1 Corinthians 9:15-18Earlier in 1 Corinthians 9, Paul argued both that he was an apostle and that he had the right to make a living from his preaching. Paul then explained why he did not want remuneration from them for his ministry. Charles Hodge pointed out in his commentary on 1st Corinthians that Paul had his reward and it had nothing to do with money.
But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
Charles HodgeFrom this same passage, Fee challenges the ministers of the gospel to re-evaluate their concepts of rights.
In other words, Paul’s reward was to sacrifice himself for others. He speaks of his being permitted to serves other gratuitously as a reward. And so it was, not only because it was an honour and happiness to be allowed to serve Christ in thus serving his people; but also because it secured him the confidence of those among whom he labored by proving his disinterestedness. (Hodge, p. 163)
Gordon FeeI had a job where I ran a project that required me to work 70 hours a week for months on end. I completed the project successfully. My boss and co-workers praised me. A couple of months down the road, there was a remodel of the office and a restructure of the department. It turns out that two of the eight DBAs on the team were not "senior" dbas and I was one of the two. When I talked to my boss, I pointed to this project. None of the other DBAs worked as hard during the last year and so successfully. My boss pointed out that I was just doing my job. Another DBA, my mentor, agreed.
Those who are quick to see vv. 4-14 as applicable to today’s ministry would probably do well to spend some time with this paragraph as well, and ask in terms of their own ministries how their “use” of their rights might at the same time become a “misuse”—of such a kind that the gospel itself is not so clearly heard in our day. It would not seem to require a lot of imagination to think of several such misuses, even in the most innocent of circumstances. Then the question really does become one of “rights” over against the gospel. The question is not whether on has the rights, but whether that is important. Those who see their calling as “necessity laid upon them” should also be glad to readjust their lives for the sake of the gospel. (p. 422, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, Revised Edition (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)).
My next big project was a software upgrade. I did not have to work much overtime and only worked a couple of months on the project. We even hired a consultant to help with the technical details. My role was to run the project, do some of the technical work, and coordinate the teams across the company who were affected by the upgrade. The project was done on time. I was promoted shortly thereafter. My boss said he was impressed by how I worked with other teams.
I am oversimplifying how I earned the promotion, but the point is in my first project, my boss and my team expected hard work and technical expertise from me. Hard work and expertise were in the job description of being a database administrator (DBA). In the second project, my boss saw my ability to coordinate work with other teams. This coordination was a skill that was not in the DBA job description; it was a skill that is in a senior staff position description. My boss understood that difference and promoted me.
Paul's point in the passage was similar to my experience. Philosophers and itinerant teachers set up shop in Corinth all the time. These teachers found patrons who supported them while they taught in the city square. Paul, by giving up his right for remuneration, set himself apart from these teachers. Paul was called to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, but if he preached the Gospel just like those who taught false philosophies, how would that glorify Christ? In other situations, Paul had exercised his right to receive payment for his ministry; however, in the case of the Corinthian church, Paul was demonstrating the free gift of the Gospel through preaching to them for free. He argued further in the next paragraph in the chapter that this fiscal freedom allowed him freedom to adapt his ministry to audience. To the Jews, he could preach as a Jew. To the gentiles, he could preach as a gentile. He did not have to worry about adapting his lifestyle to placate a patron.
How to apply this principle to day? For a person who is supported full time in their ministry the parallels are obvious. If you are called to ministry, but only putting your 40 hours a week into the ministry to receive your paycheck, how are you displaying the sacrificial love of Christ? If a pastor treats his ministry like a job, how is that vocation different than a secular counselor or motivational speaker? I am not saying having full time ministry involves working 100 hours a week, but one has to look on how the ministry displays Christ's sacrificial love to the world. One has to look prayerfully at one's rights and see if they are inhibiting the progress of the gospel.
For the Christian who is not supported in their ministries, there are still parallels. Husbands are called to love their wives as Christ loved the Church. (Ephesians 5:25). Christ-like marriages shine forth Gods' love to the world around.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ encouraged his followers to display a God-like love to our enemies.
Matthew 5:43-48As we live out our faith, to show Christ's love to our spouses, neighbors, and the outside world, we must love like Christ did: sacrificially. To display this kind of love, we have to follow the path of the Cross.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Luke 9:23-24 ESV
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
1 Peter 2:21-23
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
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