For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. - Mark 8:35
In the first half of chapter 9, Paul defended his office as an apostle of Jesus Christ. He had personally seen and been called to be an apostle by the Lord Himself, just as the other apostles had been. As such, Paul had the same credentials, status, and authority as they did. That being the case, his role as an apostle did not take away from or limit his freedom in Christ. Paul enjoyed the same level of Christian liberty as every other born again believer.
Among other things, Paul had the right to eat food that had been sacrificed to idols, to marry a Christian wife if desired, and to expect and receive adequate compensation for his work. He explained that gospel ministry is legitimate work and that vocational ministers should be able to make their living from it. Paul had the same rights as the rest of the Corinthians.
We as God’s children all have the same freedom, but we don’t not all use it in the same way. In that later half of chapter 9, which we will discuss today, Paul describes how he chose to use his Christian liberty. He explains why he chose to use it this way and what attributes it took to keep his liberty in submission to and aligned with God’s will.
I. I DIDN’T EXERCISE MY RIGHT (1 Corinthians 9:12,15-18)
Paul had shown that he, like other vocational apostles and ministers, had the right to be compensated for his gospel service. Take it from me, Christian ministry can be very difficult work. However, he chose not to exercise this right (or the others he’d mentioned) and didn’t insist on being paid. He wasn’t writing this section of his letter to complain that he deserved to be paid. Nor did he request back pay for work he had previously done. He didn’t want to give his critics any reason to chastise him.
Rather, Paul stated that he willingly preached the gospel without pay. God had set him apart for this purpose and Paul faithfully obeyed. He didn’t preach from personal desire or ambition, but rather in submission to the LORD’s calling. His primary motivation wasn’t to make money, but to follow God’s will for his life. Stubborn resistance would have been foolish. Paul wrote that he had been entrusted with a stewardship by the LORD to share the good news of salvation.
Paul said that it was his reward to offer the gospel without charge. He didn’t want money or any other thing to become a hindrance to the gospel. To that end, Paul worked as a tentmaker to provide for himself and to fund his ministry. Of course he accepted monetary contributions and financial support from generous churches and individuals when it was given, but he didn’t demand it in exchange for or as a requirement of his Christian service. He trusted the LORD to provide for his needs and didn’t exert his right to be paid.
II. FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)
Paul, like every other born again Christian, had been set free from the demands and expectations of men. As believers, we answer to God alone and are not constrained or condemned by the opinions of other people. They hold no jurisdiction over us to judge, nor do we hold such jurisdiction over them. In the light of God’s grace, we are free to live as we choose. Should we even care what others think about us? Paul did.
Paul made it his aim to serve all people by identifying with them and their particular circumstances. He chose to engage with people where they were and tried to relate to them in their context. Rather than insisting that they come to him on his terms, Paul approached them on theirs. While remaining obedient to God, he associated with and was accepted by the Jews, the Gentiles, the religious, the nonreligious, the prestigious, the lowly, and so forth. He sought to understand their perspective and appreciate their beliefs while showing them compassion and empathy.
President Theodore Roosevelt once said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” There is Biblical truth in this statement. Paul knew that if he showed genuine love and care for others, they would be more inclined to listen to what He had to say. If he maintained a friendly rapport with them, perhaps they would accept Jesus, repent, and be saved. Paul freely surrendered certain personal liberties and opened himself up to new burdens and challenges all for the sake of the gospel.
III. WITH DISCIPLINE AND PURPOSE (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)
Paul compared life to running a race and urged Christians to run in such a way that they might win. He was not implying that life is a contest in which we race against each other, nor that only the winner will receive a prize. Rather, he is talking about the manner in which we run. We are called to strive for godly success, to live with purpose, and not to walk lazily or aimlessly through life. God has tasked each of us with a great work that we should aspire to.
Accomplishing the will of God for our lives takes self-control. We cannot be sidetracked by personal or worldly ambitions. We are striving for an eternal reward - an imperishable wreath (or victor’s crown) - given to us by God Himself. Paul recognized this and approached life with a definite goal. He aimed to hit his target, not just to swing at nothing.
Living with purpose takes discipline. We must exhibit control over our flesh - both body and mind. We must be mindful of the choices we make and the things we do, so as to walk in God’s will and not hinder our own race. If we aren’t careful and lack personal restraint, we might destroy our own witness and effectively disqualify ourselves. Paul practiced godly discipline and lived with intentionality and purpose, and in so doing he freely sacrificed some of his Christian liberty.
CONCLUSION
If you have been saved by the all-forgiving grace of God then you have been set free! You don’t have to do anything in order to maintain your salvation. It is secure in Christ Jesus and no one or nothing can take it away from you. You can live with the confidence and certainty that you are eternally saved. There is nothing left to do, for Jesus has already done it all. It is finished!
The question isn’t, “Can I do this or not?” Beloved, we have been set free! We can do whatever we choose and Jesus will love us just the same. His grace is not limited by our actions. Rather, the correct question is, “Should I do this or not?” Our freedoms should always be guided and tempered by love for the LORD and for one another. The manner in which we use our Christian liberty demonstrates how much we love God as opposed to how much we love ourselves.
Here is the main point… Christians do not serve God out of compulsion, but rather by choice. Will we use our freedom to gratify ourselves? Or, will we sacrifice certain freedoms in order to exalt and magnify the LORD while edifying and strengthening one another?
In the first half of chapter 9, Paul defended his office as an apostle of Jesus Christ. He had personally seen and been called to be an apostle by the Lord Himself, just as the other apostles had been. As such, Paul had the same credentials, status, and authority as they did. That being the case, his role as an apostle did not take away from or limit his freedom in Christ. Paul enjoyed the same level of Christian liberty as every other born again believer.
Among other things, Paul had the right to eat food that had been sacrificed to idols, to marry a Christian wife if desired, and to expect and receive adequate compensation for his work. He explained that gospel ministry is legitimate work and that vocational ministers should be able to make their living from it. Paul had the same rights as the rest of the Corinthians.
We as God’s children all have the same freedom, but we don’t not all use it in the same way. In that later half of chapter 9, which we will discuss today, Paul describes how he chose to use his Christian liberty. He explains why he chose to use it this way and what attributes it took to keep his liberty in submission to and aligned with God’s will.
I. I DIDN’T EXERCISE MY RIGHT (1 Corinthians 9:12,15-18)
Paul had shown that he, like other vocational apostles and ministers, had the right to be compensated for his gospel service. Take it from me, Christian ministry can be very difficult work. However, he chose not to exercise this right (or the others he’d mentioned) and didn’t insist on being paid. He wasn’t writing this section of his letter to complain that he deserved to be paid. Nor did he request back pay for work he had previously done. He didn’t want to give his critics any reason to chastise him.
Rather, Paul stated that he willingly preached the gospel without pay. God had set him apart for this purpose and Paul faithfully obeyed. He didn’t preach from personal desire or ambition, but rather in submission to the LORD’s calling. His primary motivation wasn’t to make money, but to follow God’s will for his life. Stubborn resistance would have been foolish. Paul wrote that he had been entrusted with a stewardship by the LORD to share the good news of salvation.
Paul said that it was his reward to offer the gospel without charge. He didn’t want money or any other thing to become a hindrance to the gospel. To that end, Paul worked as a tentmaker to provide for himself and to fund his ministry. Of course he accepted monetary contributions and financial support from generous churches and individuals when it was given, but he didn’t demand it in exchange for or as a requirement of his Christian service. He trusted the LORD to provide for his needs and didn’t exert his right to be paid.
II. FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)
Paul, like every other born again Christian, had been set free from the demands and expectations of men. As believers, we answer to God alone and are not constrained or condemned by the opinions of other people. They hold no jurisdiction over us to judge, nor do we hold such jurisdiction over them. In the light of God’s grace, we are free to live as we choose. Should we even care what others think about us? Paul did.
Paul made it his aim to serve all people by identifying with them and their particular circumstances. He chose to engage with people where they were and tried to relate to them in their context. Rather than insisting that they come to him on his terms, Paul approached them on theirs. While remaining obedient to God, he associated with and was accepted by the Jews, the Gentiles, the religious, the nonreligious, the prestigious, the lowly, and so forth. He sought to understand their perspective and appreciate their beliefs while showing them compassion and empathy.
President Theodore Roosevelt once said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” There is Biblical truth in this statement. Paul knew that if he showed genuine love and care for others, they would be more inclined to listen to what He had to say. If he maintained a friendly rapport with them, perhaps they would accept Jesus, repent, and be saved. Paul freely surrendered certain personal liberties and opened himself up to new burdens and challenges all for the sake of the gospel.
III. WITH DISCIPLINE AND PURPOSE (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)
Paul compared life to running a race and urged Christians to run in such a way that they might win. He was not implying that life is a contest in which we race against each other, nor that only the winner will receive a prize. Rather, he is talking about the manner in which we run. We are called to strive for godly success, to live with purpose, and not to walk lazily or aimlessly through life. God has tasked each of us with a great work that we should aspire to.
Accomplishing the will of God for our lives takes self-control. We cannot be sidetracked by personal or worldly ambitions. We are striving for an eternal reward - an imperishable wreath (or victor’s crown) - given to us by God Himself. Paul recognized this and approached life with a definite goal. He aimed to hit his target, not just to swing at nothing.
Living with purpose takes discipline. We must exhibit control over our flesh - both body and mind. We must be mindful of the choices we make and the things we do, so as to walk in God’s will and not hinder our own race. If we aren’t careful and lack personal restraint, we might destroy our own witness and effectively disqualify ourselves. Paul practiced godly discipline and lived with intentionality and purpose, and in so doing he freely sacrificed some of his Christian liberty.
CONCLUSION
If you have been saved by the all-forgiving grace of God then you have been set free! You don’t have to do anything in order to maintain your salvation. It is secure in Christ Jesus and no one or nothing can take it away from you. You can live with the confidence and certainty that you are eternally saved. There is nothing left to do, for Jesus has already done it all. It is finished!
The question isn’t, “Can I do this or not?” Beloved, we have been set free! We can do whatever we choose and Jesus will love us just the same. His grace is not limited by our actions. Rather, the correct question is, “Should I do this or not?” Our freedoms should always be guided and tempered by love for the LORD and for one another. The manner in which we use our Christian liberty demonstrates how much we love God as opposed to how much we love ourselves.
Here is the main point… Christians do not serve God out of compulsion, but rather by choice. Will we use our freedom to gratify ourselves? Or, will we sacrifice certain freedoms in order to exalt and magnify the LORD while edifying and strengthening one another?