Sunday 20Feb2022
1 Corinthians chapter 9 from today's New Testament reading contains the Apostle Paul's explanation of how he gave up his right of receiving payment for his ministry of preaching the gospel, but instead worked for a living (tent-making?), to make the gospel "without charge" to all who listened, believed, and became part of the assembly.
In verses 18 to 23, the apostle further explains that besides preaching the gospel freely without charge, he also made himself under bondage to all to whom he preached, so that he might "gain the more".
In what way did Paul put himself under bondage to all his listeners? verses 20 to 22 tells us in the passage below:
1 Corinthians 9:18 - 23 ASV American Standard Version
18 What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the gospel.
19 For though I was free from all [men,] I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.
20 And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law.
22 To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.
23 And I do all things for the gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof.
From the passage above, we see the Apostle living like a servant "under bondage" to various groups of people to whom he preached in his ministry. When preaching the gospel to the Jews, he became as a Jew to gain the Jews. When preaching to the Gentiles who were not under the Law, he became as one without the Law (all the while living under the Law of the Anointed One) to gain them who were not under the Law. To those who were weak, he became weak like them to gain them who were weak.
Throughout his ministry, he gave up his right to be free, to live freely in his own way. Instead, he became "all things to all men", so that by all means he might save some of them.
Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us emulate the example set for us by the apostle to "become all things to all men" that we might by all means save some who are around us.
