The Freedom to Become a Slave

1 Corinthians 9:1-23

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship 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. This is my defense to those who would examine me. Do we not have the right to eat and drink? Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? ^.... (vs19) For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

In my last post on 1 Corinthians 8 (you can read it here), I discussed the freedom that believers have in Christ and how not to exercise that freedom. Paul continues his theme on freedom in chapter 9. And it is here I believe he gives an example of how we can best use our freedoms to the glory of God. 

Before I get into the part of the passage I would like to highlight today, there is an entire 19 verses I chose to skip. In this part of the passage Paul discusses the rights of life and apostleship that he sets aside to better serve the Corinthian church. Remember this is a church that is divided specifically over their "favorite" teachers. Paul here is reminding them that he does not come to them in order to gain anything, but even to the point of laying aside his own rights, he serves them for the sake of the gospel. It is on this note of service, that we pick up in verse 19. 

"Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible" As counter intuitive as it may sound, the correct way to use our freedom in Christ is to make ourselves slaves. "To those under the law I became like one under the law....to those not having the laws I became like one not having the law..." Paul was no longer held to the Mosiac laws. He could eat what he wanted, work on the Sabbath, wear what he chose. But when around those bound to the law Paul walked according to the law. Likewise, Paul still held to the moral standard of God. But when he was around those who lived according to the world's standards he did not snatch every opportunity to point out their sin but rather lived alongside them as in the world but not of it. He did this not to be fickle or "liked" by everyone but rather he says, "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some." 

This concept is much easier to picture in some sort of foreign mission field. Do not live in a way that offends the very people you are trying to reach with the gospel. For example when going down to lead a worship service in Mexico, all the girls on the team wore skirts. Even though it is completely except able to wear jean in our church, to the people in that church culture it would have been offensive. And in Thailand when offered a pipe by the head of the household as a show of hospitality my leader would not turn it away because he does not smoke. It would be a massive affront. You and I may not face situations like this every day in the U.S., but how do we walk among our friends? 

"I do all this for the sake of gospel, that I may share in its blessings." In 1 Peter 3:18 it says, "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God" Christ laid down His life to bring His people back to God. To draw us to Himself. The goal of the gospel should change how we handle our freedoms. May we live not for ourselves but for the sake of  all men that they would come to know the same freedom we do in Christ. May we use our freedom serve His kingdom for our good and His glory. 

What makes you so special?

1 Corinthians 4:6-13

"I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another.  For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you! For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things."

Let's talk about something we ALL deal with. Pride. At first read, you may not understand that pride is what Paul is getting at. I mean, as I first read it, I was really confused. Where was the switch? When did Paul begin to envy the Corinthians? Wasn't he calling them babies a few chapters ago? And now they are wise? Nope! Don't worry. Paul isn't changing his mind. He is just being sarcastic. Or, as Bible commentators call it... ironic. The truth is, Paul is putting the Corinthians on major blast. He is calling them out for walking around like they are the coolest thing ever. Like they have it all together. Like they are kings. 

Paul uses himself and Apollos as examples. Saying that if the Corinthian church really looked at the Word of God and followed the example of the leaders they themselves were elevating, they would not put on such airs. Paul asks them "who sees anything different in you?" This isn't a challenge to be set apart from the world, it's the Greek way of saying "what makes you so special?!" In the next passage we are reminded of the love God has for us. But for now, what I really want us to get is that nothing we have is by our own merit. "What do you have that you did not receive?" 

Again, in my study this week, I listened to a message by Alistair Begg. He admonished his listeners to see themselves in light of who God is. God is everything. We are nothing. The more we love who He is, the more we know how little we have. The more we recognize that without His grace we fall so flat. We don't even fall, because we never made it off the ground to fall back to. "We have become, and are still, the scum of the world". No one likes being called scum. But take a moment to contemplate the perfect holiness, the vast power, the complete justice, the immovable faithfulness, the unconditional love, and the infinite being of God. Now... tell me... what makes you so special? We are nothing. All we have have been given by grace. Next week I'm so excited to talk about where we get grace. At the cross by the love and power of God. That we would live to praise Him because He is worthy!  But today, I am striving to let go of my love of self, for my good and His glory. 

"Accordingly, two cities have been formed by two loves: the earthly by the love of self, even to the contempt of God; the heavenly by the love of God, even to the contempt of self" 

~ Saint Augustine The City of God

Of Babies and Bean Sprouts

1 Corinthians  3:1-9

"But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building." 

When first reading this passage I saw two very different images. The first of a baby needing  to be swaddled and fed and taken care of. It is not yet ready for big people food, it still has a lot to learn. The second of a field with workers in it. They are all working for the harvest. Each has an appointed task but the credit for the harvest goes to God. Two very different pictures. But I think there is a link between them. And I believe it is something we need to grasp in order to mature in the Lord. 

Neither babies or sprouts stay small for long. They grow and change and develop. They become something that in the end bears only a slight resemblance to the first stages of their life. None of us would argue that the sprout grows itself. It does not plant itself. It does not water itself. It can not produce its own sunlight and it has very little say in the speed it grows or what it grows up to be. We know that God makes plants grow by His grace. In the image of the field we identify more with Paul and Apollos (the workers) than we do with the plants but the reality we (as the Chruch) are the field here. And we are the baby too. And just like the sprout the baby does not grow itself. And that is where the link fits. "God gave the growth". How often are we ok with the idea that is God that brings us to salvation, but after that, after we are born again we are on our own? It's just not true. We strive so hard to stretch ourselves straining for that inch of growth. But when I look back at my own life, the times I grew the most where when I was resting. When i was simply basking in the light of my God. My God who give growth. He is the one that matures us. It is His goodness that molds us and makes us into spiritual people. 

I'm amazed that again my reading has brought me back to the idea that God does these amazing things for me. Salvation. Redemption. Sanctification. Glorification. And it has NOTHING to do with me. Maybe the Lord is trying to drive something home (you think?). I'm excited to keep reading see how He continues to remind me of His unique goodness. I pray that He will use this study to bring growth in my life for my good and His glory. 

Wiggin' Out

"So..." She began with a look of genuine care across her face, "how are you doing with all the changes coming up in your life?" I hadn't been asked that question yet. I'd been asked "where will you live?" "what will you do?" "how are the plans?" but not "how are you doing?" and the answer is pretty simple. "I'm FREAKED!" Yes i am SO stoked to be married! Yes, I can not wait to begin a life with Jake. But in all honesty. I'm wiggin' out on the inside. In four months EVERYTHING changes. My home, my roommate, my job, my family (the part where i gain a new one) my church, my city, even my grocery shopping. Nothing will be the same. I will go from Abigail Thomson, San Diego barista living with 3 friends from college attending Kaleo church and dating the SDCC chaplain to Abigail Ruth Wilhelm. And with the new name will come new everything else.

That is the intro of a blog I intended to write on how Christ is interceding for my life before the Father. And maybe I'll get to that blog eventually. But suddenly I realized that those last few lines sound like the beginning of an identity crisis. And they are, aren't they? It's only a matter of time and I will no longer be Abigail Thomson San Diego anything. So, if that is what my identity is in I'm in trouble. Desperate, tragic trouble. And i should be wiggin' out that is the only reasonable thing to do. HOWEVER, i want more than that. I want to stand firm, not feel shaken. And I can, Because my true identity is in the one who bought me with His blood. It is as a daughter of the Most High God. I pray He reminds me daily of that for my good and His glory.

Now... Would you do something for me? Would you comment on this post with verses that remind you of you of your identity in Christ? It would be a HUGE encouragement to me. Thank you for sharing!