I Corinthians 9:15-27: "Refusing to Use Christian Liberty"
In the last section Paul had given several reasons he would have been justified in asking for support from the Corinthian church for his spiritual service. However, he had stated that he would limit his Christian liberty for the sake of winning more souls to Christ. After discussing these reasons for being justified in collecting support, he begins this section by saying, "But I have used none of these things". He reiterates that he has not and will not use his Christian liberty, but rather continue to work as a tentmaker to earn his living. To make clear that this is the case he even remarks, "And I am not writing these things that it may be done so in my case". He was not asking in a disguised way to be supported through his writing, he was merely making a point that he was not using his God-given right for the sake of the gospel. He is so adamant about this that he exclaims, "for it would be better for me to die than have any man make my boast an empty one". MacArthur writes, "He would rather have been dead than have anyone think he preached and taught for money". Paul wanted it to be absolutely clear that his motive for preaching the gospel was completely selfless.
Paul then explains why his preaching the gospel is nothing to boast of. He writes, "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". MacArthur helps explain, "He gloried in the gospel but not for it. He had absolutely nothing to do with the giving or the content of the gospel. He simply received the revelation. Nor was he boasting of his commitment to or ability in preaching the gospel". Paul had made it clear in the first several chapters of this letter that it is the power of God, not the craftiness of man that leads to salvation. The gospel was simply the message he preached, in no way did he invent this story, or do anything on his own power to be able to boast of. The Lord had called Paul out to be a disciple for him despite Paul's best efforts to kill the followers of Christ. Not taking away from his obedient response, Paul had no say in the matter, he was "under compulsion" to share the good news with those he came in contact with. In fact, to understand how Paul looked at his calling he writes, "for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel". Failure to obey his calling would lead to serious problems. Paul continues, "For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me". Paul did not preach the gospel voluntarily that he might receive some reward, he was completely under the compulsion of following Christ that he must do it. For that reason Paul explains that he could not and would not boast. To help explain further, MacArthur writes, "Against [his] will does not indicate he was unwilling to obey but that his will had no part in the call itself. It was not his choice to serve Christ, so consequently, he did not receive a reward but stewardship. He was under obligation to preach, for which he neither deserved nor expected reward.
Therefore, Paul has established that he could not boast in his preaching the gospel as he was under compulsion to do so. For that he would not receive a reward. However, what Paul could earn a reward for he writes, "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 was under compulsion to preach the gospel, this was God's calling for him, however, he also had the right to receive financial support for doing this. However, Paul waived that right in that he did not "make full use of [his] right in the gospel". He chose to work after hours to support himself rather than do anything that could possibly take away from the effectiveness of the message. To Paul, this is his reward that he can know he is not hindering the gospel in any way.
We can clearly see Paul's heart for the lost in this section as he does everything humanly possible to present himself as the gospel to the lost. He writes, "For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more". The primary purpose in Paul not taking full advantage of his liberty to ask to be supported, was that he might "win the more". MacArthur writes that Paul was "willing to do anything and to sacrifice anything to win people to Jesus Christ. As far as his rights were concerned he was free form all men, but because of his love for all men he would gladly limit those rights for their sakes". In a sense he had allowed himself to be a slave to all people that he spoke to in order for them to see the gospel alive in him. No man had ownership of Paul, for he was completely Christ's. However, within the bounds of Christianity, he would modify his "habits, his preferences, his entire lifestyle if any of those things cause someone to stumble", according to MacArthur.
To win more Jews, Paul writes, "And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews". Within scriptural bounds, Paul would become as Jewish as possible in order to reach out to the lost Jews. If following some Jewish traditions, even if Paul did not find them necessary, meant he could be more effective with sharing the gospel, Paul would do it. Paul's "prayer to God for [the Jews] is for their salvation" (Rom. 10:1), in fact, Paul even made the statement that he would go as far as, "wish[ing] that I myself were accursed, separated form Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh" (Rom. 9:3). Paul continues his explanation as to how far he would go for his Jewish people, "to those who are under the Law, as under the Law, though not being myself under the Law, that I might win those who are under the Law". Though Paul understood that in Christ he was no longer under the Law, he would act as though he was for their sakes, hoping to show them that they are no longer under the Law. For the Gentile people Paul writes, "to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, that I might win those who are without law". MacArthur explains, "To keep from being misunderstood, he makes it clear that he is not talking about ignoring or violating God's moral law. The Ten Commandment and all of God's other moral laws have, if anything, been strengthened under the New Covenant". Paul would identify as close as he could with "those who are without law" which would be the Gentiles, that Paul might show them the way to be obedient to the law of Christ.
To continue to show the extent he would go in order to make himself " a slave to all", Paul continues, "To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak". Whether Jew or Gentile, Paul was willing to identify with those brothers or sisters who were weak in their understanding of scripture and the ways of the Lord. He would go down to their level and do whatever it takes to help them understand the wonderful gospel. To reiterate his point Paul exclaims, "I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some". Paul knows that it is up to God as to who will be saved, but he wants to do everything in his power to not get in the way of the message, and will therefore, become whatever he needs to be to explain the wonderfully good news to all who will listen. He explains that he does "all things for the sake of the gospel, that I may become a fellow partaker of it". Paul desired that everyone he came in contact with could share in the wonderful benefits of knowing Christ.
Lastly, to show the tough work and self-control it takes to limit your liberties and put all things below the importance of proclaiming the gospel, Paul uses an illustration that would be familiar to the Corinthian readers. Paul writes, "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize". MacArthur points out, "The Isthmian games were held at Corinth and were therefore intimately familiar to those to whom Paul was writing". Paul makes them aware of the fact that in the earthly games there is only one winner. However, everyone trains and works hard so that they may be the one to win. In the same way each of them was to train hard so that they might win. He writes, "Run in such a way that you may win". Work hard do everything in your power to put aside your "rights" and do what it takes to win souls to Christ. He continues, "And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things". Just as a runner training for a marathon has to put aside eating junk food, laying in bed, and being lazy, so should the Christian work hard to exercise control in his Christian liberties that he might win, by winning souls to Christ. Paul explains that those who train for the earthly games work so hard that they might receive a prize. However, as Christians our reward is even greater, therefore, we must train and work even harder. "They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable". Our reward is forever, how much more should we work for it?. Knowing this, Paul says, "Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air, but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified". What an amazing testament and example to us to give our all, putting everything aside that we might do what it takes to win without being disqualified. The writer of Hebrews wrote, "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Heb. 12:1-2). MacArthur finishes up this section by explaining, "Many believers start the Christian life with enthusiasm and devotion. They train carefully for a while but soon tire of the effort and begin to 'break training'. Before long they are disqualified from being effective witnesses. They do no have what it takes, because they are unwilling to pay the price. The flesh, the work, everyday affairs, personal interests, and often simple laziness hinder spiritual growth and preparation for service". Let us do as Paul, and do whatever it takes to win souls for Christ and keep ourselves as qualified participants.
Paul then explains why his preaching the gospel is nothing to boast of. He writes, "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". MacArthur helps explain, "He gloried in the gospel but not for it. He had absolutely nothing to do with the giving or the content of the gospel. He simply received the revelation. Nor was he boasting of his commitment to or ability in preaching the gospel". Paul had made it clear in the first several chapters of this letter that it is the power of God, not the craftiness of man that leads to salvation. The gospel was simply the message he preached, in no way did he invent this story, or do anything on his own power to be able to boast of. The Lord had called Paul out to be a disciple for him despite Paul's best efforts to kill the followers of Christ. Not taking away from his obedient response, Paul had no say in the matter, he was "under compulsion" to share the good news with those he came in contact with. In fact, to understand how Paul looked at his calling he writes, "for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel". Failure to obey his calling would lead to serious problems. Paul continues, "For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me". Paul did not preach the gospel voluntarily that he might receive some reward, he was completely under the compulsion of following Christ that he must do it. For that reason Paul explains that he could not and would not boast. To help explain further, MacArthur writes, "Against [his] will does not indicate he was unwilling to obey but that his will had no part in the call itself. It was not his choice to serve Christ, so consequently, he did not receive a reward but stewardship. He was under obligation to preach, for which he neither deserved nor expected reward.
Therefore, Paul has established that he could not boast in his preaching the gospel as he was under compulsion to do so. For that he would not receive a reward. However, what Paul could earn a reward for he writes, "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 was under compulsion to preach the gospel, this was God's calling for him, however, he also had the right to receive financial support for doing this. However, Paul waived that right in that he did not "make full use of [his] right in the gospel". He chose to work after hours to support himself rather than do anything that could possibly take away from the effectiveness of the message. To Paul, this is his reward that he can know he is not hindering the gospel in any way.
We can clearly see Paul's heart for the lost in this section as he does everything humanly possible to present himself as the gospel to the lost. He writes, "For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more". The primary purpose in Paul not taking full advantage of his liberty to ask to be supported, was that he might "win the more". MacArthur writes that Paul was "willing to do anything and to sacrifice anything to win people to Jesus Christ. As far as his rights were concerned he was free form all men, but because of his love for all men he would gladly limit those rights for their sakes". In a sense he had allowed himself to be a slave to all people that he spoke to in order for them to see the gospel alive in him. No man had ownership of Paul, for he was completely Christ's. However, within the bounds of Christianity, he would modify his "habits, his preferences, his entire lifestyle if any of those things cause someone to stumble", according to MacArthur.
To win more Jews, Paul writes, "And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews". Within scriptural bounds, Paul would become as Jewish as possible in order to reach out to the lost Jews. If following some Jewish traditions, even if Paul did not find them necessary, meant he could be more effective with sharing the gospel, Paul would do it. Paul's "prayer to God for [the Jews] is for their salvation" (Rom. 10:1), in fact, Paul even made the statement that he would go as far as, "wish[ing] that I myself were accursed, separated form Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh" (Rom. 9:3). Paul continues his explanation as to how far he would go for his Jewish people, "to those who are under the Law, as under the Law, though not being myself under the Law, that I might win those who are under the Law". Though Paul understood that in Christ he was no longer under the Law, he would act as though he was for their sakes, hoping to show them that they are no longer under the Law. For the Gentile people Paul writes, "to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, that I might win those who are without law". MacArthur explains, "To keep from being misunderstood, he makes it clear that he is not talking about ignoring or violating God's moral law. The Ten Commandment and all of God's other moral laws have, if anything, been strengthened under the New Covenant". Paul would identify as close as he could with "those who are without law" which would be the Gentiles, that Paul might show them the way to be obedient to the law of Christ.
To continue to show the extent he would go in order to make himself " a slave to all", Paul continues, "To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak". Whether Jew or Gentile, Paul was willing to identify with those brothers or sisters who were weak in their understanding of scripture and the ways of the Lord. He would go down to their level and do whatever it takes to help them understand the wonderful gospel. To reiterate his point Paul exclaims, "I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some". Paul knows that it is up to God as to who will be saved, but he wants to do everything in his power to not get in the way of the message, and will therefore, become whatever he needs to be to explain the wonderfully good news to all who will listen. He explains that he does "all things for the sake of the gospel, that I may become a fellow partaker of it". Paul desired that everyone he came in contact with could share in the wonderful benefits of knowing Christ.
Lastly, to show the tough work and self-control it takes to limit your liberties and put all things below the importance of proclaiming the gospel, Paul uses an illustration that would be familiar to the Corinthian readers. Paul writes, "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize". MacArthur points out, "The Isthmian games were held at Corinth and were therefore intimately familiar to those to whom Paul was writing". Paul makes them aware of the fact that in the earthly games there is only one winner. However, everyone trains and works hard so that they may be the one to win. In the same way each of them was to train hard so that they might win. He writes, "Run in such a way that you may win". Work hard do everything in your power to put aside your "rights" and do what it takes to win souls to Christ. He continues, "And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things". Just as a runner training for a marathon has to put aside eating junk food, laying in bed, and being lazy, so should the Christian work hard to exercise control in his Christian liberties that he might win, by winning souls to Christ. Paul explains that those who train for the earthly games work so hard that they might receive a prize. However, as Christians our reward is even greater, therefore, we must train and work even harder. "They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable". Our reward is forever, how much more should we work for it?. Knowing this, Paul says, "Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air, but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified". What an amazing testament and example to us to give our all, putting everything aside that we might do what it takes to win without being disqualified. The writer of Hebrews wrote, "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Heb. 12:1-2). MacArthur finishes up this section by explaining, "Many believers start the Christian life with enthusiasm and devotion. They train carefully for a while but soon tire of the effort and begin to 'break training'. Before long they are disqualified from being effective witnesses. They do no have what it takes, because they are unwilling to pay the price. The flesh, the work, everyday affairs, personal interests, and often simple laziness hinder spiritual growth and preparation for service". Let us do as Paul, and do whatever it takes to win souls for Christ and keep ourselves as qualified participants.
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