So that we ourselves will not be disqualified

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 ^[a]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.

In today’s text Paul says:  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.   There are some today who misuse Paul’s words here in order to justify embracing and participating in sin so that they might win sinners to Christ.  Paul makes it clear that is not his meaning. He continues saying:  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. 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. Therefore 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.   In Philippians 3:10-14 Paul also speaks of the prize. He says:  …that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.   The prize, what Paul disciplines his body for, is the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Paul says:   I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.   Christians are often viewed by the world as hypocrites. Paul says we should walk the walk not only talk the talk. If we embrace and participate in sin, who will believe our testimony of Christ?   

Paul goes on to give examples of those who were among God’s chosen people, Israel, yet fell in sin. He says:   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.  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, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.  Paul equates the spiritual rock to Christ. In the same way Jesus warns us in Matthew 7:21-23 saying:   “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’”

We need to understand the difference retween temptation and sin; between be tempted by sin and practicing lawlessness. 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.  We are to endure and escape temptation, not to yield to it and practice lawlessness. Jesus Himself was tempted. He overcame temptation through the truth of the word. (See Matthew 4:1-11) Hebrews 4:15 says:  We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.  We overcome, endure and escape temptation through the word and through Christ. James 4:7-8 says:  Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  In Matthew 5:13-16, 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.”  We are no good to the world, or for God’s purposes, if we are no different than the world concerning sin. If we, like Paul, want to win others to Christ, we may embrace and participate in their culture and their ethnicity, we may embrace and participate in their heritage and their traditions, but we cannot embrace and participate in their sin. We too, like Paul, must: discipline our bodies and make them our slaves, so that, after we have preached to others, we ourselves will not be disqualified.  

Thank You heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ and precious Holy Spirit that You have given us a way to endure, escape and overcome temptation. You are the way. By Your word Father, by Your example Jesus and through the cross and the resurrection, and by Your power in me precious Holy Spirit. Drawing near to You, resisting the temptation of the devil, may I not be disqualified, but may my light shine in the darkness and may we together win some to Christ and glorify the Father in heaven.  Amen.