1 Corinthians 9:15-23
15: But I have used none of these things. And I am not writing these things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than have any man make my boast an empty one.
16: For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.
17: For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.
18: What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
19: For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.
20: To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law;
21: to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law.
22: To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.
23: I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.
Paul continued talking about how he did not take advantage of his apostleship rights, requiring support from them, but willingly preached the gospel to make it of no cost to anyone. He said that he was “under compulsion” to preach the gospel. It was something he had to do. He could not not do it, so it was not something he could boast about. No matter what, he had to preach, so if he did it grudgingly then he’d only done what was required of him. There would be no reward in it. Yet Paul chose not only to preach the gospel willingly, but to make it free of charge to others, which was his reward. He went beyond being a simple servant of the Lord—doing what he must do—to become a bond-slave who chose to do what was required of him willingly, joyfully, even sacrificially.
Paul went a step further and identified with those he was preaching to in hopes that he would win them to Christ. Though he was free, he made himself a slave to win more. To the Jew he became a Jew, to those under the Law, he put himself under it so he might win them over. (We see this in Acts 16:3 when Paul had Timothy circumcised for this reason). He said the same regarding those without law and the weak, he became all things to all men so he might by all means save them. Of course, never being without the law of Christ. In this way he carried the heart of the Father and Jesus Himself, sacrificing for the salvation of others.
16: For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.
17: For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.
18: What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
19: For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.
20: To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law;
21: to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law.
22: To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.
23: I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.
***
Paul continued talking about how he did not take advantage of his apostleship rights, requiring support from them, but willingly preached the gospel to make it of no cost to anyone. He said that he was “under compulsion” to preach the gospel. It was something he had to do. He could not not do it, so it was not something he could boast about. No matter what, he had to preach, so if he did it grudgingly then he’d only done what was required of him. There would be no reward in it. Yet Paul chose not only to preach the gospel willingly, but to make it free of charge to others, which was his reward. He went beyond being a simple servant of the Lord—doing what he must do—to become a bond-slave who chose to do what was required of him willingly, joyfully, even sacrificially.
Paul went a step further and identified with those he was preaching to in hopes that he would win them to Christ. Though he was free, he made himself a slave to win more. To the Jew he became a Jew, to those under the Law, he put himself under it so he might win them over. (We see this in Acts 16:3 when Paul had Timothy circumcised for this reason). He said the same regarding those without law and the weak, he became all things to all men so he might by all means save them. Of course, never being without the law of Christ. In this way he carried the heart of the Father and Jesus Himself, sacrificing for the salvation of others.
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