I Corinthians 9

I Corinthians 9

Title: Paul’s rights as an apostle and,

“It’s okay to pay the preacher!”

There are some Churches of Christ today that do not believe in paying the preacher. In fact, they do not believe in having a local preacher at all. For that reason, I think it is important that we understand what the Bible says about this issue.

I believe I am correct in saying that neither the Jehovah’s witnesses, nor the Mormons believe in paying preachers either.

Having said that, let’s look quickly at how chapter 8 ended:

(1 Cor 8:13 NKJV) Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

(1 Cor 9:1 NKJV) 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?

Am I not an apostle? A lengthy defense does not follow, which suggests that his apostleship was not being seriously questioned.

Am I not free? He was free. He freely gave up his right to eat meat if it offended anyone, but he was free to do anything that was lawful.

Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? He did see Jesus on the day to Damascus. It was the Lord’s own call that made Paul an apostle.

Are you not my work in the Lord? In itself, this is not proof of apostleship, but they knew him and his work among them. He had been productive as an apostle. This thought ties to the next verse:

(1 Cor 9:2) 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.

(I Cor 9:3) My defense to those who examine me is this: {4} Do we have no right to eat and drink?

(2 Cor 12:12-13) Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all persever-ance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. {13} For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!

Paul had the right to receive payment from them. He had not exercised this right, and says in 2 Cor 12:13: “Forgive me this wrong!”

It is a sad commentary on human nature, but sometimes that which costs us nothing has much less value than something we have to pay for.

(1 Cor 9:5) Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? {6} Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working?

Barnabas and Paul were the generous ones who gave of themselves, and are not appreciated.

(1 Cor 9:7) 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?

(1 Cor 9:8) Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also? {9} 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? {10} 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 partaker of his hope.

Now a very practical application:

Which is worth more? The spiritual or the material?

(1 Cor 9:11) If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?

What kind of value system do we have?

What is more important?

The physical, or the Spiritual?

There are a lot of applications:

Do I spend money for books or Bible programs?

Do I take time to pray, study and help others?

(1 Cor 9:12) 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.

(2 Cor 11:27 NKJV) in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness;

(1 Cor 9:13) 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?

(1 Cor 9:14) Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.

(1 Cor 9:15) 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. {16} 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! {17} For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. {18} 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.

God may have made Paul a special case!

Remember what he was told when converted.

(Acts 9:15-16 NKJV) But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. {16} "For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake."

Was this part of God’s “Deal” with Paul?

Was Paul to “Pay back” part of the suffering that he had caused others?

Was Paul “required” to preach the gospel?

Did he preach the gospel without charge as a way of showing that was what he really wanted to do?

Paul’s version of How to win Friends and Influence People.

(1 Cor 9:20) 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;

(1 Cor 9:21) 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; {22} 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. {23} Now this I do for the gospel's sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.

(Acts 16:3 NKJV) Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.

(Gal 2:3-4 NKJV) Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. {4} And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), {5} to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

An important Principle:

Don’t do something “to fit in” if it establishes a wrong idea!

(1 Cor 9:24) 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. {25} 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. {26} Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. {27} But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.