Laying Down My Rights for the Sake of The Gospel
Scripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 9:1-14 (NASB)
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 2 If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 My defense to those who examine me is this: 4 Do we not have a right to eat and drink? 5 Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? 6 Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working? 7 Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock?
8 I am not speaking these things according to human judgment, am I? Or does not the Law also say these things? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing.” God is not concerned about oxen, is He? 10 Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops. 11 If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12 If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. 13 Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar? 14 So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.
SUMMARY
Paul explains that he has certain rights as an apostle, and his status as a free man gives him the right to eat and drink, right to take a believing wife, and the right to refrain from working for a living. However, he refrains from these rights in order to avoid any hindrances to the Gospel of Christ.
MEDITATION & REFLECTION
Paul wrote 1 and 2 Corinthians in A.D 54. Even though he had a right to refrain from work and receive financial support from the church, he and Barnabas worked to earn a living. According to Acts 18:3, Paul worked as a tent maker with Priscilla and Aquila so that they will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. He gave up this right to refrain from working, to eat and drink, to take along a believing wife. He gave examples of soldiers who serve at his own expense, a person plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it, and a person who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock. When people who follow Paul’s examples of not taking what is entitled to gather, the place would be heaven. Jesus was the son of God, and he had all the right to use his power and authority, but he did not use the right. In John 10:18, Jesus says, “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”... “I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.”
APPLICATION
My daughter and I had a conversation about beginning on-site learning at her school since her school is private, and is now open for students whose parents need childcare. I have the right to let my kids physically attend school, however, my kids see their elderly grandparents almost everyday. Being elderly, my parents-in-law are vulnerable to the coronavirus, and thus, I need to protect them and prioritize their safety. Therefore, we made the decision not to use our right to begin school on-site, but instead to remain home to protect my parents-in-law. I shared with my daughter how we are putting our desire aside because we love our grandparents, and furthermore, we do not blame them, nor do we boast about our righteous deed.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank you for abiding in me and telling me everyday how I am doing. I listen to You, and You show me how much You love me. I learned about the freedom that I can use for my pleasure, though I would rather not, because I love Christ, and I want to protect the weak. Thank you for the instruction that leads me to eternal life. Help me to love You more, and show Christ through my life to people who do not believe in Jesus Christ. I prayed in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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