1 Corinthians 9 - How to Become "Winsome" to "Win-Some"!

1 Corinthians 9 - NIV

Enduring Word Commentary

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. 

The major theme in this chapter is about the freedom we have in Christ. This is freedom we have from being slaves to the Law. The freedom we have is realizing we are saved by grace through faith in Christ versus measuring up to the Law. The freedom came from Jesus' dying for us on the cross, so that we might free from the unattainable observance of the Law to following the Law of love. 

But the main point in chapter is though we have this freedom in Christ, the exercise of this freedom should be predicated on how it affects our brother or sister in Christ. He gives several examples of how he applies this, and how they should apply this.

1. He is free to expect that those churches he brought to Christ, would help pay for his living and missionary expenses. 

2. He had a right to take a believing wife, like the other apostles. This huge ramifications for the biblical view of marriage. First, obviously marriage is encouraged for all Christians, but predicated on the person being a believer. I can't tell you how many times I have counseled someone not to marry someone who does not believe in the same faith that you do. More often than not these marriages ran into problems. 

Also, the fact that all the apostles married shows that there is no mandate for those who serve full time in ministry (i.e. priests and pastors) to not marry. This biblical truth is very problematic for the Catholic view that priests should not marry. 

2. They had a right to eat meat even if was sacrificed to idols in the marketplace. Why? Because to the pure all thigns are clean. It is not what a person puts into their mouth which makes them unclean, but what comes out of a man. 

3. They were free to associate and minister to Gentiles. This was a huge paradigm for the apostle Paul who never associated with Gentiles, as a strict Pharisee. 

But then Paul shifts to a very important principle, which he lives out passionately. If the use of his freedom could cause someone to stumble, he denied himself that right for the sake of his brother or sister in Christ. 

Also, those who were still stuck in trying to obey the Law, he became as one who followed the Law. After all these is nothing inherently bad in the Law. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, "I did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it." Matthew 5;17

Paul sums up this teaching by concluding, "I have become all things to all people that I might win some."  Verse 22

And what was his motivation, "For the sake of the Gospel". Paul was willing to put aside of his rights as a believer in Christ, to win people for Christ. I like to say we need to be "winsome" so we can "win some to Christ!" 

One example of this might be social drinking. Though there is nothing immoral with moderate drinking, if it might cause someone else to stumble, one could refrain from that right for the sake of the "weaker" brother or sister. This is not weaker in a physical sense, but in the sense of weak conscience. A more mature Christian would realize that these issues don't affect one's relationship with Christ. Importantly his is not rationalizing sin, but living out the freedom you have in Christ, as one who has been justified by grace through faith NOT the LAW!

Where do you need to become all things to all people so that some might find Christ? How are you using Your freedom in Christ? Are using it to be free to sin, or free to serve others?

Jesus, thank you for purchasing our freedom from the Law, by your death on the cross. We are saved by grace not works. After coming to faith in You, as our Lord and Savior, help us to live a life worthy of our calling by using our freedom to serve and lead others to Christ! Amen. 

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