Friday, September 14, 2012
By:
Bishop Albert B. Gran
1
Cor. 9:1-18
I
pray this very simple article would preserve many souls who were doctrinally
blinded by the law of tithes as means for others to hinder the gospel of grace
causing to produce more fruits redounding to the thanksgiving from many after
the giving of love was exercised.
The
opening salvo of I Cor. 9 was clearly a very hint while Paul along in this
chapter defended his clear intention and purpose for the ministry and his
ministerial services for the glory of God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Am I
am not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are
not ye my work in the Lord?
2 If I be not an apostle unto
others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in
the Lord.
3 Mine answer to them that do
examine me is this,
Suffice to consider the tone of our apostle that the
opening questions stated in the above verses also posed a queue that there were
those among believers in Corinth questioning his apostleship, his freedom of
ministering and service as God’s faithful steward, commission, and the fruit of
his labors who were the saints at Corinth themselves. Furthermore, he then
mentioned all these attacks were forms of examination (notice verse 3).
MORE POINT OF INQUIRIES STRESS HIS SUPPOSED POWER AND
CAPABILITY TO EXERCISE POWER AS A MINISTER OF GOD
4 Have we not power to eat
and to drink?
5 Have we not power to lead
about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the
Lord, and Cephas?
6 Or I only and Barnabas,
have not we power to forbear working?
7 Who goeth a warfare any
time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit
thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
8 Say I these things as a
man? or saith not the law the same also?
9 For it is written in the
law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the
corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
10 Or saith he it altogether
for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth
should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of
his hope.
11 If we have sown unto you
spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
12 a If others be partakers of
this power over you, are not we rather?
These foregoing verses were relative to rebut and shut up
those who examined his true ordination as a special apostle of God for the
Gentiles. Notice that the mainstream issue denoting his defense against those
who question his apostleship authority had mere view upon comparison of those
ministerial purposes with their carnal followership that cause division,
following the previous head kingdom apostle and a kingdom church
masterbuilder, Peter known as Cephas.
The “have we not’s and if’s" with Paul correlative
to the clear exercise under the previous economy of law, together with their
ministers who use the power of which in the context talked about living
physical life’s provision in exchange of the spiritual services rendered( as
it’s noticeable in verse 4 when he mentioned about eating and drinking),
the verse 5 as lording over members in the church even above kingdom
apostles and saints, the verse 6 as using means to survive by forbearing
outside source of living or income instead resort to church income,
the verse 7 with stressed more significance for a full time job as a soldier
with full support from backups and as an agriculturist who ate the fruits where
in the context of the chapter talked about using members to get his own
physical supply and for the satisfaction of his needs, and the verse 8
which discussed more principles how it was also used under the
law applying the principle of a laboring ox which in its plowing time
needs not to be muzzled so that it could also eat food while plowing which
was also further emphasized in verses 9 and 10, these were what Paul
seems and supposedly applied in this dispensation of grace but found
not to administer grace but law.
Parallel to this physical scene principle, Paul supposed
that these powers in the physical ministering principles of service would seem
or supposed and I emphasized, the same law principle rendition in
view of the objectives of spiritual services for the Lord. Thus, in verse 12a
he mentioned that when it’s possible for others to do the same, use the same
power, and govern and lord over them in the church who have less authority,
then there’s no reason why Paul himself couldn’t do it.
But hey! True followers of Paul! Look at the onset! See
how Paul answered and shared his pure intention in the PURE service for the
Lord which he offered for FREE, notice!
PAUL’S PURE MINISTERIAL GRACE SERVICE:
Verse
12b…… NEVERTHELESS WE HAVE NOT USED THIS POWER; BUT SUFFER ALL
THINGS, LEST WE SHOULD HINDER THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.
This
is what I want to show to you my dear friends how Paul shut off the mouth of
those who questioned his authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ. He’s someone
who administers grace with free of charge service, “NOT USING” forms of
authority of lording those who were the least even those who are less honorable
including the getting used of physical substance for the minister’s means of
living, sources of funds, etc. At any rate, suffer all things FOR THE SAKE OF
THE GOSPEL so that it wouldn’t be hindered.
Further
supposed claim of Paul if it thus:
13 Do ye not know that they
which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they
which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
14 Even so hath the Lord
ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
This
is the ultimate claim and stress for those who marked themselves USING THE
AUTHORITY instead of not using it like our apostle Paul in the rendering of the
free of charge ministry. Paul made mentioned if he was like the authorities’
over users then why it can’t be? He could do it because he’s a minister of the
Lord Jesus Christ.
Notice
how the life of a pure grace minister, the apostle of us all today administers
grace to the simple.
His
real claim in the free of charge a moneyless charge spiritual service:
15 But I have used none of
these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done
unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my
glorying void.
16 For though I preach the
gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is
unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
17 For if I do this thing
willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the
gospel is committed unto me.
18 What is my reward then?
Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without
charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
A. I
HAVE USED NONE OF THESE THINGS, verse 15 (as mentioned above under the law
including their
supposed tithes)
B. NEITHER
HAVE I WRITTEN THESE THINGS, verse 16 (not wrote as a command, ordinance,
obligation
to mean others accountability)
C. I HAVE
NOTHING TO GLORY, verse 16 (as many tithe teachers and preachers boast their
physical luxuries and prosperities in effect of their false teachings)
D. MAKE
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST WITHOUT CHARGE ( grace principle of ministering as a
steward of the mysteries of Christ)
E. I ABUSE
NOT MY POWER IN THE GOSPEL (as many today used as they like to
forbear working)
STRAIGHT FROM MY HEART:
What
can you say about the legacy of the true ministerial position that our beloved
apostle with pure intent, for the gospel sake, suffer himself, neglect the
authorities or power he mentioned above?
Why
can’t many believers today follow Paul if they truly love God for the gospel’s
sake? Why their aim focused to earthly abundance as they assume God prospered them
using the law of tithe under the economy of law?
Compare
spiritual things with spiritual folks and consider for your learning and life
edification.
Grace
and peace!
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