Paul, a Slave-Servant of Christ.

Bible Text: 1Corinthians 9:15-27 | Preacher: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: 1 Corinthians

Read vv. 12-14 as a review. Paul had the right to earn a living from the gospel he preached, and the Scriptures clearly taught this to be true.

1Corinthians 9:15… Paul declares, “But, I have not used any of these rights,” i.e., he had set aside his right to be financially supported in his ministry, and he has bothered to prove his right to be compensated so that the Corinthians will now support him; but instead to defend his apostleship (9:1), “Am I not an apostle? Have I not sen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?

Paul says here in verse15b, “it would be better for me to die,” than to have someone say he was preaching under obligation for payment. Preaching the gospel was Paul’s most important reason for being — it was his reason for living (Galatians 2:20).

1Corinthians 9:16-18… Paul explained (v. 16) that he could not boast simply because he was preaching the gospel, for the truth is, he is compelled, driven, to preach the good news of salvation through Christ.

In other words, he really had no choice, for he is a slave to God, and God had called him to preach, and as far as he was concerned he must fulfill that obligation or fall under divine judgment, as he says, “for woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.

Paul preached voluntarily (v. 17), it was an eternal reward that motivated him, not his own will to do this or that, and certainly not for payment. Paul saw his part as a stewardship, his responsibility before God to complete what God has for him to do; and getting paid by the Corinthian church or another church was of little consequence to him. Paul is going to preach whether or not he is being supported or compensated for doing so.

To preach the gospel free of charge was Paul’s desire and a blessing to those he served; but (v. 18) Paul was sure he would receive a special reward from Christ because he did not seek his own benefit in this world.

1Corinthians 9:19-23… Paul had to deal with many different cultural norms in his travels, and he was committed not to exercise his own cultural preferences, for although he was free and did not have to conform to the preferences of others, he voluntarily made himself a slave to everyone. In other words, Paul gladly gave up his freedoms and his rights as a free man, in order to win as many as possible for Christ.

Paul ministered to those under the law (Jews) and to those not having the law (Gentiles), and the differences between these two groups was great: diets, clothing, holidays, customs, religious beliefs, family practices, etc.

Many Jews in Paul’s day were so committed to their religious rituals and law keeping that they filled their lives with all kinds of God-ordained and manmade observances of law; and although Paul knew that these religious observances and practices did not commend a person before God, he cared so much for the Jewish community that he observed their customs and laws when he was with them, in hopes of sharing the gospel with them.

And when Paul was with the Gentiles, who did not have the covenants of the promise given to Israel, but instead followed pagan rituals and lifestyles that were not bound by any covenants ordained by God, he observed their customs and laws, unless they dishonored the Lord he served, so that he might have opportunity to spread the gospel among the Gentiles. Christianity is not opposed to the law of Moses (Matt 5:17) Jesus said, “Do not think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

Paul often affirmed God’s law as a guide for Christians (Romans 2:9-16; 8:1-11; 1Timothy 1:8-11), and yet, it must be interpreted in the light of Christ’s birth, life, death, resurrection, and return.

Paul accepted the customs and practices of others, in in some way becoming like them, but he refused to fall into sin for the sake of others.

Paul also (v. 22a) says he became weak by conforming his behavior to that of the weak brother or sister, i.e., to those who didn’t understand the freedom they had in Christ and were still bound by legalistic rule keeping concerning food sacrificed to idols. Paul did not want to purposely offend the weaker brother or sister in such matters, causing them to fall into sin because of their weak conscience.

Paul (vv. 22b-23) was willing to become all things to all men, for the sake of bringing them salvation; and in this way to serve all men – in submission to Christ. Paul refused to allow his own freedoms to prevent others from coming to and following Christ. Paul wanted to see the good news of salvation in Christ proclaimed and believed throughout the world.

1Corinthians 9:24-27… Paul uses the analogy of an athletic running event (v. 24), comparing the Christian life to an Olympic race. For just as many may enter a race, and everyone finish the race, not everyone will run the race according to the rules, and therefore win the prize. And so in this analogy, not everyone who says he is a Christian, not everyone who “begins” the Christian life, will finish according to biblical authority.

God-honoring Christians (v. 25) will both feed upon God’s Word and try to do what it says; not that which brings us some earthly reward or prize or commendation, but instead, one that lasts forever, eternal life with God.

Paul is running for the prize according to the rules of the race, with a definite goal in mind (v. 26); not like someone who runs in a contest without purpose, or a boxer who throws punches against a non-existent opponent, beating the air with his fists.

Paul then says (v. 27) that he trains to keep his body in submission to God, i.e., to condition himself spiritually, avoiding, even turning away from, those things that are bad for him (things that offend God), while making himself do things that are good for him (things that please God); all of this is for the sake of winning the race by the rules set forth (cf. Titus 2:11-14).

God wants everyone to be saved (1Timothy 2:3-4; 2Peter 3:9), but we must come His way (Romans 10:9-10; John 14:6).

Paul concludes his analogy here in 1Corinthians 9 by restating the ultimate goal of spiritual training and discipline, i.e., to share the message of the gospel of Christ with others while living in obedience to the Word of God himself; for the ultimate prize or reward is given by God to those who endure to the end, showing that they genuinely belong to God the Father, through God the Son, by the indwelling presence of God the Holy Spirit.

Philippians 4:4-9, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable —if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me–put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”