Learning from Paul’s Sacrifice of his Privileges, Rev Dr John Kwasi Fosu

Amazing Grace Baptist Church, Hamburg Bible Study material on 1 Cor 9:15-27

In our previous lesson, we learn about Paul’s strategy of promoting the gospel denying himself of his privileges. Though he had all these privileges, Paul did not use them (verses 12 and 15). This lesson focuses on other several reasons Paul gives to explain why.

Paul’s motivating reasons for sacrificing his privileges

The following presents some reasons Paul gives for his strategy. These include making the Gospel free, working independently, winning many souls and making eternal rewards.

Paul wanted to make the Gospel free (verses 15-18)

Paul gloried in a free Gospel of free grace! As one writer says, “Paul’s pay was to get no pay!” He preached the Gospel willingly and rejoiced at the privilege.

“But even if I did not preach willingly,” says Paul, “I would still have to preach, because God has committed a stewardship to me.” There is a practical principle here: we should do nothing that would reflect badly on the grace of God and the free offer of salvation.

Paul wanted to work independently (1 Cor 9:19).

More than one pastor has preached an easy gospel message because of money. Some pastors dare not offend members who give a lot of money.  Paul wanted no master but Jesus.

He wanted to win as many as possible (verses 19-23).

Though Paul enjoyed freedom as a worker, he willingly made himself the servant of all men that he might win them to the Messiah. This does not mean that Paul followed the worldly slogan, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” That would be a compromise rooted in fear.

Paul’s attitude was based on love, not fear. He was not lowering his standards. Rather, he was laying aside his personal privileges. It was not hypocrisy, but sympathy.  He tried to understand those who needed the Lord and enter into their experiences. He was a Jew, so he used this as a key to open the Jewish heart. He was a Roman citizen, so he used this as a key to open the door to the Gentiles.

Paul sympathised with the weak and encouraged them. “All things to all men” (1 Cor. 9:22) simply means the wonderful ability to accommodate ourselves to others, understand them, and seek to lead them into the knowledge of our Lord. Paul used tactfully in dealing with people.  He willingly sacrificed his own privileges to win the lost.

Paul wanted to gain a lasting reward (1 Cor. 9: 24-27).

What good are daily privileges if we lose our eternal reward? Every believer needs to govern his or her life “with eternity’s values in view.”

For Paul to set aside his personal privileges meant discipline and hard work, and he describes this discipline in verses 24-27. His illustration from the Greek games was familiar to his readers, for the famous Isthmian Games (similar to the Olympics) were held near Corinth. The contestants had to discipline themselves and lay aside even good things in order to win a prize. If athletes can give up their rights in order to win a fading olive-leaf crown, certainly believers can lay aside privileges to win an eternal crown! Only one athlete could win each event at the Isthmian Games, but all believers are given the opportunity to win the Messiah’s approval.

Paul’s fear of becoming a castaway had nothing to do with his salvation. He is not talking about salvation but service. We are not saved running the race and winning, we run the race because we are saved (Philippians 3:12-16 and  Hebrews 12:1-3). The word “disapproved, disqualified” is translated “not well pleased” in 10:5. Paul compares himself to the man who called the athletes into the arena, yet who himself did not pass the tests to be a contestant!  Paul was not afraid of losing his salvation but of losing his reward for faithful, sacrificial service.

Conclusion

Building God’s Kingdom and for that matter, God’s church calls for making sacrifices. This lesson has focused on learning how Paul sacrificed his privileges in order to win souls and to gain eternal rewards. What sacrifices are you willing to offer for the sake of building God’s church?