Three things stand out to me in this chapter:
1) All things to all people - primacy of mission
2) Workers in Christ
3) Running to win
All Things To All People
When it comes to focus, Paul knew that his primary task was bringing people to Christ. His clarity of purpose drove him to change anything and everything else to accomplish that goal. So Paul first of all made himself a servant to all. He was following the example of Jesus and giving himself up for others out of love for them. He also recognized that to be effective, different people need to be related to in different ways. So secondly he took the time to understand who he was speaking to and became an effective ambassador (2 Cor 5:20) and spoke and lived in ways that would be relevant to the hearer. As he says " I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some." (1 Cor 9:22).
You might ask, "Isn't Paul just pretending and putting on a mask? Isn't that ingenuous and wrong?" It would be ingenuous if Paul first of all wasn't motivated out of love, not honestly wanting to help those he is reaching out to and secondly if he was doing things that were inconsistent with who he is and what he believes. Just as you wouldn't go to a beach party in a suit or dress nor to a fancy restaurant in shorts or a swimsuit, we all recognize that different activities, dress and behavior is appropriate for different situations. Paul recognizes that different people hear things differently, have experienced different things and have different problems and different mental roadblocks. So among Jews, he went to the temple and synagogues, carried out vows (Acts 18:18) and rites of purification and among the gentiles, he freely ate with them and didn't force circumcision etc. In Athens he appealed to poets that they were aware of and even an altar to an unknown god (Acts 17:23-31).
As @edstetzer and others have pointed out, Paul gives us the example of how we are to live missionally, always looking to understand those around us and how to communicate to them in ways that are relevant and that they will understand.
Father, give us the wisdom to see and understand those you've brought us to. Help me to not be caught up in the traditions and external trappings that distract from you, but to be focused on loving and reaching out to those around me.
Workers in Christ
We see here that "the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel" (v 14). Money is an area where there has been much abuse - leaders stealing from the sheep or living in luxury while the people are struggling or false prosperity teachings - however it is notable that workers in Christ should be paid. Paul though refuses this right, at least from the Corinthian believers, since he wants to offer the gospel free of charge. As a passing note we see some interesting facts about the apostles - most of them such as Peter and James and Jude (the Lord's brothers) had wives and seemed to bring them along when they traveled (v 5).
Running to Win
Paul describes a very deliberate physical actions that he took in his pursuit of Christ Jesus. As we follow Christ, it is not a mere mental or spiritual activity, but it effects (or should effect) every area of our lives, including our physical body. Paul says that he disciplines his body to keep it under control so he will not be disqualified after preaching. Types of self discipline that we see in scripture include fasting, waking up early for prayer and study of scripture, memorization of scripture (while mostly mental it takes physical work of memorizing by reading and taking the time to work on it) and solitude for prayer. Also since he is concerned about not becoming disqualified about what he preaches (i.e. he doesn't want to be hypocritical and preach something that he doesn't live out), he would likely be also including personal physical disciplines that would keep himself free from sexual temptation and other sins he has described.
I personally have been inspired by the example of Billy Graham and Gordon Powlison in the area of sexual holiness. As a man of God, Billy Graham would not be alone with a woman who wasn't his wife. When he traveled and there was a woman on the trip, he wouldn't even share a cab with a woman if it was just the two of them. As a pastor and as a man who is following God, I believe there is a lot of wisdom here. For myself I don't counsel or meet with women alone. I don't evangelize women or have lunch with them one-on-one. For young people Pastor Gordon has given many practical guidelines that I've implemented and found important and effective such as making sure that boys NEVER go into a girls room and vice versa unless they are parents or siblings, boys and girls should not be alone in almost any situation (out in pubic at a restaurant is fine, but not alone in some room or remote area etc).
As we've discussed in previous posts, sexual sin is a big problem for many. There are many physical disciplines (I've only given a few examples) that can and should be brought to bear so that we can run the race in such a way as to win the prize set before us.
Lord Jesus, help me to run the race and have a singular focus such as Paul had. Help me to not be distracted by the many siren calls in this world that seek to distract and destroy, but help me to keep my eyes on you and run and discipline my body with you as the final goal.
1) All things to all people - primacy of mission
2) Workers in Christ
3) Running to win
All Things To All People
When it comes to focus, Paul knew that his primary task was bringing people to Christ. His clarity of purpose drove him to change anything and everything else to accomplish that goal. So Paul first of all made himself a servant to all. He was following the example of Jesus and giving himself up for others out of love for them. He also recognized that to be effective, different people need to be related to in different ways. So secondly he took the time to understand who he was speaking to and became an effective ambassador (2 Cor 5:20) and spoke and lived in ways that would be relevant to the hearer. As he says " I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some." (1 Cor 9:22).
You might ask, "Isn't Paul just pretending and putting on a mask? Isn't that ingenuous and wrong?" It would be ingenuous if Paul first of all wasn't motivated out of love, not honestly wanting to help those he is reaching out to and secondly if he was doing things that were inconsistent with who he is and what he believes. Just as you wouldn't go to a beach party in a suit or dress nor to a fancy restaurant in shorts or a swimsuit, we all recognize that different activities, dress and behavior is appropriate for different situations. Paul recognizes that different people hear things differently, have experienced different things and have different problems and different mental roadblocks. So among Jews, he went to the temple and synagogues, carried out vows (Acts 18:18) and rites of purification and among the gentiles, he freely ate with them and didn't force circumcision etc. In Athens he appealed to poets that they were aware of and even an altar to an unknown god (Acts 17:23-31).
As @edstetzer and others have pointed out, Paul gives us the example of how we are to live missionally, always looking to understand those around us and how to communicate to them in ways that are relevant and that they will understand.
Father, give us the wisdom to see and understand those you've brought us to. Help me to not be caught up in the traditions and external trappings that distract from you, but to be focused on loving and reaching out to those around me.
Workers in Christ
We see here that "the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel" (v 14). Money is an area where there has been much abuse - leaders stealing from the sheep or living in luxury while the people are struggling or false prosperity teachings - however it is notable that workers in Christ should be paid. Paul though refuses this right, at least from the Corinthian believers, since he wants to offer the gospel free of charge. As a passing note we see some interesting facts about the apostles - most of them such as Peter and James and Jude (the Lord's brothers) had wives and seemed to bring them along when they traveled (v 5).
Running to Win
Paul describes a very deliberate physical actions that he took in his pursuit of Christ Jesus. As we follow Christ, it is not a mere mental or spiritual activity, but it effects (or should effect) every area of our lives, including our physical body. Paul says that he disciplines his body to keep it under control so he will not be disqualified after preaching. Types of self discipline that we see in scripture include fasting, waking up early for prayer and study of scripture, memorization of scripture (while mostly mental it takes physical work of memorizing by reading and taking the time to work on it) and solitude for prayer. Also since he is concerned about not becoming disqualified about what he preaches (i.e. he doesn't want to be hypocritical and preach something that he doesn't live out), he would likely be also including personal physical disciplines that would keep himself free from sexual temptation and other sins he has described.
I personally have been inspired by the example of Billy Graham and Gordon Powlison in the area of sexual holiness. As a man of God, Billy Graham would not be alone with a woman who wasn't his wife. When he traveled and there was a woman on the trip, he wouldn't even share a cab with a woman if it was just the two of them. As a pastor and as a man who is following God, I believe there is a lot of wisdom here. For myself I don't counsel or meet with women alone. I don't evangelize women or have lunch with them one-on-one. For young people Pastor Gordon has given many practical guidelines that I've implemented and found important and effective such as making sure that boys NEVER go into a girls room and vice versa unless they are parents or siblings, boys and girls should not be alone in almost any situation (out in pubic at a restaurant is fine, but not alone in some room or remote area etc).
As we've discussed in previous posts, sexual sin is a big problem for many. There are many physical disciplines (I've only given a few examples) that can and should be brought to bear so that we can run the race in such a way as to win the prize set before us.
Lord Jesus, help me to run the race and have a singular focus such as Paul had. Help me to not be distracted by the many siren calls in this world that seek to distract and destroy, but help me to keep my eyes on you and run and discipline my body with you as the final goal.
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