1 Corinthians (Written)

Monday, 22 September 2014

And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 1 Corinthians 9:25

In his previous verse, Paul wrote that there are many runners in a race, but only one would receive the crown. He then implored those in Corinth to run their course in Christ in the same manner, setting aside all encumbrances and looking towards the Prize. Now, still using the Isthmian games as his metaphor, he tells them that “everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things.”

Ancient writers note that those who were involved in the preparation for these games required ten full months of training, right up to the moment before the games began. Much of their training involved not only physical conditioning, but dietary restrictions as well. The thoughts of two commentators from those times read:

Epictetus – “Thou must be orderly, living on spare food; abstain from confections; make a point of exercising at the appointed time, in heat and in cold; nor drink cold water nor wine at hazard.”

Horace – “The youth who would win in the race hath borne and done much; he hath sweat and been cold; he hath abstained from love and wine”

Such extreme conditioning would have been known to the people at Corinth and so Paul, without extra comment, states this in the plain form that the athlete was “temperate in all things.” In this simple expression, he was intimating to those at Corinth (and thus to us) that we have an obligation to be temperate as well. We cannot expect to live an antinomian existence and feel that we are properly conditioning ourselves as we strive towards the Prize. Freedom in Christ is not freedom to sin. Rather it is freedom from sin.

Paul continues with his thought, noting that those who participated in these games conditioned themselves in this manner in order “to obtain a perishable crown, be we for an imperishable crown.” Think of the difference! The athlete in these ancient games was striving for temporary notoriety and a crown that would literally fall apart in a very short amount of time. The leaves would fall off, the twigs would become brittle and eventually break, insects could destroy it in a few hours, or any thief could carry it off and it would be gone. It was a temporary reminder of a temporary honor. All of that intense conditioning for something so ephemeral in nature.

On the other hand, the crown that we are striving for is an eternal one. It will never fade, never be taken away, and never lose its luster. Paul asks us to consider this and to determine that we will strive even more rigorously for our crown than those of the Isthmian games strived, simply because our reward is so much greater; infinitely greater because it is eternal.

Life application: In this verse and the preceding verse he has made some notable contrasts that we should remember. The first is that of the earthly race which was in hopes of earthly results in contrast to the spiritual race which is in hopes of spiritual results. The second is that there was only one crown given in the earthly competition in contrast to the idea that all can obtain the crown in the spiritual race. And the third is that the crown in the earthly race is temporary and corruptible in contrast to the heavenly crown which is incorruptible and eternal. In all ways, the end result of the spiritual race is superior. Because of this, our conditioning in this race should also be superior in all ways.

Lord, the race is set before me and the reward is an eternal crown that will never fade, never perish, and which will never be taken away. If I strive for prizes in this earthly walk which will fade away in time, how much more should I strive with all of my existence and every fiber of my being for that wondrous crown which You have promised? Help me to remember this and to determine each day to do my very best for the high honor of receiving Your everlasting crown of life! Amen.

Sunday, 21 September 2014

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 1 Corinthians 9:24

In this verse, Paul moves from his thoughts concerning serving men in order to impress upon them the gospel of Christ (verses 19-23), to his desire to run the race and receive the prize set before him (verses 24-27). In this, he begins with “Do you not know…?” This is way of saying, “You certainly know.” The reference he will now make will be to the Isthmian Games which took place on the Isthmus of Corinth. They were comparable to our modern Olympics and were something every person would be aware of. In Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers, he describes these games:

“These, like the other games of Greece—the Olympian, Pythian, and Nemean—included every form of athletic exercise, and stood on an entirely different footing from anything of the kind in modern times. For the Greek, these contests were great national and religious festivals. None but freemen could enter the lists, and they only after they had satisfied the appointed officers that they had for ten months undergone the necessary preliminary training. For thirty days previous to the contest the candidates had to attend the exercises at the gymnasium, and only after the fulfilment of these conditions were they allowed, when the time arrived, to contend in the sight of assembled Greece. Proclamation was made of the name and country of each competitor by a herald. The victor was crowned with a garland of pine leaves or ivy. The family of the conqueror was honoured by his victory, and when he returned to his native town he would enter it through a breach in the walls, the object of this being to symbolise that for a town which was honoured with such a citizen no walls of defence were needful.”

This is the reference Paul is making. The athletes of his time, and those of ours as well, have the same end goal in common. They “all run, but one receives the prize.” There was only one victor’s wreath then and there is only one gold medal now. Those who are capable, well-trained, and endure the rigors of the race are the ones who win and receive their reward. Paul tells those in Corinth to act this way in their race to the finish. Writing to all, but with each individual in mind, he hints that each should “run in such a way that you may obtain it.”

He will continue with his thoughts on this for three more verses, showing the necessity for each of us to train with rigor and to persevere in our steps all of our days as we look forward to the Prize which awaits us.

Life application: Paul’s use of an athlete who strives to be the champion in the Isthmian games is an excellent example for us. We can look at those who work towards the gold medal in the modern Olympic games and understand what he was referring to. These people put out maximum effort for the thing they desired. If our desire is truly Christ, then we should be even more willing to put out all we can in order to please Him. We have one short life in which to earn our heavenly rewards. Let us not squander it, but strive forward with our eyes firmly fixed on Him!

Lord God, there is a race set before me with the greatest Prize at the end. I know that in order to be the champion You would have me to be, I need to be fully trained, and so I will read Your word in order to comply with the standards of the race. I know that I will need to be ready for a long race because I don’t know my life’s end. And so I will stay close to the fellowship of others who can build me up as I persevere. And I know that the victor’s crown won’t be mine unless I act in accordance with the rules. And so I will apply my training, not cheat in my perseverance, and will fix my eyes and my thoughts on Jesus each step of the way. Be with me as I strive to complete the race with honor and with purity of my heart. Amen.

Saturday, 20 September 2014

Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you. 1 Corinthians 9:23

Summing up his thoughts of the previous four verses, we read Paul’s reflection on why he became “all things to all men“. He’s already said that it was that he “might by all means save some.” But for him, there is a wondrous bonus tied into that notion. By doing this “for the gospel’s sake” Paul knew that this would make him a “partaker of it with” those who heard and believed.

And isn’t this the burden on our own hearts for those we love? Don’t we longingly desire that the people we share our daily lives with will also share heaven’s glory with us? Paul looked even beyond his close associates and relatives and desired this for all men. He knew that he was once far off from the Lord and that only through his calling on the road to Damascus was his salvation possible. He looked for that same heartfelt conversion in others.

Life application: As you pass by people on the street, do you take the time to think “that is a person created in God’s image.”? Isn’t every person of equal value when it comes to sharing Jesus? Even our enemies can be changed. Try to have Paul’s attitude and realize that sharing the good news is something we should do at all times and with all people.

Heavenly Father, don’t let me be timid in telling others about Jesus. Keep me from shying back for whatever silly reason pops up in my mind. Instead, fill me with boldness to speak out this wondrous message which can change the eternal direction of others. I know that someone took the time to tell me and I’m grateful for it. Help me to remember this and to act on it Lord. This I pray that Your kingdom will be filled to overflowing! Amen.

Friday, 19 September 2014

…to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 1 Corinthians 9:22

So far, Paul has shown himself to be accommodating to others who viewed their faith differently than he did. He has identified himself as a servant to all, as a Jew, as one under the law, and as one without the law (meaning the Law of Moses, and thus implying a Gentile). He now, despite his vast knowledge of what it means to be a Christian, says that “to the weak I became as weak.” This is certainly referring back to those he spoke of in 1 Corinthians 8. There he referred to believers lacking proper knowledge on certain issues.

An example of such a lack of knowledge might be eating pork. When someone didn’t understand that eating pork was acceptable, he wouldn’t have thrown it back in his face by having a pork-chop in front of him. Whatever the person’s weakness, he would have made himself like them. He explained the need for this in that chapter with these words –

“And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? ¹² But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. ¹³ Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” 1 Corinthians 8:11-13

He took his role as an apostle seriously and meant to never harm someone who viewed their position before the Lord differently. This included those weak in the faith. And the reason for this was “that I might win the weak.” To him, having the superior knowledge was of less immediate importance than demonstrating love to the one lacking knowledge. That person could later be properly instructed and also grow in his knowledge if he wasn’t first chased away by Paul’s actions.

And so having described several different categories of people, he sums up his accommodations by saying, “I have become all things to all men.” As long as it wasn’t improper or harmful, Paul would work within the parameters he had been granted as an apostle in order to bring others to faith or to build others up in their faith. All of this was done with the noble cause “that I might by all means save some.”

This final thought is tagged on to show that his adjustments were for a right and noble purpose, not to simply be a man-pleaser, something that he knew would lead very quickly to heresy. He even states this explicitly in Galatians 1 after speaking of exactly that scenario –

“For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10

In all ways, Paul knew that the purity of the gospel was paramount, and yet within that purity there was room for accommodation. He always attempted to find that right and untainted balance as he walked through the life of his apostleship.

Life application: “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.” These words of Paul should be remembered by those who have the greater knowledge. In exercising love while instructing in right doctrine, the immature Christian will be built up in his faith and in his heart as well.

Heavenly Father, I look back on my early days as Your child and remember the passion I had – for You, for Your word, and for sharing the wondrous message of grace that I had received. Since then, I’ve grown in many ways, but has my passion in any of these areas cooled? Lord, search me out and ignite any flame which has died down. How much more should I love You now that You have carried me along life’s path! How much more should I desire Your word, now that I have learned how to properly handle it! And how much more should I burn to share the gospel when I see how it has changed and shaped me! Return me to a longing desire to exalt You, O God! Amen.

Thursday, 18 September 2014

…to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 1 Corinthians 9:21

Paul has been addressing his willingness to spread the gospel to all classes of people in all ways. In the previous verse, he addressed those who lived as national Jews as himself being a national Jew. He also addressed those who lived under the law (meaning those who lived as religious Jews) as himself living as if he were under the law. At the same time, he now addresses those who are “without law.” This is a reference to the Gentile peoples, of whom he is the apostle.

In his apostleship to them, he lived “as without law.” In other words, they are without the Law of Moses and he showed that they were acceptable to Christ in that fashion. Paul notes that he so lived in that manner as well, through his words and through his writings. It is Christ which makes you acceptable to God, not adhering to the precepts of the law. However, he then qualifies his statement by saying in a parenthetical thought that though “not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ.”

The law which he was under was God’s law that reveals Christ. It is the understood law that man is infected with sin and that the only remedy to that problem is the cross of Jesus Christ. Christ is the embodiment of the law, having fulfilled it in our stead. When we place our trust in Him, we should have the desire to fulfill the law of conscience written on our hearts and be observant to the moral laws which are ingrained in us. Paul notes this in the early chapters of Romans. No one can be absolutely without law and be pleasing to God. Therefore we are not without law toward God because we are under law toward Christ.

This “law” which he observed has now been revealed in the writings of the New Testament. Particularly in Paul’s words which are doctrine for the church. When we follow these guidelines, we are emulating what Christ would have for us because they are the inspired words which have been given for this purpose.

Paul lived this life that he mentions so “that I might win those who are without law.” Once they were won to Christ by him, they could be rightly instructed in the “law toward Christ.” Faith through grace saves. However, salvation implies being obedient to the One who has saved us. We are not without law in this regard; we do not have license to sin. The teaching that being in Christ means we have complete license to act as we wish is known as the antinomian error and it is something that is warned against throughout his writings.

Life application: We are all slaves to something. If we are a slave to Christ, then we are free from sin’s condemnation. However, we are not free from sins consequences. If we live in sin after being saved by Christ, we will suffer the consequences of our sin. But we have been given freedom to live for Christ. Use that freedom wisely and live in a manner which will glorify our Lord.

In Christ I am freed from sin’s condemnation
In Christ I have been saved through and through
But in Christ I may still suffer tribulation
This is something I should expect, I know it’s true

How much more when I fail to properly heed
The words and directions He has given for my life!
If I act against his words in tongue and in deed
Should I expect anything but trouble and strife?

Rather, I will keep my nose deep in His word
And then apply its precepts to my walk each day
In grateful obedience to my gracious Lord
Yes, I will thankfully walk in His holy way

Yes Lord God, how can I expect to do my own thing and ignore Your word and yet be blessed by You? I will not be so presumptuous, but rather I will continue to meditate on Your word, cling to its precepts, and let them guide my walk to the very best of my ability. Be with me and strengthen me in this endeavor my Lord. And thank You in advance for hearing and responding! Amen.