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4000 E. Collins
Rd. “Preaching the Living
Word through the Written Word (2Tim 4:2)” |
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CHRISTIAN
LIBERTY AND THE GOSPEL 1Co
9:15b-27 (10/5/11) Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I.
AUTHENTICITY
OF PAUL’S APOSTOLIC RIGHTS (1-2) II. DEFENSE OF PAUL’S APOSTOLIC RIGHTS (3-6) III. EXAMPLES OF DOMESTIC RIGHTS (7-10) IV. EXAMPLES OF MINISTRY RIGHTS (11-15a) V. SET ASIDE RIGHTS IN ORDER TO FREELY
PREACH THE GOSPEL (15b-18) A. [Intro] - After arguing for his full
rights as an apostle, including monetary support, Paul then reveals that he
has set his rights aside in order to be all things to all men and win them to
Christ. In addition, he made sure he disciplined himself in order to live a
consistent life before them and not detract from his message. All of this was
in keeping with his main point of setting aside Christian liberties for the
sake of others. B. [1Co 9:15b] - Though Paul had every
right, he took no support from the Corinthians (1Co 9:15a). In fact, Paul
wanted to make sure that they did not think his letter was for the purpose of
receiving their support. Paul’s boasting (kau,chêma - grounds for boasting) was that he served the Corinthians
unselfishly and not for their support. In fact, he would rather die than make
an empty (keno,ō - meaningless or
ineffective) boast concerning this matter. C. [1Co 9:16] - To Paul, preaching the
gospel was nothing to boast about because he was divinely commissioned to do
so. This divine commission “is continually laid” (present passive - epikeimai) upon him by the Lord (Act 26:16-18).
If he were to refrain from God’s call to preach the gospel, he would receive
strict judgment (ouai - “woe”) upon
himself. D. [1Co 9:17] - If Paul complied with this
divine call and fulfilled it willingly, then he would receive a “reward” (mistho,s - wage - Jam 5:4, or rewards -
1Co 3;14). However, if he fulfilled it even though he did it unwillingly,
it was still a responsibility he had to keep. E. [1Co 9:18] - Paul described what he
meant by reward. First it was that he could testify about his unselfish
delivery of the gospel to his critics. Secondly, his reward was that he could
offer the gospel free of charge (ada,panos - withour cost or expense). In this way he did not use his
apostolic rights though he could have. VI. SET ASIDE RIGHTS IN ORDER TO WIN ALL MEN
(19-23) A. [1Co 9:19] - Paul was a free man (“free
from all men”) in addition to being an apostle. However, he made himself (eautou - emphatic reflexive pronoun) a
slave. His purpose was to “win” (kerdainō
- to gain or win) people to Christ, and win “more” (polus) or as many as he could. In this case he enslaved himself
to his own self support in order to win the Corinthians to Christ. B. [1Co 9:20] - Paul, who was Jewish,
though not under the Law and Judaism anymore, would do everything he could
socially and culturally not offend the Jewish people. There were times when
he complied with their culture in order to minister to them (Act 16:13;
18:18; 21:20-26).In so doing, his purpose was to win them to Christ. C. [1Co 9:21] - Paul felt the same way
toward the Gentile, literally, “the ones without the Law.” Paul himself was
never actually a Gentile as one who did not submit to God’s Law. However he
would do everything socially and culturally, without violating the Word and
sinning, in order that he might win the Gentiles (cp. Gal 2:16-21). However,
Paul was under the Law of Christ (Gal 6:2 cp. Joh 15:12; also cp. 1Co 10:27)
and that’s what he exercise to win all men. D. [1Co 9:22] - Paul said the same thing
about the weak (may also be referring to the weak in conscience, 1Co 8:9-12),
under trodden, oppressed etc. He becomes as one of them so that he can win
them for Christ. And then in a sweeping universal principle, Paul exclaims, “to all men I have been become and continue
to become all things.” 1. This of course is within the bounds of
the Word of God. But within those bounds, Paul was willing to give up his
rights, his preferences, and his liberties in order to win them for Christ. 2. Paul was also willing by whatever means
to bring people to Christ. Again, this does not refer to compromise, but
rather to no limit to the amount of sacrifice Paul was willing to make in
order to see some people saved (sōzō
- deliverance and salvation). E. [1Co 9:23] - Paul was in fact actively
and continuously doing all things for the sake of the gospel. It was not a
general cliché with him. Furthermore his desire was that he would become a
“fellow partaker” (sugkoinono,s - partake together) of the gospel. By this he meant that
he would reap the joyful harvest of many won to Christ. VII. SET ASIDE RIGHTS IN ORDER NOT TO BE
DISQUALIFIED (24-27) A. [1Co 9:24] - Paul now turns to inward
motivations and struggles that must be won and set aside for the sake of the
gospel. He uses familiar metaphors of the Isthmian Games, a grand sporting
event similar to the Olympic Games, but prior to it. Like the foot races (stadion, Eng. “stadium” aprox.
185 -225 meters) which
they ran (trechō - run or exert
oneself), they all ran but only one received the prize. Paul exhorted the
Corinthians in such a way that they would win the prize. The “prize” (brabei,on - prize, brabeus - an
umpire) that he is
talking about is living and serving the Lord in a worthy manner, not
salvation. B. [1Co 9:25] - Another aspect of athletic
competition was that they needed to exercise self-control in everything.
“Self-control” is the Greek word egkrateuomai,
which means inner strength. It is required for stamina, for staying the
course, and for keeping from veering off the course. It is a Christian virtue
(2Pe 1:6) and a spiritual fruit (Gal 5:23) and is obviously needed in
ministry and serving the Lord. The athlete would receive a wreath of garland
as a crown (stephanos), but the
believer will receive an imperishable crown in heaven for his service (1Co
3:11-15). C. [1Co 9:26] - Paul himself would run his
Christian life and his ministry in such a way that it would be productive and
fruitful. He took aim at his goal and committed to it. He would not just
flail aimlessly (adêlōs - without
a goal in mind) like a foolish boxer who tires himself out with wild
swinging (“haymaker”). He would minister in a biblical way and in a way in
keeping with the Law of Christ which is love, even if he had to set his
rights aside. D. [1Co 9:27] - Paul used godly discipline
to keep himself on track and keep him on the course. “Discipline” (hupopiazō - strike under
the eye, i.e. black eye)
may seem like a strong word especially in the Greek, but sinful passions of
all kind must be subdued (“slave” - doulagoge,ō) kept under the Christian’s mastery,
rather than under sins mastery (Rom 6:14). Otherwise, though the Christian
would preach, his lifestyle would be a contradiction and his testimony would
be “disqualified” (adokimos - tested and found lacking). All of these examples and all of this language
supports Paul’s premise that the Christian must be willing to set aside his
rights, preferences, and liberties, for the sake of the edification of
another brother and for the sake of evangelism among the unbelieving. VIII.
OBSERVATIONS
AND APPLICATIONS A. Believers must understand that no sacrifice
is too big and no duty too small for the sake of edification and evangelism.
It is our Great Commission (Mat 28:18-20). B. Believers must understand that they are
under the Law of Christ which trumps any and all rights and liberties in
order to minister to them in love. C. Believers must understand that we must
be willing, as long as it does not violate the Word, to become all things to
all men in regard to: 1. Being respectful of their ideas and
views (even if wrong) in order to win them. 2. Being inoffensive to them socially and
culturally in order to win them. 3. Being helpful in any way we can in order
to win them. D. Believers are to be engaged in ministry
especially in the local church as well as outside the local church in such a
way that they are: 1. Fully committed (cp. 1Co 9:24) - Win as
many as we can to Christ and teach as many as we can. 2. Self-disciplined (cp. 1Co 9:25) - Stay
focus on the goal of edification and evangelism for the long haul. 3. Biblical and wise (1Co 9:26) - Not veer
or distrust the Bible’s instructions and methods. 4. Without compromise (1Co 9:27) - Maintain
a consistent Christian testimony. |
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