Believers must yield rights
Key Verses: 3, 7, 14, 18, 22, 24, 27
Have you ever had to defend yourself against an unfair onslaught of false accusations? I can tell you from personal experience, it is not at all fun! Paul was facing this from the very people he had led to faith in Christ. They should have been his greatest defenders. They knew his character and his integrity. But instead, Paul has to lay out his credentials to them. Other apostles drew a living from their work, but Paul did not. Paul remained single, but others didn’t, reducing the burden on them. Paul continued to work his profession while he preached, which the others did not do.
Those whose primary work is sharing the Gospel have the right to receive compensation for what they do. This principle makes sense in other areas of life, soldiering, farming, and herding, why not with preaching. Even animals when they are helping with the harvest get to eat some of what they are harvesting. This is the reason we often pay our pastors at church. This is a sound Biblical principle, which Paul presents to the Corinthians in this rebuke.
Paul is willing to serve anyone in an effort to win them to Christ. He is not too proud to serve in the small things. He adapts. So you adapt the way you bring the message of hope, the unchanging Good News, depending on who you are trying to reach? Or do you present it from a can? When someone is hurting, talk about the comfort He brings. When they feel weak, talk about His strength. On all occasions, pray for wisdom. We shift our approach to present the whole Gospel in a way that they can hear, always sensitive to the direction of the Spirit. Not everyone will respond to someone shouting about the end of the world on the street corner. Some will, but many won’t. Some will respond to a cup of coffee and a good conversation about their kids.
And in all this, Paul knows it takes discipline to finish life well. It can be easy to slack off our spiritual disciplines as life goes on. We must take charge of ourselves and push forward to the prize, as Paul illustrates it. We do this so that others would hear the message of hope found in the Gospel and respond positively. It is not about our comfort or convenience. It is about eternity.
The Arnold Journey 