1 Corinthians 9 - What Are the Keys to Being an Effective Christian?
Paul’s Rights as an Apostle
9 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? 2 Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
Paul was constantly defending his apostleship, because he wasn't one of the original disciples. Even though he had his "Damascus road encounter with Jesus", the believers in Corinth still did not fully accept his status as an apostle. But Paul says the proof of his apostleship is the church he planted in Corinth, which they were a part of. We should not get caught up in titles. What is more important is the fruit we bear for Jesus, which is lives transformed by Jesus Christ, our Lord.
3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4 Don’t we have the right to food and drink? 5 Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas[a]? 6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living?
Another slight they put on Paul was that he earned money as a "tentmaker" to pay for his missionary travels. Paul infers that the other apostles have taken wives. Importantly they are "believing" wives. I have seen so many marriages struggle mightily when one person is a believer and the other is not.
Most of the other apostles received support from the churches they ministered to. Paul and Barnabas were unique in this regard, choosing to work and support themselves, so no one could accuse them of preaching for a money motive. - Guzik
We might think this would make Paul and Barnabas more respected in the sight of the Corinthian Christians, but curiously, it made them less respected. It was almost as if the Corinthian Christians said, “If Paul and Barnabas were real apostles, we would support them; but since they are not supported, we suppose they aren’t real apostles.” - Guzik
7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? 8 Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”[b] Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10 Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
Paul lays out the case that a worker deserves there wages even if it is an in kind benefit. I.e. A farmer getting milk from the flock, or even oxen as they are treading out the grain. Even though Paul had every right to expect to be compensated for his work among them, he declined to demand it. He gave sacrificially and freely so that people would not say he was in it for the money, which might hinder the spread of the gospel.
Just because we have the right to do something doesn't always mean we should exercise this right if it takes anything away from the gospel of Jesus.
13 Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
Paul makes a clear argument that full time ministers should be paid from the churches they shepherd. This happens in different ways. For instance in the Catholic church a priest is given an parsonage and all of his other needs are taken care. Most Protestant pastors, like myself, are blessed to be given a salary to afford a decent standard of living, similar to the average person in their congregation. Some pastors in smaller congregations either raise their own support, or work part time to be able to afford a living.
Needless to say for a congregation to pay a pastor a salary is the best situation. The pastor can focus 100% of his time on his calling to his church, and also give precious time to their spouse and family. If members in the average church tithe, there should be no problem affording a full time minister and even some key staff like Children and Youth ministers.
15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast. 16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel.
Whether Paul was paid or not it would not make a difference in his call to preach the gospel. Paul preferred not to be paid by any church, so that no one could ever say he was profiting by being a preacher. Indeed many modern day evangelists have gotten in trouble when they started making a lot of money. I.e. It didn't look good for one evangelist to be riding around in their "Learjet".
Paul says he was "compelled to preaching the gospel". What does this mean? The call on Paul's life was so clear and so compelling that in essence he felt he didn't have a choice but to follow the call. Paul's greatest joy was not in earthly treasures but the treasured he was stored up in heaven.
Paul’s Use of His Freedom
19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
Though Paul was beholden to no man, but he said he made himself a slave to everyone. The word for "slave" is also the word for "servant". It comes from the Greek word, "doulos". The idea is someone who has given up their rights to serve someone else. Paul says one of his most famous statements,
"I have become all things to all people, so that I might win some." I like to say we need to be "winsome" to "win-some".
I think what Paul was saying was that as he built relationships with different people in order to earn the right to share the gospel with them, he met them where they were at. When talking to a Jewish person who dedicated to observing the law, he made sure to be respectful of the law. For those people who were not coming from this background, he made adjustments accordingly.
There was nothing more important to Paul that sharing the gospel with as many people as possible while he was still on this earth. He was willing to sacrifice an personal preferences to make it come alive for those who did not yet believe.
We may not ever be faced with the same decision Paul faced – to accept or deny support for the good of the gospel. But we each have a critical question to answer: what rights are you willing to sacrifice for the cause of Jesus? - Guzik
The Need for Self-Discipline
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Paul uses a metaphor, he uses many times. The metaphor of a race. In Greece, races were a big part of the culture, including the Greek games and other sports.
"Sporting events were big in Paul’s day as well as in our own. This was especially meaningful to the Corinthians, because their city was the center for the Isthmian Games, second in prestige to the ancient Olympics. Paul often uses figures from arena competition (at least twelve different references in his letters), including examples of runners, boxers, gladiators, chariot racers, and trophies." - Guzik
In order to be a elite athlete, one has to put in the work to be in the best shape possible. It doesn't happen by accident. The work ethics of the best athletes are well documented. Someone said, "Successful people do what unsuccessful people are unwilling to do."
If this is the case for an athlete competing for an earthly crown, how much more should Christians train to receive a reward that will last forever. A question that led me to go into full time ministry was posed by a pastor to me, "What are you doing in your life that will make a difference for all of eternity?"
So what kind of training might a Christian undergo?
We call them spiritual disciplines for a reason? A disciple who does not use the spiritual disciplines Jesus himself used will not be very successful in ministry. I am going to list a few.
1. Reading and memorizing the bible. The more you know the bible and apply it in your life, the more you will see the transformation Paul is talking about. The bible is our road map for life. It is a love letter God has written to us showing us how to live and most importantly what He did to save us by sending His Son, Jesus.
2. Learning to pray early and often. Jesus often got up early to pray. He often withdrew to a solitary place to pray to His Father and heaven. Prayer was fuel for his walk. Jesus could obey His Father, because he garnered the power of the Holy Spirit through prayer.
3. Finding your place in ministry by discovering Your spiritual gifts and passions. We are all called to be ministers whether it be full or part time. God has given gifts to each member of the body of Christ so that the church can be effective in carrying out the Great Commission to be a make disciples. We need leaders, teachers, healers, pastors, administrators, healers, and those who prophesy. We are better together and your church will never be as good as it could be if you are not employing your gifts for the sake of Christ his church.
4. Learning how to give a reason for the hope that you have in Christ. We call this evangelism, or being someone who spreads the good news. This involves understanding the basics of what Christians believe, including the uniqueness of Jesus, and His claims to be the Son of God. Importantly one's own testimony about how Christ has changed their hearts and lives by His grace and mercy.
5. Discovering how to recognize the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Paul says, "Without the Spirit we can do nothing!" But with the Spirit we can, "Do all things". The Holy Spirit is our fuel for all the first four disciplines and practices of an effective Christian. The Holy Spirit is a person of the Trinity, so we can have a personal relationship with the Spirit as we do the Father and Son. One of the best prayers we can utter is "Come Holy Spirit and fill me with what I need to bring in your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven!"
This is a prayer God will honor and watch out if you are brave enough to pray to pray it!
There are other disciplines but I think these five practices if masters who lead to a life that makes a difference for all of eternity!
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