1 Corinthians, Chapter 9
© Copyright 2002 Darroll Evans, all
rights reserved
Only in his letters to the Philippians, Thessalonians,
and Philemon does Paul fail to begin by establishing his Apostleship.
Paul asks a few questions:
Am I not an apostle? Yes!
Am I free? Yes!
Have I seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Yes!
Are you all my work in the Lord? Yes!
Paul tells them that if he is not an Apostle
to some Churches, he surely must be to the
They are the result of his work as an
Apostle.
Paul was not universally accepted.
Paul’s life as a single minister was not
universally accepted.
Even in the early days of the Church they
fought over such trivia.
Things have not changed.
Now, comes the controversy in this chapter:
Paul writes, don’t “we” have the right to be
accompanied by a sister (in Christ) (who is also) a wife as do other Apostles,
and the brothers of Jesus (the other children of Joseph and Mary), and also
Peter? Or, are Barnabas and I the only ones that are barred from marriage?
I have talked with Doctors of Theology that
did not know the history of Paul.
Some time ago, I sat down with a student who
would soon graduate from a major Seminary and go out to pastor within a major
denomination.
I had to explain grace to him.
He had not idea what it was or how it worked, but he would soon have a Master’s
degree.
You may be saying, "Look at his
paragraphing. He could use an education himself."
Let me assure you that it is by design.
It is obvious that Paul was single by choice
and Peter married by choice.
Being single or married is not the point
here, but following God’s call is!
Then, Paul relates his position to worldly
situations:
Does a man go to war at his own expense? No!
Does a person plant a garden and not eat at
least some of the crop?
No!
Does a farmer care for the dairy herd and not
drink at least some of the milk?
No!
In verses 8-9, Paul uses the law in a manner
that would make most students of hermeneutics squirm.
He bases his teaching concerning Pastor pay
on the OT Levitical law.
With one exception, Melchizedek, only Levites
could accept a tithe.
However, since there are no genealogies to
prove who is and who is not a Levite today, and since Gentiles do not qualify
as Levites, Paul is not referring to tithes.
Paul is referring to free will offerings not
mandatory tithes.
In verse 9, Paul quotes Deuteronomy 25:4 as
if it applies to ministers of the gospel.
Paul reminds us that the Pentateuch says,
"Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the
corn."
Paul just committed the unpardonable
hermeneutics sin.
He used a verse out of context.
Many Pastors cry from the pulpit that the law
is fading away, and Christians are not under the law. Except when it comes to
tithing.
The fact is that if a Pastor preaches
mandatory tithes, Church income goes up due to the guilt trip he laid on the
congregation, but if he preaches free will offerings the church income may
go down.
There is a large Church in my hometown, which
was originally built by not "passing the plate" for a
Sunday offering.
That principle lasted until a change the
pastorate caused greed to enter the leadership.
Until recently, it was a very wealthy Church
until greed caused a split.
What is my opinion on this matter?
If your Pastor says that he is a
"spiritual" Levite, give him a "spiritual" tithe.
If the hearts of the leaders are in line with
Christ, no tithing will be needed.
More than enough free will offerings will
come is.
But that requires faith.
Any Church should pay in accordance with the
prosperity of the members.
The last time I checked, and it has been a
few years.
The Pastor of the world’s largest evangelical
Church lived in an apartment.
He refused to live above the means of the
median of the Church he Pastors.
He is unique!
Paul reminds his readers that those who till
the soil and those who harvest the crop do so with hope of sharing in that
harvest.
Those who toil in God’s garden should gain
what is necessary for their well being.
1 Corinthians 9:12-15
12 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.
13 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?
14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live
of the gospel.
15 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.
While others exercised financial power over
the Churches, Paul and those around him did not.
Paul did not deny that the right to gain a decent
income was within the power of those that minister.
Paul did not pass the plate at each meeting.
He did not want to hinder the gospel of
Christ.
Pastors should always be respected, and
always be accountable to God and to their flock.
The Lord ordained that those who preach the
gospel should live of the gospel.
It was Paul’s choice not to accept
payment.
There are very few like “Paul” around today.
1 Corinthians 9:16-18
16 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!
17 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.
18 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.
Paul was the prototype of Pastoral humility.
He as called to preach the gospel to all, not
to just those that could pay well.
He says, "Woe unto me, if I preach not
the gospel!"
If we do that which is righteous with a
willing heart a reward is waiting for us.
However if we do it begrudgingly that is
another matter.
Paul proclaimed the gospel with joy, and
without charge.
He did not want to abuse his power in the
gospel.
Paul knew the Truth and the Truth made him
free to serve Christ.
I pray that we all come to know the truth in
that manner.
Paul did not stand on formality.
He willingly used the tools needed to get the
job done.
To Jews, he assumed non-conflicting Jewish
attitudes.
To Gentiles, Paul assumed non-conflicting
Gentile attitudes.
To those weak in the faith, he sympathized to
make them stronger.
For the gospel’s sake, Paul found common
ground.
Paul must have been an athlete in his youth.
This relates to sports.
Many may run a competitive race, but only one
wins first place.
We are to run as if our lives depended on
it---they do!
As those chosen and sent by God we are to
strive for the faith with self-restraint, moderation in all things.
Our striving is not to gain faith. It is to
disseminate information!
We are running with, not against, our
brothers in Christ.
Have you ever shadowboxed? Did you win?
When we shadowbox, all we do is beat the air.
It may be good practice, but not much of a contest.
Verse 27 is one of those difficult verses
that many would rather skip.
With all of Paul’s confidence, he still had
some lingering negative thoughts, but he also had no fear in saying those
thoughts were there!
Paul was spiritually honest!
He was not timid is saying that the sin
nature as expressed in Romans 6 was a continuing and continual source of
negativity!
Paul was explicit!
He was attempting to bring his mortal body
into alignment with the spirit!
As Christians, we are justified, sanctified,
purified, saved, and sealed spiritually.
And yet knowing that Paul pleads with
Christians not to allow the sin nature that is resident within our flesh to run
and ruin our lives.
Rom
6:14 For sin shall not have dominion
over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Remember that it was literally years after
Paul had a personal and overwhelming experience with Christ that he cried out,
“O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
(Rom 7:24)
As long as we live physically the body shall
be in conflict with the spirit and The Spirit!
Verse 27 addresses that continual conflict!
This may come under the “why take chances
category!”
Paul brought his
body into subjection as a “slave”, lest that declaring Christ publicly to
others he may find that he has been rejected.
This speaks to
maturing in Christ!
How do we do that?
Do we beat our
bodies into subjection?
Absolutely not!
Paul tells the
“hows” in the very next chapter.
2 Cor 10:5 Casting down imaginations,
and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and
bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
I was discussing
this verse with a friend, Travis Ogletree, whom I consider to be a Spirit-led
teacher of God’s word, and we agreed that the teaching of morality within the
Church today has become lax!
That lack of
teaching has caused the teaching of grace to come into disrepute!
Grace brings us to
a moral stance that is sadly lacking among many “Christians” today!
Paul warned us
concerning false or lazy teaching!
Gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you,
whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
Many speak of
“carnal” Christians, and yet that is a contradiction of terms!
You will never lose
your salvation!
Rom 11:29 For the gifts and calling of
God are without repentance.
However, your
testimony before men is not God given!
It is earned as a
result of your life lived in public!
When you follow
Christ, you will follow Him into immorality!
1 Cor 15:53 For this corruptible must
put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.