seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
1 Corinthians 9:19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
This is from the commentary.Lest when I have preached to others: Paul sees himself as both a herald of the games (who announced the rules), and as a participant. Paul told others the rules of the game, and he had to follow the rules himself.
Lest… I myself should become disqualified: In this context, disqualified probably doesn’t refer to the loss of salvation (no Greek’s citizenship was revoked upon losing), but the loss of reward.
Yesterday I said Paul was all about the rules and restrictions.Yesterday I said Paul was all about himself. There are nine verses here.... how many times do you see the word "I"? I counted 16 times.
Have you ever known a preacher who thought more of themselves than the message? Oh, I'm sure you have, but they were probably hiding behind a book held upside down, or a collar, or a robe. I've seen a couple of them just recently on television. They have the best choirs and the most energy [due to their delicious chewable vitamins] and the biggest stage that makes their pulpit look like it's 20 feet tall.
I regularly attended one church that was really into the "rule of law". It was way before the phrase became a catch phrase. This church made a rule that to belong to this church, you could not smoke. They would not entertain your request to join their church unless you first quit smoking. This is also the church that threw a woman out of the church because she had a "special" relationship with the married preacher. [The preacher got a bigger church.]
I heard one Methodist preacher tell the congregation that he would quit preaching and walk away, if the church let homosexuals join the church. Admittedly, there was a time when I would have shared his belief.... and I can blame that on a man who claimed to be a preacher of a church that met in a gay bar. It was his conduct that caused that hateful feeling.
Paul was all about the "rule of law". There were inconvenient laws, like circumcision. There were tedious laws, like kosher rules. There were social laws, like bathing and sexual preferences.
How many times has Paul mentioned Christ or God? He readily admits that he will change his tune to draw a crowd in verse 22. Read the whole verse again, please.... Who does he credit for the Salvation of the people he's been singing to? It's in the verse.... "I".
Paul claims he was building a church. Was the church built for "I" or for Christ? Was the church built on his "rule of law" or Christ? Was the church built for the Gospel or was it formed around the offering box? Was the homeless widow invited, or did you have to have more than one coin in your purse and purchase the right perfume?
Paul could not bring Salvation.... no matter how many thingies he saved from the cutting tool.
Salvation doesn't hinge on the "rule of law".
My online Bible says these verses are about Paul's use of his freedom and the need for self-discipline. I just realized; there are two "i"(s) in the word "thingies" and there are no "i"(s) in the word Grace.
Salvation doesn't depend on the "rule of law".
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