I CORINTHIANS 9 RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BELIEVER
RECAP: The Corinthian letters give insight concerning CHRISTIAN RELATIONSHIPS: to God, the Church, to believers, to unbelievers. Most everyone in Paul’s day was involved in the culture of Pagan Temples and participating in Temple rituals, meals and prostitution. There was also Slavery.
What is the situation in the 21st C? Most everyone has been trained to believe in Godless Evolution, Hollywood Life Style, Ethical [Im]-Morality, to accept corruption in government, flagrant cheating of officials and humanistic worldview which leads to Live-ins, Abortion, Cheating on spouse, Serial Divorce and Pornography.
So the question before the house is--- are the Corinthian letters not addressing issues of the 21st C?
There is also slavery TODAY [addiction, human slavery, to things]
[PAUL’S BEING AN EXAMPLE TO HIS CONVERTS]
1. V.1 Am I not… [LAW OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY… IS IT NECESSARY OR THAT IMPORTANT?]
A. Free? [Gal 5:13]
B. An apostle? [not the Apostles, so called]
2. Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? [on Damascus road]
3. Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?
4.V.2 Even though I may not be…
A. An Apostle to others
B. Surely I am to you!
C. For you are the Seal of my Apostleship in the Lord
5.V.3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment of me [Evidently another question at Corinth]
A.V.4 Don’t we have the right to food & drink? [of course!; [LAW OF HANDLING BEING JUDGED WRONGLY]
B.V.5 Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us?
1. As do the other Apostles?
2. As the Lord’s brothers?
3. And Cephas?
C.V.6 Or is it only I + Barnabuas who must work for a living? [I Th. 2:8-9]
1.V.7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?
2. Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes?
3. Who tends a flock and does not drink of its milk?
5.V.8 Do I say this merely from a human point of view?
A. Doesn’t the law say the same thing?
1V.9 For it is written in the Law of Moses [LAW OF SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPAL = CHRIST’S EXAMPLE]
a. Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain [Du 25:4]
B. Is it about oxen that God is concerned?
1.V.10 Surely He says this for us, doesn’t He?
2. Yes, this was written for us
a. For when the plowman plows &
b. The thresher threshes
c. They ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest
C.V.11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you [LAW OF REWARDS FOR SERVICE?]
1. Is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?
D.V.12 If others have this right of support from you
1. Shouldn’t we have it all the more?
6. But we do not use this right. [I COR 8:13]
A. On the contrary
1. We put up with anything [?] [LAW OF PRIORITY FOR TESTIMONY]
a. Rather than hinder the gospel of Christ
B.V.13 Don’t you know that those
1. Who work in the Temple [Nu 18:8-24]
a. Get their food from the Temple
2. Who serve at the altar
a. Share in what is offered on the altar?
C.V.14 In the same way
1. The Lord has commanded
a. Those who preach the Gospel [LAW OF SUPPORTING CHRISTIAN SERVANTS]
1. Should receive their living from the Gospel
7.V.15 But I have not used any of these rights [LAW OF FORGOING AS UNTO THE LORD – NOT REWARD]
A. I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me.
1. I would rather die
a. Than have anyone deprive me of this boast
2.V.16 Yet when I preach the Gospel,
a. I cannot boast
1. For I am compelled to preach
b. Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!
3.V.17 If I preach voluntarily [Lk 17:10]
a. I have a reward
4. If not voluntarily
a. I am simply discharging the trust committed to me
b. What then is my reward?
1. Just this:
a. That in preaching the Gospel
1. I may offer it free of charge
2. And so not make any use of my rights in preaching it.
8.V.19 Though I am FREE & belong to no man
A. I make myself a SLAVE TO EVERYONE [Law of sensitivity to others: be an example, servant, witness]
1. To win as many as possible.
a.V.20 To the Jews I became like a Jew
1. To win the Jews
b. To those under the Law
1. I became like one under the Law
a. 9Though I myself am not under the Law
b. So as to win those under the Law
c.V.21 To those not having the Law
1. I became like one not having the Law
a. (Though I am not free from God’s Law but am under Christ’s Law
b. So as to win those not having the Law
d.V.22 To the weak
1. I became weak
a. To win the weak
e. I have become all thing to all men
1. So that by all possible means
a. I might save some
2.V.23 I do all this for the sake of the Gospel
a. That I might share in its blessings.
9.V.24 Do you not know that in a race [Law of Self Discipline…becoming more like Jesus]
A. All the runners run [Isthmian games held near Corinth]
B. But only one gets the prize?
C.V.25 Everyone who competes in the games
1. Goes into strict training
a. They do it to get a crown
1. That will not last
b. But we do it to get a crown
1. That will last forever
D.V.26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly [LAW OF KNOWING GOD’S WILL FOR ME]
1.I do not fight like a man beating the air
2.V27 No, I beat my body & make it my SLAVE
a. So that after I have preached to others
b. I will not be disqualified for the PRIZE
Chapter 10 CONTINUES THE DISCIPLINES OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE