1 Corinthians 9:1-7 says,...
Today's verses 1 Corinthians 9:1-7, which read,
v.1, 2 - Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 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.
Paul has been writing to the Christians in Corinth about issues that have crept into the church. The first was disunity and the creation of groups based on the pride of following an earthly leader. The second was not dealing with known sin in the church and actually boasting that it is okay. The third was solving conflicts in the church with fellow Christians by suing them in the world's court system instead of seeking resolution through God's word. The fourth was the sexual sins and marriage issues. The fifth was the matter of being content in the station in life that one is in. The sixth focused on Christians causing Christians to stumble in their walk with the Lord with their actions. Do you get the idea that the church in Corinth is in poor shape and Paul might feel like giving up on them? This is why we have chapter 9.
Paul gives a series of questions, let me paraphrase them here. "Am I not a Christian? Am I not the one sent to you with the gospel of Christ? Do I not have a testimony of seeing the risen Lord?" Paul may not be an apostle, a sent one, to others but to them he is and the existence of the church is a testimony to the message that he brought to them. Paul continues on with more questions.
v.3-5 - My defense to those who examine me is this: Do we not have a right to eat and drink? 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?
Paul is defending his type of work with the Corinthians. He had a right to receive his "eat and drink" as an apostle for we are to provide for those who spiritually feed us but Paul choose to provide his own way, a tent maker by profession. He had a right to be married but he choose to be single and focus all his attention on the service of the Lord.
In this last phrase, Paul continues to state some of the Biblical principles given early. If he was to be married, it would be to a "believing wife," stressing that Christian singles are to marry Christian singles. He also gives us some added information supporting that Jesus had other physical brothers who were married and that Cephas, i.e. Peter, was also married along with some of the other apostles.
v.6, 7 - Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working? 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?
Paul continues on with the questions. Paul refers back to his old partner Barnabas who also made some decisions as Paul to serve this way even though they could have been provided for my the church.
I think what is going on here is Paul raising another issue that has crept into the church. Paul and Barnabas made a decision to serve this way but it doesn't negate what the Bible says about providing for those who serve the church. Just because Paul and Barnabas didn't ask for support doesn't mean that the church doesn't need to give support when needed to those who are spiritually feeding them. I think Paul might be bringing up that the Corinthian church is not supporting those who have come after them.
A money issue in the church, it had to come up at some point. The messed up church is holding onto God's provisions given to the church for the spread of the gospel. The excuse given for going against this Biblical command to support is "Well, Paul and Barnabas didn't ask for anything." Paul is stating through his questions that he could have and had every right to. The planter of the vineyard in Corinth and the tender of the flock in Corinth could have asked them for support from them, the vineyard and the flock.
It will be interesting to see where this goes and what principles will be drawn out that we need to follow as a church in our day. I can guarantee you it will be more than just about money.
"Lord, Paul has such a heart for this church and the Christians there following Your word. May we have the same kind of heart for the church that we attend. Even when we see our downfalls that we don't give up but rather go back to the Scriptures for Your guidance and redirection to the right path. Keep our eyes and ears open to the transformation that You want to make in the church that we attend. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.1, 2 - Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 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.
Paul has been writing to the Christians in Corinth about issues that have crept into the church. The first was disunity and the creation of groups based on the pride of following an earthly leader. The second was not dealing with known sin in the church and actually boasting that it is okay. The third was solving conflicts in the church with fellow Christians by suing them in the world's court system instead of seeking resolution through God's word. The fourth was the sexual sins and marriage issues. The fifth was the matter of being content in the station in life that one is in. The sixth focused on Christians causing Christians to stumble in their walk with the Lord with their actions. Do you get the idea that the church in Corinth is in poor shape and Paul might feel like giving up on them? This is why we have chapter 9.
Paul gives a series of questions, let me paraphrase them here. "Am I not a Christian? Am I not the one sent to you with the gospel of Christ? Do I not have a testimony of seeing the risen Lord?" Paul may not be an apostle, a sent one, to others but to them he is and the existence of the church is a testimony to the message that he brought to them. Paul continues on with more questions.
v.3-5 - My defense to those who examine me is this: Do we not have a right to eat and drink? 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?
Paul is defending his type of work with the Corinthians. He had a right to receive his "eat and drink" as an apostle for we are to provide for those who spiritually feed us but Paul choose to provide his own way, a tent maker by profession. He had a right to be married but he choose to be single and focus all his attention on the service of the Lord.
In this last phrase, Paul continues to state some of the Biblical principles given early. If he was to be married, it would be to a "believing wife," stressing that Christian singles are to marry Christian singles. He also gives us some added information supporting that Jesus had other physical brothers who were married and that Cephas, i.e. Peter, was also married along with some of the other apostles.
v.6, 7 - Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working? 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?
Paul continues on with the questions. Paul refers back to his old partner Barnabas who also made some decisions as Paul to serve this way even though they could have been provided for my the church.
I think what is going on here is Paul raising another issue that has crept into the church. Paul and Barnabas made a decision to serve this way but it doesn't negate what the Bible says about providing for those who serve the church. Just because Paul and Barnabas didn't ask for support doesn't mean that the church doesn't need to give support when needed to those who are spiritually feeding them. I think Paul might be bringing up that the Corinthian church is not supporting those who have come after them.
A money issue in the church, it had to come up at some point. The messed up church is holding onto God's provisions given to the church for the spread of the gospel. The excuse given for going against this Biblical command to support is "Well, Paul and Barnabas didn't ask for anything." Paul is stating through his questions that he could have and had every right to. The planter of the vineyard in Corinth and the tender of the flock in Corinth could have asked them for support from them, the vineyard and the flock.
It will be interesting to see where this goes and what principles will be drawn out that we need to follow as a church in our day. I can guarantee you it will be more than just about money.
"Lord, Paul has such a heart for this church and the Christians there following Your word. May we have the same kind of heart for the church that we attend. Even when we see our downfalls that we don't give up but rather go back to the Scriptures for Your guidance and redirection to the right path. Keep our eyes and ears open to the transformation that You want to make in the church that we attend. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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