Becoming all things to all men.
1 Corinthians 9:22 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.
It is always important not to take a verse out of its context, otherwise the verse can be misunderstood.
To use this verse as a way of saying that we as Christians should become like our hearers so that we can win them for Christ, must be understood in the context of the whole passage.
Paul begins this passage of scripture by making it clear that Christ has set him free from the law.
1Co 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?
John 8:36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
1 Cor 9:4 – 6 My defense to those who examine me is this: Do we have no right to eat and drink? Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working?
Paul is saying here that he is answerable only to Jesus Christ and the Gospel.
He is free to eat and drink whatever he wants, for he is no longer under the law. If he was married, he would have the freedom to take along a wife.
In Pauls letter to the Galations, he stresses the freedom we have in Christ.
Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Also, he was pointing out that it is not wrong for him to be supported by any church fellowship.
1Co 9:7 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?
1Co 9:8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
1Co 9:9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
Paul quotes directly from the Old Testament here, Deut 25:4 “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.
The ox should be free to eat of the corn which it is treading and it is not wrong for Paul and his companions to live off the Gospel.
Soldiers are paid to fight for their country, farm workers are paid for their work.
Therefore, it should not seem strange to the Corinthian Christians that Paul has the right to be supported by the people he ministers to.
1Co 9:13 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?
1Co 9:14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
This is an acceptable principal.
However Paul goes on to say, 1Co 9:15 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.
On the contrary, Paul was a tent maker by trade and vey often worked as well as preaching, in order to support himself.
Whether he was supported for his ministry or not, the important thing was the preaching of the Gospel.
1 Cor 9: 16b woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!
Paul wasn’t preaching the Gospel for gain and even if he got no support, he was bound to continue preaching, for that was his calling, his commission.
As it is for each one of us. Our commission from Christ is to go into the world and preach the Gospel.
Now we may never be in the same position as Paul where ministry is concerned.
However it raises a question. What rights are we willing to sacrifice for the cause of Jesus?
1Co 9:18 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.
1Co 9:19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
1Co 9:20 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;
1Co 9:21 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.
1Co 9:22 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.
1Co 9:23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
At our online house group, we were looking at the topic of, What is the purpose of the church.
A question came up concerning 1 Cor 9:22 I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
Does this mean that we should become like our hearers so as to win them for Christ.
Taken out of context this verse could be interpreted that the answer is yes.
However, seen in context with the passage, it becomes clear what Paul is actually saying.
The verse, 22 is in context with the passage, where Paul is talking about profiting from the Gospel. He is saying that if his actions cause offense, then he would change out of love and so that he would not offend.
He is not actually becoming like them to win them. Example, he did not actually become a Jew to win the Jew, or an actual Gentile to win a Gentile. He became like a Jew or like a gentile. In the same way, one would not become a drunkard to win a drunkard. The Gospel message is never changed or compromised.
I remember my wife and I having a Christian brother and his wife round for a meal.
The Christians wife was a Muslim.
There is no way that we would have offered her a pork dish or offer her alcohol, because she was a Muslim. For the sake of the Gospel we became like her so as to win her for Christ.
What Paul was saying is that we should not deliberately cause offence. The important thing is being true to the Gospel.
Were we being inconsistent, or hypocritical, for we would normally eat pork or have a glass of wine with a meal.
Of course not but it was for expediency that we would refrain from eating or drinking in the company of anyone that may be offended.
This is for the Gospels sake.
In Acts 21:23-26, Paul participated in Jewish purification ceremonies out of expediency, Paul also let Timothy be circumcised Acts 16:3 to build a bridge between himself and the Jews. He knew it was not necessary and whether Timothy was circumcised or not did not matter.
1 Cor 7:19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters.
Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
To the Jews, he became like a Jew and to the Gentiles, like a Gentile but without compromising the Gospel.
Paul sought to win people to Jesus Christ by being sensitive to their needs and identifying with them. We should try to reach people where they are today and expect to see changes later.
1 Cor 9:22 I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some:
Paul did not change his Gospel, his doctrine or his message to appeal to different groups.
We see this in 1 Cor 1 22,23 where Paul says
1Co 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
1Co 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
1Co 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
1Co 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
However what he would do is change his approach and his behaviour. This does not mean that we become actually like our hearers, for example to a group of foul mouthed people, we would not include foul language in our Gospel message.
We would not engage in things that are contrary to the Gospel to try to win people to the Gospel.
This kind of thing was done in the early 70s with the cult, the Children of God. They sent young girls out into the world, fishing for Jesus. They were told to have sex with men to bring them to Christ.
This was changing the teaching of the Gospel and was dishonouring to Christ.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
People do not get saved just by seeing us live good lives. It may cause them to ask why we live the way we do.
However, God has ordained the way that people get saved and it is through the foolishness of preaching.
This passage of scripture has to do with how we behave and act in certain company, so that we do not bring reproach on the name of Jesus of the Gospel.
Anyone who would do such a thing, cannot base it on anything that was taught by the Apostle Paul.
Paul did not wish to offend people, although he knew that the message of the Gospel would offend.
1 Peter 2:7-8 So the honour is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
1 Cor 9:23 Now this I do for the gospel’s sake:
In everything that Paul did, he had only the Gospel in mind.
Gal 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
