“I have become all things to all men..."

1 Corinthians 9:19-10:13 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. ²⁰ To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; ²¹ to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. ²² To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. ²³ I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

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. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. ²⁶ Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; ²⁷ but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

10 For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; ² and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; ³ and all ate the same spiritual food; ⁴ and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. ⁵ Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.

⁶ Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved. ⁷ Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.” ⁸ Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. ⁹ Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. ¹⁰ Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. ¹¹ Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. ¹² Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. ¹³ No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

Paul says:    “I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.”   Some today try to use Paul’s statement to justify engaging with the world, even to the point of embracing or participating in sin. That is not what Paul is speaking of here. He says:  “ To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law.  To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak.”       This is more like a missionary who needs to learn and understand the culture of those they are going to serve and minister to. There is a need to relate to who they are and how they live so that the love of God can be made real to them. The true love of God though is not demonstrated in embracing sin, it is demonstrated as Romans 5:8 says:  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  The love of God is demonstrated in the cross of Christ, overcoming sin.   Paul’s goal was to win souls for the kingdom not to win friends in the world. He said:   “ I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.”      The gospel is the good news. Jesus spoke and preached the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, calling people to change their hearts, their way of thinking and their actions. Jesus did not condemn those who were sinners, neither did He condone or participate in their sin. He called them to follow Him, to be like Him.

Paul says:   “I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air;  but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”      Paul wanted both his own life and his testimony of Christ to be true and right. He uses the experience and the account of the Israelites in the wilderness saying:   For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea;  and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;  and all ate the same spiritual food;  and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.  Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.     Knowing who God is, even living close to Him is not enough. We are to live holy and righteous. 1 Peter 1:15-16 says: like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;  because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”         The text says: Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved.  Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.”  Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day.  Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents.  Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.  Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction.      This is not just old covenant law and it is not just Paul’s opinion. Jesus Himself says:   “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21-23)

We are called to go out, like Jesus, to seek those who are lost, to love the unlovely to embrace even those who are living in sin. We must be careful though that we do not through our love and interaction with the world become tempted by the things of the world. Paul says:  No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.      Like Paul, our goal, our desire should be to win souls for the kingdom not to make friends in the world. Jesus says that even if we have called Him Lord and have done wonders in His name we can as Paul said, become disqualified if we “practice” lawlessness.

Paul says:  “I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.”   Jesus says:   “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.  “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;  nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:13-16)   Of all the things we become in order to relate to the world, may we always be salt and light.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit thank You for calling me out of the darkness and into the light. Thank You that though You call me to be in the world, You do not call me to be of the world. You provide a way of escape from the temptations of the world so that I will not become disqualified from the prize. May I, like Paul, be all things to all people, may I empathize with and relate to those who live in darkness, yet may I be a light, may all my works glorify You.    Amen