Grace Christian Fellowship: Christian Teachings from 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 9 "My Rights, My Duty"

One of the most important ideas in the modern world is that of human rights. Most countries have accepted the notion that all human beings have basic rights that should not be violated. Basic rights such as freedom of movement, speech, and religion are protected and countries that do not allow these things are rightly condemned by groups that are determined to defend those rights. As Christians we have some special rights and privileges that come from believing in Jesus Christ. We have the right to be called children of God. We have the right to pray in the name of Jesus Christ and expect God to hear. We are able to live in freedom, without condemnation because we are in Christ Jesus. However, the Apostle Paul teaches in this letter to the Corinthians that there is something more important than rights. In fact Paul says that even though he is free, he will gladly give up his freedom to keep a brother from falling.

Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. My defense to those who examine me is this: Do we have no right to eat and drink? Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working? Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock. Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also? For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain." Is it oxen God is concerned about? Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be a partaker of his hope. If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? (1Corinthians 9:1-11)

It was obvious that Paul had some rights over the Corinthian Christians. It was he who had brought the gospel to the city of Corinth! He was the one who had first taught them the good news of Jesus Christ. If anyone had a claim on their loyalty it was Paul. And yet the Christians in Corinth did not so much as even offer to feed them. Other missionaries brought their families with them and the churches paid for them all, but Paul and Barnabas travelled alone. Paul and Barnabas worked to support themselves during the day making tents and then preached on the Sabbath. At any time Paul could have said "Hey! I am an Apostle. I deserve to be treated with respect. You should be supporting me and giving me the time to prepare for ministry in prayer and studying the word!" But Paul did not even mention it until this letter when he was writing from far away.

Paul gives some good reasons why those who serve the Lord should be supported financially by the church. First he says, "Who ever goes to war at his own expense?" I have been amazed by all the different jobs the people in the military do here in Japan. Before I met so many of them I had a kind of general idea that a soldier carries a gun and a sailor goes to sea. But now I realize that there is much more involved than just the person firing the gun. There are tens of thousands of support people who never see battle but are nevertheless just as important to the final victory. Without these support people the soldier at the front would not have bullets or a gun, boots or a tent to sleep in, food to eat or medical care when wounded. In olden times there were professional armies that fought each other, but in modern warfare the battle is fought by whole societies. During WWII, not only the soldiers but everyone at home as well had to sacrifice in order to obtain the victory. In the Lord’s army we are all called to make similar sacrifices. Not every one of us will preach on Sunday, or witness to Muslims, or learn a little known language in order to bring the gospel to unreached tribes. But every one of us is involved in making sure that those front-line people are well-equipped.

Paul also mentions that those who plant vineyards eat grapes, and those who care for the sheep drink their milk. In the Old Testament there was even a law that a farmer shouldn’t muzzle the ox when it was treading out the grain. In that time the way that they processed the wheat into flour was to have the oxen walk on it until it was crushed and easily separated. While the ox was doing this labor once and a while it would bend down its neck and take a mouthful to chew on as it worked. The wisdom in this law was that an ox that was muzzled would soon grow tired of walking around in circles and would have to be whipped to keep moving. However, if there was the hope of some extra food the ox would gladly keep working. There is a principle that those in the business world know well. People need incentives to work. Without incentives there is little motivation to do more than the bare minimum. But with incentives those who work do so in hope.

Actually there is even one more argument that Paul mentions. In the Old Testament the priests in the temple were required to eat of the offerings that were given. In fact there is an episode where Moses rebukes Aaron because he and his sons did not eat all of what they were supposed to eat. Paul even goes so far as to say that it is a commandment of the Lord that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel. In all the argument is very strong, just like a for a soldier, it is more efficient and more effective for us to support those who are in front-line ministry than for them to support themselves. Those who take care of the flock, should be supported by the flock that they care for and they should have an incentive to work harder. It is not only better but it is also the pattern established both in the Old Testament and by Jesus Himself when he sent his disciples out two-by-two with no money bag expecting that they would be supported by those that they ministered to. It is both normal, and required of the church to support their minister, and yet Paul did not demand it, or try to persuade them to do it. Instead he gave up his right to be paid. Why would he do such a thing? If it is the pattern established by God and commanded by Jesus, proven effective and efficient, and more conducive to achieving results, why would he abandon it. Why not demand what was biblical and right?

If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel. But I have used none of these things, nor have I written these things that it should be done so to me; for it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void. For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel. (1Cor. 9:12-18)

Paul gives two reasons why he did not demand payment for his service to the Corinthians. First of all he did not want to hinder the gospel. In those days one of the tactics of war was for a general to cut a trench in the road in order slow down an oncoming army. Paul did not want to slow these people down in their faith. As brand new Christians they needed to know Jesus, what He taught and what He had done for them. Paul knew that if he started demanding what was due to him, suddenly the whole focus of the church would be on money and Paul, and not on Jesus Christ.

Paul’s second reason was that he not abuse his authority in the gospel. It would be very easy for Paul to take advantage of people and convince them that they should give him more than what he actually needed. We know that many religious leaders have done this in the past. My wife just got off the phone with some old friends of ours. We met this Japanese couple in college where they were studying for the ministry. It was while attending a Japanese Bible study at their home that Rie received Jesus Christ as her Lord. Since that time they have been pastoring a Baptist church in rural Okayama. It was sad to hear the struggles that these faithful Christian servants are going through. At this point their church only has about ten members and some days as few as three or four show up. He has always worked a full-time job along with his responsibilities to the ministry and now his wife is forced to work as well even though they have small children. This couple is willing to sacrifice so much so that they can offer the good news to the people of Okayama without charge. Paul said that his reward was to present the gospel without charge. If pastors ask for money there are grateful people who will give. But that becomes the only reward they will receive. Paul and my friends in Okayama are interested in a much greater reward.

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may partake of it with you. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. (1Cor 9:19-27)

The Olympics will be starting very soon in Sydney, Australia and many athletes have been training for these games for years. Some have been preparing most of their lives. The training regimens can be intense as they strive to bring their bodies up to maximum physical fitness. In the U.S. it is said that a gold medal can be worth millions of dollars in advertising contracts after the games. But most athletes do it simply for the glory of being the best in the world. However, Paul reminds us that the crowns that they receive will not last. The glory fades. But we Christians are competing for an imperishable crown. Just like the Olympic athletes we also have to learn self-control. Like them, we must sacrifice to be ready for the race. Our crown, our glory, our reward is to see all of those people who are saved because of our witness when we get to heaven. When we enter heaven everyone else who was brought closer to Jesus through us will be there cheering us louder and stronger than any gold medal winner. This is the reason why Paul says that he was willing to become a servant of all in order to win the more. He was willing to be all things to all men that by some means he might save some.

Our first priority as Christians must be to save men and woman that God loves and sent His Son Jesus to die for on the cross. Everything else is less important. We are able to give up our rights, lay down our fortunes, sacrifice our comfort, do whatever it takes so that this people of Japan will know that Jesus saves. I believe that it is more effective for the church to provide, for mission boards to send, for relief agencies to sponsor, but in the end if these things don’t happen it is still up to us to do the job. If it must be us with nothing but faith, then so be it, the crown will be ours.

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