1Corinthians 9
Outline:
I. \\#1:1-4:21\\ In Answer to Chloe’s Report
II. \\#5:1-6:20\\ In Answer to Common Reports
III. \\#7:1-16:4\\ In Answer to the Church’s Requests
A. \\#7:1-40\\ Counsel Concerning Marriage
1. \\#7:1-9\\ Principles for Married Life
2. \\#7:10-16\\ Principles for the Married Believer
a. \\#10-11\\ Saved to the Saved
b. \\#12-16\\ Saved to the Unsaved
3. \\#7:17-24\\ Principle of Abiding in God’s Call
4. \\#7:25-38\\ Principles for the Unmarried
5. \\#7:39, 40\\ Principles for Remarriage
B. \\#8:1-11:1\\ Meat Offered to Idols
1. \\#8:1-3\\ The Most Important Thing
2. \\#8:4-13\\ Our Actions Should Not Hurt Another
3. \\#9:1-27\\ Keeping Our Rights Should Not Be Our Goal
a. \\#1-14\\ Paul Had Surrendered His Rights
b. \\#15-18\\ Paul’s Point - Voluntary Sacrifice Brings A
Reward
c. \\#19-23\\ Paul’s Reasoning - For the Gospel
d. \\#24-27\\ Paul’s Challenge - It’s the Race That Counts
This chapter and the next are still part of Paul’s answer concerning
meat offered to idols. While it may seem like this chapter is
totally unrelated to the topic at hand, it is not for Paul was still
making the argument that if for no other reason than it might harm
the weaker brother, we ought not eat meats offered to idols. In this
chapter, he used himself as an illustration of one who surrendered
his rights for the sake of another.
\\#8:1-10:33\\ Meat Offered to Idols
\\#8:1-3\\ The Most Important Thing
\\#8:4-13\\ Right Truths Leading to Wrong Answers
I. \\#9:1-27\\ Paul Had Sacrificed His Rights
A. \\#1-14\\ Paul asked eighteen questions (and made a few
statements) to point out that he was sacrificing more than he
had to sacrifice.
1Cor 9:1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free?
have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye
my work in the Lord?
1. \\#1\\ Yes, Paul was an authenticated Apostle of Jesus
Christ.
1Cor 9:2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet
doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine
apostleship are ye in the Lord.
2. \\#2-3\\ A statement - Even if others don’t think so, the
Corinthians should know that he was.
a. Paul’s primary purpose was not to authenticate his
ministry in these verses, but he did wander a little
bit to do so.
b. The statement does not advance the argument that Paul
was an example of a believer who had sacrificed his
rights, as much as to emphasis that the Corinthians,
like the other churches he had been to should not be
the ones to question Paul’s calling since they had
benefited from it.
1Cor 9:3 Mine answer to them that do examine
me is this,
c. \\#3\\ Paul acknowledged that there were some who
questioned his apostleship however; and the fact that
he had not profited from his service but rather had
paid much to be in the service should help to prove
that.
3. Yes, Paul had "rights" just like every other person.
("power" means the authority or the right."
1Cor 9:4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?
a. This is not the right to eat and to drink in
abundance, but just to eat and drink, an indication
that Paul did always have enough to eat and drink!
5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a
wife, as well as other apostles, and as the
brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
b. This indicates that Paul was single and Cephas (Peter)
was married.
c. Paul had given up the right to be married.
6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to
forbear working?
d. Paul and Barnabas kept working, giving up the right to
be provided for by the church and people to whom he
ministered.)
7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own
charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not
of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock,
and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
e. And who does that? Both warriors and farmers live off
the fruit of their labor, but not Paul.
8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the
law the same also?
f. And Paul was not the only one to say that he has the
right to live off of the fruit of his labor.
(1) God also said it in the Law.
(2) Paul will quoted \\#De 25:4\\:
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou
shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that
treadeth out the corn….
g. And will then point out, via another question and
answer, that God was not JUST concerned for the oxen
when He said that, but for everyone.
9 …Doth God take care for oxen?
10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For
our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he
that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he
that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his
hope.
(1) No!
(2) This command was just for the ox but for people
too.
11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is
it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal
things?
h. Paul made the point that since he sowed spiritual
seed, he should not just receive carnal rewards;
although he did not specify what a proper reward
for sowing spiritual seed might be.
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.
(1) And Paul added that he and Barnabas should
certainly receive this gift since others who had
not been apostles seemed to be receiving it.
(Although Paul made no reference to who that
might be.)
(2) Paul quickly added that he had never demanded
these rights.
(3) But instead suffered that the gospel might not be
hindered.
i. Not just the oxen, but Paul asked two questions about
the Jewish priests which tells us that they were
provided for in their ministry.
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?
j. Then a statement to say this is what the Lord had
ordained.
14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they
which preach the gospel should live of the
gospel.
B. \\#15-18\\ Paul’s Point - Voluntary Sacrifice Brings A Reward
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.
1. Paul neither demanded nor requested that these things be
done for him.
2. Indeed, he thought it would be better if he died due to
lacking than to do anything to hinder his "glorying."
a. Paul was not taking death likely, especially when it
would appear to the world that the Lord had not been
able to take care of Paul.
b. But entirely the opposite. Because God did take care
of Paul, Paul would not take the glory away from Him
by commanding or asking men to do it.
c. God may use men to meet Paul’s needs, but it would be
God—not Paul—who would tell them to do so!
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!
3. \\#16\\ Paul knew he had done nothing to glory or brag
about.
a. Even his preaching was because God left him no choice
(It was a "necessity" that he preach); and there
would be "woe," judgment, on him if he did not.
b. \\#17\\ But because he preached "willingly," God would
give him a reward.
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.
(1) And so Paul had been hesitant to command the
Corinthians NOT to eat meat offered to idols.
(2) In doing so, they would merely be obeying a
command and thus lose some of the reward for
voluntarily abstaining from it.
c. And so Paul preached without charge to receive a
greater reward from the Lord.
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.
(1) Paul’s question was to ask, "What am I doing that
I might have a reward then?"
(2) His answer was "Preaching without charge and
making sure I do not abuse my authority."
(3) Hence, to voluntarily sacrifice a right or
privilege, will earn a reward.
(a) Was Paul teaching that the Corinthians
should preach the gospel without charge?
i. No.
ii. That was Paul’s example.
(b) What Paul was teaching is that the
Corinthians should voluntarily abstain from
meats offered to idols.
(c) And the principal is that all Christians
should make sacrifices for others and in so
doing, we shall receive a greater reward.
C. \\#19-23\\ Paul’s Reasoning - For the Gospel
1. \\#19\\ Paul, still using himself as the example and
illustration, declares that he has stripped away his
rights and become everyone’s servant so that he might
"gain the more."
19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I
made myself servant unto all, that I might gain
the more.
a. Although Paul was a free man, yet he had made himself
everyman’s servant.
b. He claimed none of the rights which were his by being
born a Roman.
c. Why? That he might "gain the more."
(1) Some might think that he was still speaking of
eternal rewards, but I do not.
(2) I think Paul’s purpose in self-denial was to win
more souls to Jesus.
(3) This will be certain by the time we get to
\\#22\\.
(a) The liberals who want to use these verses to
justify questionable behavior need to
understand that Paul neither stood for his
own rights nor denied his own rights for
his own pleasures and comforts.
(b) His purpose for whatever actions he did—and
the only ones mentioned are actions of
denial—for the cause of Jesus Christ.
2. \\#20-23\\ What did you do, Paul, to win others to Jesus?
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I
might gain the Jews; to them that are under the
law, as under the law, that I might gain them
that are under the law;
21 To them that are without law, as without law,
(being not without law to God, but under the law
to Christ,) that I might gain them that are
without law.
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might
gain the weak: I am made all things to all men,
that I might by all means save some.
23 And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I
might be partaker thereof with you.
a. \\#20\\ When with the Jews, Paul behaved as a Jew that
he might win those who behaved as Jews.
b. When with those who lived under the Law, Paul behaved
as one that lived under the Law that he might win
those who behaved as under the Law.
(1) Paul did these things not in a hypocritical
fashion, but in an open and honest manner.
(2) Paul did not behave so to deceive them into
believing he was one of them, but to get close
enough to them so he could share the gospel
without offending.
(3) Neither was Paul going against grace nor
returning to the Law for Paul was always open
and honest with the people.
(4) Paul simply used the grace God had given him to
be and meet as many people as he could so that
he might share the gospel with them.
c. \\#21\\ To those not under the Law (Gentiles), Paul
lived like one not under the Law that he might win
those who lived out from under the Law.
(1) And Paul emphasized that he never lived like one
out from under God’s Law of right and wrong.
(2) He always lived in obedience to Jesus Christ, who
would not have anyone to be an adulterer, liar,
murderer, or any other kind of law breaker.
(3) In this statement, Paul pointed out that the Old
Testament broke down into TWO PARTS.
(a) God’s eternal law, which included morals for
proper living. These laws operate in every
dispensation.
(b) God’s Jewish law, which was for the Jews,
but has been set aside for the time being
because God has rejected His people as they
have rejected Him.
d. \\#22\\ To the weak, Paul became as one who was weak
so that he might win the weak to the Lord.
e. He was "all things to all men" that "by all" righteous
"means" see some saved.
(1) Paul never compromised with the world to win a
sinner, and he never said he did.
(2) Those who imply so are taking the passage out of
context.
(3) In context, Paul was using himself as an example
or self-sacrifice and surrender for the sake of
others.
D. \\#24-27\\ Paul’s Challenge - It’s the Race That Counts
1. All Christians are in a race, and we want to win.
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run
all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye
may obtain.
2. But this is not a race to be won by defeating others or
living selfishly.
3. So Paul, still being the illustration, kept himself under
control so that he could win his prize.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so
fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into
subjection: lest that by any means, when I have
preached to others, I myself should be a
castaway.
4. The very last thing he wanted to become was a "castaway,"
a derelict, cast upon some beach broken and busted.
At the end of this chapter, Paul had used his life to make a point.
Life is not about getting everything we deserve, but about doing what
is necessary for the "gospel’s sake!"
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