would be the issue, and not keeping the Law of Moses.
Second, Paul applied the Law of Expediency to the Gentiles. The Gentiles did not have the Mosaic Law or anything like it, so it meant nothing to them. Therefore, Paul approached them differently when sharing the Gospel. The law that Paul followed as a believer was the Law of Christ, which was a spiritual law. But without making an issue of any “law,” and simply presenting the Gospel, Paul was able to win thousands of Gentiles to Christ. (Romans 8:2-4)
Third, Paul applied the Law of Expediency to the spiritually “weak.” The Greek word for weak is “asthenes,” which refers to people who are weak morally or ethically. So, Paul applied the Law of Expediency equally to everyone and was able to win many people to Christ from all categories of life – all racial categories and all social categories.
Paul summarized by saying, I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. This meant that Paul did not introduce false issues that would distract from the issue of faith in Christ for salvation. He didn’t do or say anything that would keep him from clearly communicating the Gospel. If eating pork offended or drinking wine, Paul simply refrained from doing it. The Bible never condones doing or saying anything that confuses the issue of salvation and hinders the work of the Holy Spirit. Becoming a fellow partner (partaker) in the Gospel means participating with the Holy Spirit to bring the Gospel to unbelievers. Our part is to share a clear Gospel message, and our partner, the Holy Spirit, will convict and convince unbelievers of their need for a Savior, depending on their volition.
Verses 24-27
“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore, I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”
At the time that Paul wrote to the Corinthians, the athletic games in Corinth were very popular. The prize for winning in the Corinthian games was a crown of recognition (like winning a Gold Medal) and many other rewards.
So, Paul used racing as an analogy for the Christian life. Like runners, believers have a training period which requires self-discipline. Before a person could get into the games and run, they had to first train. A runner in the athletic games was competing to win a crown that was perishable (made of ivy leaves or olive leaves). Even the Gold Medal today is perishable! The reason these athletes went through all the training was not only the “crown” they received at the games, but the rewards when they went home. At home, they received even greater rewards of recognition.
Every city had an official poet who wrote about all the events of the city (including the winner of an event), and he read them at public festivals. The poet would write an ode commemorating the event. If it was a good enough ode, it would be put somewhere in a public square permanently, and a sculptor would immediately be commissioned to make a statue of the winner. This would be erected in the public square. There was also a monetary reward and a lifetime pass to all future games given to the winner. The winner’s children were fed and educated at public expense, and the winner had exemption from all future taxation.
For believers, we are competing for a much greater reward than these. Our rewards are imperishable, in that they last for all eternity. Therefore, Paul said that he ran “the race of the Christian life” with purpose. In other words, he knew where he was headed, and always kept the goal within his sight. Believers who know accurate Bible doctrine, know where they’re headed spiritually, and understand the mechanics of the Christian life are winners in the Christian life.
I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. There were also boxing matches at these athletic games. Beating the air (missing a punch) is an analogy for a believer constantly in a state of carnality (“never landing a punch for Christ”). “Landing a punch” is an analogy for a believer staying in fellowship with God, living the Christian Way of Life consistently, and becoming a credible witness against Satan’s false claim that God is unfair and unjust. Just like these athletes, living the Christian life successfully requires a lot of self-discipline. Believers must have a consistent training program consisting of the study and application of accurate Bible doctrine. By staying consistent and in fellowship with God a maximum amount of time under the power and guidance (filling) of the Holy Spirit, believers will not be “disqualified” for eternal rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ.