ALL THINGS TO ALL MEN

1 Corinthians 8:1-9:27  (K. V.: 9:22)

“To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.”

• KNOWLEDGE PUFFS UP, BUT LOVE BUILDS UP (8:1-13)  

1. What was another problem in the Corinthian church? (1a) What are the effects of knowledge and love? (1b) Who can be known by God? (2,3) How did Paul apply knowledge to food sacrificed to idols? (4-6) 
2. What was Paul’s view of food? (7-8) What is the danger of exercising Christian freedom without love, and why is this so serious? (9-12) What was Paul’s personal resolution?

• HOW TO USE FREEDOM IN CHRIST (9:1-27)  

1. What were Paul’s credentials as an apostle? (1-2) His rights? (3-6) How did he defend this from a human point of view? (7-8a) From a Scriptural point of view? (8b-14)
2. What did Paul do with this right? (12b,15a) What were his reasons for not using it? (12b,15-18) What were his motives for preaching the gospel? (16-18) 
3. How did Paul use his Christian freedom? (19) How did he apply this principle practically? (20-22a) Read verse 22b. Note the repeated use of “all.” What does this show about his passion to save souls? What was Paul seeking? (23) 
4. In a race or a game, who obtains the prize? (24-25) How did Paul apply this strict training to himself? (26-27) How does this relate to becoming all things to all men? (22) 

ALL THINGS TO ALL MEN

1 Corinthians 8:1-9:27  (K. V.: 9:22)

“To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.”

Happy Father’s Day and Happy Juneteenth! It is quite coincidental and meaningful that we study about spiritual freedom on the day where we commemorate institutional freedom. Surely, our Heavenly Father is considerate enough that we could learn this in a better way. Last week, through Dr. Jason’s message, we heard Paul’s practical advice regarding various human relationship issues starting from marriage. There were some complicated situations but what we could clearly learn was that no matter what, we are to live fully devoted to the Lord. That is the general principle of our Christian life in this very complicated society. In today’s passage, we see a different light concerning other issues other than relationship with Paul’s more advice being told. By listening to his advice and imitating his life, perhaps we not only solve the petty problems around us but also live a very blessed life building up each other and saving some. May God bless us as we become all-things-to-all people so as to be more building up and more saving.

1. Knowledge Puffs Up; Love Builds Up (8:1-13)

Look at verse 1. Here, we see another problem that arose in the Corinthian church: food sacrificed to idols. Note that it was not about food itself as we would learn it in a later verse (8). It was about conscience. And what determined strong conscience or not was knowledge associated with food. Before talking about this issue more deeply, Paul first reminded the Corinthians that they already possessed knowledge. But to Paul, possessing knowledge is one thing and using it is quite another. That would be a good starter. Some of the believers in Corinth already acquired good knowledge about everything through their good Bible teachers. Nevertheless, since there arose a serious problem with knowledge, Paul strongly felt that he had to address that having knowledge is not the end of the story. So, he said that knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Maybe, Paul was talking about himself and his own story. Prior to his conversion, Paul was a man of great learning in Hebraism and Hellenism. Yet, his great knowledge rather made him proud, and he became the archenemy against the Christ who died for him out of His great love. How hard it is for one person to learn about this lesson! Knowledge is not the end goal. That is why Paul added verses 2 and 3. “Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God.” Knowledge must involve knowing God who is love and being known by Him.

Look at verses 4-6. This paragraph describes the details of the knowledge Paul mentioned about previously. Basically, two things stand out to us: an idol is nothing, but God is everything. Paul reluctantly acknowledged that there are many “gods” and many “idols.” Yet for us who believe in God, there is only one true God, that is our Heavenly Father, and only one Lord, Jesus Christ. Surely, through him all things came and through him we live our life. That is truly wonderful knowledge, and this could not be acquired without the help of the Holy Spirit. There was nothing wrong with this knowledge. What followed after this knowledge was the crux of the issue mentioned in verse 1.

Look at verse 7. “But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.” Being accustomed, being habitual, or being acclimated to something is a scary thing. You cannot get out of your groove, your comfort zone easily. Not in a day or two. It takes time and efforts. In our Friday meeting, one man of God aptly pointed out that cultural and former-religious issues such as Messianic Jews and Muslim converts not eating pork or Hindu converts not eating beef should be respected because they were so accustomed to that that it would take time. And surely, this does not stop at eating food alone. It can be applied to anything even a simple matter like prayer. I know one missionary friend who had a hard time in learning prayer because he was a former Taoist who longtime practiced Taoism in self-meditation. Note in verse 8 that food itself is neutral, neither bringing us near to God nor leading us farther from Him.

What follows is Paul’s advice about exercising freedom. Look at verse 9. “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” We never know how strong or weak our conscience or somebody else’s is. When we think our conscience is strong, we should be careful and considerate toward others because our strong conscience might influence someone else’s weak conscience. How does this happen? Verses 10, 11 exemplify that. It happened when the weak person saw what the strong person do and would be emboldened to eat food sacrificed to idols with his conscience still being weak. That would be problematic to the person. Hence, our little inconsiderateness caused by our knowledge and strong conscience might lead this weak person to stumble. Paul said that the weak person for whom Christ died would be destroyed and that that would be sinning against Christ. This would be a serious issue. In this land of the free and the home of the brave, we are free and even emboldened to do whatever we want and can. Yet exercising our privileged freedom in such a way to help the weak brothers and sisters would be much more commendable and honorable. Look at verse 13 which describes what Paul wanted to say about using his freedom. He would go so far as to never eat meat again for the sake of the weak brothers and sisters. We do not have to be this much extreme. May God help us not to be puffing but be loving so as to build a loving community in and through us.

1. How to Use Freedom in Christ (9:1-27)

Look at verse 9:1. Here, we see Paul begin to talk about his rights as an apostle. Why this sudden change of topic? We can suppose that by mentioning about his apostleship, what Paul really wanted was emphasizing on the importance of correct use of freedom in Christ. Note in verses 1,2, Paul’s credentials as an apostle: his personal encounter with Jesus our Lord and the result of his work in the Lord. Especially, the amazing result of his ministry (well depicted in the Book of Acts) spoke volumes for him. Also, the Corinthians themselves were the seal of his apostleship in the Lord. He would surely be an apostle to the Corinthians if not to others. Look at verse 3. By observing the word, “his defense,” a legal term, we may wonder or be surprised how in the world Paul, one of the greatest apostles, if not the greatest, was criticized or judged by his own church people. But that is the reality of this imperfect world, even the church. If you go to the Book of the Philippians, you can find some people in Philippi doing their ministry work out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they could stir up trouble for Paul while he was in prison. However, Paul did not seem to mind about that. Instead, he kept going, not being bothered by anything. In verses 4-6, Paul argued that he has every right to anything and everything, including taking a believing wife. This argument was very much supported by a human point of view and by a Biblical point of view.

Look at verses 7,8a. Humanly speaking, it makes no sense that a soldier serves his country at his own expense. Likewise, no farmer is doing his farming work without any expectation that he would get something from his farm whether it is grape or milk. Surely, it is a common sense that everything in the world is working quid pro quo. Based on that worldly concept alone, Paul fully deserved his support. Yet, Paul still went further to defend his rights as an apostle using the Biblical concept. Look at verses 8b-14. Paul specifically quoted a verse from Deuteronomy (Dt 25:4) where it says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Then, he says it was written as God’s provision for His future gospel workers so that they would be fully supported. Our Lord Jesus also said about that in Lk 10:8, “‘When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you.’” And also, in Mt 10:10, “no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.” Note another argument Paul made in verse 11. Since Paul sowed spiritual seed among the Corinthians, it would not be too much that he would reap a material harvest. And there is still another one coming: that the Levites who serve in the temple would get their food and share what was offered on the altar. Surely, what the Lord has commanded is true: those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

But look at verses 15-18. Paul said that even though he fully deserved his rights, he waived such rights. He said about the same thing in verse 12b. There, he mentioned the reason he did not use his rights was that he did not want to hinder the gospel of Christ. He also claimed that he did not want to be deprived of his boast as a pure gospel worker. Note in verses 16, 17 two more reasons that his motivation for pure gospel worker: that he was compelled to preach the gospel and that he would preach the gospel voluntarily in the hope of receiving a heavenly reward. This demonstrates what kind of attitude we should have if we are ever related to the gospel. We can do the gospel work with a feeling, “I am simply doing my job,” or “I will work for the reward.” In other words, we can work reactively and proactively. Either would be fine but the latter would be much better, as Paul testified in elsewhere.

Look at verses 19-23. Here we can see How Paul used his Christian freedom. Verse 19 reads. “Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.” Note the phrase that he became a slave to everyone to win as many as possible. He applied this principle practically every place. He became like a Jew to win the Jews. He became like a Gentile to win the Gentile. He became like one under the law or one not having the law so as to win the people regardless of the law status. As the key verse says, he virtually became all things to all people. In today’s terms, he became all-purpose-all-marketing person to achieve his business goal. That kind of person could sell a refrigerator to the people who live in North Pole or South Pole. I was touched by Msn. Mother Barry’s life in Korea when she came there as a missionary. During the 60’s, when South Korea was among the poorest countries, no lavatory or toilet was properly installed there. Mother Barry did not mind using an outdoor-like toilet and mingling with poor campus students for a long period of time. She spoke very good Korean after lots of Korean tutoring lessons from paid tutors. It was for her immense efforts to be like a Korean so as to win as many students as possible. It is probably in a similar spirit that some of our missionaries in DuPage UBF went through an equivalent process like Msn. Gideon working on a warehouse or food service industry to be closer to American students or Msn. Mary Bahn working daytime and memorizing English phrases to better serve them. Msn. Mary Kim is going to go to Wheaton College to meet more students. The forms and styles might be different, but the aim is the same: to win them all.

In verses 24-27, Paul addressed the need for self-discipline utilizing the analogy of sports. Particularly, a marathon or a sprint runner and a boxer analogy which would be top two most difficult sports. The point is that unless you go into strict training, you will not get the prize or the crown. That is why Paul said the stroke a blow to his body to make it his slave so as not to be disqualified for the prize.

In conclusion, we learned that knowledge and having strong conscience are precious but using them in a way to serve others is more precious. If we are not careful enough with our knowledge and strong conscience, it may negatively affect the weak brothers and sisters. We are indeed free in our Lord but how to use our Christian freedom is more important. Let us continue to wisely use this freedom by becoming all things to all men so as to win as many souls as possible. Let us run the race and fight the good fight not to lose our prize.