Problems Plaguing a Local Church, Part 18
In our message, RUNNING TO WIN (1 Cor. 9:20-10:11), Paul continued responding to the Corinthian church’s question on Christian freedom with respect to foods in the marketplace of their day (1 Cor. 8:1, 4). Paul held himself up as an example of a person who possessed certain freedoms but willingly set some of them aside in Corinth to have a more effective gospel witness (1 Cor. 9:1-2; Rom. 1:16, etc.).
This was for the purpose of being “all things to all men [short of sin] that [he] might by all means save some” (1 Cor. 9:22). Paul was a “Hebrew of the Hebrews”- Jewish through and through (Phil. 3:5), and never lost his concern for reaching his own people (Acts 17:2; Rom. 1:16; 9:3, etc.). So, to the Jews he used the Mosaic Law to win them to Christ (e.g. Acts 21:20-26). But Paul also was called by God as an apostle specifically to non-Jewish people as he declared the mystery of the church in the first century world (Gal. 2:8; Eph. 2:20, etc.). As such, and as a Christian, he was “not under [the Mosaic] law” (1 Cor. 9:20 NET). Therefore, when he was around non-Jewish people (i.e. “those… without the law”), he became “as without the law” to also win them to Jesus (1 Cor. 9:21). But, though he was free from the Law of Moses, he did not advocate lawlessness/sin because as a Christian he was still was “under… the law of Christ” (1 Cor. 9:21; Gal. 6:2; Eph. 3:5f, etc.). In this way, Paul “became weak, that [he] might win the weak” (1 Cor. 9:22). We also should seek to build one another up in Christ by being sensitive to the weakness of other brothers- laying aside our rights at times- to help them become more like Jesus (1 Cor. 8:13). As the body of Christ is unified in God’s love, we are also most effective in advancing the gospel to the lost (1 Cor. 9:23; 11:23-32; John 17:21, etc.).
Paul’s decision to set aside personal freedoms and rights he possessed demanded personal discipline (Luke 14:27, etc.). When a man refuses to discipline himself by exercising his liberty to the detriment of the weak, he injures not only the weak, but himself (1 Cor. 8:1, 12; 10:12, etc.). Paul then used a sports illustration from the Isthmian Games, second only to the Olympic Games in that day, which took place just outside of Corinth (1 Cor. 9:24). Christians should run the race God has set before us “in such a way… [to] receive… the prize” from the Judge (1 Cor. 3:13-15; 4:5; Heb. 12:23-24, etc.). Salvation is a “gift,” not a “prize” (Eph. 2:8-9; vs. 1 Cor. 9:24-25, etc.). Furthermore, Christians do not run the race in order to get to heaven; they are in the race (i.e. “all run”) because they are already going to heaven (1 Cor. 9:24; John 1:12-13; 5:24). Just like only Greek citizens in that day could be part of the Isthmian Games, only Christians today can “run” for God having been born of Him by grace through faith (John 3:7; 1 Cor. 9:24; Heb. 12:1-2; 2 Tim. 2:1-4, etc.).
Paul’s crown would be the consummation of the “reward” (1 Cor. 9:18) which he partially enjoyed in that day, but would be fully revealed at the judgment seat of Christ- if he stayed the course (2 Cor. 1:14; 5:9-10; Phil. 2:16; 1 Thes. 2:19; Gal. 6:9; 2 John 8, etc.). The athletes of that day underwent strict training to receive a “perishable crown” (i.e. a pine wreath), but we are called as Christians to discipline/discipleship (i.e. to follow the Master) with the promise of an eternal “imperishable crown” (1 Cor. 9:25). “Each competitor must exercise self-control in everything” (1 Cor. 9:25 NET). The word “competes” in verse 25 is agōnízomai in the Greek where we also get the English word “agony” from. Discipline (being a disciple) means giving up the good and even the better for the best (Col. 3:1-4, etc.). Therefore, Paul ran with purpose fighting the spiritual battle “not as one who beats the air” (1 Cor. 9:26). His blows made contact with the enemy (e.g. the fallen nature, world system and Satan Eph. 2:1-3), because he ran according to the rules (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 1 John 1:9; Eph. 5:18, etc.). To do this, Paul “disciplined [his] body” (1 Cor. 9:27). The Greek word here for “discipline” is hupōpiazō and literally means ‘to beat black and blue, to smite so as to cause bruises and livid spots.’ The idea here is denying our fallen Adamic nature, which exists even after salvation, from what it wants (Gal. 5:16-17; Col. 3:8-9; Rom. 7:16-24, etc.). This is so after we “have preached to others” (preaching here means to summon or herald people into the race/salvation and also teach them the rules of the race John 3:7), we would not become “disqualified” (1 Cor. 9:27; 2 Tim. 3:16-17, etc.). The word disqualified here is contextually speaking of the “prize, reward, [or] crown” and NOT to a Christian’s eternal destiny which was settled by the blood of Jesus at Calvary the moment the Gospel was received (1 Cor. 9:18, 24-25 vs. Eph. 2:8-9). Apostle Paul, a saved man when the Holy Spirit wrote the book of 1 Corinthians through him, knew he could be “disapproved” (i.e. that is “all [Christians] run,” but not all receive the prize- 1 Cor. 9:24; Heb. 12:1-2). Even though he had the best spiritual training available, he did not assume that he would automatically finish the race well that God had set before him, so he exercised discipline/agony in his life to diligently follow his Savior (1 Cor. 9:27; 11:31-32; 2 Cor. 5:9-10; Mark 8:34; 1 John 1:9; Eph. 5:18, Gal. 5:16-18, etc.). To illustrate this point Paul then gave an “example” and “warning” to Christians of a privileged people who also thought of themselves as ‘strong,’ yet, as a whole, were disqualified… (1 Cor. 8:1, 9-10; 9:27; 10:6, 11).
“Moreover” in 1 Corinthians 10:1 in the NKJV better reads “For…” in the Greek as chapter 9 is intimately connected to chapter 10 with the subject matter not changing. God does not “want [us] to be unaware” that Israel was privileged in many ways like we are today (1 Cor. 10:1). These special blessings included:
- They “all were under the cloud” (1 Cor. 10:1). That is, they all had spiritual protection and guidance of God with a cloud in the day and a pillar of fire by night (Ex. 13:21; 14:19-20). Christians likewise are guided and protected by the Lord (Luke 1:79; 1 Pet.1:5) with Him even indwelling us forever (Eph. 1:13-14, etc.).
- They “all passed through the sea” (1 Cor. 10:1) as they were supernaturally saved through the in the exodus after the Passover Lamb was applied (Ex. 14:15-28; 1 Pet. 1:18-20). Christians, likewise, have been saved miraculously by grace through faith from sin and death (John 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:3-4, etc.)
- They “all did… eat the same spiritual meat” (1 Cor. 10:2) of manna in the wilderness- angel’s food (Ps. 78:25; Ex. 16:1-36; 1 Pet. 2:1-3). We also have supernatural bread from heaven commemorated in the Lord’s Supper (John 6:31-34, etc.).
- And they “all drank the same spiritual drink… [and] that spiritual Rock… was Christ” (1 Cor. 10:4; Ex. 17:1-9; Num. 20:1-13). We see here Jesus supplied the water they needed supernaturally and also that Christ “was” pre-existent (John 1:1-3; 1 Cor. 10:4, etc.). Christians likewise find our joy and life in this world from Jesus- the Savior (Gal. 5:22-23, etc.).
“But” the Word says, even though they possessed all these many privileges, “with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness” (1 Cor. 10:5; 2 Cor. 5:9-10, etc.). The Lord meted out severe discipline by cutting short the lives of many Israelites (Amos 3:2, etc.). What might be a ‘desert’ today in a Christian’s life that we could spiritually waste away in and lose our effectiveness for God? (1 Cor. 11:27-30) How can we turn that around? (1 Cor. 11:31-32; 1 John 1:9).
The wording, “with most,” is quite an understatement as only two from that entire generation “from twenty years old and above” went into the land of promise! (Num. 14:29-30). They were “all” in the “race” (1 Cor. 9:24), but almost everyone from that generation was “disqualified” (1 Cor. 9:27) in spite of their advantages. What caused them to be disapproved of the prize? The Holy Spirit points to five areas of their lives here where they failed to follow the rules of the race God had established (Amos 3:3):
- They “lust[ed] after evil things” not being satisfied with the Lord’s provision for them (1 Cor. 10:6b). “Give us meat to eat!” they demanded (Num. 11:13). Yahweh gave them what they craved but while the meat was still between their teeth, they were struck with a plague (Num. 11:4-34).
- They also became “idolaters” (1 Cor. 10:7; Ex. 32:1-14, 30-35) The Lord calls us today as well to flee from idolatry (1 Cor. 10:14; 1 John 5:21)
- And they “commit[ted] sexual immorality” (1 Cor. 10:8; Num. 25:1-9). This, by the way, is a natural result from following false gods/idolatry (Ps. 115:8, etc.).
- Fourth, they “tempt[ed] Christ” (1 Cor. 10:9; Num. 21:4-9; Ps. 78:19). This refers to the sin of presumption where they dared God to live up to His promise to discipline them when they ignored His Word. As a result, many were killed by poisonous snakes which images the enemy, “the serpent of old,” who likewise casts doubt on the Bible (Gen. 3:1; Rev. 20:2; Num. 21:4-6). Christians can also think they know better than God today refusing to do or heed what He says (James 1:22).
- And they were unthankful as they “complained” (1 Cor. 10:10; Num. 16:41-50). Thankfulness guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, and the Lord is also worthy of all such praise (Phil. 4:5-8, etc.). We need to remember always God is good and works through all things for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28-30; James 1:17, etc.).
In this passage, we see Israel had its own ‘baptism’ through the sea and its own ‘communion’ as they feasted on heavenly bread in the desert- much like the church does today. And we also see participation in such ordinances, by themselves, does not protect a person if his or her heart is not in it (1 Cor. 11:27-30). Paul was RUNNING TO WIN, and we likewise should take these “examples” and “admonition” from Him to heart because the same God who disciplined the Israelites the Bible says will also evaluate our lives at the judgment seat of Christ when we see Him face to face (1 Cor. 10:11; 2 Tim. 2:11-13; 3:16-17; 1 Cor. 9:27; 11:31-32; 13:12; 2 Cor. 5:9-10; 1 John 1:9; Heb. 12:1-2, etc.).