HOW FREE AM I?
1 Corinthians 9:1 (KJV)
Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
There are three separate issues that are being dealt with at once in 1 Corinthians 9.
First, Paul is continuing his reasoning for not eating meat sacrificed to idols even though we know an idol is nothing.
Second, Paul is defending his ministry among them against those that were examining and questioning his apostleship.
Third, and this is the primary issue of the chapter, Paul is dealing with the issue of Christian liberty.
This is one of the most relevant issues in all of Christianity today. Christians in churches all over the world are being taught this that, since we are free in Jesus Christ, there are no standards of living a Christian should be expected to keep.
We are free to do things that preachers have preached against for years and years and years. They say that since this is the age of grace, we ought to revel in that grace. What we wear, how we talk, the things we do are all under grace so we are free to be as much like the world as we please.
Paul answers those types of abuses of Christian liberty in this chapter.
First by saying;
1 Corinthians 9:1-14 (KJV)
Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
Have we not power to eat and to drink?
Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
He tells us three areas of "power " he had.
A. Power to eat and drink anything he wanted
1 Corinthians 9:4 (KJV)
Have we not power to eat and to drink?
That is a hint back to chapter 8 and eating the meats offered to idols.
B. Power to be married
1 Corinthians 9:5 (KJV)
Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
By the way, he here tells us that Peter (Cephas) has a wife. The Catholics have lied to their people for centuries telling them that peter was the first Pope.
Peter was an apostle. He never ever went to Rome so far as historical records show. He was married, and his ministry, according to the Bible was in Babylon.
Paul, it is thought, was a widower. Paul says if he wanted, he was perfectly free to get married.
The way, that phrase "to lead about" doesn't mean, to drag her by the hair. It means, to take her along with him. Paul travelled extensively in his ministry. If he had chosen to do so, he was free to marry and take his wife with him wherever he went.
C. Power to get paid for his ministry
1 Corinthians 9:6-14 (KJV)
Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
Paul is an interesting person. He did get paid for his ministry in most places.
He tells us that other churches sent money to support him and his missionary team in Philippi, and other towns.
But, in Corinth, he refused to accept support from the people there. Apparently, they were in need of learning the blessing of working for a living. Paul refused to accept wages for his ministry there, choosing rather to work with his hands rather than be chargeable to them.
Paul spends these several verse showing why it is right for a preacher to be recompensed for his labor in the Word of God.
So Paul understood that Christians have some freedoms.
However,
1 Corinthians 9:15-19 (KJV)
But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
Paul had certain rights and freedoms as a Christian and as an Apostle.
But he says that he chose to use none of them.
In verse 19
“I am free from all men.” No man can tell me how to conduct myself.
However, “I have myself servant of all.”
Christian, it is true that you are free to live your life as you choose.
· You are free, never to be baptized.
· You are free not to attend church
· You are free not to accept an assignment for service at church.
· You are free to ignore the preaching and teaching
· You are free to live as much like the world as you want to live.
No one can make you do right for God.
But Paul said, though he was free from all men, he had chosen to make himself the servant of all men.
The highest and most noble use of your Christian liberty
Is to submit it and become a servant for the good of others and the glory of God.
You don't do right because you have to. You do right to be a servant.
You don't serve God in the church because you have to. You serve God in the church to be a servant.
You don't get baptized because you have to. You get baptized to be a servant.
Paul said he had as many rights as an apostle as anybody, but he chose to lay aside those rights to be a servant.
And then Paul gave to us these
1 Corinthians 9:20-27 (KJV)
And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
There are two:
A. That souls would be saved
1 Corinthians 9:20-23 (KJV)
And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
In effect, Paul did whatever was ethical, legal, and moral, that would be effective in winning souls.
Paul said that he was never without the law to God, and never outside the law of Christ.
He did not break the Word of God, did not do that which is not Biblical, nor did he do that which was not doctrinally correct.
But outside of that... he did whatever he could to win souls.
There is just nothing so important as winning souls.
(Unless it is teaching and motivating others to win souls too.)
The best reason to be baptized is,
Because the best soul winners are all baptized.
The best reason to be a church member is,
Because the best soul winners are all church members.
The best reason to live clean and pure lives is,
Because the best soul winners all live clean and pure lives.
Paul said he was free to do many things, but he made himself a servant that he might by all means win some to Christ.
B. To Win a Prize
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (KJV)
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
Some people don't think it is spiritual to serve God for a prize.
Think that if you want to.
But even if it is not spiritual, it is still a Bible command.
You don't have to want the prize. But you do have to work to get it.
Paul says only one can win the prize, so run that ye may obtain. Force yourself to work to win the prize.
You can give it away if you want to.
But you are supposed to try to win it.
It is true that Christians have a great deal of liberty Christ has made us free.
But that freedom is not best used by being self-serving and going off our own way.
The very best use of the freedom that Christ has given you and me, is to choose to be servants, so we can win souls and win the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus.
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