1 Corinthians 9:16-23 [I Became All Things to All Men for the Sake of the Gospel]
1 Corinthians 9:16-23 “16For 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! 17For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. 18What 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. 19For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. 20And 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; 21To 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. 22To 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. 23And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.”
[Things to Meditate On]
1. Preaching the gospel is not the mission of only certain specific people, but the mission of us all. We are all those who, like Paul, have been entrusted with “the office of preaching the gospel” (verse 17, Romans 15:16). Therefore, preaching the gospel can be said to be a very natural and proper thing for us. And because we are doing what we ought to do, preaching the gospel cannot become something for us to boast about (verse 16, Luke 17:7-10). When we preach the gospel, we must preach it freely, and it is proper that we do not fully use the “rights” we have (verse 18). Our “rights” are spoken of specifically in 1 Corinthians 9:4-13, and the main point is that we do not use all our rights, but endure all things, so that there may be no hindrance to the gospel of Christ (1 Corinthians 9:12-14). Those who preach the gospel are to live by the gospel, and therefore they must be satisfied with that and must not seek or take any other gain.
1 Corinthians 9:12, 14 “12If 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. 14Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.”
Matthew 10:8 “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.”
2. Thus, in order to preach the gospel, we must not only refrain from using our own rights, but also be able to become “all things” to others (verse 22).
To become all things means that, in preaching the gospel, we must be careful that our own preconceptions, prejudices, and similar things do not become obstacles. This is very important for those who preach the gospel. This is because whenever anyone preaches the gospel, if his own fixed ideas go before the gospel, they can certainly become a hindrance to the gospel. If that happens, naturally he can only be used in a limited way as an instrument of Jesus.
The reason the apostle Paul was able to labor more abundantly than all the other apostles (1 Corinthians 15:10) can be understood in this way: he had the heart shown in verses 18-23 above. In order to preach the gospel, although he was free, the apostle Paul made himself a servant; to the Jews he became as a Jew; to those under the law, as one under the law; to those without law, as one without law; and to the weak, as weak. Because he could become all things to all men in this way, he was able to labor more abundantly than all the apostles. We also, like the apostle Paul, must set all our focus on the gospel and be able to “deny ourselves” for the sake of the gospel.
3. The apostle Paul said that the reason he denied himself for the sake of the gospel and sought to do all things was “that I might be partaker thereof” (verse 23). The reason the apostle Paul so earnestly desired to be a partaker of the gospel is that in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, and through faith one can live. Therefore, we also must strive to deny ourselves and become all things, so that we may become partakers of the gospel.
Romans 1:16-17 “16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”
[Decision and Application]
In order for us to become all things for the sake of the gospel, our labor and effort are naturally needed. That is why the apostle Paul also said in 1 Corinthians 9:24, “So run, that ye may obtain.” By saying this, he was telling us to give our full diligence. Furthermore, in 1 Corinthians 9:27, he even said, “I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection.” This shows us that we need an effort that gives all our body and heart, even to the point of bringing our own body into subjection.
When we look at the Old Testament as well, we can see that God had many prophets perform various actions in order to awaken the people of Israel. And we can see that even when those things were shameful and difficult to do, the prophets willingly gave up their own will and obeyed exactly as God commanded them.
Isaiah 20:2-3 “2At the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot. 3And the LORD said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia.”
Ezekiel 4:10-13 “10And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it. 11Thou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of an hin: from time to time shalt thou drink. 12And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight. 13And the LORD said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them.”
Hosea 1:2 “The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.”
Not only the prophets of the Old Testament, but also Jesus Himself, though He had no sin (1 John 3:5), endured the shame and died on the cross in order to obey the word of God (Hebrews 12:2). Thus, following the example shown by the many forefathers of faith who went before us, and by Jesus Himself, we also must not be ashamed of the gospel, but must be willing to deny ourselves and become all things for the sake of the gospel. And to become all things does not mean doing whatever we please without any restraint. We must become all things only in Jesus. If we have the same heart as the apostle Paul, the heart shown in verses 18-23, then the Spirit of truth will teach us at each time and in each matter what form we should take, and what words and actions we should have, in that very hour (Mark 13:10-11).
The important thing is that we should not seek to settle down in our present appearance and position, but should continually strive to be used by Jesus in many different forms (2 Timothy 2:15). Then Jesus will surely use those who are thus prepared and made ready.
2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:20-21 “20But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”
Amen.
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