1 Coríntios 9
Steven Cole · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 Coríntios 9
Cole - 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 Winning Others to Christ) Jack Arnold - By way of background, in chapter eight, the Apostle Paul dealt with the subject of doubtful things or questionable practices. In the case of the Corinthians, it was meat offered to idols. Paul’s conclusion was that a Christian had the liberty to eat the meat but it became a sin if the eating of that meat caused a brother who was weak in conscience to sin. He also pointed out that the mature brother should set aside his liberty in love to help the weak brother not to stumble and to enable him to grow up and understand the grace of God. The strong brother is not to insist upon his rights, giving up that which is alright to practice for the unity of the body of Christ. Love always causes the Christian to forego liberties and privileges. In chapter nine, Paul deals with those in the Corinthian Church who had difficulty setting aside their rights. They probably said, "I'm not going to give up my rights for any legalistic, narrow-minded Christian.” In effect, they were saying, “We are too mature, too advanced in our knowledge of Christian doctrine to make that kind of adjustment” Perhaps they had said to Paul, ‘Do you practice what you preach? Do you give up your liberties? Do you sacrifice your own rights?” In this section of Scripture Paul uses his own life as an example of one who gave up all kinds of rights to be effective for Christ. He demonstrates how he, as a minister of Christ, had a right to financial support from the local churches, but because of love for the Corinthians and for the purity of the gospel, he set that right aside, taking up secular employment to finance his preaching. Am I not free? - The sentence begins with a negative (ouk) which in questions expects the answer "yes." Paul is free! Paul had liberty just like any other Christian, but he didn’t always use that liberty. Notice how Paul connects this chapter with the previous chapter. He had just spoken of the "liberty" (1 Cor 8:9+) of those who potentially were stumbling weaker brothers and how he had given up his liberty (1 Cor 8:13+) and here he states (with a rhetorical question) that he is at liberty or free in Christ (cf Ro 8:2+, Jn 8:32, 36, 2 Cor 3:17+, Gal 5:1+). Chapter 9 illustrates from Paul's own life the principle he had proclaimed in (1 Cor 8:13+), for it shows that even though he had the right to receive remuneration as an apostle, he relinquished his right. THOUGHT - Paul's example recalls how he calls us all to be (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) imitators of Him as he is of Christ Jesus (1 Cor 11:1+), which raises the question - Is their any right (which is rightfully mine) that I need to relinquish for the sake of the Gospel of peace and the glory of the Lord? How about my rights in my marriage? Is there anything that is calling for me to deny and die to self (Mk 8:34+)? Just wondering? Warren
1 Coríntios 9
Cole - 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 Winning Others to Christ)
1 Coríntios 9
Cole - These verses throb with Paul’s passion to reach the lost: “that I may win more” (1Cor 9:19); “that I may win Jews” (1Cor 9:20); “that I may win those who are under the Law” (1 Cor 9:20); “that I might win those who are without law” (1Cor 9:21); “that I might win the weak” (1Cor 9:22); “that I may by all means save some” (1Cor 9:22); “I do all things for the sake of the gospel” (1Cor 9:23). Back in 1 Cor 9:16, Paul says that he was under compulsion to preach the gospel. He didn’t control it; it controlled him. The man was obsessed! If it were not the apostle Paul and if this were not inspired Scripture, some theologically correct brothers might say, “Paul, don’t you know that you can’t save anyone? Only God can save people. So relax, will you? If God has chosen to save them, then He will do that without your help!” That’s what a pious minister told William Carey 220 years ago when he proposed taking the gospel to India. But both Carey and the apostle Paul realized that the sovereign God uses means to save His elect. He uses men and women who are compelled by the goal of saving some. Does the goal of saving lost people grip you? Is it your passion, as it was Paul’s? (Winning Others to Christ) To those who are without law, as without law - Those without the law refers to Gentiles. Paul has divided the world into two groups, Jews and Gentiles and here seeks to be all things to both groups, in order to win some.
1 Coríntios 9
Cole - When Paul was with them (THE GENTILES), he could lay aside the non-moral aspects of the Law of Moses and live culturally like a Gentile. He is quick to clarify that he was not without God’s law, but under the law of Christ, which refers to the moral aspects of God’s law. Paul would never use profanity or tell dirty jokes to relate to lost people. But he would eat meat offered to idols to reach Gentiles (1 Cor. 10:27-31). Paul’s overall point is that we need to understand where a person is at and not do things in our behavior or manners that needlessly offend them. The message of the cross may well offend them (1 Cor 1:18+), but we should not be personally offensive to them. Don’t make non-gospel issues the issue. Make the gospel the issue. (Winning Others to Christ) Alan Redpath - To the Gentiles he became as one of them in their freedom, yet he never forgot that he was the Lord’s bond-slave and therefore under His authority. Paul did not compromise his position in the sight of heaven, but he went right alongside those men in their need and sin to win them for Jesus.
1 Coríntios 9
Cole - This is always a struggle and it’s easy to err on both sides. Some professing Christians, such as the Amish, withdraw from the world and are so culturally distinct that they have virtually no impact in terms of saving any. The world just looks at them as being weird. They aren’t of the world, but neither are they in the world. On the other hand, in their attempt to reach the world, other professing Christians become so much like the world that they lose their holiness and compromise the gospel. For example, I’ve read of pastors that freely use profanity and churches that use secular hard rock music (with lewd lyrics) to lure young people into the building. They’re in the world, but they’re also of the world. Jesus calls us to be in the world, but not to be of the world (John 17:15-16). He was known as the friend of sinners, but He never compromised His holiness. One way to keep our balance is to keep our goal in view at all times: “to save some.” Your reason for going into the world is not to cavort with them, but to snatch them out of the flames (Jude 23). And, a second goal that Paul mentions is (1Cor 9:23), “so that I may become a fellow partaker of it [the gospel].” Along with those he sees come to faith in Christ, Paul wants to share in the eternal blessings of the gospel. If Charlie, the converted alcoholic (see illustration), had said, “Now that I’m a Christian, I won’t go into bars,” he never would have reached Gib Martin. On the other hand, if Charlie had gone into bars and started drinking and carousing again, he never would have reached Gib Martin. To win others to Christ, we have to go where they’re at so that we will get opportunities to present the gospel to them. But we need to be distinct in our lifestyle and behavior so that we don’t compromise the message that we have to give them. Brian Bell - As Weak – they could be easily offended & slip back into sin. We must restrain our liberties while we are w/them. Weak (sick, helpless) (772) asthenes from a = without + sthénos = strength, bodily vigor) (See study of related verb astheneo - note the concentration of asthenes/astheneo in the epistles to the Corinthians - almost 50% of NT uses) is literally without strength or bodily vigor. Asthenes describes one's state of limited capacity to do or be something and is used literally of physical weakness (most of the uses in the Gospels) and figuratively of weakness in the spiritual arena (weak flesh, weak conscience, weak religious system or commandment [Gal 4:9, Heb 7:18], etc) and thus powerlessness to produce results. Asthenes - 22x - Matt. 25:43; Matt. 25:44; Matt. 26:41; Mk. 14:38; Lk. 10:9; Acts 4:9; Acts 5:15; Acts 5:16; Ro 5:6; 1 Co. 1:25; 1 Co. 1:27; 1 Co. 4:10; 1 Co. 8:7; 1 Co. 8:9; 1 Co. 8:10; 1 Co. 9:22; 1 Co. 11:30; 1 Co. 12:22; 2 Co. 10:10; Gal. 4:9; 1 Th 5:14; Heb. 7:18 I have become all things to all men, so that (term of purpose) I may by all means save some - Become is perfect tense which speaks of the abiding result of his action in the past. Note all the "all's!" Paul's great desire is the salvation of some. He is willing to become all things to all men, but he is realistic and knows that he cannot see all saved but only some. “Give me 100 preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen; they alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.” -- John Wesley
1 Coríntios 9
Cole - There is a goal that we must own: by all means to save some. When we read these words, we all must ask, “Is that my goal?” Maybe you’re wondering, “Should it be my goal? Isn’t that just a goal for an apostle or missionary or for someone gifted in evangelism?” But Jesus said that He came to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10+), and we are to become like Him. And Paul said (1 Cor. 10:33+), “Just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.” Then he immediately adds (1Cor 11:1+), “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” So while we all have different gifts, we should purpose to use them for the ultimate goal of seeing lost people get saved....But maybe I can be God’s instrument in saving some. Begin praying for those you have contact with who don’t know Christ. Pray for opportunities to present the gospel to them. It is a realistic goal to ask God to use you to save some. Nothing is more worthy of your time and effort than helping people get rightly related to God. Nothing will help the world more than leading people to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Nothing will help families more than leading family members to Christ. A worthy goal deserves worthy means of achieving it. When Paul says that he uses “all means” to save some (1Cor 9:22), in the context he means that he is willing to lay aside all of his rights to bring someone to Christ. He does not mean that the end justifies any means. I read about a church in Texas that attracted 23,000 to its Easter services by advertising that they would give away 16 cars and millions in prizes, including bicycles, furniture sets, flat-screen TV’s, and 15,000 gift envelopes stuffed with coupons for goods and services valued at $300 each (World, May 8, 2010, p. 30). The pastor justified it by saying that it gave them a chance to offer the free gift of heaven to those who came. He claims that thousands received Christ because of the giveaway. But I think he cheapened the gospel by making it seem like an extra door prize that you can take home with your new TV set! It was not a worthy means for the worthy message of the gospel. (Winning Others to Christ) Fellow partaker (4791)(sugkoinonos from sun = with + koinonos - partaker) means literally "partaker with" and so describes one who takes part in something along with another. Louw-Nida - one who shares jointly with someone else in a possession or relationship, with emphasis upon that which is in common Jack Arnold - Christian, what is your heart beat? Have you come to the place your experience where you can say, "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some”? God sovereignly saves sinners, but He does not save apart from the means of evangelism, prayer, dedication and commitment. Do you witness for Christ? Is evangelism a priority in your thinking? Is world missions foremost in your thoughts? Do you make attempts to invite people to church (statistics will show that one out of four will come)? Do you make time in your schedule to do things which are directly related to reaching the world for Christ? Remember, Christian, without evangelism you and your local church will dry up spiritually. Swindoll - Our human ways are based on what seems fair. We firmly believe that when someone does what is right, rewards and blessings result. When someone does what is wrong, there are serious consequences, even punishment. But that’s our way, not necessarily God’s way. At least not immediately. He’s been known to allow unfair treatment to occur in the lives of some absolutely innocent folks—for reasons far more profound and deep than they or we could have imagined. Loving Freely Now this I do for the gospel's sake, that I may be partaker of it with you. —1 Corinthians 9:23 Today's Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:7-23 A woman desperately needed a kidney transplant. The outlook for her was not good unless a compatible donor could be found. Then came the break. The woman’s brother offered to be the donor. His personal sacrifice seemed to provide the perfect solution; their matching blood types made successful surgery almost certain. But then came the catch. The brother was willing to give the kidney as a gift, but he wanted $25,000 for the stress he would suffer. The sister, deeply offended by the apparent profit motive, rejected her brother’s terms and decided to take her chances in finding another donor. This story illustrates two spiritual principles found in 1 Corinthians 9. The first is that a worker has a right to be compensated for his personal sacrifice (v.14). The second is that doing things for others without monetary reward is sometimes the only appropriate action (v.18). In Paul’s case, he wanted his personal sacrifice to be a testimony of the reality of his relationship to the Lord. His desire to help the Corinthians was best served, he felt, by being a model of faith and love without any monetary consideration. The worker's worthy of his hire— His wages he can claim; But by the grace of God we can Give love in Jesus' name. —Sper Those who serve God only for money are spiritually bankrupt. 1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Amplified - Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but [only] one receives the prize? So run [your race] that you may lay hold [of the prize] and make it yours. NLT - Remember that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. You also must run in such a way that you will win.
1 Coríntios 9:25
Cole notes that Paul uses egkrateuomai "to refer to an athlete who exercises self-control in all things so that he may win the wreath. He doesn’t do anything that would hinder him from his goal. An elder (Ed: These words just as easily could apply to all saints) must have control over harmful desires or habits that would interfere with knowing Christ more deeply or with being an effective shepherd of God’s flock. He will be disciplined about spending time alone with God in the Word and prayer. (Egkrates/enkrates) is the last of the fruits of the Spirit (Ga 5:23-note), which grow in us as we walk daily by means of the Spirit (Ga 5:16-note). (Learning to Control Yourself) Self-control means mastering one’s emotions rather than being mastered by them. Lack of self control played a significant role in abominable words and deeds of the false teachers Peter exposed in chapter 2 of his second epistle. For speaking out arrogant (Note they have no control over their pride, a sin which goes before destruction Pr 16:18, 18:12, 29:23) words of vanity they (the false teachers continually [present tense]) entice (deleazo) by fleshly desires ("Desires [epithumia] of the flesh", those strong feelings that emanate from the fallen flesh. Notice to what these false teachers make their appeal! The godless flesh), by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome (conquered), by this he is enslaved (perfect tense = a permanent state of bondage). (2Pe 2:18-note, 2Pe 2:19-note) Comment: The false teachers in 2 Peter claimed that "liberty" was a warrant for licentiousness rather than for life as it should be lived in the Spirit. These men instead of self control were "sensuality controlled", enslaved to greed and fleshly desires (lusts). They believed and taught that knowledge freed people from the need to control their passions. The writer of Proverbs alludes to the subject of self control writing that He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city. (Proverbs 16:32) (About Temper) Comment: Have you ever tried in your own strength (self effort) to control your temper or restrain the desire follow through with a sudden outburst of anger? I have and it might work for a moment, but Sin remains crouching at the door of my mind and heart just waiting for the opportunity to "pounce" (cp Ge 4:5, 6, 7), and unfortunately it often does. How difficult is it for us to achieve victory in this area? The writer says that it is easier to gain a victory over a city (and in ancient times these were walled, well fortified cities, totally unlike our modern cities!) then to conquer one's temper! In my own strength I cannot control the overwhelming, powerful, compelling urge to lash out, but the Spirit of the Gentle Shepherd can control it as I yield my "rights" to Him and rest in His sufficiency to enable me to work out my salvation in the area of "Anger Management 101" MacDonald (Ref) adds that "Peter the Great, although one of the mightiest of the Czars of Russia, failed here. In a fit of temper he struck his gardener, and a few days afterwards the gardener died. “Alas,” said Peter, sadly, “I have conquered other nations, but I have not been able to conquer myself! Woe! There, beloved, is a picture of all of us apart from the grace of God (1Cor 15:10) and the controlling fruit of the Spirit of God!" In another pithy proverb, Solomon gives a vivid picture of the danger of the lack of self-control writing… Like a city that is broken into and without walls is a man who has no control over his spirit. (Pr 25:28) (See sermon on Pr 25:28 by Robert