Chapter 1033 of 1163

1 Corinthians 9

We do not have the right to give up our freedom, for that was purchased by Christ (Gal. 5:1); but we do have the freedom to give up our rights. For the sake of winning the lost (v. 12), Paul gave up his right to receive financial support, and he begged the Corinthians to give up their rights for the sake of the saved.

Christian ministry is like fighting a war, caring for a vineyard, tending a flock, and cultivating a field (vv. 7–11). Meditate on these images, and see what they teach you about serving the Lord.

Ministry is a stewardship (v. 17), and the servant must be faithful (4:2). Ministers of Christ are also like runners who must keep the rules or be disqualified (vv. 24–27).

Verses 19–23 call for courtesy and wisdom in witness, not for compromise. “I have become all things to all men” does not mean Paul had no personal convictions. It means he used his convictions to build bridges, not walls. If he seemed inconsistent, it was only because people did not look deep enough. His one great desire was to win the lost, and that governed his every decision.

“Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy.”

Howard W. Newton

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